I have visited over 30 countries and close to 100 cities in my life, and I must say that Tokyo is by far the craziest most interesting city I’ve ever been to! Recently, I spent 4 days there and I want to share my adventures with you! It was a very last minute trip.. so we had absolutely no plans. We decided to just wing it and we tried to see as much as possible. Here is our 4 day itinerary:
DAY 1 (Shinjuku):
We flew into Tokyo Haneda airport from Toronto and arrived late Tuesday night. By the time we got to our Airbnb in Shinjuku, it was very late so we went straight to bed. On Wednesday morning, we woke up very early and decided to go explore!! We walked around Shinjuku Central Park for a little while and then walked to Meiji Jingu Shrine. This shrine was founded in 1920 and is dedicated to the defied spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress ShÅken. It was beautiful and we really enjoyed it.
After visiting the shrine, we walked back to Shinjuku and went up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation decks. This building is located right in the heart of Shinjuku. It has 2 towers (North and South) and each one has a free observatory. The North Observation Deck is open from 9:30 am to 11:00 pm and the South one is open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. It is also good to know that the North tower is closed on the second and fourth Monday of every month and the South tower on the first and third Tuesday of every month. I recommend going up the South tower during the day and keeping the North tower for night time!!
After going up the towers, we roamed the streets of Shinjuku for a few hours! Shinjuku is a major commercial and administrative center in Tokyo. Visiting Golden Gai was also one of the highlights of the day! It is gorgeous and we had so much fun exploring and shopping!
DAY 2 (Roppongi):
By the second day, we were starting to beat the jet lag a little bit. We left our Airbnb in Shinjuku for a hotel in Roppongi. Roppongi is a lively entertainment district that is extremely popular amongst locals and tourists. It is best known for the late night bars and the partying. We arrived at the hotel pretty early so we left our suitcases thereĀ and had a few hours to go exploreĀ before check in time. Our first stop was Roppongi Hills where we did a bit of shopping.
After the sun had set, we went up the Tokyo City View observation deck. The view up there was breathtaking! Unfortunately, the outside platform was closed when we visited but if you have the chance to experience it I would definitely suggest doing so! The admission costs 1800Ā„ (about 18$) and it also includes access to the Mori Art Museum. I was never a fan of museums, but if you pay for the City View you should absolutely visit the museum too… it is very impressive!!
For dinner, we went to Gonpachi. This restaurant is famous for having inspired the Kill Bill Vol.1 movie. Gonpachi is actually the restaurant that inspired the House of Blue Leaves in the movie. If you are a Kill Bill fan you must absolutely go eat there (the food is very good too!!) During our dinner, we were lucky enough to enjoy an amazing drum show. If you plan on dinning at Gonpachi, I would recommend making reservations in advance to get a good table! This dinner was one of our best experiences in Tokyo!
DAY 3 (Chiyoda & Akihabara):
On the Friday, we started our day at the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Chiyoda. The weather was amazing (it was a perfect day for walking). We walked around the gardens for hours. It was gorgeous.. however we were expecting to see more of the palace. We later learned that they only open the inner grounds to the public twice a year (on January 2nd for the New Year and on December 23rd for the Emperor’s birthday).. During the rest of the year, you can pay for a guided tour of the palace grounds (although I don’t know if it’s worth it.. we just walked around on our own). It is definitely a must see nonetheless.
After the Imperial Palace, we took the metro to go to Akihabara. This district is known as an otaku cultural centre and shopping area for video games, computer goods, and all things anime and manga. It is also famous for its three huge SEGA arcade buildings and multiple maidĀ cafes. This district was definitely one of our favourite places! If you plan a visit to Akihabara here are a few must dos:
- Go to a Maid Cafe
- Go to M’s (a 7 floor sex shop!!)
- Visit Kanda Myoji Shrine (for some quiet time)
- Shop at big electronic stores
- Go game at arcades (SEGA and many more)
DAY 4 (Asakusa):
Day 4 was definitely one of our favourites. We spent the day in Asakusa for Children’s day (May 5th) . We started by visiting SensÅ-ji Temple (which was amazing and so peaceful). This ancient Buddhist temple is located right next to a five-story pagoda, Shinto Shrine, Asakusa Shrine as well as many shops. Fun fact: it is Tokyo’s oldest temple.
Walking through the crowds on Children’s day was definitely an experience. Asakusa is beautiful and has more of an old Japanese vibe than all the big cities. We ate a lot of different street foods and bought a few souvenirs to bring back to Canada. I 100% recommend making time to visit Asakusa if you ever go to Tokyo!!
Later that night, we went back to Roppongi and walked to the Tokyo Tower. Everything was illuminated and it was so beautiful! After the tower, we went to A-Life Club and partied all night!! This three-story club is very popular amongst foreigners and we had so much fun! If you arrive before 11:00 pm you only pay 1000Ā„ (about 10$) and you get three free drinks!! Tokyo nightlife is definitely like no other (it was a perfect way to end such an awesome trip)!
