Tokyo
One huge city made of many small neighborhoods.
Tokyo is enormous, but it is easiest to think of it as a set of villages joined by trains. Asakusa has old temple streets. Shibuya and Shinjuku are bright and busy. Ueno has museums and a big park. Quiet gardens and shrines sit between the towers. Trains are clean, frequent and on time. Pick two or three areas per day, and leave some time to just walk.
Best time: Late March to early April for cherry blossoms, or October to late November for comfortable weather. Mid-June to mid-July is the rainy season.
Weather
Average temperature, °C. JMA 1991–2020 normals (Tokyo (JMA)).
Top 5
- Senso-ji, AsakusaTokyo's oldest-feeling temple area, best early morning.
- Meiji JinguA forest shrine next to busy Harajuku.
- Tokyo National MuseumJapan's art and history in Ueno Park.
- Omoide YokochoA smoky Shinjuku alley of tiny yakitori bars.
- teamLab PlanetsWalk-through digital art in Toyosu, planned to run through 2027.
A simple day
- Early visit to Senso-ji before the crowds.
- Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum.
- Afternoon at Meiji Jingu and Harajuku.
- Sunset at Shibuya Crossing.
- Yakitori in Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho.
Where to stay
- ShinjukuTransport hub with endless food; busy and bright.
- Tokyo Station / GinzaBest for shinkansen trips; calmer at night.
- AsakusaOld-town feel and good value.
Places we’ve checked
- Nine Hoursstay site ↗
- Hoshinoya Tokyostay site ↗
- Hotel Gracery Shinjukustay site ↗
- Café de l'Ambrecafé site ↗
- Kayaba Coffeecafé site ↗
- Koffee Mameyacafé site ↗
- Omoide Yokochoizakaya site ↗
- Golden Gaispot site ↗
- Ebisu Yokochoizakaya site ↗
- Hoppy Streetizakaya site ↗
From the psst directory. Opening days and prices change — check the official site before you go.
Getting there
From Haneda: about 30 minutes to central Tokyo by train or monorail. From Narita: about an hour by express train.
psst — skip this mistake: Cramming far-apart areas into one day. Group sights by area to cut train time.