Tokyo Travel Guide

It seems like everyone is going to Japan right now, so I thought I’d share my Tokyo travel guide with tips and tricks that I used on my trip!

Best Time to Visit Tokyo

Tokyo gets quite warm in the summer and quite cold in the winter, so the spring and fall are ideal times to visit. In addition to comfortable temperatures, September through November offers colorful foliage while March through April offers blooming cherry blossoms. If you’re looking to avoid crowds, avoid major holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s, Golden Week (April 29-May 5), and Obon Festival (mid-August).

How to Get to Tokyo

Tokyo has two international airports: Tokyo International Airport (HND), commonly referred to as Haneda Airport or Tokyo Haneda Airport or Haneda International Airport, and Narita International Airport (NRT) also referred to as Tokyo-Narita.

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Narita is located slightly further outside of Tokyo than Haneda, but both airports are easily accessible via Tokyo’s extensive user-friendly train system. Taxis and Ubers are available in Tokyo but are pretty pricey, so I suggest avoiding them if possible. The Tokyo Limousine Bus is a good alternative to the train, particularly if you don’t want to deal with your luggage on the train.

Find out if you need a Japan Visa for your trip.

Where to Stay in Tokyo

Tokyo is the largest city on Earth, so there are a ton of different places that you can stay when you visit! My best suggestion is to determine what things you want to do while you’re in Tokyo and reverse engineer it from there. For example, if you want to spend a lot of time at Tokyo Disneyland, you’ll want to book a hotel in that area. But if you plan to spend a lot of time in Harujuku, know that it’s a 30-minute train ride from Tokyo Disney and you might want to book a hotel in the Harujuku area. Regardless of where you choose to stay, consider proximity to the local train station(s) when choosing your hotel.

Some of the more popular areas to stay in Tokyo are Shibuya, Ginza, the Tokyo Station Area (known as Marunouchi), Shinjuku, and Roppongi.

Ginza

Ginza is known for its fine dining and high-end shopping, so if that’s your vibe, it’s an excellent place to stay while in Tokyo. The Kabuki-za Theatre offers traditional kabuki performances, bringing a cultural element to the area.

Shibuya

Shibuya is convenient to many major shopping areas and restaurants. There’s a good mix of familiar global shops and small mom-and-pop shops and you’ll find that many people in the area speak English because it’s a highly touristed area. The area is also home to the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing, which sees more than 1,000 people cross the street in a variety of directions at one time.

Marunouchi

Marunouchi, also known as the area around Tokyo Station, is Tokyo’s most central district, making it an incredibly convenient and versatile place to stay. Train access in the area is excellent and if you’re planning to journey beyond Tokyo to Kyoto, the Shinkansen, also called the bullet train can be accessed from Tokyo Station.

Shinjuku

The Shinjuku area is a good mix of food, entertainment, and shopping, but there are still quiet spots where you can escape the hustle and bustle. Omoide Yokocho, a street known for its tiny yakitori restaurants is a popular authentic spot in the area, but similarly, you can find the ultra-luxe Park Hyatt Tokyo to have your own “Lost In Translation” moment.

Roppongi

Home to the Imperial Palace, Roppongi is filled with museums and other cultural attractions, making it a great place to base yourself while visiting Tokyo. A vibrant food scene and luxury boutiques round out the Roppongi experience.

How to Get Around While in Tokyo

As previously mentioned, taxis and Ubers are expensive in Tokyo. That said, Tokyo’s train system is affordable and easy to navigate. Google Maps is extremely useful for navigating the Tokyo Metro system, so I highly recommend getting an eSIM for your phone or renting a pocket WiFi to ensure that you have data on your phone so you can utilize Maps. Simply enter your destination and Maps gives you step-by-step train instructions (including platform numbers and what car you should board) to get you where you need to go.

Train fare can be paid by tapping a pre-paid Suica Card or PASMO card, available at any train station. These pre-paid cards can also be used on buses and at 7-ELEVEN stores and any store where you see the Suica or PASMO logos. The cards can also be added to your Apple Wallet for ease of use.

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