We based ourselves in Tokyo for the first five days of a three week tour of Japan. We spent three days exploring Tokyo itself, followed by two day trips; to Nikko and Hakone. Below is our three day Tokyo itinerary. We were lucky enough to visit during a sumo tournament. If we hadn’t gone to that, we would have wound up Day 3 with a visit to TeamLab Planets.
How to get to Tokyo
There are two main airports serving Tokyo; Narita and Haneda. We arrived at the major international airport of Narita. Narita is a long way from Tokyo – almost 50 miles from the city centre. The best way to get into Tokyo depends on which part of the city you are staying at. There is a train; the Narita Express, which can get you to Shibuya in around 1.5 hours and costs Y3250. As we were staying in Shinjuku, we opted to take the Limousine Bus, which takes a little longer and costs Y3600, but was more convenient for our hotel.
Note: If you have a JR Pass, this covers the Narita Express, but you need to weigh up whether you want to activate it straight away or not.
Getting Around Tokyo
There are a number of pre-pay cards which can be used on Tokyo public transport (as well as vending machines etc) such as Pasmo and Suica. You purchase a card for Y500 from a ticket machine outside a station and can then charge it as and when needed. Depending on how long you are planning to stay and how many journeys you are planning to take, a multi day pass might be a better option.
Although we purchased a Japan Rail Pass for some of our trip, we didn’t activate it until our three days of sightseeing in Tokyo were complete. For these days, we paid for individual journeys as this worked out cheaper.
Where to stay in Tokyo
We stayed at the Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier. This is located just outside the more touristy areas, so was more reasonably priced. The hotel is new (built for the Olympics) and very clean and comfortable. It overlooks the Olympic Park and is very closed to both a Metro Station (Kokuritsu-Kyogijo) and a JR Train Station (Sendagaya), so extremely conveniently located for public transport.
The hotel has a large public bath and a nice roof terrace with views across the Olympic Park and the city.
Tokyo in 3 Days Itinerary
| Flight to Tokyo Accommodation – Mitsui Garden Hotel | |
| Day 1 | Imperial Palace Imperial Palace East Garden Tokyo Station Dinner on Ramen Street Public Bath |
| Day 2 | Hachiko Statue Shibuya Crossing Coffee at Starbucks Mag’s Park Viewing Area Shibuya Stream Meiji Jingu Shinjuku Godzilla Statue Shinjuko Gyoen Dinner at Hidakaya |
| Day 3 | Ueno Koen Tokyo National Museum National Museum of Western Art Ryogoku Kokugikan (Watch Sumo Wrestling) Dinner at Hidakaya |
Attractions
| 1 | Imperial Palace |
| 2 | Tokyo Station |
| 3 | Ramen Street |
| 4 | Shibuya Crossing |
| 5 | Shibuya Stream |
| 6 | Meiji Jingu |
| 7 | Shinjuku Godzilla |
| 8 | Shinjuku Gyoen |
| 9 | Ueno Koen |
| 10 | Tokyo National Museum |
| 11 | National Museum of Western Art |
| 12 | Ryogoku Kokugikan |
Day 1
Imperial Palace
We actually start our first day in Tokyo by heading to the suburbs to run Hikarigaokakoen Parkrun.
After a shower and breakfast, we take the train to the enormous Tokyo Station in order to visit one of the city’s most famous sights; The Imperial Palace. Japanese stations are enormous – like underground towns, so it’s useful to note which exit you need beforehand as it’s not always readily apparent when you reach the station.
We learn this the hard way and after a couple of failed attempts, set off in the right direction, walking through the suburb of Marunouchi to the Imperial Palace. I had assumed that an Imperial Palace would be easy to locate, but the site is far larger than I’d imagined and we walk and walk until we finally locate the entry to the palace.
My guide book recommended heading for the enormous gravel lined Kokyo-Gaien Plaza for views of the Niju-bashi (iron bridge) and Megane-bashi (stone bridge) which link to the Fushimi-yagura (watchtower). In reality, the area is heavily guarded and you can’t get particularly close or see very much of aforementioned attractions.
Imperial Palace Guided Tour
You can only access the palace grounds on a Guided Tour. These free tours take place between Tuesday and Saturday at 10 am and 1.30 pm. There are 300 places available on a first-come-first-served basis. So we queue for the afternoon tour to find we are a few places too far back in the queue and therefore cannot participate.
Note: Since our visit, it is also possible to register for a place in advance online. Details can be found here. You will need you passport to join the palace tour.
Imperial Palace East Garden
Instead, we walk on to the East Garden. This is free to enter, although there is a quota system. Luckily, we don’t have to queue. Again, this is significantly larger than I’d imagined. I was expecting a traditional Japanese style garden. But it consists mainly of enormous lawns of rather parched grass.
There are some more traditional areas of bamboo and a lake full of koi carp.
Tokyo Station
We walk back to the 100 year old Tokyo Station, stopping to admire its red brick facade. The plan is to go inside, locate Ramen Street, have dinner, then catch a train back to our hotel.
