Tokyo

Japan

Tokyo

You can easily enjoy getting lost in Tokyo for months – but if you only have a few days or one week you can enjoy a lot of what the metropolis has to offer. It’s energetic, sprawling, and vibrant, but also gives you the chance to explore some great history. Walk past tall, sleek buildings, stroll around shrines, poke through old wooden neighborhoods, paddle through a park, soak in museums, and eat to your heart’s delight. Don’t forget to look down every lane and up every building – something is hidden everywhere. In Tokyo alone, you can experience a wide range of Japanese culture, without ever stepping foot outside of the city.

Length: 4+ days

Transportation: train and public transportation

Best Guide Book: Lonely Planet Japan, Moon Japan

Guide Companies: Chris Rowthorn Tours, Maction Planet, Good Will Ambassadors

Best time of year: There’s no bad season to go to Tokyo, but if you can plan your trip in the spring or fall you’ll get to enjoy cherry blossoms or red and gold trees.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

  • Tsukiji Market and Toyosu Market (for giant tuna auction)
  • Lunch – Ginza Hachigo
  • Imperial Palace East Garden
  • Optional – Kitanomaru-koen Park
  • Dinner – Tokyo Food Tour or Locale
  • Drinks – Bar Benfeddich

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

In-Depth Itinerary

Day 1

The best way to approach Tokyo is to pick a few neighborhoods next to each other to explore in a day. The city is huge and while public transportation is easy, it’s better to group your sites because they can be far apart. You do not strictly need a guide (Tokyo is easy to navigate and with a guide book you’ll have access to the history) but if you want a guide, we had good luck with Chris Rowthorn Tours and Maction Planet. Additionally, Japan provides a service known as Good Will Ambassadors which are totally free guides throughout Japan. You must arrange these in advance and, as they are volunteers, the quality of English can vary. These guides do not accept cash tips, but it is polite to bring a small gift from your home country to give to them.

We’re not convinced it really makes a difference of where you stay in Tokyo. It’s so huge, you’ll have to travel anywhere out of the neighborhood you pick. My biggest recommendation is pick a place near a metro/train stop which will make your life easier. Ginza and Shibuya are popular options (there’s good dining and shopping nearby). I’d avoid staying anywhere near Chinatown as that area is a bit rougher/dicier. Do not stay out near Disney Sea unless your trip is centered around Disney. But ultimately it’s a bit up to you. Hotel rooms (even the nicer ones) tend to be small – adjust your expectations. Tokyo does have AirBNB but, as I cannot imagine you’d want to cook for yourself in Tokyo when the food is so incredible and relatively inexpensive, I generally avoid this choice. For a budget choice look at Richmond Asakusa Hotel, Hamacho Hotel, Toggle Hotel Suidobashi, Hotel The Celestine Tokyo Shiba, Mustard Hotel Shimokitazawa, of Lyuro Tokyo Kiyosumi by The Share Hotels. For a mid-range choice look at Park Hotel Tokyo, Gate Hotel Asakusa, Dai-Ichi Hotel Tokyo, or Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo. If you’re looking to splurge, consider Mandarin Oriental, The Tokyo Edition Toranomon, Aman Tokyo, TRUNK(HOTEL) Yoyogi Park, Hotel Toranomon Hills, Conrad Hotel, or Palace Hotel.

Start your day at the Meiji Shrine. Wander through the forest to get to the outside of the shrine where you will find a wall of sake barrels and a wall of wine barrels (gifts to the shrine). Nearby to the Meiji Shrine is the Shinjuku-gyoen gardens, which was completed as an imperial retreat in 1906. It’s a nice stroll and a beautiful place for a picnic, or, depending on the season, to see cherry blossoms in the spring.

