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What should I do on my first day in Tokyo?

Author

James Craig

Updated on March 10, 2026

What should I do on my first day in Tokyo?

Must-See Tokyo 1-Day Full Itinerary
  • 9:00am: Travel up to Asakusa.
  • 10:30am: Take the Ginza subway line straight across town from Asakusa to Shibuya.
  • 11:00am: Arrive in Shibuya.
  • 1:00pm: Eat lunch somewhere in Shibuya.
  • 1:45pm: Take the Yamanote Line one stop north to Harajuku.

Just so, how can I spend one day in Tokyo?

What to do in Tokyo in 24 hours: A 1-day itinerary

  1. Experience the tuna auction (and eat breakfast) at Tsukiji Fish Market.
  2. Deep dive into traditional Tokyo at Asakusa.
  3. Breathe in the massive city panorama at Tokyo Skytree.
  4. Wear out your camera shutter with the classic views Tokyo Imperial Palace.

Beside above, what can you do in Tokyo for half a day? Take your pick from owls, dogs, rabbits or even snakes! If you only have half a day, I would suggest either Asakusa or Imperial Palace, followed by Shibuya crossing and cat cafe in Shibuya in the evening. These are my experiences of what to visit in Tokyo if you are short for time.

Keeping this in view, what can you do in 1 day in Japan?

Must Do In Tokyo: Top 8 Places To Visit in Tokyo (1-Day Plan)

  • Tsukiji Outer Market.
  • Tokyo Imperial Palace Area.
  • Akihabara.
  • Asakusa.
  • Shibuya.
  • Meiji Jingu Shrine.
  • Yebisu Beer Brewery.
  • Roppongi Hills.

Is 3 nights in Tokyo enough?

The answer is yes if you structure your trip plan right. Here's the thing: If you don't know what to do in and where to go in Tokyo for 3 days, don't worry. 3 days is enough for you to travel to some popular destinations in Tokyo, and experience the culture of Tokyo.

How much do you spend a day in Tokyo?

A Realistic Daily Budget for a Tokyo Trip
Factoring in accommodations, meal fees, transportation, entry fees, souvenir prices, the average tourist will spend around 20,000-25,000 yen for a day in Tokyo.

What can you do in Tokyo for a few hours?

See the best of Tokyo in 3 hours: the guide for busy people
  1. Shibuya Crossing (15 minutes) The most famous intersection in Japan.
  2. Hachiko Statue (Shibuya) (15 minutes) From the intersection, you can walk back to Shibuya station and will see Hachiko statue.
  3. Harajuku (30 minutes)
  4. Koishikawa Korakuen (30 minutes)
  5. Tsukiji Fish Market (30 minutes)

What can you do in Tokyo in 3 days?

3 days in Tokyo itinerary and what to do
  • 1 Day 1: Landing in Tokyo, Shibuya and Ueno. 1.1 Shibuya crossing. 1.2 Ueno Park and Ueno Zoo.
  • 2 Day 2: Odaiba, Ginza and Hamarikyu Gardens. 2.1 Odaiba.
  • 3 Day 3: Asakusa, Harajuku, Meiji Shrine and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. 3.1 Asakusa and Senso-ji temple.

What can you do in Tokyo for one night?

Here are my picks of 7 best spots in Tokyo you should visit at night!
  • Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. Roppongi Hills Mori Tower (??????????) owns one of city's best observatories, which is supposedly the best place to observe Tokyo Tower.
  • Tokyo Sky Tree.
  • Sensoji Temple.
  • Odaiba.
  • Shibuya.
  • Tokyo Central Station.
  • Shinjuku.

What can you do for free in Tokyo?

10 Top Free Things To Do in Tokyo - Contents
  • Walk in Yoyogi Park.
  • Attend the Tuna Auction in Tsukiji.
  • Visit The Beautiful Senso-Ji.
  • Window Shop in Harajuku.
  • Walk in Ueno Park.
  • Cross The Shibuya Pedestrian Scramble.
  • Explore The Strange Akihabara.
  • Enjoy Japan's Sakura Season.

How long do you need in Tokyo?

