Tokyo doesn't reward speed. Seven days lets you stop.
The week#
| Day | Areas | Evening |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asakusa (Senso-ji early), Kappabashi, Ueno Park and a museum | Yanaka or an Ueno izakaya |
| 2 | Shibuya, Harajuku, Omotesando, Meiji Jingu | Shibuya's backstreets |
| 3 | Shinjuku Gyoen, the department stores, the Metropolitan Government view | Golden Gai, Omoide Yokocho |
| 4 | Tsukiji outer market breakfast, Ginza, Imperial Palace gardens or teamLab | Ginza or Yurakucho under the tracks |
| 5 | Day trip: Hakone or Nikko | Back for a late ramen |
| 6 | Shimokitazawa, Kichijoji and Inokashira Park, or Yanaka and Nezu | Koenji or Nakameguro |
| 7 | Free: the thing you loved, Akihabara, a sumo stable morning, shopping | An evening with a Tokyoite |
The rules#
One or two areas a day. Trains, never taxis across town. A long lunch where the queue is Japanese. Mornings for the famous things (Senso-ji at 7, Tsukiji at 8, Meiji Jingu at opening). Getting around Tokyo, Suica card, and the JR Pass, which you don't need for this week.
Rainy-day swaps#
Museums, teamLab, department store food halls, Akihabara, a sento, a long kissaten afternoon. Tokyo in June has the full wet-weather list.
Shorter or longer#
5 days, 3 days, 2 days. Ten days: add Tokyo to Kyoto for three nights.
Practical#
Where to stay (Shinjuku, Shibuya or Asakusa for a week), Narita or Haneda, cash or card, a SIM, tipping (don't), what to wear, what it costs, etiquette that matters.
Day seven's evening#
A week of Tokyo and you may not have had a conversation with anyone who lives here. Post your dates on Roavi Community: travellers in Tokyo the same week appear together, and Local Friends who live here reply. A Local Friend for the last evening is their neighbourhood, their izakaya, their Tokyo.
A week in Tokyo? Give one evening to someone who lives there.
Meet a Local FriendFrequently Asked Questions
Is 7 days too long for Tokyo?
No. Seven days lets you do the famous districts without rushing, two day trips, and the neighbourhoods most visitors skip. Most people on a week leave with a list for next time. Ten days adds Kyoto.How should I structure a week in Tokyo?
One or two neighbouring areas per day, reached by train, with a slow lunch and a different area for the evening. Never three areas in a day; Tokyo's distances and the walking inside each area add up.Which day trip from Tokyo is best?
Hakone for Mount Fuji, an onsen and the ropeway-and-boat loop; Nikko for the shrines and waterfalls. Kamakura is the easy half-day for temples and the sea. One is enough in a week; two if you cut a city day.Do I need the JR Pass for a week in Tokyo?
No. Inside Tokyo a Suica card covers everything and the pass doesn't pay off. It only makes sense if you're adding Kyoto, Osaka or Hiroshima and travelling long distances by shinkansen.
