3-5 Day Suggested Itinerary for 2024

Last Updated: 4/22/24 | April twenty second, 2024

Tokyo is likely one of the most superb cities on this planet. It’s fast-paced, futuristic, and bursting with extraordinary actions to maintain you busy, together with beautiful shrines, palaces, and temples; hip golf equipment and bars; and trendy individuals and procuring, to not point out stunning cherry blossoms.

Tokyo lives as much as all of the hype. If I might spend months residing there, I might.

You by no means know what you’ll discover right here. One second you’ll run into a bunch of ladies wearing pig masks and ’80s clothes and the following you’re in a robotic café or a centuries-old temple.

It’s additionally one of many largest cities on this planet, house to nearly 14 million individuals (nearly 40 million in case you depend the metropolitan space). Not surprisingly, there are a lot of nooks and crannies to discover on this metropolis that seamlessly weave centuries-old Japanese traditions with trendy expertise. (So don’t rush your go to. You’re by no means going to see all of it anyway, so don’t attempt!)

To provide help to plan your journey, right here is my steered itinerary based mostly on over seven visits to Tokyo:

Tokyo Itinerary: Day 1

(Note: There’s loads listed for at the present time. Since you’re more likely to get up tremendous early due to jet lag, you’ll be able to match all of it in. You may not wish to, although. Maybe you want a day nap!)

Roam the Tsukiji and Toyosu Fish Markets
In 2018, Tokyo’s major fish market moved to Toyosu, which is twice the scale of the outdated one, Tsukiji, making it the most important on this planet. While a whole lot of good eating places moved too (Sushi Dai being essentially the most well-known), I discover the place itself very stale, since you’ll be able to now not wander the ground (you look down through a walkway above; you additionally want a customer’s go to enter).

The outdated outer market in Tsukiji remains to be nice although, and you may nonetheless discover meals and shops there too. You can wander alone and simply eat and store till you’ll be able to’t anymore! Most companies open at 6am, so it’s an ideal place to go within the morning while you get up early due to jet lag. Food and drink excursions of the Tsukiji Outer Market can be found for round 13,500 JPY.

Tsukiji Fish Market: 5 Chome-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo, +81 3-3542-1111. Admission is free. Toyosu Fish Market: 6 Chome-6-2 Toyosu, Koto, +81 3-3520-8205. Open Monday-Saturday 5am-5pm, although most companies don’t open till 7am. Admission is free.

Immerse your self at teamLab Planets
This actually enjoyable and quirky digital artwork set up is a multisensory and immersive expertise through which you grow to be a part of the paintings, strolling barefoot by the 4 exhibition areas and gardens as you work together with the installations. It takes an hour or so to undergo. teamLab is kind of fashionable and customarily sells out not less than a couple of days prematurely, so I like to recommend getting your tickets on-line forward of time.

6 Chome-1-16 Toyosu, Koto City, teamlab.artwork/e/planets. Open Monday-Sunday 9am-10pm; final entry is one hour earlier than closing. Admission is 3,800 JPY for adults throughout weekdays and 4,200 JPY on weekends. Discounts can be found for kids and people with disabilities.

Admire the Imperial Palace
When the emperor moved from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1869, he took Edo for his new residence and renamed it Tokyo. Though you’ll be able to’t go inside (or get very shut), the constructing is superb. It is surrounded by beautiful grounds and a park, and there’s a moat across the stone partitions. You can even see the altering of the guard, although it’s a comparatively low-key and unassuming ceremony. Tokyo Localized presents a free strolling tour of the gardens that’s price taking and lasts 2.5 hours. Admission to the grounds is free.

Feast beneath the Girders
Not removed from the palace is the Yurakucho neighborhood. Below the elevated prepare tracks at Yurakucho Station is a 700-meter stretch of wine bars, beer pubs, and informal eating places full of businessmen. It’s a great spot for lunch, although it will get essentially the most busy after work, when individuals cease in for meals and completely satisfied hour on their manner house.

