Smart Self-Managed Tours

City guide · Japan

Tokyo

A photograph of Tokyo
Photograph · Morio · CC BY-SA 3.0

Tokyo is a network of major station districts rather than a single centre. Historic Asakusa and Ueno, commercial Ginza and Marunouchi, and the western hubs of Shinjuku and Shibuya each work as separate sightseeing clusters. Rail makes movement reliable, but large stations and cross-city transfers consume time. A good itinerary stays on one side of the city for half a day and uses the Yamanote loop, subway lines and through-running rail services to connect clusters.

Practical information
Language spoken
Japanese
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+81
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Japanese yen (JPY)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 119 fire and ambulance
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A · 100 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
JNTO states that tap water is safe to drink

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Tokyo

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
5-6 days
Getting around
JR, subway and private rail with an IC card
  1. January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  2. February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: best time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: good time to visit
  7. July: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  8. August: viable with meaningful trade-offs — current month
  9. September: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  10. October: good time to visit
  11. November: best time to visit
  12. December: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  • Best time
  • Good time
  • Viable with trade-offs
  • Difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

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Category

Historic monuments 0 Museums 0 Places of worship 0 Nature sites 0 Viewpoints 119 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 0 Entertainment 0 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 0 Art and culture 0 Activities 0

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 119

Interests

History 0 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 119 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 119
  6. Fujimi-dai
    06 20 min

    Fujimi-dai

    富士見台

    • High
    • Viewpoint
  7. Hachitama
    07 20 min

    Hachitama

    球体展望室

    • High
    • Viewpoint
  13. Tokyo City View
    13 20 min

    Tokyo City View

    東京シティビュー

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  15. Asukayama
    15 20 min

    Asukayama

    飛鳥山

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  19. Cristal view
    19 20 min

    Cristal view

    クリスタルビュー

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  32. Hokutopia
    32 20 min

    Hokutopia

    北とぴあ

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  36. Keyaki-zaka
    36 20 min

    Keyaki-zaka

    けやき坂

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  39. Mt. Fujimi
    39 20 min

    Mt. Fujimi

    富士見山

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  42. Myo-on-zawa
    42 20 min

    Myo-on-zawa

    妙音沢(Myouon Zawa)

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  43. Myo-on-zawa
    43 20 min

    Myo-on-zawa

    妙音沢(Myouon Zawa)

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  48. Ohyama
    48 20 min

    Ohyama

    大山

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  56. Sendaizaka
    56 20 min

    Sendaizaka

    仙台坂

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  71. Tojō Park
    71 20 min

    Tojō Park

    戸定が丘歴史公園

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
  79. Train Museum
    79 20 min

    Train Museum

    トレインミュージアム

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Central Tokyo is easiest to understand as an east-west sequence. Asakusa, Ueno and Yanaka carry much of the older city; Tokyo Station, Marunouchi, Nihonbashi and Ginza form the central business and shopping core; Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku anchor the west. Roppongi and Akasaka sit between those spines, while Odaiba lies across the bay. The wider metropolis extends well beyond the central wards, so Mt Takao, western Tokyo and island destinations belong to separate day plans rather than a central-city route.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Use rail for nearly every cross-city journey. Tokyo Metro operates nine lines and Toei operates four subway lines, alongside JR and private railways; a rechargeable IC card removes most ticketing friction across operators. The subway alone covers more than 280 stations, but JR passes do not cover Tokyo Metro or Toei services. Trains generally stop around midnight, so late-night plans need a route check. Inside a district, walking is usually faster than making a one-stop transfer through a very large station.

Checked 2026-08-26

Nearby districts and related places

Nearby places

Common questions

How many days does Tokyo need?

Five to six days suit a first visit. Four days can cover the main eastern, central and western clusters, while extra days allow slower neighbourhood exploration or a separate trip to western Tokyo.

When is the best time to visit Tokyo?

Spring and autumn usually give the most comfortable walking weather. Peak blossom and foliage periods can be crowded, so the broader March-May and October-November windows are more useful than targeting one forecasted week.

Do visitors need a rail pass inside Tokyo?

Usually not. A rechargeable IC card is simpler because Tokyo journeys may involve JR, Tokyo Metro, Toei and private railways. A JR pass does not cover the two subway operators.

Does Tokyo public transport run all night?

No. The official Tokyo guide notes that last trains are commonly between about 23:30 and 00:30, with first services around 05:00. Check the final connection before a late evening across town.

Which districts should be combined?

Pair Asakusa with Ueno, Marunouchi with Ginza, and Shibuya with Harajuku. Shinjuku can fill its own half day. Grouping nearby station districts reduces transfers through large hubs.