Tokyo: The Complete Guide

How many days do you need in Tokyo?

Four to five days minimum. Three days is technically possible, but you'll rush through everything and leave entire neighborhoods untouched. The problem with three days is that Tokyo is not one city. Shinjuku, Asakusa, Shibuya, and Akihabara have almost nothing in common, and each one needs at least a half day to do properly.

Five days lets you cover the major areas without sprinting between them. You get a morning for Meiji Shrine and Harajuku, a full day for the east side (Asakusa, Ueno, Akihabara), time for Shinjuku and Shibuya, and a day trip to Hakone or Kamakura. That still leaves neighborhoods like Yanaka, Shimokitazawa, and Koenji for whenever you have a free afternoon.

Repeat visitors often spend a full week, and even that feels short. Each trip, you go deeper into a different part of the city. First-timers cover the landmarks. By the second or third trip, you have your neighborhoods, your coffee spots, your train route. Tokyo rewards that kind of return more than any other city in Japan.

Where should you stay in Tokyo?

Shinjuku for most people. It is the biggest transit hub in the city. JR lines, Tokyo Metro, private railways like the Odakyu line to Hakone, and long-distance highway buses all converge here. Hotels range from ¥8,000 business hotels to ¥30,000+ properties, and restaurants fill every side street. If you only have a few days and plan to cover a lot of ground, Shinjuku puts you in the center of the network.

Shibuya is the pick if you want a younger, trendier base. It has easy access to Shimokitazawa and Daikanyama by train, and the area around Shibuya Station has been rebuilt with new hotels and shopping in the last few years. Shibuya Sky (¥2,000) gives you the aerial view of the scramble crossing.

Asakusa works for a more traditional feel. You're walking distance to Senso-ji, the Sumida River, and some of the most budget-friendly hotels in central Tokyo. The trade-off is that you're further east, so getting to Shinjuku or Shibuya takes 30+ minutes by metro.

Ueno is another affordable option, with museums, the Ameyoko market, and faster access to Narita Airport via the Keisei Skyliner. For the full neighborhood breakdown with transit maps and price comparisons, see our Where to Stay in Tokyo guide.

What should you do in Tokyo?

Pick neighborhoods, not sights. Tokyo's best days come from spending a morning in one area, walking until you've absorbed it, and moving on to the next. The train system makes jumping between neighborhoods effortless, so you don't need to plan a rigid route.

Meiji Shrine and Harajuku pair together in a single morning. Meiji Jingu is free, set inside a dense forest that feels nothing like the city around it. Walk through, then cross the street to Harajuku for Takeshita Street and the backstreet shops. Go on a weekday if you can. Takeshita Street on weekends is so packed it's barely walkable.

Senso-ji and Asakusa are best before 8 AM, when the temple grounds belong to you and the locals. Tokyo's oldest temple and the Nakamise shopping street leading to it have been drawing crowds for centuries, which is part of the point. After the temple, walk along the Sumida River or grab breakfast at one of the side-street shops.

Shinjuku fills a full afternoon and evening. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck is free on the 45th floor with clear views across the city and, on good days, Mt. Fuji. Shinjuku Gyoen (¥500) is one of the best gardens in Tokyo, especially during cherry blossom season and autumn. After dark, Golden Gai is a cluster of tiny bars, most seating six to eight people, packed into narrow alleys.

Shibuya Crossing is exactly what it looks like in every photograph. Watch it from the Starbucks above, cross it yourself, and then move into the backstreets south of the station where the actual restaurants and shops are.

Akihabara is electronics, anime, manga, and gaming arcades. The main streets have large chain stores, but the side streets hold the independent shops with better prices and stranger inventory. It's worth a half day even if you're not into anime, just for the density of it.

Yanaka is old Tokyo. Pre-war wooden houses, temple cats, kissaten coffee shops with dark wood interiors and hand-dripped coffee. This is the Tokyo that survived the firebombing and hasn't been rebuilt into glass towers. A quiet half day here after the sensory overload of Shibuya or Shinjuku is a good reset.

Shimokitazawa is curry shops, vintage clothing, live music bars, and independent theaters crammed into narrow pedestrian streets. It's 3 minutes from Shibuya on the Keio Inokashira Line and feels like a completely different country.

Toyosu Market replaced Tsukiji's inner wholesale market. You can watch the tuna auctions from a glass viewing deck, which is cleaner and more organized than old Tsukiji but also more sanitized and less atmospheric. The outer Tsukiji Market still operates with food stalls and small restaurants, and that's where most of the eating happens now.

TeamLab runs two immersive digital art installations. They sell out. Book at least two weeks ahead, more in peak season.

How do you get to Tokyo?

Two airports, and which one you fly into changes your first hour in Japan.

Haneda is the better arrival. The Keikyu Line reaches Shinagawa in 15–20 minutes for about ¥300–500, where you connect to the JR Yamanote Line that loops through every major hub in the city. The Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho takes about the same time for ¥520 and also connects to the Yamanote Line. IC cards work on both. Haneda is the airport you want if you have a choice.

Narita is further out. The Narita Express (N'EX) takes 55–75 minutes to Tokyo Station, all seats reserved, ¥3,020 one way. Trains run every 30 minutes and the JR Pass covers it, so if you're activating a pass on arrival, the ride is effectively free. Budget options like the Access Express and discount buses exist but add time.

Getting around Tokyo: Get an IC card (Suica or Pasmo) and use it for everything. The combination of Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, and JR lines covers the entire city. Single rides run ¥170–320. The Tokyo Metro 24-hour pass (¥600) is a good deal if you're doing three or more metro rides in a day. The Yamanote Line is the backbone: a loop connecting Tokyo, Ueno, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Shinagawa. Learn that line and the rest of the system falls into place.