Scale the Tokyo Tower
Built in 1957 and resembling the Eiffel Tower, the Tokyo Tower is taller (at 333 meters/1,092 toes) than its European model and made completely of metal. It was the town’s tallest construction till the “Skytree” was inbuilt 2010. You will pay to go all the way in which to the highest flooring to absorb the view, however frankly, the principle commentary deck presents one which’s simply pretty much as good.

4 Chome-2-8 Shibakoen, Minato, +81 3-3433-5111, tokyotower.co.jp. Open every day 9am-11pm. Admission is 1,200 JPY.

Relax at Meiji Jingu
Located on the northern finish of Yoyogi Park, Meiji Jingu is a peaceable Shinto shrine honoring Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, who helped modernize Japan. It’s nestled in a serene forest, with an enormous picket gate marking the doorway and paths lined with timber. You actually don’t really feel such as you’re in one of many busiest, most densely populated cities on this planet while you wander round right here. Watch conventional ceremonies, stroll by the gardens, or try the museum. (FYI: It will get actually busy on the weekends.)

1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya City, +81 3-3379-5511, meijijingu.or.jp. Open daily of the 12 months from dawn to sundown. Admission is free.

Enjoy Yoyogi Park
One of Tokyo’s largest parks, Yoyogi is laced with strolling paths, forested areas, and ponds. It can be used for music occasions and festivals all year long, and also you’ll see many avenue performers and retailers promoting snacks. If you’re visiting in late March or early April, you’ll be capable to catch the cherry blossoms. In the autumn, the ginkgo forest takes on a stupendous golden colour.

2-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya City, +81 3-3469-6081, tokyo-park.or.jp/park/yoyogi. Open 24 hours, although some services have shorter opening instances. Admission is free.

Get fashionable in Harajuku
Harajuku is likely one of the most iconic districts in Tokyo. It’s famend for its avant-garde tackle style, it’s the epicenter of anime and kawaii (cuteness) tradition in Tokyo, with a lot of quirky and vintage-clothing shops and avenue artwork. Walking across the space, you’ll see all types of outfits, principally worn by youthful Japanese individuals (predominantly youngsters), making it a enjoyable place to people-watch and window-shop. If you wish to buy groceries, this is likely one of the greatest areas to do it in. you’ll discover a whole lot of the very best Japanese designers right here.

Dine with ninjas
For a singular eating expertise, head to Ninja Tokyo (previously Ninja Akasaka), a ninja-themed restaurant designed like an Edo-era constructing, with wait workers clothed in stereotypical all-black garb and skilled in all kinds of tips and illusions. You’ll order off outdated scrolls whereas being entertained by the abilities of your server! It’s tremendous enjoyable.

Tokyu Plaza Akasaka, +81 3-5157-3936, ninja-tokyo.jp. Open every day 5pm-10pm, plus 11:30am-2pm on weekends.

Drink in Golden Gai
This district, lined with backstreet bars, could also be touristy, nevertheless it’s some of the enjoyable in Tokyo. These zigzag alleys are full of hole-in-the-wall bars serving low-cost drinks. Each is exclusive, so it’s enjoyable to pop out and in of them. It’s very touristy, however you’ll discover a whole lot of Japanese individuals right here too. It’s fairly crowded on the weekends, so go early earlier than the bars replenish.

If you desire a deep dive into the world, take a meals tour. Arigato Tours runs a night tour round Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku that can present you round and allow you to pattern the very best ramen and yakitori within the space.

