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3 days in Tokyo: a day-by-day itinerary

The most rewarding big city on earth for people who like to wander.

Trip length
3 full days
Best months
March, April, May, October, November
Rough daily budget
Mid-range: roughly ¥14,000–22,000 (about $95–150) per person per day

This is a shape, not a schedule. Each day has two anchors and a lot of slack, because 3-day itineraries that book four things a day fall apart the first time lunch runs long. Move things around freely — the neighbourhoods are grouped so that walking between stops actually works.

Day 1 — West side orientation
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Meiji Jingu and the forest walk, then Harajuku's back streets
Lunch in Shibuya — a department store basement is the easy group answer
Afternoon in Shimokitazawa for vintage and coffee
Dinner and standing bars in Shinjuku; end in Omoide Yokocho
Day 2 — Old Tokyo and the river
Early Tsukiji Outer Market breakfast
Senso-ji in Asakusa before the coaches arrive, then Nakamise for snacks
River bus or train to Yanaka for the afternoon
Yakitori under the tracks in Yurakuchō
Day 3 — Modern Tokyo
teamLab in the morning on pre-booked tickets
Toyosu or Odaiba for lunch and the bay
Ginza in the late afternoon — Itoya, the food halls, the basement bakeries
Sushi counter dinner; book the good one weeks ahead
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Before you go

  • Go in Late March to early April, and October to November if you have the choice
  • Skip Mid-June to mid-July is the rainy season; August is humid to the point of being punishing
  • Get a Suica or Pasmo on your phone and stop thinking about it.
  • Book anything with timed entry as soon as your dates are fixed

Planning this with other people

Tokyo rewards splitting up. Restaurants seat parties of two to four easily and groups of eight barely at all, so plan to break apart for meals and meet at a station. A shared plan with everyone's picks on it saves the endless 'where are you now' texting.

Common questions

How many days do you need in Tokyo?
Five days is the sweet spot for a first visit — enough for four or five neighbourhoods plus a day trip. Three feels rushed; ten is easy to fill.
Is Tokyo expensive?
Less than you'd think. Transit, casual food and convenience-store meals are cheap; hotels and high-end dining are where the money goes.
Do you need to speak Japanese?
No. Station signage and menus in central Tokyo are bilingual, and translation apps handle the rest. A few polite phrases go a long way.
Is a Japan Rail Pass worth it?
Only if you're doing multiple long-distance legs. For Tokyo alone, or Tokyo plus one Kyoto round trip, individual shinkansen tickets are usually cheaper.
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