Tokyo has unlimited choices of shopping, entertainment, culture and amazing food. With so many unusual structures, streets, stations and scenery to see, you could spend a month in Tokyo and still have plenty left to see.
You may have just finished reading our Japan guide from our previous blog ” Best things to do in Japan” and now your thinking of visiting Tokyo for the first time? Thats great!!!! Here we will tell you everything you need to know about visiting Tokyo.
First up I will tell you that only spending 4 days in Tokyo definitely isn’t enough time to stay in one of the worlds most vibrant and bustling city. Don’t worry if you only have a short amount of time like we did, there is still so much to see and do. We have created this itinerary to help you discover the best things to see and where to stay when you visit Tokyo in just 4 days.
Tokyo was an experience like no other. This was our first time to Tokyo together and we can seriously say this city ranks extremely high on our favourites list. Tokyo city was our first stop on our Japan trip and is a great city to start your Japan trip. We spent out first 3 nights here and another 2 nights at the end of out trip. We could have stayed in Tokyo for weeks. There is always something new to see and something that will WOW you.
Best area to stay in Tokyo?
Shinjuku
Staying somewhere central in Tokyo is important if you want to save money and maximise your travel experience. You can get to all the different neighbour hoods, attractions, UNESCO Heritage sites all by public transport.
Tokyo is another city that never sleeps. We recommend travellers who want to stay in the best area and also within a mid-range budget to stay in Shinjuku.
Shinjuku means shopping, eating, partying and lots of people watching. There is several huge department stores, music stores, electronics stores, and hundreds and hundreds of bars and restaurants catering to every taste imaginable.
Shinjuku Station sits at the heart of one of the most interesting districts of Tokyo. The station straddles the JR Yamanote Loop Line circling central Tokyo and lies at the intersection of some very different neighborhoods: to the west is Nishi-Shinjuku, a business and administrative center, to the east is Higashi-Shinjuku, for shopping and nightlife, and to the northeast is Kabukicho and Golden Gai. No matter what area you stay they are devoted to nightlife and entertainment.
Tokyo has many great neighbourhoods all with their own special characteristics. When choosing where we wanted to stay we considered what area was best for atmosphere, nightlife, eating out and had to have great access to transport and train stations. Shinjuku has all that and much more!!
We stayed at Premier Hotel Shinjuku. Premier Hotel Cabin Shinjuku is located in lively Kabukicho, only a short 10 minute walk from shinjuku station. The area Shinjuku Ward is a great choice for travellers interested in shopping, bars and local food. For a small double room with a bathroom at Premier Hotel it was about $100 – $150 AUD. Approximately 7,400 JPY.
To check availability and book Premier Inn Shinjuku click HERE.
How to get to Tokyo and where to get your JR Pass?
Once we landed at Narita airport we made our way to the train station located just outside of the terminal.
The most comfortable way of travel between Narita Airport and Tokyo Station is the JR Narita Express (NEX). The one way journey takes roughly one hour, costs around 3000 yen and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass, JR Tokyo Wide Area Pass and some other JR passes. There are departures every 30 to 60 minutes.
Passes can be purchased at both Haneda and Narita Airport on arrival, or from major JR East stations. As soon as you exit the airport head to the JR shop where you can purchase a 7 day rail pass. You will have to choose a date when you will activate it. We chose to start the 7 day pass after leaving Tokyo as most of our long distance travel was when we were leaving Tokyo. It helps to have your routes and dates planned to maximise your time and JR pass.
Where to eat in Shinjuku
There are so many places to eat around this area, ramen , sushi, maid cafes, bbq restaurants ect. We ate many times at this amazing sushi place called Kizuna Sushi just a short walk from our hotel.
Shinjuku’s blessed with a bounty of great ramen shops but a must eat place for Ramen is Fu-Unji. One of the best in Shinjuku, expect to see a line but lucky for you dining in japan means eating ramen quickly. Seats turn around pretty quick. Once inside choose your ramen and pay the vending machine, take your ticket, find a seat and hand it to the chefs.
For delicious sushi within a budget you will love Kizuna Sushi. We just happened to walk past and could see the fresh sushi being made. What we loved about Kizunas that you can sit at the counter and watch the chefs prepare all the sushi. The staff and chefs were extremely friendly and let us film and take photos of them preparing the food.
Omoide yokocho– one of the most popular lanes in Shinjuku. Also known as memory lane or piss alley. The lane way is filled with small bars that only seat up to 8 people. You can get anything from ramen, soba, sushi and yakitori. The lane is decorated with lanters and plastic cherry blossoms,
Golden Gai –. Made up of six alleys tightly packed with over 200 independent bars, half the experience is wandering through, with each small entrance completely individual. There is something here for all taste buds.
Best things to do in Tokyo in 4 days.
DAY 1: Explore Shinjuku area
You have just arrived at you hotel PREMIER IN and you have already had a taste of the chaos and want more! Firstly check in freshen up get your walking shoes on and go exploring Shinjuku’s bustling lane ways and streets. Prepare to have your mind blown!