Tokyo Itinerary: Day 2

Check out Asakusa
If you wish to see a few of Tokyo’s historic non secular websites, spend a while wandering round Asakusa. Just begin as early as you’ll be able to to keep away from the crowds (particularly in case you plan on taking photographs). These are two locations to not be missed:

• Senso-ji – Tokyo’s hottest and well-known temple is superbly painted and sits in a scenic spot close to a pagoda and the spectacular Kaminari Gate. There’s an enormous statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, inside the principle corridor. 2 Chome-3-1 Asakusa, Taito, +81 3-3842-0181, senso-ji.jp. The grounds are open 24/7, although the temple itself is open every day 6am-5pm. Admission is free.
• Asakusa Shrine – Not removed from Senso-ji is that this Shinto shrine, constructed in the course of the Edo interval and which survived the air raids of World War II. This is rather more peaceable than Senso-ji, with fewer individuals, whom you’ll be capable to see praying, meditating, or performing conventional rituals. 2 Chome-3-1 Asakusa, Taito, +81 3-3844-1575, asakusajinja.jp. Open every day 9am-4:30pm. Admission is free.

Explore Ueno Park
Spanning over 133 acres, Ueno Park is a beautiful spot to spend the day. Various stalls and distributors promote snacks, drinks, and souvenirs. On weekends, there are normally cultural occasions or festivals showcasing conventional arts, music, and dance. During cherry blossom season, the park is stuffed with individuals picnicking and admiring the 1000’s of timber. The park can be house to a few of Tokyo’s greatest museums:

• Tokyo National Museum –Established in 1872, this huge museum within the north finish of the park homes one of many world’s largest collections of artwork and artifacts from Asia, notably Japan. 13-9 Uenokoen, Taito, +81 3-3822-1111, tnm.jp. Open every day 9:30am-5pm (7pm on Fridays and Saturdays). Admission is 1,000 JPY.
• Tosho-gu Shrine – This stunning Seventeenth-century Shinto shrine with carved gold doorways and ornate carvings may also be discovered within the park. 9-88 Uenokoen, Taito, +81 3-3822-3455, uenotoshogu.com/en. Open every day 9am-5:30pm (4:30pm in winter). Admission is free as much as the wall, although to go additional inside is 500 JPY. To enter the shrine and peony backyard prices 1,600 JPY. There’s additionally a combo ticket for the shrine and treasure corridor for two,100 JPY.
• National Museum of Nature and Science – Opened in 1871, this museum homes exhibitions on pre-Meiji science. There are over 5,000,000 gadgets within the assortment, with 14,000 of them on everlasting show. It’s additionally house to the taxidermied physique of the legendary canine Hachiko, the loyal canine who would greet his proprietor at Shibuya Station on return from his every day commute (extra on him later). 7-20 Uenokoen, +81 50-5541-8600, kahaku.go.jp. Open Tuesday-Sunday 9am-5pm. Admission is 630 JPY.
• National Museum of Western Art – This is likely one of the solely museums within the nation to deal with Western artwork, established in 1959. The assortment of virtually 5,000 items extends from the Renaissance all the way in which to the twentieth century. Expect to see works by masters like Van Gogh, Reubens, Renoir, Monet, Picasso, and plenty of extra! 7-7 Uenokoen, +81 3-3828-5131, nmwa.go.jp. Open Tuesday-Sunday 9:30am-5:30pm (8pm on Fridays and Saturdays). Admission is 500 JPY.

Browse Akihabara
Akihabara, or “Akiba,” is a bustling district in central Tokyo identified for its vibrant electronics, anime, manga, and gaming tradition. You’ll discover streets filled with devices, anime merchandise, card video games, and collectibles. Stop and play in one of many plethora of online game retailers. This space can be the place you’ll discover the well-known maid cafés, the place servers costume up as maids and serve you meals and drinks. The ladies on the road are selling the extra hole-in-the-wall choices, that are much more culturally enjoyable than the massive touristy ones. (They aren’t low-cost, although, as it’s a must to purchase drinks packages and pay a charge, nevertheless it’s kitschy and enjoyable.)

Bathe in a sento
A sento is a standard public bathhouse, usually separated by gender. The Japanese are usually not shy, so that you’ll must be comfy with nudity! A budget-friendly sento will value you below 1,000 JPY. Just observe that tattoos might be frowned upon and also you may be required to cowl them up.

