At this point, I think Tokyo Japan is on everyone’s bucket list and for good reason! Tokyo is such an amazing place with so much to offer it can be hard to know where to start. If you have found this post I’m sure you must be planning to visit soon so I hope this ultimate Tokyo itinerary can help you plan your trip.
From the amazing food to the beautiful temples, to the Pokémon Center shopping, there really is so much to see and do in Tokyo. I spent one week in Tokyo last February and felt I could have spent a week longer with all the sights I wanted to see. I understand a 2 week stop in Tokyo isn’t realistic to many as it is often used as a starting point for the rest of Japan. Below I will go over a ten day itinerary for Tokyo making it easy for you to pick and choose your favourite days that work with the length of your trip.
Here’s an overview of each day you could add to your Ultimate Tokyo Itinerary:
1. Shibuya area
2. Meiji Jingu and Harajuku
3. Ghibli Museum and Sunshine City
4. Ginza, Tokyo Station and Pokemon Cafe
5. Akihabara, Senso-ji and Skytree
6. Shinjuku area
7. Lucky Cat Temple and Tokyo Tower
8. Mt Fuji Day Trip
9. Other Day Trips (Tokyo Bay or Saitama)
10. DisneyLand Or DisneySea
With so much to see and do, it’s best to plan your Tokyo trip into different areas to limit the amount of time you spend on transport each day (even though the transport is so efficient!). I have planned a few activities for each day but have not overfilled them. This will allow plenty of time to explore, eat, and shop so you can really enjoy your time without being rushed.
If you want to find out more about me and my trip to Tokyo check out my vlog…
Where to Stay
I think the two most popular areas to stay in Tokyo are Shinjuku and Ginza. Both areas are very central with large train stations to make getting around super easy.
On my last trip, I stayed in Shinjuku about a 10-minute walk from Shinjuku station. If you choose to stay in Ginza you will have Tokyo station very nearby.
Both areas have a large selection of accommodations ranging from impressive hotels to budget-friendly hostels.
Shibuya
Any trip to Tokyo has to include Shibuya. I’m sure this is a place most people have heard of thanks to the famous Shibuya Crossing. Shibuya is such a busy area so I think it’s best to spend a whole day here if you have the time.
The two main sightseeing attractions of Shibuya are the Shibuya Scramble Crossing and the Hachiko Memorial Statue. You can also book a timeslot online to visit Shibuya Sky.
This is a 360 observation deck that overlooks the famous crossing and the rest of Tokyo. Shibuya Sky has an outside and inside area, the outside deck is weather-dependent so if you are visiting in winter I would keep in mind that this could be closed. If you aren’t sure about booking Shibuya Sky there are many shops around the famous crossing that you can get a bird’s eye view from. These include L’Occitane Café Shibuya and Shibuya Mark City.
I personally spent a lot of time shopping in Shibuya but if you’re looking for more activities to fill your day I recommend checking out Shibuya Fureai Botanical Centre or you could book to do the Mario go-carting experiences around the city streets.
Meiji Jingu and Harajuku
Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine in the centre of Tokyo. It is accompanied by a seasonal garden and the area is surrounded by a 170 acres forest. This is a beautiful place to spend the morning escaping the busy city and enjoying nature. It is free to visit Meiji Jingu but there is a charge to visit certain aspects such as the museum or tea house.
Next to this shrine you will also find the Yoyogi Park which is another lovely area I would recommend checking out. The park has lakes, fountains, and beautiful trees especially if you’re visiting in spring for the cherry blossom season or autumn for the colourful tree leaves.
Both of these sights are easily accessed by Harajuku Station which is where I recommend heading after a morning of relaxation.
Harajuku is known as the home of Tokyo’s streetwear. It is a fashion hub of colourful streets lined with vintage clothing stores and trendy bars. You can spend your afternoon here checking out all the shops and enjoy some of the street vendor food stalls.
The Ghibli Museum and Sunshine City
Studio Ghibli is a popular Japanese animation company. They have produced plenty of famous films such as My Neighbour Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle. If you’re a Ghibli fan I’m sure The Ghibli Museum is already on your Japan bucket list.
The museum is located in the Mitaka area and is worth a visit if you’re a fan of the work and can secure tickets. You will only need around 2 hours to explore the museum so I recommend checking out the surrounding area before or after your allotted time slot. You will find the lovely Inokashira Park right next door. Or closer to the Kichijoji Station, there’s Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory which sells yummy Totoro shaped deserts.
If you are wanting to add the Ghibli museum to your ultimate Tokyo itinerary check out the official booking site HERE.
For the second part of this day, you should head to Sunshine City for a wide range of other activities to check out. Sunshine City is classed as Tokyo’s first city within a city and hosts a huge range of shops, restaurants, a museum, theatre, and even an aquarium. It is also home to the worlds largest gachapon store so you could stock up on plenty of trinkets.
