How to pace a first trip to Tokyo
Tokyo rewards a slow first visit. The city is huge, and the classic mistake is crossing it twice a day to tick off a list. This plan keeps each day in one part of town: the popular sights in the morning, before the crowds, and the afternoon left open for wandering, coffee, or a nap.
Three days covers the essentials. A fourth is a buffer for rain, jet lag, or going back somewhere you liked.
Day 1: Asakusa and the Sumida River
Start at Sensō-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple, and walk in through Kaminarimon gate and the Nakamise shopping street. Go early: by late morning Nakamise is shoulder to shoulder.
After lunch, walk south along the Sumida River. If you still have energy at dusk, Tokyo Skytree is across the river for the view as the city lights up. It's optional, and the river walk alone makes a good first day.
Day 2: Meiji Jingu, Omotesando and Shibuya
Begin at Meiji Jingu, a shrine set in a forest right next to Harajuku station. The gravel walk through the trees is the calmest start to a Tokyo day.
Drift down Omotesando, a tree-lined avenue of flagship architecture, then on to Shibuya. Cross the famous scramble crossing, then go up Shibuya Sky, timed for sunset. Entry is by timed ticket, so book the sunset slot ahead.
Day 3: The Imperial Palace and Ginza
Spend the morning in the Imperial Palace East Gardens, the former castle grounds in the middle of the city. They close on Mondays and Fridays, so put this day on any other day of the week.
Walk to Ginza for the afternoon: wide streets, department stores, and on weekends the main street closes to cars. The department-store food halls are covered in Part 2.
Day 4 (optional): pick one
- Shinjuku Gyoen, a large garden that mixes Japanese, English and French styles. It closes on Mondays. Stay in Shinjuku for the evening and wander its side streets.
- teamLab Planets in Toyosu, a walk-through digital art museum. Entry is by timed ticket, so book ahead.
Pacing tips for a first visit
- One area per half-day. Tokyo trains are fast, but transfers and station exits eat time.
- Do the headline sight first thing, when it's quietest.
- Leave the afternoons loose. The best Tokyo moments tend to be unplanned side streets.
- Part 3 covers the practical side: getting a transit card, carrying cash, and staying online.
For getting online in Japan, see our Japan eSIM guide. More destinations start from the Wakamo home page.
Sources
- Sensō-ji. Temple visitor information for the Asakusa itinerary.
- Tokyo Skytree. Observation-deck visits and ticket planning.
- Meiji Jingu, visiting. Shrine visitor information and seasonal opening hours.