Where To Go When You Visit Tokyo!
Tokyo is probably the most amazing city I have ever visited. A lot of great cities lean on a couple of stunning areas while the rest of the city doesn't have that much to offer. In Tokyo on the other hand, EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY has something to offer! This is why I think that you should allocate a lot more time to Tokyo compared to other Japanese cities but I will save that for a separate post on a Japan itinerary! In this post I will write a brief review of all the places I visited in Tokyo and where to go when you visit Tokyo. I will also try to include some rough itineraries at the end!
7-Eleven / Family Mart / Lawson
The first place I went to when I arrived in Japan was a 7-Eleven because I passed out as soon as I arrived at my hotel and woke up at 4am! I heard so much about 7-Eleven prior to coming to Japan but was still SHOCKED when I went inside. There are so many food options, the workers will heat it up for you, and the prices are great! Definitely checkout the onigiri and the 7-Eleven brand ramen if you need some food in a pinch. Family Mart and Lawson are pretty much the same idea… personally though I would say 7-Eleven >= Family Mart > Lawson. Overall I highly recommend the food at these corner stores if you need a quick breakfast or snack!
Properly rated
Ameya Yokocho
This is seemingly one of the most bustling areas in Tokyo at night. It is essentially a series of alleyways that are not only lined with restaurants but also a variety of shops selling souvenirs, clothes, shoes, etc. There are stretches that are a little bit touristy so be careful not to fall into a tourist trap but if you pick the right places I think this is a super fun area of Tokyo that has awesome food and a great variety of food choices!
Slightly Underrated
Asakusa
This was probably my favourite area in Tokyo! The Senso-ji Temple is located here and is absolutely stunning, amazing for a cultural experience during your exploration. Two adjacent streets of the temple are also lined with street food stalls (at least when I was there) that are reasonably price and have a bunch of classic Japanese snacks. After leaving the temple you are greeted with a grid of streets that are lined with *literally* hundreds of restaurants in such a cute space. You can find everything here and compared to lots of the other major tourist areas of Tokyo it feels a lot more authentic. This community simply has some of the best food and exploration that I found in Tokyo and is the top place I would recommend to visit when you are in Tokyo!
Underrated
Akihabara
I admittedly watch some anime and I enjoy arcades so I was pretty excited to visit Akihabara considering it is such a famous tourist area in Japan! When I arrived my first impression was two things, this is the most litter I have seen in Tokyo and this all looks pretty underwhelming. I decided to go into an arcade and found that it was almost exclusively gacha machines, claw machines, and joystick based arcade games (including lots of retro games). This persisted in the other 2 arcades I went to which was disappointing because these aren’t really the arcade games I’m into… there was essentially just very little variety at the arcades. I also peaked into some anime stores and they were largely crammed with stuff, had little space to move around, and were filled with figures/pictures of anime girls with little to no clothes (ew). Unless you are specifically into claw machines, gacha machines, retro/joystick arcade games, or are super into anime I don’t really see the appeal to coming here when you visit Tokyo honestly.
Overrated
Ginza
I heard that Ginza was the rich area of Tokyo that has all of the designer stores so I had to check it out just to see how it looks. Despite knowing the reputation that this community has I was still shocked (this was pretty much the theme when visiting anywhere in Tokyo) at just how much designer stores there were. A whole network of streets was just lined with designer clothing stores and some of the building designs looked pretty incredible! It was pretty much exactly as advertised but I was hoping for at least some stores that weren’t super expensive / designer because I didn’t end up going in a single store as a result of this. If you are interested in designer clothes this is definitely the place to visit but if not I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary. There’s some good food places around though so if you’re going to a restaurant in the area might as well explore a little bit like I did!
Slightly overrated
Golden Gai
Golden Gai is a series of alleys in Shinjuku but unlike Omoide Yokocho it ditches the cute izakaya feel for more of a Western-style bar feel. There is nothing wrong with this and I don't want to judge because I don't really go to bars ever but I noticed a couple of things. Firstly the area was surprisingly dead compared to the rest of Shinjuku and a lot of the bars just didn't have the same warming and inviting vibe of the izakayas. Secondly, this place almost exclusively had tourists. This may sort of explain the first point because I did not visit during peak tourist season but based off my observations alone I would have to say this area is really only worth visiting if you want to meet other foreigners (which you should!) or drink alcohol at more of a Western-style bar. It is probably also a lot more lively during peak tourist season.
