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HOW TO SPEND 10 DAYS IN JAPAN | HAKONE | KYOTO | NARA | KOBE | HIMEJI | OSAKA | SENDAI | MATSUSHIMA
Old temples. Tall skyscrapers. Serene teahouses. Packed sidewalks. It’s all part of the experience in the world’s most populous metro area, where you could live a lifetime and never really see it all.
Building your own Tokyo itinerary based on your interests is important, because the city caters to so many types of people: Culture buffs, art lovers, pop culture geeks, photographers, and foodies, among them. Tokyo is a place where shopping and kicking around at an arcade are just as much options as joining throngs of locals at temple festivals and cultural sites. It’s up to you. Here’s what I did traveling Tokyo in 3 days, on the hunt for cool photos and cultural districts. Oh, and Disney.
This is part of my full 10 days in Japan itinerary.
Day 1: East
1. Tokyo SkyTree
Get there when it opens to beat the lines, ride the elevator to the 350-meter (1,100 ft) Tembo Deck, and enjoy the panorama of the city you’re about to explore. There is an additional cost for the 100 meter higher Galleria level, but I didn’t see the necessity.
2. Ueno Park
In cherry blossom season, this is a hotspot for hanami, the practice of picnicking under the trees. We missed the blooms, but the park was still packed with locals enjoying a sunny day. The street food is fabulous.
3. Tokyo National Museum
We spent three hours in the country’s largest and longest-running art collections, soaking up everything from history to elaborate tapestries to samurai swords. On my first trip, I’d also really enjoyed the Edo-Tokyo Museum for history of the city; it’s about 20 minutes away by train a good addition or alternative if you have time.
4. Asakusa
It’s best to approach this ancient temple in order: Start at the Kaminarimon gate, walk north up the busy Nakamise shopping avenue, take a look at the guardian statues inside the Hozomon Gate, and finally approach the Senso-ji temple itself. Is Asakusa Kagetudo the world’s best melon bread? Wait in a quick line and see for yourself.
5. Kappabashi-dori
Walk west from Asakusa toward Kitchen Town, a district supplying chefs and kitchens with cookery and supplies. There’s also homegoods to take back (I’m the proud owner of beautiful plates) and stores dedicated to plastic display food.
6. Himiko Ferry
James Bond kindly loaned out his personal submersible ferry for public transportation along the Sumida River. Nah, not quite. But get tickets early in advance today so you can ride the veritable spacecraft on a tour beneath bridges to dock at Odaiba for the evening. Beer, wine and more are available on your ride!
7. Odaiba
This man-made island sports shopping malls, entertainment and an awesome view from the beach of decks of Aqua City toward the Rainbow Bridge (go at night). Oh, and there’s a small-scale Statue of Liberty on the skyline.
Day 2: Tokyo DisneySea & West
1. Tokyo DisneySea
While geographically closer to Odaiba, you’ll want to arrange a Tokyo DisneySea for the moment it opens in the morning. If you play your Fast Passes right, you’ll get to see it all without long waits. It’s an awesome Disney park. Keep an eye out for locals in couple’s costumes.
2. Shinjuku
If you’re looking for a free view, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building has a free observation deck (just be prepared to wait in a long line – we skipped this). Shinjuku Gyoen Garden is another popular option for hanami. We used our time in Shinjuku to take in the skyscrapers and find a dinner of curry udon.
3. Harajuku
Takeshita-dori is a popular street for trendy, funky fashions. As a teen, this was one of my trip highlights; I loved eating a crepe on the street, browsing bizarre costumes and goofy food-shaped accessories and just soaking up the atmosphere. On my return trip, I’d missed the party – the storefronts shut down before 8 pm. Go during the day if you want the experience.
4. Yoyogi Park & Meiji Shrine
Tucked into the serene center of a wooded park is a historical Shinto shrine and beautiful garden. Again, I saw this on my first trip and missed it from poor timing on the return. It’s a peaceful moment away from the excitement of the city (but don’t expect to be alone, either).
5. Shibuya
This bustling commercial center draws locals and visitors for shopping and nightclubs. Its famous sights are the lights along Center Gai shopping street, the memorial to devoted dog Hachiko, and the intersection where vehicle traffic halts for a pentagonal pedestrian scramble. I loved watching the flow of people from the street, then getting another look from an elevated corner window in the Hikarie shopping plaza.
Day 3: Central
1. Imperial Palace East Gardens
While you can’t tour the actual Imperial Palace, the lovely East Gardens are a nice way to spend a morning admiring manicured flower beds, wooded paths and the remains of castle foundations, all surrounded by a ring of distant skyscrapers.
2. Tsukiji Fish Market
If you’re reading this after October of 2018, it means this 80-year-old hub of Japan’s seafood industry has moved to its new digs in Toyosu, and I’ve lost all credibility to tell you what’s what. But until then, here’s my hot take: You can go just to say you went. The outer market with food vendors is just OK, but the inner market is more interesting, where vendors sling fish corpses and octopus tentacles dangle out of buckets. Apparently the early morning tuna auction is the real show-stopper. And there is great fish to eat anywhere around. But it’s not really something locals do.
3. Hamarikyu Gardens
Just a quick walk from Tsukiji is Hamarikyu Gardens, a lovely Edo-period park with one of my favorite places inside: The Nakajima No Ochaya teahouse, perched on an island, approachable beneath wysteria-covered walkways. If you haven’t tried traditional Japanese tea before, this is a good place to dip in your toes: Order a tea and a sweet, and read the provided card for instructions on sipping and turning the cup.
4. Ginza
I’m not a shopper, so I just came for the glittering night in lights in Tokyo’s high-end department store district and food by the train tracks in Yurakucho.