Go go-karting
Want to hurry across the streets of Tokyo in a go-kart whereas carrying a fancy dress? The Monkey Kart firm allows you to. As lengthy as you will have a global driving allow (which you may get in case you have a sound driver’s license), you’ll be able to participate. They’ll snap photographs of you within the act too! You can e-book the expertise right here.

Shibuya, 1F, 1 Chome-27-7, +81 3-5309-2639, monkey-kart.com. Open every day 9:30am-9pm. The course will take 75 minutes and prices 16,000 JPY per particular person. There are a number of areas across the metropolis.

Tokyo Itinerary: Day 3

Stroll by Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
This beautiful park is over 144 acres and residential to some 20,000 timber. Most of the unique park was destroyed in World War II in the course of the air raids, nevertheless it was rebuilt and reopened in 1949. During spring, it’s among the best areas to see cherry blossoms. I like the standard panorama backyard, which has a number of ponds with bridges and islands. It’s a peaceable little oasis inside the hustle and bustle.

11 Naitomachi, Shinjuku, +81 3-3350-0151, env.go.jp/backyard/shinjukugyoen/index.html. Open Tuesday-Sunday 9am-5:30pm. Generally, advance ticket buy is required, however observe that in cherry blossom season, you’ll be able to’t e-book tickets prematurely. Admission is 500 JPY.

See Shibuya Crossing
This is kind of probably the busiest and most well-known intersection on this planet (some 2,500 individuals cross the road right here each two minutes). The space is buzzing at evening, with brilliant lights and frenzied exercise — like Times Square on steroids. Make positive to go to the canine statue between Shibuya Station and the intersection (on the Hachiko Exit) — it’s a tribute to Hachiko, the loyal canine who would greet his proprietor at Shibuya Station on return from his every day commute. This continued till the proprietor handed away at work in 1925. Hachiko then visited the station every day and waited for his proprietor till he additionally handed away practically a decade later, in 1935.

Experience a tea ceremony
No go to to Japan is full with out experiencing a standard tea ceremony. While these are normally lengthy and costly experiences, there are positively some budget-friendly choices for anybody trying to not break the financial institution. True Japan runs ceremonies in Tokyo for 9,900 JPY per particular person; they final 75 minutes. Sakurai Japanese Tea Experience is one other good choice, situated close to Shibuya.

Visit a unusual café
Tokyo has all kinds of wonderful, bizarre, and fantastic cafés: monster cafés, owl cafés, cat cafés, vampire cafés, canine cafés, religious-themed cafés, and rather more! If you’re searching for one thing uncommon to do, see what bizarre and quirky cafés are close to you (they’re throughout city, so that you by no means need to go far to seek out one!). Here are some options:

• Kawaii Monster Café
• Vampire Café
• Christon Café (Christian themed)
• Dog Heart (canine café)
• Mipig Cafe Harajuku (pig café)
• Calico (cat café)
• Harry (hedgehog café)
• Ninja Cafe & Bar (ninja themed)

Enjoy conventional Japanese theater
Kabuki is a standard type of theater involving dance and drama. The costumes and make-up are closely stylized, making for a really visible efficiency. The Kabuki-za, situated in Ginza, is the very best venue through which to see one in all these unbelievable shows. Just understand that performances are in Japanese.

4 Chome-12-15 Ginza, +81 3-3545-6800, kabuki-za.co.jp. Performances are held nearly every day. Check the web site for essentially the most up-to-date schedule. Expect to pay not less than 4,000 JPY in case you e-book prematurely. You can usually arrive the day of and get last-minute tickets for cheaper, nonetheless.

Tokyo Itinerary: Day 4

Time to take a break and head out on a day journey for some non-urban adventures. Here are some options:

See Daibutsu (the Great Buddha)
Make a day journey to Kamakura, the place you’ll be able to see a 13-meter (42-foot) bronze statue of Buddha. It was initially inbuilt 1252 inside a temple, however the construction was washed away — on a number of events — by storms. The statue now sits within the open air, (together with an enormous pair of straw sandals that belong to the statue). You may even go contained in the statue itself — there isn’t a lot to see, nevertheless it’s nonetheless form of neat to have the ability to step into an enormous statue of that dimension and significance.