Slightly overrated
Harmonica Yokocho
Harmonica Yokocho is a series of alleys in a grid structure (supposedly in a structure resembling a harmonica) that contains a ton of restaurants. Most of these restaurants are izakayas and bars as is the case in general when visiting these narrow restaurant alleyways in Tokyo. This makes for a super fun and lively vibe where you can meet people and chat while eating grilled skewers. Surrounding this network of narrow alleyways is additional shopping streets that have other non-izakaya restaurants which I loved because it created a lot more dining options! Compared to Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku, I would say this area is understandably less charming and bustling BUT it is bigger, way less busy/hectic, and has more dining options so I think it is perfect for people who want the alleyway izakaya experience but don’t want to deal with big crowds and finding a seat!
Slightly underrated
Imperial Palace
I can’t really say much about the Imperial Palace because I didn’t *really* get to see it. Essentially what happened is that the Imperial Palace has a very narrow range of hours at which you can visit (make sure to double check the times!) but I thought that this was just for like the main palace area but the main gardens were also closed. I got to walk through a palace park though which was lovely but sadly from here there is no visibility of the imperial palace, or at least not any I could find. Moral of the story: always double check timings and what they’re for!
N/A
Kagurazaka
I don’t remember where I read about this community but I heard it had good food so I knew I had to go! When I arrived I was greeted with a super cute street that was mostly filled with older Japanese people, a good sign that there’s great food! I got to experience my first teppanyaki experience here, trying beef ononomiyaki and seafood teppanyaki and it was amazing! There are also so many bakeries in this area that serve up delicious pastries and buns. Also, this was all at super reasonable prices, probably owing to the fact that I saw little to no tourists here which was quite surprising. If you want some great food at reasonable prices in a less touristy atmosphere then this is the perfect spot for an afternoon stroll!
Underrated
Kawasaki
I had the opportunity to stay in Kawasaki for part of my stay in/around Tokyo and I’m really glad I did! This is a city right beside Tokyo so the commute was very quick between the cities. The main pedestrian area in Kawasaki is really cute and lively at night with a ton of different restaurants. The surrounding area also had quite a few restaurants that had a really local feel, making for a really pleasant and home-y vibe. Other than this main area there doesn’t seem to be a ton more to do in Kawasaki (although I may be wrong) but that’s totally fine because if you have a JR Pass you can take the train from Kawasaki to Tokyo Station for free and it takes less than 20 minutes! Even if you don’t have a JR pass I think that the train ticket is pretty cheap because it is so close. If you can find good accommodation in Kawasaki (highly recommend Hotel En Michi where I stayed) then I think it’s a decent place to stay for a couple of days when you visit Tokyo, especially if you have a JR Pass!
Slightly Underrated
Meiji Shrine + Yoyogi Park
My very first day in Japan I went to visit the iconic Meiji Shrine and decided to walk through Yoyogi Park to get there first. This ended up being a very pleasant morning and a great start to my trip in Japan! Yoyogi Park is absolutely lovely with not only beautiful trees surrounding the walking and biking paths but also a variety of small gardens and other spaces like dog parks. After walking through Yoyogi Park I went straight to the iconic gates leading up to the Meiji Shrine. The grand gates with a backdrop of beautiful greenery was an amazing sight! I can’t imagine how incredible it looks in late autumn! I continued up the path to the shrine and was greeted to a stunning shrine complex where I got my first taste of some traditional Japanese customs. Meiji Shrine is probably the most famous shrine in Tokyo and for good reason, it is definitely a must visit if you’re in Japan… if you’re tight on time though feel free to skip Yoyogi Park though!