Next, head to Takeshita-dori which is Tokyo’s famous fashion bazaar along a pedestrian alley. Next stroll along Omote-sando to check out contemporary architecture. It’s best to start at the intersection of Omote-sando and Meiji-dori at Tokyu Plaza (the entrance is a hall of mirrors and on the top is a roof garden with a Starbucks). Other architectural gems to note include: Omotesando Hills, the Dior Building, the Louis Vuitton Building, Tod’s, the Prada Aoyama Building, and SunnyHills.

Next can be an optional stop at the Nezu Museum. This museum has a renowned collection of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean antiquities. It tends to be a serene and quieter museum and the cafe, NEZUCAFÉ, is a fantastic place for lunch.

From here, make your way to Shibuya Crossing which is allegedly the busiest intersection in the world. With every light change hundreds (sometimes thousands) of people cross the street at one time. Nearby the crossing, there are some popular shopping places. The rooftop of the Shibuya 109 department store (Mag’s Park – the entry fee includes a drink) has one of the best views over Shibuya Crossing.If you want, you can get advance tickets for Shibuya Sky, a 360 degree open-air observation deck at the rooftop of Shibuya Scramble Square, 230 meters above ground. The Sky Edge corner gives a view of the cityscape below without obstruction. Alternatively, catch the train from Shibuya Station to Shinjuku Station and you get a good view for free at Tokyo’s city hall, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. This building has observatory platforms on both the south and north towers of Building 1, 202m up. On a clear day you may be able to see Mt. Fuji and after dark it’s a fun place to take in all of the illuminated buildings.

Nearby The Bellwood/Bell Sushi is an excellent place for dinner. The backroom of the inventive bar is a sushi restaurant (it’s tiny and only seats four). Alternatively, Omoide-yokocho (a bar district) is also great spot to get a more casual dinner dinner. Tokyo still has hidden narrow alleyways and Omoide-yokocho remains a cluster of them with tiny restaurants and bars. Omoide-yokocho literally means “Memory Lane” but is also known as “Piss Alley”. Here, you’ll mostly find yakitori.

After dinner you should make your way to Golden Gai, Tokyo’s iconic bar district made up on many tiny bars in low-slung wooden buildings. Some of these bars keep their doors closed to tourists to preserve the old atmosphere – be respectful fo that. Bars that welcome tourists have English signs posted on their doors and the best way to experience this area is to stroll and pick a place that looks fun. Or make your way over to Vowz Bar. This bar is run by Buddhist monks (in an effort to get more young people familiar with Buddhism). As part of your bar experience, you’ll join a chant off a piece of paper passed around, but it’s lively and incredibly cool.

Day 2

Start your day visiting Ueno-koen Park with the first site being the Tokyo National Museum. Allow at least an hour to wind your way through the century of history the museum covers.

Next, enjoy Ueno-koen Park. This spot is especially popular in spring (it’s one of Tokyo’s top blossom viewing spots), but it is truly lovely all year long. There are two must-see spots to stop at (in this order): Kiyomizu Kannon-do and Uneo Toshogo Shrine. Nearby to the Uneo Toshogo Shrine is the Peony Garden and, if it’s open and the flowers are in bloom, it’s a gorgeous place to visit as well. One end of the park also has a large scenic pond (Shinobazu-ike) and you can also find the Ueno Zoo (which is Japan’s oldest zoo).

After seeing Uneo Toshogo Shrine, walk to Nezu-jinja shrine with its photogenic red torii gates and then to Enju-ji Temple. If you need a coffee break, Kayaba Coffee near Enju-ji Temple is a nice place to stop. In this area you’ll continue to pass many temples and you’re welcome to go into any. Yanaka-reien is one of Tokyo’s most atmospheric and prestigious cemeteries. When you exit the cemetery, continue with the train tracks on your right until you reach the bridge that overlooks the tracks. Head left and continue down the Yuyake Dandan to the classic mid-20th century shopping street Yanaka Ginza. This is a charming area that feels like stepping back in time with low wooden homes and stores selling goods they’ve sold for hundreds of years. Grab snacks from the food vendors as you browse through the stores and enjoy the small park Sudo-koen. Then catch the subway at Sendagi Station to Asakusa Station.