The journey to Kamakura takes round an hour and is free with a Japan Rail Pass.

4 Chome-2-28 Hase, Kamakura, +81 467-22-0703, kotoku-in.jp. Open every day 8am-5:30pm (till 5pm in the course of the winter). Admission is 300 JPY.

Get touristy at Tokyo Disneyland
I’m a sucker for Disney points of interest! This is a enjoyable alternative for anybody touring with kids, but additionally for adults who simply love amusement parks. Opened in 1983, it has seven themed areas to discover and is the third most visited theme park on this planet (18 million every year). It has a whole lot of the identical well-known rides you’ll discover at Disney World, equivalent to Splash Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, and the nauseating Mad Tea Cup Ride. It’s greatest to e-book on-line prematurely.

1-1 Maihama, Urayasu, +81 45-330-5211, tokyodisneyresort.jp/tdl. Open every day 8am-10pm. Admission is 7,900-10,900 JPY for adults and 6,600-9,000 JPY for kids, relying on age.

Hike Mount Mitake
Located simply over an hour from Tokyo is Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, masking 1,250 sq. kilometers of rolling hills, mountains, and forests. There are loads of mountaineering trails, although you may also take a cable automotive to the highest after which hike to the shrine that sits on the height, some 930 meters (3,050 toes) above sea stage. It’s a 30-minute stroll to the shrine from the height or prime of the cable automotive. From there, you’ll be able to hike for an hour to a small valley with two picturesque waterfalls or proceed on to Mount Otake, which is about two hours from the summit of Mount Mitake.

Behold Mount Fuji
Located simply over an hour from Tokyo and standing at a formidable 3,776 meters (12,389 toes), Mount Fuji is likely one of the most iconic views within the nation. It can be an lively stratovolcano (it final erupted in 1708) and one of many Three Holy Mountains of Japan. Covered in snow for nearly half of the 12 months, it’s each a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and a UNESCO Cultural Site. In the summer time, the mountain is open to hikers, who spend anyplace from 5 to 12 hours reaching the summit. Traditionally, hikers depart at evening to reach on the prime for the dawn.

If you don’t wish to hike to the height, you’ll be able to merely go to on a day journey. There are buses that may take you partway up, from which you’ll be supplied sweeping vistas of the encompassing space. Guided day excursions from the town value round 12,000 JPY.

Visit the Ghibli Museum
If you’re a fan of famed director Hayao Miyazaki’s work (which incorporates movies like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke), then you definitely’ll wish to try this superb exhibition. Designed by Miyazaki himself, it’s an immersive expertise that any movie buff will recognize. There can be a brand new quick movie each month, solely obtainable to guests. The museum received’t take up a complete day, nevertheless it’s not in a really central location, so that you’ll must plan accordingly.

1 Chome-1-83 Shimorenjaku, +81 570-055-777, ghibli-museum.jp. Open Wednesday-Monday 10am-6pm. Admission is 1,000 JPY for adults, with reductions obtainable for youth and youngsters. There are restricted tickets obtainable every day, so e-book prematurely.

Tokyo Itinerary: Day 5

During your final day in Tokyo, the town is your oyster. There’s nonetheless lots to do. Go procuring, discover new cafés, wander gardens, eat all of the meals — the chances are infinite. Some different issues I like to do embody the next:

Admire the National Art Center
Opened in 2007, this museum and gallery doesn’t even have a everlasting assortment however reasonably homes a endless collection of short-term exhibitions, from impressionism to trendy artwork. Check the web site to see what’s at present being proven.

7 Chome-22-2 Roppongi, +81 3-5777-8600, nact.jp. Open Wednesday-Monday 10am-6pm and Fridays and Saturdays till 8pm. Admission varies by exhibit.

