Tokyo is not one city, it is a set of centres connected by an extremely good rail network. Trying to see it as a whole produces exhaustion. Treating it as four separate visits, one per day, produces a trip you remember.
Why this route works
Each day sits within one rail loop segment, so transit time stays under thirty minutes. It also alternates dense days with calmer ones, which matters more here than in most cities because the sensory load is high.
Day 1 - Shibuya and Shimokitazawa
Arrive into Shibuya mid morning, cross the scramble once for the ritual, then leave it. Walk up to Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingu, which is a genuine forest in the middle of the city. Late afternoon, take the Keio line four stops to Shimokitazawa for second hand shops and small bars.
Day 2 - Asakusa, Ueno and the old east
Senso-ji at seven is empty. By ten it is not. Walk north through Asakusa's quieter blocks, then to Ueno Park for whichever museum interests you. The Tokyo National Museum needs two hours minimum.
Day 3 - Tsukiji, Ginza and the bay
The outer market at Tsukiji still runs even though the wholesale auctions moved to Toyosu. Eat breakfast standing. Ginza afterwards for architecture and department store basements, which are the best food halls in the country.
Day 4 - Shinjuku and a day trip option
Shinjuku Gyoen in the morning, then the Metropolitan Government building observation deck, which is free and has a view most paid towers cannot match. If the sky is clear, Fuji is visible. Alternatively, take the train to Kamakura for the day.
Practical notes
- Get an IC card at the airport and stop thinking about tickets
- Trains stop around midnight and taxis after that are expensive
- Rubbish bins are rare, convenience stores are the fallback
- Reserve popular restaurants, walk-in seating at good places is genuinely limited
When to go
Late March to May, and October to early December. Summer is hot and humid. February is cold, clear and quiet, and hotel prices reflect it.
Common mistakes
- Buying a rail pass for a Tokyo-only trip, it will not pay for itself
- Booking accommodation in Odaiba or far suburbs to save money and losing hours in transit
- Trying to fit Nikko, Hakone and Kamakura into the same four days
What to bring
Comfortable shoes and a small towel, which is what locals carry in summer. A coin purse, because Japanese change accumulates quickly.
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