Properly rated
Mt. Fuji
I decided that one of my two day trips should be to Mt Fuji so I hopped on the train and headed to the iconic mountain one day. It was a bit of a cloudy day and I heard the visibility of Mt. Fuji can be pretty bad when it’s cloudy but I still thought it would make for a fun day trip and I didn’t really have another day I could go. When I arrived I explored the city (Fujiyoshida) and it was super cute! I also had my first udon here which was in a local style specific to Fujiyoshida called Yoshida Udon and it was really tasty! I then walked to near the base of some paths that lead up Mt Fuji as well as some lookout points but sadly it wasn’t really visible at all. At one point I could really only see the bottom third of Mt Fuji. I went to one of the Fuji 5 Lakes though and saw a bunch more cute shops along the way so that was also really nice! Overall I would say if you really want to see Mt. Fuji make sure you go on a clear day because otherwise you will be disappointed, the city is pretty cute though regardless of the weather!
Slightly overrated (if it’s cloudy)
Nikko
The other day trip I made from Tokyo was to Nikko. This is a small town near Tokyo that I heard was a super famous day trip but I didn’t look too much into it to be honest so I didn’t really know what to expect. I am so glad I went though because this town is so freaking cute! From the train station there is a pretty long main road that is lined with so many cute shops and bakeries. What I loved about these shops and food stalls as well was that they felt so home-y and genuine! After walking up this long road you reach a gorgeous bridge overlooking a stunning river which is the base of a complex of shrines and temples that actually form a UNESCO World Heritage Site! You pretty much just do a short hike from the base of the hill/mountain and along the way there are so many beautiful shrines and temples both on the main path and tucked away on side paths. Nikko is my favourite day trip in Japan that I’ve done so far and I think it is totally worth the somewhat long train ride to visit, especially if you love good food, cute town vibes, amazing scenery, and gorgeous shrines and temples!
Slightly underrated
Omoide Yokocho
Probably the most iconic series of shop-lined alleyways (Yokocho) in Tokyo, Omoide Yokocho was a stunning sight. The alleyways are super narrow and the area was very bustling. It is truly something that I have never really experienced before so for that alone it is a must visit spot when you’re in Tokyo. The vibe here is just different compared to the other alleyways in a way that is hard to describe. The caveat though is that it is so busy that it’s hard to get a seat ANYWHERE. If you do manage to get a seat and the shopkeeper doesn’t speak English (very possible) the environment can make it pretty hard to order with any frequency. At the same time everyone is so friendly though and there are lots of tourists so it’s a great place to meet people and chat which I got the opportunity to do! This place is a really great experience overall, just avoid going on Friday/Saturday, be ready to wait, and keep in mind that all the shops are izakayas so don’t come feeling super hungry.
Properly rated
Roppongi
For most of my stay in Tokyo I was actually staying in Roppongi but didn’t really explore the area much until towards the end of my stay. My initial impression of Roppongi was that it seems like a pretty wealthy area and after some exploring I can definitely confirm this. It’s essentially like a more residential version of Ginza with super nice apartments and lots of designer stores. The main shopping area is oddly sort of reminiscent New York City to me which is cool but most of the restaurants and clubs seemed pretty pricey. It also didn’t have many young people (20s) probably due to how expensive the area is. I should also point out, although this is very superficial considering I didn’t actually go into any restaurants/clubs, the places didn’t really look that good considering the price point. I am honestly very surprised by how much I heard about Roppongi prior coming to Japan considering all of this. If you want to go somewhere fancy/“sophisticated” then Roppongi has a number of options but otherwise I don’t think it’s a must when you visit Tokyo by any means unless you have a specific bar/club/restaurant in mind ahead of time. What kind of saved this area to me is an area called Azabujuban that is adjacent to Roppongi. Here you can find a lot more cute restaurants and the streets are a little more down to earth compared to the main Roppongi area. If you consider Roppongi and Azabujuban together I would say Roppongi is only slightly overrated because Azabujuban provides a nice contrast to Roppongi with a more laid back vibe.
Slightly overrated
Shibuya
One of the first places I visited in Tokyo was obviously Shibuya. This is one of the two most iconic area of Tokyo and contains the crosswalk with the highest pedestrian traffic in the world, Shibuya Crossing. This area is so lively and so much fun! There’s lots of shopping around, including a mall with a park on top which I think was very cool! The Shibuya Crossing is also super fun to cross in real life and see just how many people there are. This area is also packed with restaurants ranging from fancy to super cute local spots! I think that Shibuya is the perfect first place to visit in Tokyo because in terms of food, shopping, and recreation it really feels like there’s something for everyone here!