Visit the Samurai Museum
No journey to Japan could be full with out studying about samurai. While they have been identified for his or her martial talent, there was rather more to the tradition than simply mastering the katana (a standard sword). The museum has some unbelievable shows of conventional weapons and armor, a few of which you’ll even attempt on.

Kabukicho 2-25-6, +81 3-6457-6411, samuraimuseum.jp/en. Open every day 10:30am-9pm. Admission is 1,900 JPY. You can discover the museum by yourself or in a bunch tour, which is performed each half-hour. Still quickly closed attributable to COVID; test the web site for updates.

Watch a sumo match
Kokugikan, Japan’s most well-known sumo area, hosts tournaments 3 times every year. The wrestling that we see right this moment dates to the Seventeenth century, although its origins return even additional, and it’s nonetheless some of the fashionable traditions within the nation. If you’re on the town on the proper time, this can be a must-do! Tickets promote out shortly, so act quick. You can e-book a ticket on-line right here (you’ll be accompanied by a information too, so you’ll be able to study extra in regards to the custom because it unfolds earlier than your eyes).

1 Chome-3-2-8 Yokoami, Sumida, +81 3-3623-5111, sumo.or.jp/kokugikan. Ticket costs range, however count on to pay round 3,800 JPY.

Have drinks on the Park Hyatt
New York Bar is the long-lasting bar from Sofia Coppola’s 2003 movie Lost in Translation. Located on the 52nd flooring, it truly lives as much as the hype. The environment is stylish, the drinks are nice, and the view is totally beautiful. There is reside jazz each evening, and whereas there’s a cowl cost (round 2,750 JPY), it’s positively price it!

3-7-1-2 Nishishinjuku, +81 3-5322-1234, hyatt.com. Open Sunday-Wednesday 5pm-12am and Thursday-Saturday 5pm-1am.

Peruse the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum
Built in 1933, this small museum was once the official residence of Prince and Princess Asaka. The prince had studied in Paris and wished to carry Art Deco to Japan, which explains the constructing’s fashion and decorations. In 1983, the residence grew to become a museum and is now house to a rotating collection of recent artwork exhibitions.

5-21-9 Shirokanedai, +81 3-3443-0201, teien-art-museum.ne.jp/en. Open every day 10am-6pm. Garden admission is 200 JPY; museum admission varies relying on the present exhibition.

Promenade alongside the Meguro River
The Meguro River weaves nearly 8 kilometers (5 miles) by Tokyo and makes for an impressive stroll. There’s a path with a little bit of inexperienced house that follows the water, so loads of locals stroll or train there. In the spring, you’ll be capable to see a whole lot of cherry blossoms too. There’s additionally loads of eating places alongside the way in which to cease and eat at!

Take the Harry Potter studio tour
If you’re keen on Harry Potter, this studio tour is a should. Like the unique in London, “The Making of Harry Potter” allows you to stroll in his footsteps and discover his superb wizarding world. You can wander iconic units just like the Great Hall and Diagon Alley, see authentic props and costumes from the movies, and learn the way they have been made. There are additionally sections on the newer Fantastic Beasts movies. It takes about 3 hours to see all of it. Just make sure that to e-book the earliest spot within the day, because the crowds right here might be large in a while. I posted extra recommendations on Instagram if you wish to study extra.

1 Chome-1-7 Kasugacho, +81 50-6862-3676, wbstudiotour.jp. Open every day 8:30am-10pm. Tickets at 6,500 JPY.

Where to Eat

Tokyo is so large and has so many eating choices, that it might be inconceivable to select simply two or three favorites. You can learn this weblog publish that has all my favourite eating places in Tokyo.

Tokyo is very large. You might spend a lifetime right here and nonetheless not uncover every little thing there’s to see. But in case you observe the itinerary and options above, you’ll be capable to have a enjoyable and insightful go to and go away this sprawling capital with a nuanced perspective of what life in Tokyo is like.