Tokyo, the capital of Japan located in the Kanto region, is the main point of entry to Japan for tourists and, without a doubt, an almost endless city.
The city is huge, with almost 14 million inhabitants in the entire prefecture. Although taking into account the nearby prefectures, which are part of Greater Tokyo, the conurbation reaches 38 million inhabitants.
That Tokyo is so big is an advantage, because it is difficult to run out of the city. And besides, you will always have pending things to visit. That way you will always have an excuse to come back!
Here we give you many ideas to enjoy Tokyo to the fullest, distributed by areas.
Travel by train across Japan with the JR Pass
With a JR Pass you can travel unlimitedly by train throughout Japan, including seat reservation. By purchasing it with the following link, you also help us keep Japonismo alive and with the best information about Japan.
How many days do we recommend in Tokyo
We start with the million dollar question, because… how complicated it is to answer it! There is no single correct answer, because the decision depends a lot on your personal interests and the time available on your trip to Japan.
We always say that on trips you have to investigate before closing your itinerary and prioritize what most attracts your attention. But we know that sometimes a recommendation of minimum days is necessary, so we are going to give an answer to this question.
In order to get a clear idea of what the city is like and all that its different neighborhoods have to offer, we believe that a minimum of 4 or 5 days is necessary.
Of those 4 or 5 days, you can spend one day doing a day trip from Tokyo, but no more if you want enough time in the capital. As you'll see below, Tokyo has a lot to see and do, and if you take too many tours, you may run out of time.
Of course, as we always repeat, it is important to read the guide and decide what things you want to see and what you don't care about, to adjust the number of days in Tokyo in your itinerary to your personal tastes.
Must-sees in Tokyo
It is quite possible that before diving into all that the Japanese capital has to offer, you want to know what is the most important, so here we will tell you about our favorites and must-sees in Tokyo.
Of course, this list is subjective. Not all travelers have the same tastes, so use the list simply as a recommendation.
What to see in Tokyo (by areas)
The best way to deal with the immensity of Tokyo is to divide the city into different neighborhoods or areas. From there, you can better organize your daily tourist route and make the most of each day.
At Japonismo we have divided our recommendations into different areas, some tourist and other districts.
For example, you have the downtown area around the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, and Ginza; the northern zone with the neighborhoods of Ikebukuro, Ueno, Akihabara and Suidobashi/Iidabashi; the northeast area with the neighborhoods of Asakusa, Sumida and Ryogoku; the southern zone with Odaiba as a destination; the west zone with Roppongi and the Tokyo Tower, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya and Ebisu; and the further west destinations of Nakano and Mitaka.
Without further ado, here we leave you with some basic ideas that you can take as a basis to create your own routes. In addition to this, you have much more information in our general map of what to see and do in Tokyo, as well as in all the maps of the districts.
Remember, you can use this map and all the others comfortably from your mobile during your trip through Japan, integrating it into your smartphone. If you don't know how to do it, we will tell you about it on the Maps page.
Tokyo tourist map
All the points of tourist interest that we recommend in Tokyo are included in the general map of the capital that we have created for you. But don't forget that we also have maps of the different districts.
Downtown Tokyo
Around the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station
In our guide to Marunouchi and Yurakucho, in the center of Tokyo, we tell you everything you can see and do in this area near Tokyo station
Ginza, the neighborhood of exclusive shops
The best way to explore Ginza is by admiring the architecture of its buildings, the work of great names in Japanese and international architecture, while discovering all its corners.
The downtown area and the Ginza neighborhood can be visited on the same day, since we can walk from one area to the other without any problem and without getting too tired
North Tokyo
Ikebukuro, entertainment and visual kei
If you take a look at our specific guide to Ikebukuro, you won't miss a thing about this entertainment, manganime and visual kei district, where you'll have a great time.
Ueno, park, museums and history
Nippori and surroundings
Akihabara, manga, anime and electronics
Akihabara was long the electronics district of Tokyo, and while there are still plenty of shops, it is now the center of manga and anime culture. With our guide you will not miss anything.
From Ueno you can walk to Akihabara taking a nice walk along Ameyoko street first and then parallel to the JR tracks. It's just a few minutes and it's an opportunity to also see the restaurants, bars and houses in that area of Tokyo.