Properly rated
Shimokitazawa
A lot of people visit Tokyo/Japan for the fashion scene and when people rave about the fashion in Tokyo I can confirm that it is worth the hype. I personally really enjoy thrifting so naturally I looked into if there is any good thrift stores in Tokyo… turns out there’s a whole thrifting community! Shimokitazawa is just a short trip from Shinjuku and so worth the visit! There are so many thrift stores here as well as a pop up market right outside the train station most days. At the pop up market I saw incredible pieces for so cheap and at the thrift stores everything was moderately priced, not super cheap, but the clothes were stunning in quality and there was an excellent selection of brands/styles. If this wasn’t enough, Shimokitazawa also had some of the cutest cafes and restaurants that I came across in Tokyo! I cannot believe that this area doesn’t get more recognition (outside of the fashion niche) because it has so much more to offer than just thrifting and is overall an amazing vibe and area to explore! It is also a short train ride to Harmonica Yokocho if you want to hit up an izakaya after your shopping!
Underrated
Shinjuku
The former red-light district in Japan, Shinjuku, is now the most popular nightlife area in Tokyo. It is famous for its izakayas and both Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai are located here. This was one of my first stops in Tokyo and it is pretty much exactly as advertised. The streets are lined with mostly izakaya, clubs, and bars. This is great if you are out with friends, want to meet people, want to drink alcohol, or want small bites of food like skewers. It is also generally just a very fun and lively environment along with being a lot less sketchy than I expected. Personally, I don’t drink alcohol and I was looking for a proper meal so there really wasn’t much here for me because there are surprisingly few classic sit-down restaurants. Also, the number of girls lining the streets promoting clubs and perhaps providing other services was pretty stifling on certain streets. I would probably lean towards saying that this all makes Shinjuku slightly overrated BUT seeing as it is almost exactly how it was described to me and how lively/exciting the environment was without being very sketchy I will say that Shinjuku is properly rated.
Properly rated
Shin-Okubo
I visited Shin-Okubo, Tokyo’s Koreatown, on my last day in Tokyo and I am so glad that I did! This area stretched on two sides from the train station. On the one side there is a plethora of restaurants with cuisine from all across Asia like Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese. I didn't expect this at all so it was a very pleasant surprise! On the opposite side is more of the Koreatown area with a bunch of Korean restaurants, stores selling beauty products, and K-pop stores. It is such a lively area and if you love the aspects of Korean culture that I mentioned I would highly recommend it. I also loved the diversity of restaurants and price points! If you want some good food and have some extra time this definitely makes Shin-Okubo worth a stop!
Slightly Underrated
Takeshita Street and Cat Steet
Takeshita Street was the first shopping street I visited in Tokyo and was a cute introduction. It is a short pedestrian street with a bunch of shops and a couple of food stalls. This is nice but it is pretty touristy and not nearly as nice in terms of the selection of food/products compared to most other shopping streets in retrospect. Nearby is cat street which similarly has a bunch of shops and restaurants but with a much better selection. I still wouldn't say it's the best selection but it is a very nice street to walk down and explore. This is understandably a must-visit spot in Tokyo and is very easy to access after visiting the Meiji Shrine but I wouldn't spend too much time here to be honest!
Slightly Overrated
teamLab Planets
What I have to say about teamLab Planets may be controversial because I have heard a lot of people highly recommend it but also a lot of people hate on it so it seems to be a pretty polarizing place. Personally I think it is ABSOLUTELY a must-visit spot when you come to Tokyo! I am SHOCKED that people have anything negative to say about this place. It is the most amazing art space I have ever visited and is interactive in such remarkable ways. It is so immersive and the technology is also pretty shocking at times. I don't want to give away too much but at one point you are in water and there are fish swimming around you and if you touch one it bursts into flowers and in intervals the fish increase in concentration and speed illuminating the room in colour and light. That is SO cool to me and the use of technology and AI in all of the exhibits makes you really appreciate what you are seeing beyond what it is. Definitely unlike anything I have ever experienced.
