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Day 1: Asakusa and Ueno
Day 1 is always a bit tough to plan, because depending on where you’re coming from, you might be incredibly jet lagged. So this might be ambitious, but if you can make it, I recommend starting your day in Asakusa for some old Tokyo feels! Fill up on street food, grab a drink on hoppy street, and visit Asakusa Hanayashiki (an adorable old amusement park).
For a fun little detour you can also try to find Ninja Bar (it’s underground, and I love the vibe of the underground arcades so definitely take a look!) then check out some spectacular knives on Kappabashi. My favourite shop is Seisuke Knife and I’ve bought several knives from here so far. The staff all speak English and are very helpful, and the selection of knives is fantastic.
After you’ve explored enough, you can cross over to the other side of the river, check out the Asahi Headquarters and it’s Skybar for a great view of the area. You can also go see Skytree if you want to do some shopping. The mall part is free and on the first floors but if you want to go up be warned, it’s very expensive and requires two tickets to get to the very top. I’ve honestly never done it because it doesn’t seem worth it, especially when there are a lot of great free views.
Then head to Ueno to check out one of my favourite street markets in the city, Ameyoko! It’s colourfully chaotic and I absolutely love it. Take your time to explore, see if you can spot Tokudai-ji, the random temple above a snack shop, and izakaya hop to your hearts content. While you’re in the area I also highly recommend checking out Ueno park and the temple there. It’s gorgeous, especially if you are there in July or August and get to catch sight of the giant Lotus flowers!
Day 2: Tsukiji, Ginza And Teamlab (Or Museum Of Your Choice)
Again depending where you are coming from, your jet lag might have you up a bit early, so you may as well go to Tsukiji Fish Market! And I know what you’re thinking, Tsukiji no longer has the tuna auction so why should I go early. And the answer is, you don’t have to. I recommend showing up at 9 or 10am, and you will have more than enough time to enjoy the market before it closes. Plan to spend about two hours there, then move over to Ginza. If you can, I recommend putting this day on a weekend so that the main street in Ginza will be pedestrian only.
In Ginza you can go shopping, check out the Art Aquarium, or get kakigori at one of my favourite spots (Parlor Vinefru!). Afterwards, make your way over to one of the TeamLab museums! I recommend the new one in Azabudai Hills that opened February 9, 2024.
You will need to purchase tickets in advance and show up at the correct time, so if following this schedule, aim for afternoon! You can also visit Teamlab Planets in Odaiba. You might not need to purchase tickets in advance for this one if going in the evening, but I still would just in case. For Borderless, you can book through the official site, or for Planets check Klook because they have some good combo tickets and transportation options that can sometimes be a good deal!
Or if Teamlab isn’t your thing, there are plenty of museums around Roppongi. The Mori Art Museum is probably the most famous, but there are a lot of different options.
Day 3: Harajuku And Shibuya (And Maybe Ebisu or Roppongi Depending)
By day three, hopefully the jet lag is fading and you are ready for a full day with some nightlife included! Start out in Harajuku for some shopping, street food, temples and generally good times. Takeshita dori is the very crowded, very touristy shopping street full of Harajuku fashion, animal cafe’s and instagrammable street food. Is it touristy? Absolutely. Is it still fun? Yes!
Just south of here you can also reach the entrance to Meiji Jingu Shrine. It’s a bit of a walk to the actual shrine, but it’s absolutely gorgeous and worth the trek. If you go on a Sunday as well you can also check out Yoyogi park and catch a show from the Rockabillies! If you don’t know them, my friend Lisa did a great article on them so check it out, you will not be disappointed.
Following Harajuku, make your way down to Shibuya. I recommend walking because it’s only about 15-20 minutes, and you can really see the city on your way! Shibuya is a mecca for everything. It has great shopping, restaurants, cocktail bars, clubs, unlimited things to do. I recommend sticking around until it gets dark as well to see the city lit up!
