Tokyo may be one of the most densely packed cities in the world but it’s also one of the most dynamic. This city – awash with ancient shrines, flashing neon and pink cherry blossoms – is unashamedly busy.
But it’s also incredibly efficient.
Nowhere else in the world will you find a city this big and with this many people that runs so smoothly and safely. What this means as a visitor is that despite its huge size, Tokyo is actually very easy to explore.
We spent one week in the Japanese capital and, thanks to our local friends who guided us on the best places to visit and the best thing to see and do, we arrived with the perfect 7 day Tokyo itinerary ready to hit the ground running.
This post tells you all you need to know about spending one week in Tokyo: What to see, how to organise your days, how to get around, where to stay and more. This post has more detailed ideas on visiting Tokyo with kids and, once you’ve explore the capital, consider heading to Sapporo and exploring beautiful Hokkaido too.
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Getting around Tokyo
Table of Contents
The first thing you need to understand about Tokyo is that there is not one clearly marked city centre. Rather, the capital is made up of 14 urban neighbourhoods that feel more like city centres in their own right. Each one is distinct in identity and character from the rainbow-bright, capital of all things cool and kawaii, Harajuku and the buzzy pop culture paradise of Akihabara to the chichi retail Mecca of Ginza.
When planning your 7-day Tokyo itinerary, it pays to think ahead and be aware of where sights are located so that you only stick to one or two neighbourhoods at a time.
Transport from Narita Airport
Narita International Airport is Tokyo’s main airport for international flights and departures. The city’s other hub, Haneda Airport, serves as a domestic hub.
Located about 60 kilometres east of central Tokyo, there are various options for travelling from Narita Airport into the city centre including train, bus and taxi.
Train
The fastest way to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo city is on public transportation, in particular by train. Both Japan Rail East (JR East) and Keisei Electric Railway offer services from the airport with trains leaving from both Narita Airport Terminals 1 and 2.
The Narita Express (also known as the N’EX) is run by JR East and takes just 53 minutes to reach Tokyo Station. It also stops at Shibuya station (1hr 15 mins) and Shinjuku Station (1hr 25 minutes).
Run by the Keisei Electric Railway, the Skyliner runs from Narita Airport to Nippori Station in 36 mins and Ueno Station in only 41 mins. Ueno Station links to Tokyo Metro’s Ginza line and Hibiya Line. It also links to Tori’s Oedo Line. The JR Ueno Station is a short walk away.
Local trains also run from the airport into central Tokyo. These are slower and can get very crowded during rush hour.
Bus
The Airport Limousine Bus runs from all terminals at Narita Airport into central Tokyo with stops at many of the city’s major hotels (including the Disney Resorts if you are visiting Tokyo Disneyland).
Multiple buses run every hour and take around 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach most central hotels (traffic depending). Not surprisingly for Japan, the buses are squeaky clean, very comfortable and come with free Wi-Fi.
There is usually a saving if you book your bus tickets in advance online.
Taxis
Regardless of when your plane lands at Narita Airport, taxis are available. They are not cheap, however (particularly if you get caught in traffic) and there is a surcharge for rides after 10pm.
Transport in Tokyo
Public transport is a great way to get around Tokyo. The subway in particular is fast, efficient and relatively straightforward to navigate even for first-time visitors. The many Tokyo neighbourhoods are very walkable once you arrive.
If you are spending one week in Tokyo then it’s a good idea to purchase a three-day subway pass (24, 48 and 72 hour metro passes are available). These passes, which offer unlimited rides on Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines, are available for foreign visitors only and can be picked up at specific metro stations or at one of the designated arrival airports in Japan.
You can also buy single journey tickets at any metro station.
An alternative is to pick up an IC transport card, Pasmo and Suica are the two main cards used in Tokyo. These reloadable cards can be used on trains and buses as well as certain store and restaurants. You can buy one from train station kiosks and ticket machines (you will need to put down a refundable ¥500 deposit).
The Tokyo Metro Map is very helpful for finding your way around.
Cabs are plentiful and – compared to London at least – reasonably priced. They are also incredibly clean and the drivers very polite.
Tips for visiting Tokyo
Before you pack your bags, there are a few things worth knowing to make sure that your trip to Tokyo goes as smoothly as possible.