Properly rated by people who appreciate art and technology
Underrated by people who I can only describe as haters
Tokyo SkyTree
I didn't actually go up the Tokyo SkyTree but I got to visit the adjacent mall because a famous conveyor belt sushi is located inside (that is pretty great, it's called Kaiten Sushi Toriton) and was so surprised at how great this place is! First of all, the restaurant options are pretty great. It surprisingly seemed to be mostly local people inside and all of the restaurants genuinely looked really good and there was great variety! This wasn't even the best part though, on the bottom floor of the mall there is an indoor market selling snack-foods like buns and skewers which was so amazing! There are many markets in that style around Japan, most commonly at train stations, but this one was definitely one of my favourites!
Slightly Underrated
Tsukiji Fish Market
My expectations were in check when visiting the famous Tsukiji Fish Market because I heard that ever since the actual fish market (the inner market I believe) was moved to Toyosu Fish Market the food hasn't been the same. I am here to say that I still thought this area was awesome! The environment is really fun and while there was a lot of stuff that seemed pretty overpriced I also managed to find some pretty affordable seafood that was quite tasty! Even if you don't end up getting any food I still think it is worth a visit for the experience. If you don't want a whole meal here consider just trying some sashimi, fish skewers, or seafood soup!
Properly rated
Places I Missed!
I saw as much as I could during my time in Tokyo but still didn't get to see everything I wanted to! Here is a shortlist of places that I didn't get the chance to visit but can hopefully catch during my next visit to Tokyo!
Toyosu Fish Market
Odaiba
Jimbocho Book Town
Yanaka Ginza
Tokyo Dome City
Ghibli Museum (almost impossible to get tickets as a foreigner... need to book 2 months in advance on the day that tickets drop with a VPN apparently)
Sunamachi Shopping Street
Shinjuku Gyoen
Koishikawa Korakuen
Day Trip to Yokohama
Tokyo Itinerary!
This is not meant to be a full itinerary but just what I would recommend you to try and see given a certain amount of time in Tokyo. I included 1-2 areas per day for morning, afternoon and evening which I think is doable if you are willing to walk a lot! My personal recommendation is to spend at least 5 full days in Tokyo so probably 1 week total including the days you fly in and out. You could easily spend more time than this though considering that in my 5 day itinerary I don't even include places like Akihabara, Ginza, the Imperial Palace, a day-trip to Mt. Fuji, etc. I also don't have any of the places that I missed in my itinerary (obviously)! Realistically, if you want to see everything Tokyo has to offer including parks, museums and amusement/recreation facilities while also doing 2 or 3 day trips at a reasonable pace I would say you can easily spend 2 weeks in Tokyo! This may sound crazy but I genuinely feel this way!
1 Day (WAY TOO SHORT.... really no point in going for 1 day)
Morning: Asakusa
Afternoon: Shibuya
Evening: Shinjuku + Omoide Yokocho
3 Days (Still too short!)
Mornings: Asakusa, Meiji Shrine + Takeshita Street, Tsukiji Fish Market + Tokyo SkyTree Mall
Afternoons: Shibuya, teamLab Planets, Shimokitazawa
Evenings: Shinjuku + Omoide Yokocho, Ameya Yokocho, Harmonica Yokocho OR Roppongi / Azabujuban
5 Days (Probably the minimum amount you should spend in Tokyo)
Mornings: Asakusa, Meiji Shrine + Takeshita Street, Tsukiji Fish Market + Tokyo SkyTree Mall, Kagurazaka
Afternoons: Shibuya, teamLab Planets, Shimokitazawa, Shin-Okubo
Evenings: Shinjuku + Omoide Yokocho, Ameya Yokocho, Harmonica Yokocho, Roppongi / Azabujuban
Day Trip: Nikko
Where to go when you visit Tokyo... Everywhere!
That is all for this post and all I have left to say is simply to visit Tokyo whenever you get the chance. There is a unbelievable amount to do/see, the food is amazing, and the people are so incredibly hospitable and kind. Checkout my last blog post for some of my favourite foodie areas of Tokyo and follow me on social media to see all of my adventures throughout East/Southeast Asia! I hope this blog post was helpful to any of you planning to visit Tokyo and I hope you all have an amazing day!
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