Overview
Tokyo is the trip that spoils you for every other city. Trains arrive to the second, streets are spotless, and the food — from ¥1,000 ($6) ramen to sushi counters — is the best in the world. There are more things to do in Tokyo than any one visit can cover, so the trick is choosing well.
Entry is visa-free for most nationalities; others apply for a visa or e-visa ahead — the steps are on our Japan page. Once you land, a Suica card and Google Maps are all you need.
Good to know
Best Time
March-April for cherry blossoms; October-November for autumn
Getting There
Two airports — Haneda (closer) and Narita — with direct flights from most major hubs worldwide
Local Transport
JR + metro with a Suica/Pasmo card — trains go everywhere
Ideal Days
4-5 days, plus day trips
teamLab Planets — walk barefoot through water and mirrored digital art. It is Tokyo's most-booked attraction for a reason. Around ¥3,800 ($23), timed entry, book before you fly.
Shibuya Crossing and Shibuya Sky — see the world's busiest crossing from street level, then from the open-air roof 229 metres up. Shibuya Sky is about ¥2,500 ($15); sunset slots sell out first.
Tokyo Skytree — the tallest tower in the world at 634 metres. Decks from about ¥2,100 ($13). Choose Skytree for distance views, Shibuya Sky for the city-canyon feel; you do not need both.
Tokyo DisneySea — the only DisneySea on earth and the park serious Disney fans fly in for. About ¥7,900-10,900 ($49-$67) depending on date. Reach it in 15 minutes from Tokyo Station.
Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa — Tokyo's oldest temple, free, and best at 7am before the crowds fill Nakamise lane. Pair it with a Sumida river cruise toward Odaiba.
Shinjuku at night — the neon lanes of Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai are the Tokyo of the movies. Walking is free; grilled-skewer dinners in the alleys run about ¥2,000-3,000 ($12-$18). The Metropolitan Government Building nearby has a free observation deck.
Meiji Shrine and Harajuku — a forested Shinto shrine minutes from Harajuku station, free and calm even on busy days. Pair it with Takeshita Street's crepe stalls and the Omotesando shops for one contrast-heavy morning.
Akihabara and Ueno — Akihabara is the electronics-and-anime district, best after dark when the signs light up; browsing costs nothing. Ueno Park nearby holds Tokyo's biggest museums — the Tokyo National Museum runs about ¥1,000 ($6) — plus free cherry-blossom lawns in spring.
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka — magical for Studio Ghibli fans, but tickets sell out in advance sales and are never sold at the door. Check availability before you fly; if you miss out, the Ghibli merchandise shops in Shibuya and Tokyo Station soften the blow.
Skip the fish-market tuna auction unless you truly love 4am starts — the outer market food stalls at Tsukiji from 8am give you the experience with sleep.
Late March to early April is cherry-blossom season — magical, but hotels cost the most and must be booked months out. October-November brings autumn colour, clear skies and comfortable 15-22°C days, and it is the better value window.
Avoid Golden Week (end of April to early May) and mid-August Obon — domestic travel peaks and prices jump. June is rainy; July-August is hot and humid, so plan indoor stops for midday.
Get a Suica or Pasmo card (they now work on phones too) and tap onto any train, metro or bus. Rides cost about ¥180-280 ($1.10-$1.70). Trains stop around midnight — after that it is taxis, which are expensive.
From Narita airport, the Skyliner or N'EX trains reach the city in under an hour for about ¥2,600-3,100 ($16-$19). Haneda airport is closer and cheaper — prefer flights that land there. Skip the countrywide JR Pass unless you are covering three or more cities; point-to-point Shinkansen tickets are usually cheaper now.
Nikko is the strongest day trip if you skip Mt Fuji. The lavishly carved Toshogu shrine complex sits about 2 hours away by direct Tobu train from Asakusa; shrine entry is around ¥1,300 ($8), and an 8am start gets you back for dinner.
