Tokyo is the biggest city in the world with 42 milion people, and honestly, I felt it as soon as I arrived. The city is huge, and it makes you feel like you can do whatever you want, at any time. What I also love is the constant buzz mixed with this authentic aspect—bright neon signs, colorful lights everywhere and temples. It’s exciting, but it can also be quite very overwhelming.
In this guide, I’ll share with you 10 things I loved doing the most during my first visit to Tokyo—things that were fun but not too overwhelming.
First, before to tell you more about this best 10 things, I’ll answer the most common questions asked.
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You’re in a hurry ?
How Many Days in Tokyo? At least 3 days
Best Time to Visit Tokyo? Autumn (Red leaves and Mount Fuji – Here’s why?) or Summer (Cherry Blossom)
Where to Stay in Tokyo? Shinjuku or Shibuya (Central)
How to Get Around Tokyo? Metro with Suica Card (Check my Suica Guide)
Is Tokyo Expensive? Yes as it’s a capital (a mega city!). Could compare it to Paris’s prices.
Is Tokyo Safe? Safest city I’ve ever been to with Monaco!
Things to do
- #1 Gotokuji’s Retro Streets
- #2 Baseball and rally stamps in Ueno park
- #3 A Wooden design boutique and cafe in Ueno
- #4 Shibuya’s plaza terrace
- #5 Unlimited yakiniku in Shinjuku
- #6 World’s biggest Uniqlo in Ginza
- #7 Play baseball
- #8 Tokyo tower × 7/11 photo spot
- #9 Akihabara’s electric chaos
- #10 A Lemon sour in a golden gai bar
How many days in Tokyo ?
You definitely need at least 3 days in Tokyo, but 5 is ideal if you’re doing a two-week trip to Japan. Honestly, you could stay even longer—there’s just so much to do. I only stayed 5 days because I had a lot to see in 2–3 weeks, but I would’ve loved to stay longer.
Best time to visit Tokyo ?
There are two: Autumn (Oct–Nov) and Spring (March–May).
You’ll get the most beautiful colors during these periods, but it’s also when Japan is the most crowded and expensive. In Fall, you’ll get the red colors of the leaves and also definitely way more chances to see Mount Fuji due to less humidity because of the colder weather.
Autumn, with all its red leaves and that super aesthetic vibe, is honestly my fav season (also, it’s the best time to see Mt. Fuji). That’s when I decided to go — but wow, I did not expect touristy spots like Nara and Kyoto to be that crowded!
For Spring, il will be more crowded than autumn but you’ll get a different version called “Sakura” with the cherry blossom. Pinkish flower everywhere.
WHERE TO STAY IN TOKYO ?
There is so many places with its 23 districts but I choosed the 3 main ones for now.
Shinjuku & Shibuya for a young and energetic area to stay (West). They are very central and convenient for Day Trip as there is many departures from Shinjuku for example.
Asakusa for a quiet neighbourhood and historic sites (East).
Read | Where to stay in Tokyo
How to Get Around Tokyo?
I decided not to get the Pass and just topped up my Suica card for the metro, trains, and buses. Japan’s train and metro system is so good that I only needed a taxi once during my trip. In big cities, skip taxis—they’re way slower than the metro, especially for long distances.
READ | Ultimate Guide to the SUICA Card
Is Tokyo Expensive?
From my point of view I was expecting Japan to be much more expensive so I found that transportation and food are affordable and for hotels it depends the range you’re going for : luxe to affordable. In Big Cities and also the turisty ones this is where it’s gonna be the most expensive. For exemple you’ll get a ramen for 6-7 euros and metro ride 1-2euros.
Also, because of the weak yen, it makes the cost of living more affordable it you got euro or dollars.
Is Tokyo Safe?
This is honnestly the safest country i’ve been to maybe with Monaco. This is extremly safe at anytime of the day and anywhere (metro, train, at night …). People are so respectful which makes it so enjoyable when traveling there.
More Japan Articles:
10 Unique Things to Do in Tokyo
Wander Through Gotokuji’s Retro Streets
A Budddhist temple called Gotokuji Cat Temple is only 40 minutes away from Tokyo— it s a super cute and really relaxed temple honoring Maneki-neko (this famous cat with his paw in the air). You’ll find hundreds of them, different sizes, displayed all around. This Maneki-neko doll welcome people and means “prosperity” for many businesses. (Having more clients in a restaurant and so on..)
I spent some time watching and taking photos of the cats. It’s also possible to buy Manekineko figurines in the temple. After this peaceful visit, I walked in the neighborhood and stopped at Iron Coffee. The girl from the coffee recommended me some vintage shops in the Gotokuji area!
There are few around (like Astrology Store & Caddy for clothes; L o’clock for vintage watches), and if you’re in the mood for something sweet, Blanc a Tokyo is a great bakery (try the cinamon roll !). Right next to the flower shop Hanazukan, there’s also a small ceramics shop that’s really pretty.