After Shibuya we have two nightlife options depending on what you’re into. If you’re more of a cocktail person and want to visit some of Tokyo’s best cocktail bars, you can start in Shibuya at somewhere like SG Club or Fuglen, then make your way down to Ebisu to try Bar Trench and Jannai Coffee. Jannai Coffee has a trick though, so make a reservation on their website if you can figure out how! (Hint - try swirling your finger around the logo)
If you’re a club person and you want a classic clubbing experience, check out One Oak in Roppongi or Ce La Vi in Shibuya. Or if you’re into techno, go to Womb or else Vent in Shibuya. Spotify O-WEST also sometimes has some good shows so check the schedule for more options!
Day 4: Kichijoji, Nakano And Shinjuku
Start at Kichijoji. Don’t be scared, it looks far on your map, but it’s not that far and it’s totally worth it—trust me. Kichijoji is one of my favourite areas and has great thrift shopping, fantastic cafe’s (check out Lumiere if you want to try a flaming kakigori) and a beautiful park with a gorgeous temple to visit. If you’re there during cherry blossom season, this is all the more of a must do! But my favourite spot in Kichijoji is the little restaurant bar area called Harmonica alley. It’s incredibly photogenic and the atmosphere is amazing.
After Kichijoji, head over to Nakano for just generally strange vibes. Nakano Broadway is a great shopping area and has a lot of otaku stores for all kinds of fandoms. If you go to the basement you can also find a soft serve ice cream spot that serves up to 8 layers of soft serve!
Once it starts to get dark, you can wander around checking out some izakaya's and bars in Nakano, then head to Shinjuku!
Shinjuku comes alive at night, so I recommend waiting until dark to get the full experience. The must see’s are of course, the Godzilla, Omoide Yokocho, and Golden Gai. All very touristy, but still a lot of fun. Omoide Yokocho is my favourite, but can be a bit intimidating if you don’t speak Japanese. I recommend the bars in the outer side of the alley for a more English friendly vibe. Golden Gai as well is very touristy, so watch out for high cover charges. I recommend ARAKU if you’re looking for a place to start!
Day 5: Akihabara, Ikebukuro And Sangenjaya
My fellow anime and game fanatics, this is the day for you! Or for those who aren’t into games or anime, or who are just particularly ambitious, you can replace Ikebukuro with the Imperial Palace. But let’s go through the top things to do in each spot to get an idea!
I stand by that Akihabara is an experience whether you are into games and anime or not. Checking out the retro game shops (like the classic Super Potato), hobby shops and arcades is really fun. There’s also a lot of adult shops in the area, including one with 7 floors, as well as themed bars and karaoke. If you’re an Evangelion fan, you have to rent the Evangelion karaoke room at Pasela (but book in advance! There’s also a Final Fantasy room as well, but if you’re stuck between the two go for Evangelion because its theming is just better.
After Akihabara, head over to Ikebukuro! Ikebukuro is now home to the largest Animate store yet. It’s significantly better than any other Animate I’ve ever been to and actually has space to move around, which is a clear upgrade from its peers. I also love to check out all the K Books stores over by sunshine city. Buying used is so much cheaper, and if you’re looking for older or more obscure shows, you’re more likely to find what you want. And for Bungou Stray Dogs fans, you will be pleasantly surprised that every other store seems to be half just Bungou!
Lastly head down to Sangenjaya. For Persona 5 fans, you’ll know this is where the game takes place (though it’s called Yongenjaya in the game). You can visit the grocery store, the batting cage, the sento and the cafe, so for fan’s of the game it’s a must go! But on top of that, Sangenjaya is just one of the coolest neighbourhood's in the city. It has some great little izakaya streets with awesome food that really comes alive at night. And if you go on Sunday, during the day there is usually a street market or mini festival going on!
For most people, 5 days may be all they have in Tokyo, but you can easily stretch this itinerary out, so I don’t hesitate to recommend a full week or more to explore Tokyo for your first time. So for those of you who do have some more time, or if you want to switch out one of my recommendations above, here’s a couple other options to help you tailor your trip!
Add On's Or Substitutions
Tokyo has so many incredible areas, I couldn't stop at only 5 days worth of stops! So for those of you who have more time, or if one of the day's above isn't catching your interest, here's a couple of other spots that I think are just as deserving to be on any Tokyo Itinerary! I also included which day would be the easiest to add or swap out somewhere else and replace with each of these spots.