Generally speaking, two weeks is usually the recommended days that foreigners usually spend in Japan if their only goal is just for sightseeing and traveling purposes. From that two weeks, visitors usually spend around 3 to 5 days in Tokyo and spend the rest in other destinations.

Where should you visit in Tokyo?

12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Tokyo
  • 1 The Imperial Palace. The Imperial Palace.
  • 2 Ginza District: Shop 'til you Drop. Street Scene in Ginza District.
  • 3 The Sensō-ji Temple. The Sensō-ji Temple.
  • 4 National Museum of Nature and Science.
  • 5 Ueno Park and Zoo.
  • 6 Tokyo National Museum.
  • 7 National Museum of Western Art.
  • 8 The Meiji Shrine.

Which airport is best for Tokyo?

Narita

What should you not miss in Tokyo?

But if I could only recommend five sites for a new visitor, it would be these – the five spots you shouldn't miss.
  • Tsukiji Market. Metro stop: Tsukiji.
  • Meiji Shrine. JR stop: Harajuku.
  • Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. Metro stop: Shinjuku-gyoemmae.
  • Harajuku. JR stop: Harajuku.
  • The Arcades of Ikebukuro.
  • Bonus: Park Hyatt Tokyo.

What can you do in Tokyo in 2 days?

2 day trip to Tokyo
  • Day 1.
  • Tsukiji Fish Market (Early morning)
  • Imperial Palace and Imperial Palace Gardens (Morning)
  • Akhiabara (Afternoon)
  • Roppongi Crossing (Evening)
  • Day 2.
  • Sensoji and Asakusa Jinja (Morning)
  • Edo-Tokyo/Ghibli Museum (Afternoon)

How do I visit Tokyo?

Below are the 15 best tours you should go for in Tokyo, to make the most of your trip.
  1. Mount Fuji Day Tour including visits to Kawaguchiko Lake, and Gotemba outlets.
  2. MORI Building Digital Art Museum tour.
  3. Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour.
  4. Shinjuku Samurai Museum Admission.
  5. Akihabara Go-kart Tour.
  6. Tokyo Pub Crawl.

What can you do on a sunny day in Tokyo?

10 of the best outdoor activities in and around Tokyo
  • Cycling in Yoyogi Park. Photograph: salvo severino / Alamy.
  • Tokyo Tower. Photograph: Yoshinori Kuwahara/Getty Images/Flickr RF.
  • Jogging round the Imperial Palace. Photograph: Alamy.
  • Yakatabune boat trip. Photograph: Atlantide Phototravel/Corbis.
  • Odaiba-Asakusa river bus.
  • Urban fishing.
  • Kamakura.
  • A walk in Inokashira Park.

What should I do on my last day in Tokyo?

Here we'd like to introduce some of the best places to head to during the last moments of your stay in Tokyo.
  • Wander around Tsukiji.
  • Eat and shop 'til you drop in Ameyoko.
  • Appreciate the old-time feel of Shibamata.
  • Yanesen (Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi)
  • Naritasan.
  • Where to Keep Your Luggage while Wandering the City.

How far is Harajuku from Tokyo?

6 km

Where can I walk around Tokyo?

The 12 great walks
  • Subculture walk: Nakano.
  • Made-in-Japan walk: Kuramae.
  • Trendsetting walk: Harajuku/Omotesando.
  • 'It' fashion walk: Shibuya.
  • Classic shopping walk: Shibuya.
  • Lifestyle walk: Daikanyama/Ebisu.
  • Ghost & mystery walk: Yotsuya, Shinjuku.
  • Mountain walk: Mt Takao.

Where should I go outside of Tokyo?

5 Amazing Places To Visit Outside Of Tokyo
  1. Hakone - Hakone is a town known for its breathtaking views of Mount Fuji and its hot springs!
  2. Kamakura - Kamakura is a seaside town just south of Tokyo.
  3. Shirakawa-go - Shirakawa-go in Gifu prefecture is a world heritage sight, famous for its traditional style Japanese houses built in gasshou-zukuri fashion.

Where should I go for a day trip in Tokyo?