Rent a bike and do the rally stamps in Ueno park
Rent a bike and ride around Ueno Park. It’s super fun, and you can also do the Rally Stamps while checking out the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. If you’re lucky, you might even catch kids playing baseball in the baseball park — perfect for some cute photos.
For me, it’s a nice little quiet spot in the middle of Tokyo where you can just walk around, watch people play baseball (amateurs or local clubs), and pop into the museums.
Stop by the wooden design cafe in Ueno : Woodwork
If you’re in Ueno, make sure to walk through Ameyoko Market, Ueno’s popular market — it’s the main market in the area and full of life. You’ll find everything from fresh food to clothes and little souvenirs. It’s a fun place to just wander around and stop for lunch.
Afterwards, I recommend heading to Woodwork, a lovely little spot if you love wooden furniture and design. There’s also a café in it, making it a quieter place compared to the market — perfect for relaxing with a coffee or taking a stroll around the area (residential).
Take in the view at Shibuya’s plaza terrace
If you’re in Shibuya, I definitely recommend going up to CE LA VI Terrace (rooftop of Tokyu Plaza Tower). Grab a drink and enjoy the view over the famous Shibuya Crossing — it’s such a cool perspective of the city and this famous crossing.
For an even higher view, you can also check out Shibuya Sky, 229 metres up (≈15€). Both spots give you a really different way to see Tokyo from above, of course seating with a drink in this kind of places and just enjoying the moment would be def better.
Treat yourself with unlimited yakiniku in Shinjuku
I’m not a huge fan of meat while at home but I really loved the bbq version in Japan, grilling food around the table as a conviviale moment. Try Yakiniku in Shinjuku. It’s not a dish or a restaurant but the Japanese BBQ version — most of the time you’ll have marinated beef, chicken and offal!
I recommend going to an all-you-can-eat spot so you pay around 20 euros and get access to 15 variety of meat for 70, 90 minutes and free soft drink — it’s such a cool experience ! (Hinomaru in Shinjuku (4 000–5 000 ¥) or 0-second lemon sour in Shibuya (2 000–4 000 ¥)
Step inside the world’s biggest Uniqlo — Ginza
If you like shopping or just want to see something impressive, check out the Uniqlo flagship store while in Ginza. It has 12 floors of clothes — a bit overwhelming yes, but super fun and interesting to see. On the 12th floor, there are a few seats where you can take a break and enjoy the view of Ginza Six.
Ginza Six is a modern shopping complex located right in front with a beautiful architecture. Check Tsutaya bookstore with a nice selection of art books and the rooftop garden with 360° views of Tokyo — definitely worth a stop!
Ginza is also the luxury district where you’ll find the incredible Hermès store designed by Renzo Piano, made with 13,000 glass blocks. It’s stunning to see it in person.
Play baseball in Tokyo’s iconic batting cages
Baseball is huge in Japan, so batting centers are everywhere. I’d never swung a bat before, and trying to hit a ball so much fun and something i never tried! I saw kids playing in Ueno Park — and i wouldn’t think it’s gonna be that difficult until I picked up the bat… haha. (Oslo Batting Center in Shinjuku – 2 000 ¥ for 3 times 20balls)
Find the iconic Tokyo tower × 7/11 photo spot
You have to check out the view of Tokyo Tower with a tiny 7/11 in the foreground. It’s such a random combo, but that’s what makes it so cool. I couldn’t resist taking a (thousand) photos. The spot is right in front of the 7-Eleven, 3 Chome-15-9 Shiba and you got less people than other spots.
Feel the buzz of Akihabara’s electric chaos
Akihabara is basically a paradise for anime lovers, but even if you’re not really into anime (I’m not!), it’s still such an interesting place to explore. The whole area is packed with bright signs, arcades on every corner, and so many kawaii or Pokémon things you’ll either want to buy… or at least admire. It’s a fun little dive into a different side of Tokyo, and definitely worth wandering through.
Sip a lemon sour in a tiny golden gai bar
If you want a real Tokyo vibe, go have a lemon sour in Golden Gai. Golden Gai is a tiny area full of narrow alleyways and super small bars with very few seats like 4 or 6 — very cozy and unique!
You’ll hear Lemon sour everywhere so be ready. It’s a popular Japanese drink that made with soju, sparkling water, and lemon. So refreshing, and easy to drink. Grab one, sit in one of those (very) tiny bar, and feel the atmosphere. It’s such a classic Tokyo experience to live.
Tokyo is huge, so especially on your first trip, you’ll probably want to see as much as possible. But don’t forget to soak in the atmosphere — whether it’s the busy, bustling streets or the quiet, relaxing corners. I hope my selection of 10 things I loved experiencing in Tokyo gives you some ideas, whether it’s your first visit or not.