Cash is king: Make sure you always have cash on you. For such a technologically sophisticated country, Japan is still surprisingly reliant on good old fashioned hard currency.
Public rubbish bins are scarce: Following a domestic terror attack in 1995 that involved deadly sarin gas, the government removed public bins to prevent scenarios where dangerous items could be placed in public trash cans. This means that there are very few rubbish bins around. Bring a plastic bag with you to store your trash until you get back to your hotel or apartment.
Vending machines are ubiquitous in Japan and you’ll find a drinks vending machine on almost every street corner selling everything from bottles of water and cans of soda to hot coffee and tea. You’ll need coins to operate them.
Tax-examption shopping is available in some stores and for some purchases. Currently, the 10 per cent consumption tax is waived at the point of purchase (rather than having to file for a tax refund at the airport as in many other countries). You will need to have your passport with you to take advantage of the deal.
Be aware, however, that the government might be changing the system in 2024 as apparently this system is increasingly being abused. It may well change so that tourists pay the full amount in shops and then claim for tax refunds later.
Wi-Fi in Tokyo is not always accessible. Many public networks require you to enter a Japanese phone number or address. That said, I found that I could always connect whenever I found a Starbucks (incidentally, Starbucks coffee shops in Japan are a much more enjoyable experience than elsewhere!).
If you want to ensure that you can always get online then purchase a temporary SIM card or rent a pocket WIFI device at the airport.
Convenience Stores are plentiful and the best place to pick up a snack. We spent a lot of time in 7-ELEVEN stores during our time in Japan, often stopping in to pick up an Onigiri (triangle-shaped Japanese rice balls with fillings) or two for lunch. The other snack that you must buy here are the chocolate-covered almonds that are superb.
Where to stay in Tokyo
The following are some of our top recommended mid-range hotels in Tokyo. If travelling as a family then take a look at this post on the best hotels in Tokyo for families.
Muji Hotel Ginza
The first Muji hotel in Japan is located in Tokyo’s Ginza district, right where the world’s biggest Muji store is located. The 79 handsome rooms are compact but very comfortable and there are rooms that sleep up to four people. They are also great value for central Tokyo.
Mustard hotel Shimokitazawa
The centrally located Mustard hotel Shimokitazawa has 60 simple but stylish rooms starting from about £130 / night. Rom types include bunkbeds (15sqm), accessible rooms and Deluxe Rooms with a private terrace. All rooms come with a record player.
Toggle Hotel
With a bright yellow exterior and even brighter interiors, it’s hard to miss the Toggle Hotel. This cheery hotel is a great place to stay with a range of rainbow-coloured rooms (the largest sleep four people) to choose from. There’s also a cafe on site plus laundry and wifi.
Nohga Hotel
There are two branches of this well-priced arty hotel in Tokyo, one in Ueno and one in Akihabra. Both branches showcase local design, contemporary craftsmanship and artwork including in the rooms that feature homewares created in collaboration with local artists. A partnership with local company TokyoBike means that you can get out and explore the area on two wheels.
Hotel MONday Premium Toyosu
This is the perfect place to stay if you want to be first in line for teamLab Planets. Featuring a range of rooms, a generous Japanese-style breakfast buffet and a free shuttle bus that runs between the hotel and Toyosu Station the 4-star Hotel MONday is well-priced and very comfortable.
The above map has more options for hotels in Tokyo.
7 Day Tokyo Itinerary
The following itinerary is the one that we followed for our one week in Tokyo; this guide worked really well for us on our first trip to the city and allowed us to see both the main Tokyo sights as well as some lesser known attractions.
This is, however, just a suggested itinerary and you may choose to move things around based on the time you have available and your interests, or add in additional sights and attractions. For example, we did not visit Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea but you may choose to include them in your Tokyo trip.
Day 1 – Arrival day
It’s highly likely that you will experience jet-lag wherever you are travelling from, the trick is to try and minimise the effects and / or just push on through! Ideally you can catch an overnight flight, sleep on the plane and arrive ready to explore. Alternatively, try and catch a flight that arrives into Tokyo in the early evening so that you can have dinner and go to bed.