From Asakusa station walk to the main entrance to the complex, the red Kaminari-mon (Thunder Gate). On each side is a statue of Fujin (god of wind) and Raijin (god of Thunder). Then wander along the main shopping street (Nakamise-dori) to the temple lined by vendors on either side. These vendors sell everything from cheap trinkets to true craftwork. It’s a great place to grab a bite to eat if you’re hungry. At the end of Nakamise-dori is Senso-ji temple itself and the nearby 55m Five-Storied Pagoda (a 1973 reconstruction of the one built by Tokugawa Iemitsu) and Asakusa-jina (original from 1649). Denboin garden is a pretty walk through if it is open.

For the late afternoon, you may want to instead catch a boat to Hamariku Gardens which runs from Asakusa.

For drinks, try Folklore or Qwang Bar. For dinner, head to Ginza Katsukami or choose off of our Tokyo Restaurant and Drink Recommendations.

Day 3

Plan to spend your morning exploring Tokyo’s best markets. If you only choose one, it should be the Tsukiji Market. The outer market in Tsukiji is a wonderful chance to sample a wide variety of some of Japan’s finest seafood and various fresh, hot snacks. It’s fun to simply wander among the incredible amount of food (fresh, preserved, you name it – it’s there), but you must ask to take photos. Peruse both the inner and the outer market.

Before 2018, Tsukiji Market was the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world, however the fist market got moved to another location, Toyosu Market, where they still do the giant tuna auction. If you want to see this, you’ll have to head here. This market is closed on Sundays, national holidays, and most Wednesdays. You’ll have to stand on a designated observation deck and a glass walled auction gallery to view the action, and be mindful this is not something put on for tourists. This is a real auction for buyers to secure tuna for the restaurants. The tuna auctions at happen between 5:30 am and 6:30 am. You should plan to arrive around 5 am to the Fisheries Intermediate Whole Building to obtain a spot in the free gallery or 5:30 am at the observation deck if you have a ticket. The auction walkway gallery is opened from 5 am to visitors and you do not need a ticket. The observation deck is located on the same floor as the auction, and, whie the tickets are free, you need to apply through a monthly lottery one month ahead of your visit.

Grab lunch at Ginza Hachigo after you finish at the market.

For the afternoon, visit the Imperial Palace East Garden and Kitanomaru-koen Park. The Imperial Palace East Garden is in the Tokyo Imperial Palace complex and easy to wander. The gardens were first used by the Tokugawa shogunate. If you aren’t tired yet, Kitanomaru-koen Park is just north of the Imperial Palace garden, and, especially in the spring, can be a gorgeous place to see cherry blossoms and take a boat ride on the canals. This park also houses the National Museum of Modern Art.

Tonight consider joining a Tokyo Food Tour to sample many of Japanese delicacies. There are many food tours you can consider. Ninja Food Tours is arguably maybe the best. But other good options include Culinary Backstreets and Arigato Japan Food Tours.

For after dinner drinks, Bar Benfeddich is a fun option if you can score a reservation.

Day 4

With more than three days, you have time to enjoy more of what Tokyo has to offer. We’d recommend starting this morning in one of Team Lab’s sites: Borderless or Planets. What is Team Lab? They are major immersive, digital art museums created by the international art collective Team Lab. Think an interactive, incredibly cool museum where you interact with the art.

After this, you may one to explore another one of Tokyo’s famous museums, choosing between the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum (modern art), Artizon Museum of Art (impressionist, post-impressionist, and 20th century art), or the Yayoi Kusama Museum (famous polka dot artist).

In the afternoon, enjoy a wander through the Koishikawa Korakuen Garden before making your way to Akihabara Electronic Town (most impressive in the dark and lit up). This is the colorful area of Tokyo known for manga and anime.