So, here you have it: our 4 day itinerary. There are many other things we would have loved to see and do but we had to prioritize because we only had a few days. With that being said, I think we managed to experience a lot of Tokyo even with such little time. We fell in love with Tokyo and, although it can be a pretty expensive city, we did not bust our budget. We will definitely visit this city again! I hope this short itinerary can help you organize your next trip to Tokyo!! Thank you for reading!Ā
tokyo, asia, japan
Great post! I sooo would love to visit Japan… All this old culture and shrines and Asian gardens…
Author
Hello Kaari! Thank you for your comment! Japan is amazing! I really hope you get to visit it one day! š
Pinned! Great post, your photos are beautiful and I love all the details you wrote about! I live in Korea and for some reason havenāt made it over to Japan yet, youāve made my craving to go even worse! š beautiful blog by the way, love the simple layout and font!
Author
Hey Morgan! Thank you so much for the kind words and the pin! I’m glad you like the blog!! š Honestly, you should totally visit Japan (you live so close!!!!). Hopefully when you go this guide will be helpful to you š
Love the post! I plan on visiting Tokyo soon so will definitely save this for when I go x
Author
Hi Charlotte! I hope you have so much fun in Tokyo! Thank you for your comment š
It’s so beautiful . ?
I really hope i get to visit it one day .
?Zivot je lep, zivot je cudo.?
mojstilikombinacije.blogspot.com
Author
Hello! Yes Tokyo is amazing!! š
Love your blog!^^ Especially your pictures incite me to want to travel more š
Author
Hi Rein! So happy you love the blog and the pictures. Thank you for your comment! I hope you get to travel more š
What a beautiful city! My mom went to Japan in the 70s and she loved it. I still have some of the clothes she bought there. Tokyo is definitely on my bucket list.
Author
Hello Kate!! Old vintage clothes are so cool! I bet your mom had such a cool style in Japan in the 70s. Hopefully you check Tokyo off your bucket list soon! And maybe you can rock some of her old clothes!! š
These shots are amazing. I really want to go to Tokyo now. It seems like a great place to visit.
Nailil
https://www.thirtyminusone.com
Author
Hey Nailil! Thank you, I’m glad you like my pictures! You should totally plan a trip to Tokyo, it is a great place to visit! ?
OK you and your bf are sooo cute!! love these photos and your outfits, now i want to visit tokyo :)) xo
Author
Hi Kathleen! Thank you so much for the nice compliments!!! Let me know if you ever end up visiting Tokyo! ?
Tokyo is one of those places where I would love to stay as long as possible. I remember when I was younger, I was so infatuated with their fashion and culture. If I ever had the time to visit, I could live off sushi and tea for a few weeks.
Author
Hi Nadalie! I totally agree with you, I wish I could’ve stayed there for months and really immerse in the culture! Also, the sushi there is amazing!!! ?
I’ve never had a chance to travel to Tokyo, but I’ve heard very beautiful stories about it. Pictures look wonderful. I hope you had a good time on the trip. š
Author
Hello! I had a wonderful time on my trip! Thank you for your comment! š
Awesome post! I traveled to Japan back in 2010 and fell in love with the country. I’m curious, what was the biggest point of culture shock for you?
Author
Hello Zach! Thank you! This was my third time in Japan so there was no big culture shock, but I think the biggest difference with our North American society would be how quiet and polite Japanese people are. It is truly an amazing culture with so much discipline and respect! I absolutely love it!
Oh my! What a wonderful trip. I love your assortment of photos – from cityscape to the waters, it looks like a fantastically exotic vacation. My favorite is the Tokyo Tower, an eastern rendition of the Eiffel for sure!!
Author
Hey Evelyn! Thank you for that comment! It is actually one of the main reasons why I love Japan: the diversity! And I have to agree with you, the Tokyo Tower is pretty amazing as well! š
Great post! I hope to visit some day!
Author
Hi Erin! Thank you! Hope you get to visit one day! š
You seemed to have enjoyed your trip from Canada to Tokyo. Based on your descriptions and pictures posted in the blog Tokyo seems to have many interesting sites. I find the architecture to be a departure from the western kind , to which I am accustomed, and that it stokes my curiosity. I know history and architecture trace each other. How does Tokyo’s more modern architecture compare to this more ancient type of architecture.
Author
Hey Ingrid. Thank you for your comment! Tokyo is a very interesting city for its mix of old and new architecture! In some wards you have huge modern skyscrapers and in other wards you can find old small temples and shrines! The diversity really makes the true beauty of Tokyo! š
Wooow! Tokyo/Japan is one of my ‘must see’ countries. Beautiful photos and you look so pretty. š
Author
Hi Nickle!! I don’t blame you, Japan is totally amazing! I’m happy you like my pictures! Thank you so much š
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Xoxo,
Tiffany
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Hey Tiffany! Thank you for your comment! I will check that out soon and keep in touch. ?
This was such a great blog! My friend was just in Tokyo and told me amazing thins!
Author
Hi there!! Thank you so much! Tokyo is amazing, Iām glad your friend had a good time š