We didn’t do either of these and ended up on a day flight from London to Tokyo, arriving bright and early and with a long day ahead of us to try and stay awake. In order to keep everyone up for as long as possible we spent most of the first day out and about walking. It was a full day and we were exhausted by the end of it, but it was the best way to deal with the time difference.
Aoyama Cemetery
This famous cemetery was located near to where we were staying so it made sense to start our trip here. Located in Aoyama neighbourhood, this cemetery opened in 1874 and was Tokyo’s first public cemetery. It’s the final resting place for many of Tokyo’s most notable residents and, during the Meiji period, was where many foreigners were buried. The cemetery is also where you’ll find Hachikō’s Grave, the famous Akita dog long admired in Japanese popular culture.
If you visiting during Cherry Blossom season then Aoyama Cemetery is a good place to wander among the pale pink blooms.
How to get here: Nogizaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
Harajuku and Takeshita Street
Nothing says Welcome to Tokyo quite like a walk along Takeshita Street. This busy, narrow lane is lined with shops selling wonderfully outlandish fashion, colourful street food creations, cute animal cafes and stores selling enormous plushes by Sanrio, the company behind Hello Kitty.
If you’re feeling low on sugar then stop for a Harajuku-style pancake (traditional French crepe are rolled into a cone and stuffed with ice cream, cream and fruit) or supersized rainbow fairy (candy) floss.
Admittedly, if it’s your first time in Tokyo and you are feeling a little jet lagged then Harajuku can be a little overwhelming but it’s a fascinating way to immerse yourself completely into Japanese culture from day one of your trip. One option is to do as we did and spend just an hour or so here and then return again later during your time in Tokyo.
How to get here: Take the Chiyoda Line from Nogizaka Station to Meiji-Jingumae ‘Harajuku’ Station
Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingu Shrine
Not far from Takeshita Street is Yoyogi Park, one of the largest parks in Tokyo and a refreshingly green oasis in the middle of the city. If you visit on a Sunday then keep an eye out for the rockabilly dancers. Dressed in leather jackets, tight jeans and with slicked-back hair, these rockers dance enthusiastically to 1950s classics every Sunday.
Adjacent to Yoyogi Park is the Meiji Jingu Shrine, dedicated to the deified spirts of Emperor Meiji, the first emperor of modern Japan. He came to power at the end of the Edo period. Entry into the shrine grounds is via a massive torii gate (these gates represent the border between the secular world and the sacred world in Shinto Buddhism) and along a forested path before you reach the main complex.
The Meiji Shrine is a remarkably peaceful spot, thanks to the 100,000 trees that make up the Meiji Jingu forest. The trees were planted when the shrine was being built and were donated from regions across Japan. A colourful wall of painted sake barrels also stand on the road leading to the shrine entrance.
How to get here: Walk from Takeshita Street.
Dinner at Gonpachi, the “Kill Bill” restaurant
If you are still standing heading to Gonpachi, otherwise known as the Kill Bill Restaurant. Located in Minato City, this izakaya was the inspiration for the House of the Blue Leaves in Quentin Tarantino’s 2004 film Kill Bill – Tarantino had a replica built on a soundstage in a Beijing studio.
You don’t need to have seen the movie to enjoy dinner here (although it’s fun to see where The Bride (played by Uma Thurman) battled it out with the Crazy 88 (led by Lucy Liu), the food is very good and they often have traditional Taiko drumming shows as well.
How to get here: 1-chōme-13-11 Nishiazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0031
Day 2 – Ginza and The Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace
The primary residence of Japan’s Imperial family, the Imperial Palace sits on the site of an old Edo Castle, surrounded by moats, imposing dry stone walls, parks and gardens. It’s located in the centre of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo Station and Ginza.
Because the Imperial family still live here, the palace itself is not open to visitors but you can join guided tours of the palace grounds. These take just over an hour and are take place daily in both Japanese and English. It’s best to reserve in advance although same-day registrations can apparently be make at the Kikyomon Gate.
Every year on January 2 (New Year) and February 23 (the Emperor’s Birthday) visitors are welcome to enter the inner palace grounds and see members of the Imperial Family appear on a balcony.