Suidobashi/Iidabashi
In Japonismo we have published a walk through the mesetas and slopes of Bunkyo that allows you to enjoy everything that these neighborhoods have to offer.
Northeast Tokyo
Asakusa and Sumida, tradition and spirituality
Take a look at our specific guide to Asakusa, so you won't miss a thing about this shitamachi, or traditional Tokyo neighborhood.
Ryogoku, the neighborhood of sumo
In Japonismo we have published a guide to the Ryogoku neighborhood, the so-called “sumo neighborhood”. With this guide, which you can do on foot in one day, you won't miss a thing about this neighborhood.
Further east of Tokyo
Tokyo Bay
Odaiba, the artificial island in the bay
If you don't want to miss a thing in Odaiba, one of Tokyo's artificial islands in the middle of the bay, we have a detailed guide with lots of ideas for you to spend a whole day enjoying (or more).
Rest of the Bay
West Tokyo
Akasaka and Aoyama
Roppongi and Tokyo Tower
Roppongi is one of the most famous neighborhoods in Tokyo for its nightlife, but also for its art museums, skyscrapers and viewpoints. With our guide you will not miss anything.
Shinjuku, skyscrapers and leisure
Take a look at our guide to the Shinjuku neighborhood, the administrative center of the Tokyo metropolis, but also a neighborhood full of bars, curious alleys full of restaurants, neon lights, an LGBTIQ+ area and more.
Harajuku and Yoyogi, subculture and street fashion
Harajuku is one of the centers of Tokyo street fashion, as well as having many shops, restaurants, impressive shrines and buildings by great architects. Do not miss anything with our guide.
Shibuya and surroundings, much more than its zebra crossing
Shibuya is famous for its zebra crossing and the Hachiko statue, but there's so much more to it: tons of fashion, leisure and entertainment, with new shopping developments with observation decks, reclaimed canals and more. With our guide you will not miss anything.
Southwest Tokyo
Shinagawa
Ebisu and Meguro, beer and cherry blossoms
Check out our guide to Ebisu, Tokyo's "beer town", which is actually so much more, with viewpoints, hidden shrines, great restaurants and much more.
Setagaya, trams and urban valleys
Further west of Tokyo
There is a lot to see in each area, as you can see. Although in reality, there is much more than the things that we have put here. However, with this list of ideas by area you have several months or years of enjoyment in Tokyo.
So we hope that all this information will help you organize your visit to the city and create your own tourist routes.
When to go to Tokyo
Any time of the year is good to visit Tokyo. Sometimes you may be forced to take vacations for a few specific days and our philosophy is always the same: better to go than not to go, whenever the time is right. Even if the time is in summer, with very high temperatures and horrible humidity.
In any case, if you are concerned about the weather, we leave you with this graph to give you an idea of what the temperatures and rainfall are according to the time of year.
Traveling with children to Tokyo
Tokyo is a great city to go with children, not only because it has a thousand different things, which in themselves can attract the attention of little ones, but also because there are many museums or specific activities for them.
In addition to everything mentioned here, we have some specific proposals for traveling with children to Tokyo and enjoying the city with the whole family. You have more information in our post about traveling with children to Tokyo.
Where to eat in Tokyo
The dining options in Tokyo are impossible to list, because obviously there are restaurants on every corner, especially in the most touristy areas of Tokyo.
You can take a look at the general entry on where to eat in Japan, to bring up the most famous chains and the most well-known family restaurants, as well as specific restaurants.
However, we always add specific cafes and restaurants on a specific layer of the city and neighborhood maps, like the one you have at the beginning of the post. Thus, when you are visiting a specific neighborhood, you will know where to eat or have a drink.
And of course… don't forget the Tokyo themed restaurants! Do you want to eat in a restaurant that looks like something out of a Kyary Pamyu Pamyu video? Do you like history, ninjas or samurai? Or are you more of trains and railways? Whatever your interest, Tokyo has a themed restaurant for you. In our post on themed restaurants in Tokyo you have them all listed.
Finally, you can reserve from our store the possibility of enjoying authentic Kobe beef in Tokyo at the Hakushu restaurant in Shibuya, quite an institution.
Where to stay in Tokyo
Tokyo is huge and has options for all types of travelers, from very cheap backpacker hostels to ultra-luxury hotels with fabulous facilities.
