How Many Days in Tokyo? — Trip Planner

What first-timers get wrong in Tokyo

Tokyo has two subway operators plus JR, and a paper ticket bought for one will not open the gates of another; an IC card such as Suica or Pasmo settles this silently. Nobody tips, and attempting it causes embarrassment. Cash still rules at small izakaya and shrines. Stand left on escalators here, unlike Osaka. Public bins are almost absent, so carry rubbish until you pass a convenience store.

What's actually worth your time in Tokyo

Senso-ji in Asakusa opens to the street around the clock, so arrive before seven and Nakamise-dori is yours. Meiji Jingu earns its ninety minutes; the forest was planted in the 1920s from saplings donated across Japan. Shibuya Crossing is a two-minute photo stop rather than an attraction, though Shibuya Sky above it justifies the fare. Skip Skytree if budget matters: the Metropolitan Government Building deck in Shinjuku is free at 202 metres.

Tokyo's museums, and which one to pick

Tokyo National Museum in Ueno holds the largest collection of Japanese art anywhere and charges 1,000 yen for the regular galleries; it shuts Mondays and again from 26 December, with under-18s and over-70s admitted free. The Nezu Museum pairs Chinese ritual bronzes with a hillside garden in Minami-Aoyama. Mori Art Museum in Roppongi stays open until 22:00, unusual here. Ghibli Museum tickets sell by advance lottery only, never at the gate.

Tokyo with kids, realistically

Ueno Zoo keeps giant pandas and sits inside a park alongside the national science museum, so one train trip fills a day for ages three upward. KidZania at Toyosu lets children work paid jobs, mostly in Japanese with occasional English sessions. Strollers are workable but not easy: every station has a lift somewhere, rarely near the exit you want, and a rush-hour Yamanote carriage is no place for one.

When the weather turns in Tokyo

The underground city is the answer. From Tokyo Station you reach Character Street, Ramen Street and half of Marunouchi without surfacing, and Shinjuku tunnels run further still. Nakano Broadway stacks four floors of Mandarake manga and figure shops. teamLab Borderless in Azabudai Hills and teamLab Planets in Toyosu are both indoors, though Planets asks you to wade barefoot. Sunshine City in Ikebukuro combines aquarium, planetarium and mall in one block.

When to go to Tokyo

The month to avoid is July — around 31°C (88°F) with roughly 18 rain days. Prices and crowds track the weather here: November is the sweet spot, July the month most people skip.

Pack for peak season: Layers — t-shirts under a light jacket or sweater, A packable rain shell or compact umbrella earns its space, Comfortable walking shoes — every guide on this site assumes you'll use them.

Where to base yourself in Tokyo

• Shibuya — The scramble crossing, izakaya streets, late-night ramen.
• Asakusa — Senso-ji temple, traditional shops, low-rise old Tokyo.
• Shinjuku — Skyline observation decks, Golden Gai bars, Robot Restaurant.
• Shimokitazawa — Indie cafés, vintage shops, the city’s most walkable district.