Look across Yasukuni-dori street from Higashi-Shinjuku and you’ll see a massive wall of neon lights. This is Kabukicho, one of the biggest red-light and entertainment districts in the world. It’s packed with hostess clubs, pachinko parlors and dive bars . You can’t miss its new landmark, the 12-screen Toho Cinemas Shinjuku tower, topped with a bust of Godzilla – and is definitely worth walking through just to soak in the lively atmosphere.
Explore Shinjuku district
Not only is Shinjuku known for being one of the major economic hubs of Japans capital and for having the busiest train station in the world, Shinjuku also has non stop shopping, eating, and partying. Shinjuku has several huge department stores, music stores, electronics stores, and hundreds and hundreds of bars and restaurants. Which will cater to every taste imaginable. Every time we walked around there was something new to see. We would spend all day exploring and wouldn’t return back to our hotel until late at night.
If your wanting to let your inner child come out then you will no doubt want to check out one of the many arcade game centers all around shinjuku and surrounding areas. Shinjuku is full of arcade game centers. The best ones in Shinjuku are Taito Station and Club Sega.
Taito Stations feature an incredible selection of the latest arcade games, prize games, and purikura (photo sticker booths). The games are very reasonably priced, you can pay not only using Japanese yen, but also with Japanese electronic money cards.
Get lost in Club Sega
Club Sega is a solid arcade experience with no fuss. The Club Sega in Shinjuku is one of the most popular and perhaps the largest arcade in Tokyo. With 3 floors and around 200 machines, it is a Mecca for enthusiastic gamers. I spent over half an hour on the hello kitty crane game, desperately trying to win a prize but no luck.
Kabukicho
No stay in Shinjuku would be complete without visiting Tokyo’s largest entertainment district: Kabukicho. As most of Tokyo does, Kabukicho comes to life after dark. Whether you want to have dinner at the famous Robot Restaurant ( make sure to book in advance), enjoy some cocktails in a hostess bar or try your voice at a karaoke bar. You will be entertained for hours.
Omoide Yokocho
For dinner check out Omoide Yokocho (known as “Memory Lane,” but better known as Piss Alley), this is a small alley way filled with lots of small bar/restaurants. The restaurants are really small and there is mainly only one bar where you all sit down in a row. Here you can enjoy a beer and watch the chefs cook yakatori right in front of you. We ate at a small shop in the center of the street. Even though I am vegetarian I was able to get eggplant and tofu yakatori cooked on the grill.
Dont let the name “Piss Alley”put you off, you wont find any drunken people using the alley way as a bathroom. I am unsure how it got the name but I do know its a must visit. Omoide Yokocho is colourful place where many locals go to eat and drink so you know its good.
DAY 2: Explore Asakusa and admire SensoJi Temple.
The next day wake up early and make your way to Asakusa and Senso Ji Temple.
First up is a visit to the famous Senso Ji Temple. It’s a must do when your in Tokyo because is the oldest shrine in the country and dates back to 645AD. The temple was destroyed in the fire bombing of Tokyo during WW1. Thankfully it was rebuilt after the war and hundreds visit this beautiful piece of history every day.
How to get to Asakusa from Shinjuku.
There are many options on how to get to Asakusa. Here are some below.
- Take the Toei subway Eodo directly to Kuramae station and walk 16 minutes to Nakamise-dori.
- Get the Shinjuku lineto Bakuro-Yokoyoma, walk the link to Higashi-Nihonbashi for the Asakusa line for the next 3 more stops to Asakusa.
- Take the JR Chuo Line to Kanda, then transfer to Tokyo Metro Ginza Line to Asakusa.
- From Shinjuku-Nishiguchi Station take the Eode line to Shin- Okachimachi station, walk 2 minutes to Platform 1 and take the Tsukuba express to Asakusa station
When you exit the train station make your way over to Nakamise-dori. The street is lined with stalls selling treats, local specialties, paper lanterns, umbrellas, lucky charms and kimonos. The street starts at Thunder Gate and takes you all the way to Senso Ji.
Senso Ji Temple
Founded in 628 AD, Senso-ji Temple is the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the metropolis. It is surely a must-visit spot when you visit Japan. Asakusa, the main object of worship is said to grant material benefits to the worshipers. The temple grounds are constantly filled with people seeking such benefits, and the number of annual visitors is 30 million, including overseas visitors. The five-storied pagoda and the giant waraji straw sandal said to ward off demons at the Hozomon Gate are some of the features of this temple.
What we loved about Senso Ji and most Shinto shrines around japan was the traditional fortune telling OMIKUJI. To receive your fortune, simply make an offering to the temple (100 YEN) make a wish while shaking one of the containers until a stick marked with a number falls out of the small hole. Take the omikuji sheet of paper and find your corresponding number from your stick.
If it is a good fortune you keep the stick, if its bad you have to fold it and tie it to the post where all the other bad fortunes are. GOOD LUCK!
Explore Asakusa district
Spend the rest of the day exploring Asakusa. The area is a mixture of traditional and also modern side of Tokyo.