How to get here: The Imperial Palace is located in Tokyo’s Chiyoda ward, just a ten-minute walk from the JR Tokyo Station.
Ginza
The upmarket neighbourhood of Ginza might not house any of the big hitter sights but it’s well with a visit to oggle at the incredible storefronts if nothing else.
We visited the Art Aquarium Museum here (one of the best things to do in Tokyo with kids), a wonderfully quirky and uniquely Japanese experience. Located on the 8th and 9th floors of the Ginza Mitsukoshi New Building, this art museum is dedicated to living goldfish and houses a number of rooms each one home to a different exhibition involving dozens of different types of goldfish that are displayed in glass vessels of varying shapes and sizes.
Also in Ginza is a Nissan showroom, which might seem like an unusual thing to do until you realise that this car showroom is also home to the Nissan Japan Cafe where you can have your picture printed on your cup of coffee!
The flagship Muji store is located in Ginza as is Itoya, a beautiful stationery store with 12 floors of pens, paints, paper, paper cutting and much more.
The Kabuki Theatre, home to the highly stylised traditional Japanese art, can also be found in Ginza. Full Kabuki dramas can last up to several hours but if you’re keen to get an “only in Japan” theatre fix then you can opt to just watch one act.
Check the Kabukiza English web page to make sure that there’s a show on when you’re in town and then head to the theatre itself where you can buy one-act tickets on the door.
How to get here: Ginza is walkable from the Imperial Palace
Sumo Stables
An alternative for Day 2 during your one week in Tokyo is to visit a Sumo Stable. Sumo is the national sport of Japan and its roots can be traced back to the 8th century. In Tokyo, it was in and around the Ryogoku area, to the east of the city, that the first organised sumo competitions started.
Today you can see sumo wrestlers in action either at on one of the city’s Sumo Stables (called heya in Japanese) where the big guys follow a stick training regime or at one of the six Sumo Grand Tournaments that are held each year. Of these, only three are held in Tokyo (at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall just outside Ryogoku JR station) and the other three are hosted in Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka.
Given the scarcity of actual sumo matches you will have better luck visiting a sumo stable…if the wrestlers are not away competing elsewhere. One of the easiest ways to organise a visit is via a tour operator who will also explain the history and traditions behind sumo wrestling.
If you have time, stop by the Ryogoku Sumo Museum, inside the Ryōgoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall, which displays rotating memorabilia and artefacts relating to the history of sumo. They also display the Banzuke, the official rankings of sumo wrestlers today.
Dinner at Uoshin
Located in Roppongi, this seafood izakaya is popular with locals and expats alike but not often visited by tourists. It’s well worth visiting, however, as this two-floor low-key restaurant serves delicious dishes including an excellent cabbage salad with bonito (dry fish), melt-in-your-mouth sashimi, grilled scallops and much more.
How to get here: 9-chōme-6-32 Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0052
Day 3 – Akihabara, Senso-Ji Temple, Ueno Park and Tokyo Skytree
Akihabara
Today is a quintessential Tokyo day combining old and new starting in Akihabara. Also known as Electric Town, this buzzy neighbourhood is pop culture paradise and almost guarantees a great time.
The streets are lined with department stores selling electronics (hence the nickname), shops with floors stacked high with manga comics, stores selling collectable anime figures and much more.
Start your Akihabara adventure at Radio Kaikan, 10 floors of anime figures, video games, manga stickers, trading cards, games, and more. Then head to Super Potato, a narrow building where a dozen old-school video game machines sit on the top floor.
Taino Station is home to five floors of arcade games starting with the hugely popular “crane games” on the ground floor. The other floors house a range of electronic games including dancing games on the top floor. Make sure to have lots of change.
How to get here: Akihabara Station is linked with the JR Yamanote Line, the Chuo-Sobu Line, the Keihin-Tohoku Line, the Tsukuba Express line, and the Tokyo Metro Hibiya subway line.
Senso-Ji Temple
Take the metro to Sensoji Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in the capital and one of the busiest. It was originally founded in 628 but was destroyed during World War Two so what you see today was constructed after the war.
Not only is the temple busy but the surrounding areas is too, in particular Nakamise shopping street, which runs for 250 metres on the main approach to the temple grounds. This main street is lined on both sides with shops selling crafts and souvenirs as well as restaurants and cafes.