Let's take a look at the best day trips from Tokyo.
  • Mt Fuji. Source: skyearth / shutterstock.
  • Nikko. Source: Ghing / shutterstock.
  • Disneyland and DisneySea. Source: SolGrundy / Flickr.
  • Hakone. Source: Vincent St.
  • Tokyo Skytree & Tokyo Bay. Source: Marina Poushkina / shutterstock.
  • Yokohama.
  • Enoshima.
  • Kamakura.

How do I plan a trip to Tokyo?

This guide for planning a trip to Japan will cover:
  1. Hire a pocket wifi or buy a 4G SIM card for your phone.
  2. Don't blindly buy a JR Rail Pass thinking all tourists need it.
  3. Take time to read these Japan travel guide books.
  4. Choose your season carefully.
  5. Buy tickets in advance to popular activities.

Where can I buy a JR Pass in Japan?

Passes can be purchased at both Haneda and Narita Airport on arrival, or from major JR East stations. In Tokyo, you can pick one up at Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Ikebukuro and Ueno Stations, as well as other major JR stations.

Where can I sleep in Tokyo?

The Takeaway
  • Tokyo is huge, so it's important to stay somewhere convenient.
  • The best places to stay are Shinjuku, the Tokyo Station Area, Ginza/Hibiya, Shibuya or Roppongi.
  • Other decent places to stay include Nihombashi, Shinagawa, Hamamatsucho and Shiodome.
  • Try to stay near a Yamanote Line (Tokyo loop line) station.

Is 5 days in Tokyo enough?

There is always more to explore and 5 days in Tokyo (or even one week in Tokyo) will never be enough to see it all. But it is definitely long enough to find out what to do in Tokyo. No matter if it is culture, history, food or technology that you are after, this 5-day itinerary got you covered.

Where should a first time tourist stay in Tokyo?

Where To Stay In Tokyo
  • Tokyo is huge, so it's important to stay somewhere convenient.
  • The best places to stay are Shinjuku, the Tokyo Station Area, Ginza/Hibiya, Shibuya or Roppongi.
  • Other decent places to stay include Nihombashi, Shinagawa, Hamamatsucho and Shiodome.
  • Try to stay near a Yamanote Line (Tokyo loop line) station.

Should I visit Tokyo or Osaka?

If you want to visit or live in the “real” Japan it is way better to stay in Kansai and occasionally visit Tokyo. Tokyo is a must visit city because of its cosmopolitan aspect and beautiful uniqueness. Osaka however offers way much more for someone who wants to visit “Japan”.

How can I spend 5 days in Tokyo?

  1. Day 1 – Meiji-jingu Shrine, Shopping & Japanese Pop Culture.
  2. Day 2 – Shopping, Tsukiji Fish Market, Japanese Garden, River Cruise & Tokyo Skytree.
  3. Day 3 – Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo National Museum & Ueno Park.
  4. Day 4 – Pancakes, Gadgets, Robots & Samurais.
  5. Day 5 – Manga Craziness & Rainbow Bridge.
  6. Day Trips From Tokyo.

Is 7 days too long in Tokyo?

You can do a lot of things in Tokyo for 7 days. So, I'd say that it's never too long to stay in Tokyo (unless it's visa issues) but 7 days in Tokyo is definitely not too short to experiece it.

Should I spend more time in Tokyo or Kyoto?

A crucial question you must ask yourself is how much time to allot to each city. For most people, the ideal breakdown is 2 full days in Tokyo and 4 full days in Kyoto (travel days are not considered full days). If you are more interested in modern Japan, then you could spend 3 days in Tokyo and 3 in Kyoto.

How long does it take from Tokyo to Mt Fuji by bullet train?

From Tokyo take the Shinkansen (just 36 minutes) or JR Tokaido line / from Shinjuku (about 90 minutes) → Odawara with your Japan Rail Pass. From here change to local trains or buses in to the Hakone region.

How many nights are in a week?

The seven-day week is named in many languages by a word derived from "seven". The archaism sennight ("seven-night") preserves the old Germanic practice of reckoning time by nights, as in the more common fortnight ("fourteen-night").

How long is the bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo?

2 hours 30 minutes

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