The district of Ueno functions as a major transport hub and a concentrated centre for culture and commerce. Its core is Ueno Park, a spacious public ground that contains several major institutions. These include the Ueno Zoo, the Tokyo National Museum with its comprehensive Japanese collection, the National Museum of Nature and Science, and the National Museum of Western Art. South of the station, the Ameya-Yokochō market street presents a different atmosphere. This crowded street with covered alleyways started as a post-war black market, and now features vendors selling seafood, clothing and spices.

The Royal Tank Museum rolls into Amman’s cultural scene with unexpected swagger, its 150 armoured beasts (from WWI relics to Jordan’s homegrown modifications) displayed with cinematic flair. Architect Zaid Daoud’s sleek 2018 design lets you circle Soviet T-34s and hulking Challengers like a battlefield rubbernecker, while interactive displays appeal to kids and military buffs alike. Displayed chronologically, the exhibits trace Jordan’s martial legacy from the Arab Revolt’s camel cavalry to 1967’s Battle of Karamah, though the real stars are the machines. German Panzers stand next to locally retrofitted Centurions, their spec in English and Arabic. Recharge your batteries at the café on the top floor. Budget an hour, ignore the jingoistic plaques, and don’t miss the outdoor arena where (select weekends) engines roar to life.

Dedicated to the Romantic poets — Keats, Shelley, and Byron — who each stayed in Rome and died tragically young, this charming period house contains a chain of rooms lined with rare books and relics, including Keats' last resting place. There's also a gift shop, an introductory film, and a spacious terrace.