Tokyo, Japan is the largest metropolitan area in the world, housing the world’s most sophisticated railways. In my lifetime, this buzzing country has become famous for its Anime, Sushi, and Sumo, to name a few. While I only experienced Tokyo, Japan for a 24-hour layover, I saw a glimpse of what the world-renowned city had to offer. As an American, I found much of the Japenese culture to be familiar and recommend it as a great place to ease into other adventures throughout Asia. Keep reading for my travel itinerary, loose notes, and favorite recommendations.
General Tips:
- Metro – 13 subway lines run through the city, making almost any destination feasible to travel by train; I recommend getting familiar with the train system for the most budget-friendly transportation; train riders under 25 can receive a discount
- Tips – Japanese people do not tip, the compensation for servers is embedded into the price
- ATMs – 7/11 or any major convenience store is the safest and easiest way to get cash from ATMs
- Plan ahead – Tokyo is very spread out so plan which sites you want to see and districts you want to explore ahead of time
Day 1 – Night in Tokyo
Night Activities – Shinjuku
- Omoide Yokocho (“piss alley” ): get a beer & some pork (beef, chicken, tofu) skewers
Review: yellow – cute bars, good meat skewers - Kawasaki Warehouse: coolest arcade center in the world
- Robot Restaurant: trippy, crazy and awesome show, in red light district
- Kawaii Monster Cafe: similar show to Robot Restaurant with better food
- Akihabara: great place to play vintage arcade games
Day 2 – Day in Tokyo
Exploring Tokyo – Shibuya
- Convenience store breakfast: locals normally get their breakfast from convenience stores, this means there are lots of great food options for cheap, sometimes better than restaurants
Review: green – best option to eat breakfast on the go, research types of foods beforehand because most labeling is in Japanese, most dishes require hot water which the convenience store provides - Shibuya Crossing: Tokyo’s iconic intersection that is known as the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world, best to see from the 2nd floor of the nearby Starbucks or Mag’s Park Rooftop
Review: green – best to see around rush hour - Hachiko dog statue: famous bronze statue located right in front of Shibuya Station’s Hachiko Exit
Review: yellow – located right by Shibuya Crossing, research the history behind the statue if you’re interested - Lunch options:
- Gyukatsu Motomura: best steak katsu melts in your mouth, go early to beat crowds
- Kura Sushi: fun place for sushi with great prices, go early beat crowds
- Marugame Seimen: try udon as you can pick and choose the ingredients
- Soba Noodles: traditional chain restaurant for good food
Afternoon in Harajuku
- Takeshita Street: Walk around, cute street with Takeshita Dori and shops
Review: green – cute culture, eat a lot of sweet stuff, window shop - Crepes: many shops, recommend Beard Papa cream puff
Review: yellow – many varieties of crepes are available - Daiso Store: Everything is priced at 100 yen (~$1), 3 stories
Review: yellow – similar to a dollar store but didn’t find that many souveniers - Totti Candy Factory: 800 yen big cotton candy
- Meiji Shrine: Behind the Harajuku station is a pathway that leads to this peaceful and beautiful shrine
Review: green – very pretty, nicely kept grounds, free, recommend spending at least an 1 ½ hour
Recommendations We Missed
Recommendations We Missed – Tokyo
- Narita Temple: a beautiful Buddhist temple located 1 train stop from Narita Airport
- Tokyo Sky Tree: 2nd tallest building in the world
- Senso-ji: Tokyo’s oldest temple, can get your fortune told
- Stationery Café (Bungougu Café): a hip stationary-themed cafe with free coloring tools for customers to release their creativity, enjoy the artistic atmosphere while sipping on a drink or eating your favorite Japanese dish
- Kamadoka: great place to eat dinner at an “itzakaya,” which are Japanese gastro pubs with a menu of small dishes for snacking while drinking
- Asakusa, Tokyo: traditional red lanterns, as seen on Instagram
- Darumanome: best ramen, katsudon, and gyoza
If you liked this itinerary, comment with other suggestions to do in Tokyo!