How to get here: Take the Ginza Line from Suehirocho Station to Asakusa Station
Ueno Park
If you have time, it’s worth the 15 minute metro ride from Senso-Ji to Ueno Park, one of Japan’s five oldest public parks that opened to the public in 1873. It’s where you’ll find a number of Tokyo’s museums including the Tokyo National Museum and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.
How to get here: Take the Ginza line from Asakusa Station to Ueno Station
Neju Shrine
Located on the other side of Ueno Park is Neju Shrine, one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Tokyo. If you visit Japan in late April to May then make sure you add this small but beautiful shrine to your itinerary because the gardens are simply beautiful. Filled with some 50 species of azaleas, the gardens burst into bloom during the spring months, blanketing the grounds in pinks, purples and blues.
Tokyo Skytree
As dusk falls head to Tokyo Skytree where you can get a glimpse of how big Tokyo really is; stand on the observation deck for bird’s-eye view of this sprawling city – on. clear day you can see Mount Fuji in the distance.
Standing 634m tall, Tokyo Skytree is almost twice the height of Tokyo Tower, which stands at just 333 metres high. When it was first built it was the world’s second tallest structure after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai but has since been overtaken by a number of buildings. It’s still the tallest building in Tokyo.
One of the best times to visit is as evening is falling when you can see the neon lights of Tokyo spring to life. The tower itself is covered in colourful LED lights that change colours.
The Sky Tree is also home to shops and restaurants and you can easily spend hours exploring the craft shops, theme stores and myriad restaurants.
How to get here: From Ueno Station take the Ginza Line to Asakusa Station and then change from the Tobu Skytree Line.
Day 4 – teamLab Borderless, Miraikan, Gundam Robot Transformer and the Poop Museum
Day four involves three different museums so you may want to save one for another day. They are all very different, however, and well worth adding to your one week in Tokyo itinerary. All of these sights are located on the manmade island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay.
teamLab Borderless
Make sure to book your tickets for teamLab Borderless well in advance of your arrival in Tokyo, this is one of the city’s most popular museums and is booked up weeks, if not months, ahead.
The brainchild of digital art group teamLab, this digital wonderland is a highly immersive experience where you wander around the four different exhibition spaces barefoot. Altogether there are seven different, large-scale body immersive artworks that you’re invited to touch, feel, listen to and even smell.
One room is filled with LED lights that you can control through an app on your phone, another is packed with giant colourful light spheres and still another boats enormous digital flower projections.
It’s a wonderful, whimsical world and one that you must visit during your time in Tokyo.
How to get here: Shin-Toyosu Station is one minute away. Toyosu Station, Shijoumae Station and Toyosu Market are also nearby.
Miraikan – National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
Another contender for best museum in Tokyo is Miraikan, which explores our relationship to science, nature and technology across three different zones.
Wander through the International Space Station (ISS), create your own future, discover your earth and much more as you wander among the highly interactive areas. What a lot of people come to the science museum for, however, are the robots.
Miraikan’s original robot, Asimo, the humanoid from Honda, has retired but there are several other robots to meet including Paro the robotic pet harp seal. This adorable – and incredible realistic – animal robot was original developed as a therapy pet alternative.
How to get here: Walk from teamLab Borderless (15 minutes)
Gundam Robot Transformer
Located a short walk from Miraikan outside the DiverCity Mall is the Unicorn Gundam, a 19.7-metres tall replica of the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam from the popular 1970s anime series Mobile Suit Gundam.
Not only does this life-size Japanese Gundam robot look impressive but it actually transforms, its frame expanding and a unicorn horn protruding from its head. The transformation usually takes place four times a day.
How to get here: Walk from Miraikan (7 minutes)
The Tokyo Poop Museum
One of Tokyo’s quirkier museums is the wonderfully weird Poop Museum, officially known as the Unko Museum. This rainbow-coloured space is located in the DiverCity Mall and is dedicated to the kawaii (cute) poop emoji with poo themed games and plenty of photo opportunities. You’ll even sit on a Crayola-coloured plastic toilet at one point!
It sounds bizarre, and it is, but there’s no denying that it’s a unique experience!