Hakone is the hot-spring-and-views option. A Hakone Free Pass from Shinjuku, roughly ¥6,000 ($37), covers the classic loop of mountain railway, ropeway and the Lake Ashi sightseeing boat, with Mt Fuji visible on clear days.
Kamakura is the easy half-day: the 13-metre bronze Great Buddha (entry around ¥300 / $2), hillside temples and a laid-back beach town, about an hour by train from Tokyo Station.
Yokohama is the backup pick — ramen and cup-noodle museums, a huge Chinatown and a harbour front, only 30 minutes away and cheap to reach.
Pick one day trip, not two. Each eats a full day, and Tokyo itself will happily fill whatever is left. Fuji-bound buses and tours are covered in the FAQ below.
Tokyo is one of the easiest big cities to visit with kids. For the Disney day, pick Disneyland for under-8s — gentler rides, more characters — and DisneySea for kids 8 and up who can handle bigger rides and longer walks. teamLab Planets delights almost every age; the knee-deep water rooms are the highlight. Ueno Zoo (about ¥600 / $4, free for young children) and Odaiba's arcades and life-size Gundam statue fill relaxed half-days.
Stay near a Yamanote line station — the stay FAQ below applies to families too, and the Tokyo Station side shortens the Disney commute. Family rooms are scarce, so book earlier than you would elsewhere.
One honest note: big interchanges like Shinjuku mean long walks and stairs, so bring a light folding stroller and follow the lift signs. Pace the trip as one anchor activity per day — Tokyo's distances tire small legs faster than the sights do.
Tokyo is cheaper day-to-day than its reputation. Rough guide prices:
Hotels are the budget-maker — everything else stays modest if you eat where locals eat. Book rooms 2-3 months ahead, and earlier still for cherry-blossom weeks.
The classic first Japan trip is Tokyo + Kyoto + Osaka in 8-10 days: fly into Tokyo, take the Shinkansen (about 2 hours 15 minutes to Kyoto, around ¥14,000 / $86), and fly home from Osaka. See things to do in Kyoto and things to do in Osaka to plan those legs.
With only 5 days, stay in Tokyo alone and add a Mt Fuji or Nikko day trip instead of rushing the Shinkansen route. Visa steps, money and rail passes are covered on our Japan page.
Good to know
4 to 5 days works well — two for the city core (Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa), one for teamLab and Odaiba or Skytree, one for Disneyland or DisneySea, and one spare for a Mt Fuji day trip.
Less than its reputation. A weak yen means chain-restaurant meals start around ¥600-900 ($4-$6), and metro rides cost ¥180-280 ($1.10-$1.70). Hotels are the biggest cost — book 2-3 months ahead.
DisneySea — it exists only in Tokyo, and its themed harbours are the best Disney park design anywhere. Pick Disneyland only if you have small children. Either park costs about ¥7,900-10,900 ($49-$67) depending on the day.
Yes. teamLab Planets sells out days ahead, especially weekends. Tickets are around ¥3,800 ($23) with timed entry. Book online before you fly.
Yes, but you must plan. Look for shojin ryori (Buddhist cuisine), dedicated veg ramen shops like T's Tantan, and the growing list of vegan cafes in most districts. Regular Japanese places often use fish stock even in 'vegetable' dishes, so ask or use an app.
Shinjuku or Shibuya for first-timers — big JR stations, food at every price, and direct airport trains. The Tokyo Station/Ginza area suits Shinkansen day-trippers, and Asakusa is cheaper and calmer but further from the nightlife. Any hotel within 5 minutes of a Yamanote line station works well.
Yes — buses and tours reach Kawaguchiko in about 2 hours. Full-day Fuji tours from Tokyo cost roughly ¥9,000-14,000 ($55-$86). The mountain hides in clouds often; winter mornings give the clearest views.
Very — it is safe, spotless and packed with child-friendly stops, from teamLab's water rooms to Ueno Zoo's pandas. Pick Disneyland over DisneySea for under-8s, and plan one anchor activity per day; stations involve more stairs and walking than the map suggests. Convenience stores solve every snack emergency.
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