For drinks tonight, consider Aloha Whiskey or Hibiya Whiskey Bar or select from our Tokyo Restaurant and Drink.

For dinner, make your way to Suzushin Tonkatsu for the best tonkatsu in Tokyo.

Day 5

If you want to see Ghibli Museum you need to seriously plan ahead. Studio Ghibli is the renowned Japanese animation studio and have been making iconic films for nearly 50 years (there’s a good chance you’ve seen Howl’s Moving Castle). The museum is one of the absolute most popular in Japan. If you’re not in Japan, you need to buy them on the Lawson website at 10am Japan time on the 10th of the month. You have to be very ready. At 10am you are put into a virtual queue and then it’s a lottery. You need to know what day and time you want in advance (it’s closed on Tuesdays).

Alternatively, you can use this day to visit any parks or museums you haven’t yet seen. Or spend some time wandering the Harajuku and Omotesando areas. Harajuku, specifically Takeshita Street, is the epicenter of youth fashion, unique street food, and themed cafes. Omotesando is a “Champs-Élysées” tree-lined luxury shopping district. If you like vintage clothing these areas host an array of shops: Brand Collect Harajuku, Casanova vintage, QOO, Vintage Paris Aoyama, Brand Collect Omotesando, and Amore Vintage Aoyama. Further out you can find Komehyo, Hedy Daikanyama Vintage Shop Tokyo, Okura Shinjyuku East Exit Hermes, Brand Collect Hiroo, Rodeo Drive Shinjuku, and Kinda Kindall Shinjuku Store.

Today would be a great day to visit Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the world at 634 meters. There are two observation decks at 350 meters and 450 meters. While you can see more of the city during daylight hours (and can sometimes see Mt. Fuji), it’s arguably cooler at night when the city is lit up.

If you can, plan to see a sumo tournament or practice. Japan is the only country where sumo wrestling is practiced professionally. The easiest way to see it is to go with a guide. Sumo tournaments are only held a few times a year and you can get tickets through Get Your Guide to the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena or if you want to try, on your own at Sumo Experience. Alternatively, other times of the year you can witness a practice at a sumo stable.

For dinner tonight head to Mon Cher Ton Ton Roppongi.

Day 6

With more time in Tokyo, you may want to consider a day trip. Kamakura is one of the easiest options. A mere 40 minute train ride takes you right to the lovely seaside town. The JR Yokosuka line is the fastest way to get there from Tokyo Station to Kamakura. You can also take the JR Shonan Shinjuku Line or the Enoshima Kamakura Free Pass. Kamakura is famous for the enoden, a yellow and green train that runs between kamakura and Fujisawa with stops to Enoshima. The Enoshima Kamakura Free Pass allows you 1 day of rides along the Enoden as well as a train ticket to Kamakura from Tokyo. Alternatively, you can buy a Enoden 1-day free pass right outside the train station in Kamakura. You can hop off and on the Enoden anytime and visit the major sites along the coastal route.

Start with breakfast at Breeze Bird Café & Bakery which has amazing pastries. Then wander down Komachi Street, a charming street filled with shops and food stalls.

Next make your way to Hokokuji Temple and bamboo garden. It’s worth planning a tea black in the outdoor tea house in the middle of the garden.

From here you can grab a taxi or jump on the bus back to the station and then catch the Endoen line to Kamakura Daibutsu (Hase Station) where you will see the iconic Kamakura buddha statue.

Next continue along the Endoen line to Shichirigahama Beach. This beach offers gorgeous views of the coast with Mount Fuji in the background. From here you can look out for surfers and sailers.

Continue along the Endoen line to the end (Enoshima station) and then walk to Enoshima Island. Grab a very late lunch or early dinner at Bills. Alternatively (or if you don’t feel like walking all the way to Enoshima Island), eat at Daisy’s Cafe.

Take the train back to Tokyo.