Nakameguro
If you are here during cherry blossom season (the end of March), Nakameguro is probably on your list. And if it’s not, it should be! I highly recommend getting off the train at Ikejiri-Ohashi station, and walking the Meguro river until you reach Nakameguro. During cherry blossom season, there are food stands, and strawberry champagne vendors lining the river, and they light up the river with pink lanterns at night!
Outside of cherry blossom season, Nakameguro is still a great spot to check out. The river walk is beautiful year round and home to a bunch of cute shops, great restaurants, trendy bars and the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. The neighbouring area Daikanyama is also super cute, so you could easily spend the day between these two spots! The easiest day to fit this spot into your schedule would be Day 3.
Shimokitazawa
Shimokitazawa is great, and would be my first choice to add to your itinerary of all my options if you have time. Thrift shopping here is incredibly fun, there’s amazing cafe’s, lots of good craft beer spots, and they always seem to have some sort of festival going on (which is helped by the permanent outdoor setups of little shops and food trucks that set up just north east of the station).
The best way to describe this area is that it’s trendy hipster, but not in a bad way (in my opinion). It has some great little bars at night and even an underground club so while I mostly recommend this as a day spot, you could end up here all night! The easiest day to fit this into your schedule would be Day 3.
Koenji
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If Shimokitazawa is hipster, Koenji is grunge. Another great spot to thrift, you can spend the entire day just shopping in Koenji. I’d come in the late afternoon so you can shop, but then also stay for the nightlife. Koenji is another favourite for izakaya hopping. All the little spots under the train tracks have the best vibe, and if you are into photography like me, this is a great spot of the beaten track for street photography. The easiest day to fit this spot into your schedule would be Day 4!
Yanaka Ginza
Yanaka Ginza is a really cute little shopping street where you can grab some street food and drinks while exploring the shops! It’s also quite close to Nezu Shrine, a really beautiful spot where you can take photos walking through a path of Tori gates. And if you’re here in April, add this shrine as a must go because the Azalea garden is incredible! The easiest day to fit this spot into your itinerary would be either Day 1 or Day 5.
Ryogoku
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If you’re into sumo, this place is definitely on your list. If there’s no tournament going on you can watch morning practice, but note that you have to reserve in advance and it’s really early (6:00am). But that’s not all there is to do in this area! You can also check out the sword museum, eat Chanko (part of the sumo diet), and check out the Ryogoku Edo NOREN (though it no longer has sake vending machines 😢). The easiest day to fit this into your schedule would be Day 1!
Disney
I don’t know if this counts as an area, but Tokyo has two Disney’s, and they are both really good. Before the Beauty and the Beast world opened I would have said Disney Sea is better hands down, but now I’m torn. I’d still recommend Disney Sea as it’s the one that is unique to Japan, but Magic Kingdom is such a classic and the new Beauty and the Beast world is amazing. However, Disney Sea also has the new Frozen/Tangled/Peter Pan area, so if you do visit there expect some major crowds until the excitement dies down fall 2025 maybe?).
You can’t really fit this into any of the other day itineraries, but I recommend reserving an entire day for Disney!
Traveling more places in Japan?
And there you have it, my ultimate Tokyo Itinerary! Do you have more time than a week? Check back soon for more Tokyo guides (like where to stay in Tokyo) and Tokyo day trips! Or for some off the beaten track Japan Trip Additions, check out my recommendations for the best places to visit that are also easy to get to from either Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka. I also have a guide on the best 3 week (or more!) itinerary for Japan, so if you need a full customizable itinerary already ready to go, no worries—I got you 😘
Last but not least, if you're coming to Japan, you're going to want an e-sim. It's way more convenient than having to buy a sim once you get there, and I find the wifi around the cities here is just not reliable enough which can make exploring really difficult unless you really know your way around. Even just for quick access to Google Translate, you'll want some data! I usually use Airalo when I travel, it's super easy, the rates are pretty good, and the service quality is good too!
Wander on friends ✨