Tokyo Station is massive. It’s probably bigger than my home town. Its underground shopping and dining streets go on and on and on…
Dinner on Ramen Street
After some considerable time, we eventually find Ramen Street, select a restaurant and, with the help of the plastic replicas outside the restaurants, choose our meals. I opt for Udon Noodles with Tempura vegetables.
Apparently, the way to eat noodles involves chopsticks in one hand and a spoon/ladle in the other. I’m not very good with chopsticks so attempt to go spoon only, but the noodles are slippery little buggers and lunch is a slow and laborious affair. Much of it ends up on my jumper.
Public Bath
After dinner, we return to the hotel. Like many Japanese hotels, it has a public bath. I’m not sure quite what this entails, but I don my swimming costume and off I go. It’s basically what it says – a big bath. It’s very hot; rather like being in an oversized jacuzzi which hasn’t been turned on.
Apparently, you don’t wear clothes in a public bath. I come waltzing in in my swimming costume and everyone else is naked, leaving me feeling extremely overdressed. I’m not sure how to react; immediately whip my tits out or just get in the water demurely and not draw attention to myself. I opt for the latter, but I feel rather out of place surrounded by exposed fannies when mine’s all covered up. So I don’t stay long before retiring. Japan is an enormous city and on our first day, including parkrun, we have covered 12 miles. So it’s time for an early night before another sightseeing instalment tomorrow.
Day 2
Today we have another busy day planned, focusing on the suburbs of Shibuya and Shinjuku. After a breakfast of convenience store sushi, we start by catching a train to Shibuya Station. This is another mega station which covers an area approximately the size of Wales.
Hachiko Statue
We set off to see the famous intersection of Shibuya Crossing. Outside the station, a large queue has formed to have photos taken with a dog statue. Never ones to miss out on an opportunity to queue, we wait in line for a picture. The statue is of a dog called Hachiko who waited every day outside the station for his owner to come home from work. When his owner died at work and did not return, the dog continued to wait for him outside the station for a further 9 years.
There’s also a colourful mural opposite the statue further celebrating this mega loyal pet.
Shibuya Crossing
Billed as the ‘busiest intersection in Japan, possibly the world‘, Shibuya Crossing is a set of five pedestrian crossings, where the lights all go green simultaneously – an iconic Tokyo sight.
Coffee at Starbucks
We cross the famous intersection to reach Starbucks, which has a 2nd floor seating area overlooking the crossing, so you can sit and watch the comings and goings on the crossing below.
Mag’s Park Viewing Area
At the top of the Magnet by Shibuya 109 Department Store, there is a small roof top café, Mag’s Park, with views over Shibuya Crossing. Entry costs Y550.
We don’t buy anything, just fork out the required money to get a bird’s eye view of the crossing.
Shibuya Stream
We fight our way back through the station maze to find, on our second attempt (we’re getting better at this) the exit to Shibuya Stream. This regenerated area along a small stream has several bridges and some statues.
It’s not that exciting, but I’m glad I came for the Instaworthy Tokyo lips. From here, we head back to station for the next destination on today’s itinerary.
Meiji Jingu
One stop on the Yamanote Line brings us to Harajuku Station, close to the entrance of Meiji-Jingu; a Shinto Shrine build of cypress and copper. It’s really busy, and we exit the station in a throng of people, all walking towards the shrine.
The path is lined with displays of donations of sake and fine wine donated to the shrine.
We pass through several gates to reach the shrine. Here, a large queue forms, so we join it and wait in line, not sure what for. When people reach the front they throw money into a box and clap.
Round the corner are lots more queues, so being a lemming, I join one. Here you can pay upwards of ¥1000 for a good luck amulet, with prices rising according to what sort of luck you’re after. I can’t really back out, so am now the owner of a small but expensive bit of cloth which will allegedly bring good fortune. At ¥1000 a piece it’s certainly bringing someone good fortune!
Shinjuku
We walk the mile from the shrine into the suburb of Shinjuku. (There is a direct train, but we opted to walk to see some more of the city).
This bustling suburb is lined with shops and restaurants, neon lights and billboards; from huge skyscrapers to the thinnest building I’ve ever seen.
Shinjuku Godzilla
All is watched over by Godzilla, who is climbing the cinema roof.
After a quick drink and sit down in a random bar, we continue to today’s final destination; Shinjuku Goyen.
Shinjuku Gyoen
Shinjuku Gyoen is a park in a former Imperial Garden. We arrive just before the ticket booths close for the evening. January isn’t the best time to visit a Japanese garden, but it’s still a pleasant stroll through the gardens as the sun sets.
The garden is divided into zones. My favourite is the traditional Japanese Garden.
There’s also a pretty lake lined with beautifully fragrant narcissi.
The park is open from 9 am until 4.30 pm (later in summer) daily except Monday and costs ¥500.
Dinner at Hidakaya
We stop for dinner at a small noodle bar opposite the Olympic Park – Hidakaya. It’s cheap and the portion sizes are enormous. I get the combo meal which consists of Ramen, fried rice and gyoza. After yesterday’s chopsticks fiasco, today I have come prepared with a fork secreted in my handbag. I enjoy the rice and gyoza but am defeated by the noodles, only managing about a quarter of the bowl, and that includes what I spilled down my top!