The honest warning: Tokyo's train system is the most efficient in the world, but it's also one of the most confusing for first-timers. Multiple companies run overlapping lines, station exits are numbered into the dozens, and rush hour (7:30–9:00 AM) is genuinely brutal. Use Google Maps for every journey until you've got the main routes memorized.

How much does Tokyo cost?

Tokyo is expensive by Japan standards but cheaper than you'd expect for a city this size. Budget travelers can eat well for ¥2,000–3,000 a day by using convenience stores for breakfast (onigiri, egg sandwiches, coffee for under ¥500), standing ramen or curry shops for lunch (¥800–1,200), and an izakaya or takeout for dinner.

The mid-range sweet spot is where Tokyo shines. You can eat at excellent sit-down ramen places, sushi counters, and tonkatsu joints for ¥1,000–2,000 per meal. A proper izakaya dinner with drinks runs ¥3,000–5,000. At this level, you're eating better in Tokyo than you would for twice the price in most world capitals.

The splurge tier has no ceiling. Omakase sushi starts around ¥15,000 and goes well past ¥30,000. Hotels above ¥30,000 per night put you in properties with views, lounges, and service that match anything in the world. The gap between budget Tokyo and luxury Tokyo is enormous, but the food quality at every level is higher than in most cities.

Accommodation costs have risen significantly since 2023, driven by the weak yen pulling in more international visitors. Hotels that were ¥8,000 a few years ago now run ¥10,000–12,000 during peak season. Book early, especially for cherry blossom season and autumn.

What should you eat in Tokyo?

Tokyo has over 160,000 restaurants. More than any city on earth. Every regional Japanese cuisine is represented here, plus everything else. The problem is not finding good food. The problem is choosing.

Ramen in every style exists in Tokyo. Shoyu (soy sauce broth), miso, tonkotsu (pork bone), shio (salt), and tsukemen (dipping noodles) all have devoted followings. You don't need to seek out a specific famous shop. Walk into any place with a line of four or five people outside at lunch and you'll eat well. Budget ¥900–1,500 per bowl.

Sushi runs the full spectrum. Conveyor belt (kaiten-zushi) places serve decent sushi for ¥1,000–2,000 per person. Standing sushi counters are a step up, with the chef slicing in front of you for ¥2,000–4,000. Omakase counter sushi starts around ¥15,000 and goes up from there. All three levels are good. The standing counters are the best value.

Tonkatsu is a Tokyo specialty. Breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet with shredded cabbage, rice, miso soup, and unlimited refills of cabbage and rice at most places. A full set runs ¥1,200–2,000. It's a simple meal done to perfection.

Yakitori is best at the under-the-tracks izakaya in Yurakucho and Shimbashi. Charcoal-grilled chicken skewers, every cut from thigh to cartilage, with cold beer. A full yakitori dinner with drinks runs ¥2,000–4,000.

Depachika (department store basement food halls) are worth a trip even if you don't buy anything. The prepared food counters sell bento, tempura, sushi, wagashi (Japanese sweets), and dozens of other things at prices that are surprisingly reasonable for the quality. Every major department store in Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, and Ikebukuro has one.

Convenience store food deserves its own mention. Onigiri from 7-Eleven, egg sandwiches from Lawson, fried chicken from FamilyMart. It's fresh, it rotates daily, and it's better than fast food in most countries. ¥500 buys breakfast. Don't skip it just because it comes from a convenience store.

For neighborhood-specific recommendations on where to eat in each part of the city, see our Tokyo Food by Area guide.

When is the best time to visit Tokyo?

Spring (late March to mid-April) is cherry blossom season, and it's beautiful. Shinjuku Gyoen, Ueno Park, and the Meguro River fill with blossoms and the hanami picnics underneath them. It is also the most crowded and most expensive time to visit. Hotels book up months in advance, and prices jump 30–50% or more. Book at least three months ahead if you're coming for the sakura.

Autumn (October to November) is the best all-around season. Comfortable temperatures, clear skies, and fall foliage at Meiji Jingu Gaien's ginkgo avenue, Shinjuku Gyoen, and Rikugien Garden. Fewer crowds than spring, lower prices, and the food is at its seasonal peak. If you can only come once, come in November.

Summer (July to August) is hot. 35°C and humid enough that walking between neighborhoods leaves you soaked. The upside: hanabi (fireworks) festivals along the Sumida River and across the city are worth the heat if you time them right. Summer matsuri with food stalls and dance parades happen throughout the season. You'll spend more time in air-conditioned buildings and underground shopping areas, which are everywhere.

Winter (December to February) is cold but manageable with a good coat. December brings illumination displays across the city, from Roppongi to Marunouchi to Shibuya. Clear winter skies give you the best chance of seeing Mt. Fuji from the observation decks. Fewer tourists mean shorter lines and better hotel deals. January and February are the quietest months.

Avoid Golden Week (late April to early May). Everything is crowded, everything is expensive, and availability across the board tightens. Obon (mid-August) is the second period to avoid, when the city empties as Japanese families travel to their hometowns, but tourist areas get heavier with international visitors and some smaller restaurants close.

Tokyo's day trips are half the reason to base here. Hakone, Kamakura, Nikko, and Kawaguchiko are all within 90 minutes and covered in our Best Day Trips from Tokyo guide. The thing most guides skip: Tokyo rewards repeat visits more than any other city in Japan. First-timers cover the landmarks. Second-timers find their neighborhoods. By the third trip, you have a coffee shop, a ramen counter, and a train route that feels like yours. The city doesn't reveal itself all at once, and that's why people keep coming back.