By Japan Roamer · Published
Tokyo travel guide: choose neighbourhoods, bookings and a base
Build a first Tokyo visit around Asakusa and Ueno, Shibuya and Harajuku, or Tokyo Station and Ginza, with booking and airport choices that fit.
How many days should you spend in Tokyo?
For a first visit, allow three full sightseeing days in Tokyo and treat arrival as a separate, lighter day. That is our suggested starting point, not a minimum: use two full days for an east-side day and a west-side day; add a fourth for a booked attraction or a neighbourhood you want to explore slowly. Tokyo works well for visitors who enjoy restaurants, shopping, museums and walking between different urban districts. If temples and gardens are the main reason for the trip, keep enough nights for Kyoto rather than filling the whole holiday with Tokyo excursions. A trip with four Tokyo nights usually leaves three full days when the first day is arrival and the next move is on the fifth day.
Choose one main cluster for each day
Scroll sideways to compare every column.
| Compare | Places to combine | Choose this for | What to leave for another day |
|---|---|---|---|
| East: Asakusa and Ueno | Sensoji and surrounding streets; Ueno Park or Ameyoko | Temples, a market and an optional museum | A long afternoon museum visit replaces, rather than joins, every other stop |
| West: Harajuku and Shibuya | Meiji Jingu, Harajuku and Shibuya | Shrine grounds, fashion shops and an evening in Shibuya | Treat Shinjuku as an optional evening change, not another full sightseeing district |
| Centre: Tokyo Station and Ginza | Marunouchi station frontage and Ginza shopping streets | Architecture, department stores and a flexible departure-side day | A separate timed museum booking needs its own travel allowance |
| Interest day | Akihabara for electronics and anime; Yanaka for smaller streets; a booked museum for art | A fourth day shaped by your interests | A distant day trip competes with these city choices |
Asakusa and Ueno: make a walk, not a temple checklist
Start around Sensoji in Asakusa, then decide between more time in the surrounding shopping streets and continuing to Ueno. In Ueno, choose Ameyoko for market browsing or Ueno Park and one museum for a longer indoor stop. Trying to do several large museums turns this into a very different day. Asakusa and Ueno are separate districts, not two exits from the same station. Use a subway connection if the walking distance is more than you want. Akihabara is another option south of Ueno for electronics and anime shops; it is easiest to use it as a replacement for the museum rather than a compulsory extra.
JNTO: Ueno, Ameyoko and AkihabaraHarajuku and Shibuya: keep the western districts together
Use Meiji Jingu and Harajuku as the first part of a western Tokyo day, then continue to Shibuya for shopping and the crossing area. This suits a day built around streets and shops rather than fixed admission times. Shinjuku makes more sense when its restaurants, bars or shops are a priority of their own. If you prefer smaller-scale wandering to major commercial districts, substitute Yanaka or another focused neighbourhood day. You do not need to visit every famous station to have seen Tokyo.
JNTO: Tokyo neighbourhoods and visitor interestsBook Ghibli Museum before setting the rest of that day
The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka requires advance reservations and does not sell tickets at the museum. Its overseas Lawson sales open at 10:00 Japan Standard Time on the 10th of each month for the following month. Admission is for the specified date and entry time; getting a ticket is not guaranteed. This is the museum in Mitaka, not Ghibli Park in Aichi. If it is your priority, secure admission before arranging an optional day trip. Keep that visit separate from a tightly packed Asakusa-to-Shibuya day.
Ghibli Museum: official ticket release and admission rulesFor teamLab, check the venue name before buying
teamLab Borderless is at Azabudai Hills. teamLab Planets is a different museum in Toyosu, with a different ticket and journey. An old reference to Borderless in Odaiba does not describe its present location. Choose the venue first, then use its official ticket calendar for your date; this guide does not claim a ticket is available.
teamLab Borderless: official location and links to PlanetsAirport arrival: Narita and Haneda need different routes
Tokyo has two main airports, Narita and Haneda. For Narita, compare the Narita Express towards Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya or Shinjuku with the Keisei Skyliner towards Nippori and Keisei Ueno. The useful choice depends on the station near your hotel, not just the fastest advertised airport train. Haneda has rail and monorail options; save a route from your actual terminal to the hotel rather than reusing a Narita plan.
JNTO: Tokyo airports and access optionsNarita Express change for 6–8 November 2026
JR East has announced changes to some Narita Express services from 6 to 8 November 2026 for tunnel work. On 7 November, affected trains operate to and from Tokyo instead of continuing between Tokyo and Shinjuku or Ofuna; some trains on the surrounding evening and morning are also affected. If your arrival or departure falls in that window, use the train-specific notice before relying on a direct ride to Shinjuku or Shibuya.
JR East: affected trains and construction datesGetting around: use the line and station, not just the district name
Tokyo Metro identifies stations with a line letter and station number. Save these with the destination station and the exit closest to your first stop. This is more useful on the platform than a neighbourhood name alone. Group the day geographically, then use the operator map or route search for the links between clusters. A national JR Pass is not a ticket for every subway or private railway. Keep local fares separate from the intercity ticket budget.
Tokyo Metro: subway map, station numbers and route searchWeather changes the pace more than the stop list
Tokyo summers are hot and humid, with typhoons a seasonal risk; winters are colder and often drier. In hot weather, shorten the outdoor walk and use a museum or shopping stop for a break. In spring or autumn, keep park time flexible rather than promising blossoms or leaf colour on a particular date. Booked admission times still govern the day when the weather changes.
JNTO: Tokyo weather and seasonal planningChoose where to stay in Tokyo
Compare Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Asakusa and the Tokyo Station area against your evenings, airport and onward train.
Compare Tokyo hotel areasContinue to Kyoto
If Tokyo is the first base of a two-region trip, leave part of the transfer day for checkout and the local journey at both ends.
Plan the Tokyo–Kyoto train journeySources and booking checks
Official tourism, railway and attraction pages checked on 24 October 2026. Day allocations are editorial suggestions. Timed admission, operating notices and final fares depend on your date; no live booking availability is claimed.