Nearby is Hoppy Street, a famous drinking district where numbers of small Izakaya bars gather. The name of the street refer to the infamous alcohol beverage “hoppy” which you should definitely try!
If your a bit of an adrenaline junkie than check out Hanayashiki. Hanayashiki is the most historic amusement parks in Japan that originally opened as a flower park in 1853. Visitors can enjoy retro and rustic attractions.
Admission is 1,000 Yen for visitors aged between 13-64. 500 yen for elementary students and senior citizens.
For dinner there are plenty of great places to eat around Asakusa or you can make your way back to Shinjuku.
DAY 3: Explore neighbourhoods Ginza, Harajuku and see the Tokyo Sky tower at night
Like I said, prepare to do a lot of walking when your in Tokyo. Today s going to be spent exploring Tokyo’s other buzzing areas. Below are must see neighbourhoods that will keep you entertained for hours.
Harajuku
First up is a visit to Tokyo’s chic and fashion capital – Harajuku. The chic capital of Japan is renowned for its colourful street art and is full of young people wearing the latest fashion. At the heart of this colourful and wonderful subculture you will find the iconic Takashita Street. This street is filled with fashion stores, quirky vintage clothing and boutiques. If you have had enough of shopping theres plenty of trendy bars, dessert shops selling sweet crepes, donuts and bubble tea to spoil yourself with.
Shibuya
Shibuya has the most famous crossing in the world and is Japan’s “youth capital’. It attracts many young travellers from all over the world and is said to be the earth’s “youth capital!” Every day the streets are packed with young people alongside office workers, while at night the same people flock to the local izakayas and restaurants in the back streets. Shibuya is also famous for its many shops and department stores like Parco and Marui.
If you want to get the best views of the crossing check out the observation deck on top of Shibuya 109 department store. Take the elevator to the roof top of Mags park. Follow the signs to the door where an outside staircase leads up to the roof. There you will find Crossing View, the new open-air observation deck overlooking the Shibuya Scramble. The rooftop and its hip, graffiti-tagged walls double as an event space.
Apparently there is an entry fee of 500 yen but when we went there were no staff so it was free.
Ginza
Just when you think you have shopped enough head to Tokyo’s most famous upmarket shopping, dining and entertainment district. Ginza takes shopping to a whole new level. Its known for featuring numerous department stores, boutique, art galleries, restaurants cafes and night clubs
One of the newest, and coolest department stores to visit is Tokyu Plaza Ginza. It is literally store after store of high-class brands from around the world as well as old Japanese brands and different cafes and restaurants. It is a delight just to window shop.
Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo Skytree is a new must-visit place and is new symbol of Tokyo. The Skytree is the tallest building in the country and the second in the world. Enjoy seeing the stunning architecture design of the tower as well as the breathtaking views over looking Tokyo and the neighbouring cities! We didn’t go up to the Skytree instead we found a apartment staircase across from the tower. We could take photos of the tower at night when the lights came on. It truly was so beautiful to look at.
DAY 4: Be amazed at TeamLabs digital art museum
TeamLab Borderless is a world of colour, light and sound and is Tokyo’s first and biggest Digital Art Museum. From an extraordinary lantern filled room, to a colourful digital Forrest, Teamlabs Borderless is a must see when your in Tokyo.
The TeamLab Borderless Museum is a permanent digital art exhibition in the Mori Building in Odaiba, Tokyo. The museum is an audiovisual creation by the TeamLab art collective of animators, programmers, architects, mathematicians and designers.
Our favorite exhibitions was the forrest of resonating lamps. The room was mirrored and filled with hanging coloured lamps that alternate colours as you move around
Only 20 people are allowed into the room at one time and your only allocated a 2 minutes inside. You have to be quick to get the spot you want and take your perfect photo.
If your planning to take photos for Instagram make sure to have your camera ready. We made sure when we were in line that we picked a spot we wanted and would try get there first. We actually went through 3 times just to get the shots we wanted.
How to buy TeamLab Borderless tickets?
Because Teamlabs is one of the most popular attractions in Tokyo, it sells out quickly so its essential to reserve tickets in advance.
Buy your Digital Museum tickets HERE.
Tickets are reserved for a specific day but there are no assigned entry times so you can visit any time during opening hours. We arrived at about 11 am and the line was down the road. Lucky it moves quite fast and we only had to wait am hour. Its totally worth the rate.
Tips on visiting Teamlabs– Because there are no set times when purchasing a ticket, the museum can get very busy at times. We recommend arriving at the museum first thing before it opens at 10am.
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The list of things we wanted to do in Tokyo was never ending but the above is what we did and what we would recommend doing if you only have a small amount of time.
Other best things to do in Tokyo.
- Go Mario Carting
- Robot Cafe
- Pokemon Center
- Maid Cafes
- Food Tours
- City Tours
Thanks for reading our blog on Tokyo and we hope it has helped you plan your next trip to Tokyo.
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If busy cities are not for you then you check out our blog post about our camper van trip through the South Island of New Zealand here.
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