We return to our hotel for a well earned beer and a rest. It has been another epic day of sightseeing and we have walked a total of 11 miles. At least tomorrow I get to sit down, as we’re going to a sumo tournament.
Day 3
It’s our last day sightseeing in Tokyo. My head says ‘blimey that’s gone quick’ and my feet say ‘thank f*** for that – we’ve already covered the equivalent of a marathon in 2 days.
Ueno Koen
The day starts with a visit to Ueno Koen; a large park has a lake, shrine, pagoda, zoo and several museums. We take a couple of trains to Ueno Station.
We purchase some breakfast and head to a picnic area overlooking the lake. There is a small area of lake which looks how you expect a lake to look i.e. an expanse of water. The remainder has a dense covering of reeds.
After our picnic, we continue to the shrine, where a man who looks like he’s auditioning for the Joker in Batman is performing some sort of ritual. Adjacent to the shrine is a traditional Japanese five storey pagoda, but we can’t work out how to reach it, it appears to be inside the zoo.
Tokyo National Museum
At the edge of the park is the Tokyo National Museum. This contains the world’s largest collection of Japanese art. An entry ticket gives you access to exhibits across several buildings in the huge complex.
Honkan
We start in the Honkan (Japanese Gallery). The first thing I notice about the National Museum is that they have the heating set to ‘furnace’. It’s absolutely baking hot and I immediately have to start undressing. Not all my clothes of course – I haven’t even managed that in a public bath yet!
We work our way down from the second floor, through ornate kimonos, fan art, samurai swords and armour.
Gallery of Horyu-Ji Treasures
In an ultra modernist building the Gallery of Horyu-Ji Treasures houses case upon case of Buddhas.
Hyokeikan
This grand Hyokeikan building, commissioned to commemorate the wedding of a prince, houses special exhibitions.
When we visited, the temporary exhibition was entitled ‘Our National Treasures: 150 Years in the Future’ imagines what contemporary items might be displayed in a museum in 150 years‘ time. Although all the old treasures are very interesting, this exhibition is my favourite. From Godzilla to Hello Kitty, Keirin bikes to soy sauce.
There’s also a rather strange diorama paying homage to potato products.
The best exhibit is a scrapbook. I have been scrapbooking since I was ten years old and have a large collection of scrapbooks, which daughter No 2 tells me will become my funeral pyre when I die. So I feel vindicated that scrapbooks apparently belong in museums in the future!
Toyokan
The Toyokan (Gallery of Asian Art) houses exhibits from other countries in the region. We pass through here fairly rapidly as we are running out of time.
The museum is open daily except Monday from 9.30 am until 5 pm (later at weekends) and costs Y1000.
National Museum of Western Art
We walk back to the station through the grounds of the National Museum of Western Art. In front of the building, you can see a collection of Rodin almost identical to that at The Cantor in Palo Alto which we visited two weeks ago. Rodin was obviously a busy chap!
Ryogoku Kokugikan
From Ueno we catch another couple of trains to Ryogoku Station. From here we walk the short distance, through Sumo themed restaurants and shops, to Ryogoku Kokugikan, the 10,000-seater National Sumo Stadium, to watch a sumo tournament. I know very little about sumo. The first thing I didn’t know is that there’s only three tournaments a year in Tokyo, so we are very lucky to be able to obtain tickets for this quintessentially Japanese experience.
Sumo Tournament
It’ a very long day with bouts running from 8.30 am until 6 pm. Although the big boys (and I mean that literally) don’t fight until after 2 pm.
We arrive shortly before 2 pm, which gives us a chance to get the hang of things before the top bouts begin.
We find our seats (we’re right at the back in the cheapest seats) and settle down to watch the action. A rough guide to sumo; a couple of large men in nappies faff a lot, throw some salt, then attempt to push each other out of a circle. The circle is elevated, so often these huge men fall off the platform onto a judge. I think that about sums it up…
In the gap between fights, I go for a wander around the stadium. Outside are cut-out figures of sumo wrestlers carrying women in kimonos, with cut-out faces so you can inset your own face. I ask a man to take my photo. He tells me I have to pretend to kiss the sumo wrestler, so I oblige.
Back in the arena, we watch the intermediate category fights, but by the time the top (senior) group starts, we are all sumoed out. So we just watch the parade then depart for our hotel on the other side of town.
Dinner at Hidakaya
We stop for dinner in the same noodle bar we ate in last night. This time I choose the rice combo, which consists of stir fried pork, rice, broth, macaroni cheese, cabbage, pickles and mayonnaise. An interesting combination.
And that completes our three day whistle stop tour of Tokyo. There is so much to do here – we could happily have stayed several more days. Before we managed to obtain sumo tickets, I had planned to spend the final afternoon on a river cruise and visit to TeamLab Planets, but we were no longer able to fit that in. Nevertheless, we have enjoyed our eclectic dip into Tokyo’s many tourist attractions.
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
- Trip taken: January 2023
- Updated: June 2024
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