Ginza, Tokyo Station, and Pokemon Cafe
My next recommendation for your ultimate Tokyo itinerary is to spend a day in the Ginza and Tokyo Station Area. Tokyo Station connects with a huge underground shopping mall perfect for all your souvenir and snack purchases. This mall is famous for its ‘character street’ with shops for all your favourites including Sanrio, Snoopy and Studio Ghibli.
Heading out into Ginza you will find the Tokyo DX Pokémon Center which includes the Pokémon Café. This is another activity that needs to be booked in advance but if you’re a Pokémon fan I definitely recommend this unique experience.
Akihabara, Senso-ji and Skytree
For another exciting day in Tokyo, you should tick Akihabara, Senso-ji and the Tokyo Skytree off your bucket list. I’d recommend starting this day in Akihabara. Known as Tokyo’s electric town, Akihabara is filled with all things anime, large electronics stores and themed cafes.
After spending some of your morning here head over to Senso-ji. Not only is this a great sight to see being the oldest temple in Tokyo. It is also accompanied by Nakamise Shopping Street which has a market vibe of small souvenir shops and food stalls.
Around this area, you will also find a fun Sanrio store with a huge Hello Kitty as the shop front and Miffy’s flower shop. These are worth visiting if you love the cute characters.
From here, if you head across the Sumida River, I’m sure you will be able to spot the Tokyo Skytree. The Skytree is the tallest tower in Tokyo, taking over from the Tokyo Tower when it was built in 2012. It is also an broadcasting and observation tower but is also joined with a large mall/shopping area Tokyo Solamachi. There are plenty of restaurants here to enjoy a late lunch or dinner. You could even check out the Kirby Café.
Shinjuku area
The Shinjuku area is another place I’d recommend spending a whole day if you have the time on your ultimate Tokyo itinerary. Once you have navigated one of the busiest train stations in the world, Shinjuku Station, you should head to the Taito Station for some arcade fun. They have a huge range of classic claw games and some more unique designs to test your skills on. I personally got really lucky with some great wins!
Shinjuku is also another great area for shopping! If you haven’t already you should check out Uniqlo, Beams and Don Quijote.
Be sure to visit the 3d cat billboard and the Godzilla statue whilst in this part of Tokyo.
Lucky Cat Temple and Tokyo Tower
Gotokuji Temple or the lucky cat temple is a great place to visit in the suburbs of Tokyo. It is home to hundreds of beckoning cat statues. You can even buy your own one to keep as a souvenir or add to the collection at the temple. The Buddhist temple is thought to be the birthplace of the maneki neko, or beckoning cat. This is a great place to check out for a quiet morning in Tokyo. About a 30 minute walk from the temple, you will also find another location of the Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory. So be sure to grab your Totoro Pastries here if you missed out at the other location.
In the afternoon you should head to check out the Tokyo Tower. Arguably one of Tokyo’s most famous landmarks, also known as the Japan Radio Tower. It is a communications and observation tower in the district of Shiba-koen in Minato. The tower stands at approximately 333 meters and you can pay to visit the observation deck for 360 views around Tokyo.
A short walk from Tokyo Tower you can also visit Hamarikyu Gardens which offers great views of Tokyo Bay.
Mt Fuji Day Trip
If you have time whilst on your trip to Japan I would highly recommend spending the night near Mt Fuji to maximize your chance of seeing the volcano. However, If you don’t have time to stay, there are some great day trips you can take from the centre of Tokyo. I would recommend this trip with Klook where you get stops at Oshi Park, Arakurayama Sengen Park, Oshino Hakkai Village, and Mt Fuji’s 5th Station (weather permitted) I took this trip when I visited Tokyo and even though Mt Fuji was hiding in the clouds I still really enjoyed it. Check out this Klook experience HERE
Other Day Trips
There are loads of other cool places to check out surrounding Tokyo. These are easily accessible by the rail network and make for great day trips. Some areas I recommend checking out are Chiba, Saitama and Kamakura.
Disneyland Or DisneySea
I don’t think an ultimate Tokyo itinerary is complete without visiting Disney. Now I know this won’t be for everyone but even if you are only a small Disney fan I think the parks in Tokyo are worth a visit. In Tokyo, you will find a Disneyland Park and Tokyo DisneySea. Both have similarities to other Disney parks around the world but also their own unique features. The Disneyland park has it’s exclusive Beauty and the Beast ride which is hugely popular. And DisneySea has a whole new area called Fantasy Spring’s which is home to many unique rides from the films Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan. If you’re anything like me you can’t forget about all the unique merchandise you can find at the Tokyo Disney parks.
Ultimate Tokyo Itinerary Conclusion & Map
That brings us to the end of my 10+ day Tokyo Itinerary. As mentioned there really is so much to see and do in Tokyo. I hope this guide can help you pick some of your favourite parts to make the perfect itinerary that works for you. Below I have also added a map with all the locations mentioned in this post to help with your own itinerary planning.