We have a specific post in which we tell you which are the best neighborhoods and hotels to sleep in Tokyo. Because selecting the right neighborhood to sleep in is vitally important. Sometimes you will arrive tired after a whole day visiting the city and it is much better to stay in a hotel that has restaurants and interesting things nearby.
But in case you don't want to read that post that we say, we have made here a small selection of a few very well located hotels, in areas full of life and well connected. Also, always within the 23 special neighborhoods of Tokyo that are the ones you will spend the most time on your trip to Tokyo.
So that there are also options for all budgets, we have selected from cheap hotels to expensive hotels, and some of medium price. What is certain is that with any of these hotels you will not go wrong.
Cheap hotels in Tokyo (up to 10,000 yen/night)
Mid-priced hotels in Tokyo (up to 30,000 yen/night)
Expensive hotels for a luxury experience in Tokyo (over 40,000 yen/night)
Experiences and guides in Tokyo
Tokyo is a city with so much to see, that you can enjoy it on your own or with the help of a guide or experience. We work with a number of reputable providers that we speak to on a regular basis to ensure they offer the best options.
If you hire any of the guides, experiences or tours through these links, it won't be more expensive for you and it will help us to keep Japonismo alive with the best information about Japan.
Experiences and guides in Tokyo
Do you want to enjoy a sake tasting, a tea ceremony, calligraphy classes, zazen meditation, or wear a kimono? In Tokyo there are so many experiences to enjoy in the city and our trusted provider has them all. Take a look and… get the most out of your visit to Tokyo!
In addition to the previous link, we also have some guides that you can hire directly from our store, with several pre-arranged itineraries. We are working so that there are some more.
And if you want something special, for a unique occasion, enjoy Tokyo from a different perspective. It will be an indelible memory.
Enjoy Tokyo by helicopter
Fly over Tokyo by helicopter and enjoy incredible views of some of the most interesting tourist spots in the city such as Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree or the Imperial Palace. Book this unique experience with our trusted provider.
Onsen in Tokyo
If you want to enjoy the experience of the onsen or hot springs in Tokyo, in the linked post we recommend a series of onsen, sento and hot springs.
In addition, in that same post you will see ideas to enjoy an onsen with views of Mount Fuji, a unique experience!
Getting around Tokyo
Tokyo has a very extensive public transport network, although the vast majority of tourists, especially those with the JR Pass, use the Yamanote line in particular.
But there are other JR lines in Tokyo that can also be useful. Especially if you want to visit one of the neighborhoods to the east or west of the city. In addition, you have the Tokyo subway, with several lines and many stations that allow you to reach almost any point. There are also trains from other railway companies, tram lines, buses, etc.
In the different posts of each tourist point you have a section called "how to get there" with ideas on the most appropriate transport.
24-Hour Tokyo Hop-On Hop-Off Ticket
Tokyo also has, like Kyoto, a tourist bus in which, with the 24-hour ticket, you can get on and off as many times as you want. If you only have a short time in the city, it can be a good way to see many different places and enjoy the views.
Getting to Tokyo
Many times, you will arrive in Japan via Haneda Airport or Narita Airport, Tokyo's two main airports.
From Haneda, you can easily reach Hamamatsucho Station with the Tokyo Monorail, a journey that takes just 15 minutes and is included in the JR Pass. However, if you want to see all the options (including private or shared transfer), we have an extensive guide on how to get from Haneda to Tokyo.
If you arrive in Narita, the airport is much further away but there are also several options to get there. You have them all in our guide to get from Narita to Tokyo and vice versa.
If you're using Tokyo as your base of operations for a few days, you might be interested in finding cheap flights to other destinations in Japan. This way you can see far away places without taking too long.
In case of arriving to Tokyo from another Japanese city, the most common (especially if you have the JR Pass) is to arrive by shinkansen to Tokyo station. Though travelers on a budget can also arrive on one of the many day and night buses that connect the capital with various cities throughout Japan. If you want to know in depth all the lines of the bullet train, we have an extensive and very visual guide to the shinkansen, with maps of all the lines.
Enjoy Tokyo!
Plan your trip to Japan
Post originally published on September 17, 2012. Last updated: September 28, 2021