How to get here: Walk from the Gundam Robot Transformer
Day 5 – Tsukiji Fish Market and Shibuya
You may choose to add a trip to Harajuku on to this day if you didn’t visit on day one (or you felt like you didn’t have enough time). Takeshita Street is not far from Shibuya and you can easily visit them both in the afternoon.
Tsukiji Fish Market
Set the alarm and get an early start at the famed Tsukiji Fish Market. The ‘inner market’, the wholesale fish market famous for its early morning tuna auction has moved to the Toyosu neighbourhood but the ‘outer market’, lined with shops and restaurants is still in its original location.
You can easily spend several hours wandering the narrow lanes of this popular spot, ogling and the hundreds of different seafoods for sale and sampling scoops of weird and wonderful ice cream flavours.
Don’t miss the Tako Senbei stall where giant rice crackers are made using shrimp or octopus at high heat and high pressure. Be prepared to wait, however, as this is one of the most popular stalls in the market.
How to get here: The Tsukiji Market is near the Tsukijishijō Station on the Toei Ōedo Line and Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.
Shibuya
Captured on countless music videos, movies, animations, and Instagram posts, the Shibuya Crossing (also known as the Shibuya Scramble) is one of the world’s busiest pedestrian crossings. As many as 2,500 people make their way across this busy intersection at any one time and experiencing it for yourself is a quintessential Japanese experience.
Don’t forget to say hello to the small statue of Hachikō once you’ve made it safely across the intersection.
Located on the 6th floor of the nearby Parco building in Shibuya are the Nintendo and Pokemon Stores. The Nintendo store is one of only two official Nintendo stores in the world and stocks games, clothes, watches, stationery and more alongside life-sized statues of favourite characters including Link (from Zelda) and Princess Peach (from the Mario Bros. games).
Opposite the Nintendo store is the Pokemon Store, home to row upon row of plushies, collector’s cards, bags, figurines, clothes, and much more. There is also a Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo but, not suprisingly, it gets very busy so you will need to book in advance.
How to get here: Take the Hibiya Line from Tsukiji Station to Ginza Station and change for the Ginza Line to Shibuya Station.
Day 6 – Day trip to Hakone
It’s well worth taking a day trip out west to Hakone, famous for its views of Mount Fuji. It’s easily reached by train or you can hire a car, which gives you some flexibility for touring around the Hakone region.
Highlights include the Hakone Ropeway over the sulphurous vapours of the Owakudani Valley and the region’s famous black eggs that have been cooked in the hot spring pools, their shells blackened by the sulphur. There’s also a viewing platform where you can snap photos of majestic Mt. Fuji.
One of our favourite things to do in Hakone was our visit to the Hakone Open Air Museum, home to 120 pieces of artwork an sculptures including works by Picasso and Henry Moore. Don’t miss the incredible crochet play ‘sculptures’ by the artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam.
How to get there: An Express train runs between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto. If you purchase the Hakone Free Pass this covers the return train journey along with transport on the bus, the Hakone Ropeway, the Hakone Tozan train and the pirate ship on Lake Ashi while you are in Hakone.
You can also book a day trip to Hakone and have someone look after all the travel details for you.
Day 7 – Day trip to see the Snow Monkeys
Take a day trip out to Nagano (where the 18th Olympic Winter Games were held in 1998) and see the prefectures’ most famous residents, the Snow Monkeys. This group of Japanese macaque live in the Jigokudani Monkey Park (also known as the Snow Monkey Park) in Joshinetsu Kogen National park.
Also in the park is an old inn that was first established in 1864. Apparently, the monkeys would sometimes play in the inn’s onsens so the park officials built them their own.
It’s a short walk from where the bus stops up to the hot springs where the macaques like to hang out, playing and swimming in the water whatever the weather.
The easiest way to visit the Snow Monkeys is as part of a tour. Typically these tours will stop at an additional couple of locations including Zenko-ji, a religious site known for its enormous Buddhist statues.
Day 7 Alternative – Studio Ghibli Museum
If you have even just a passing interest in Studio Ghibli films and animations then you simply must visit the magical world of Hayao Miyazaki. The museum was designed by Miyazaki himself and is much like stepping into one of his films.
There’s no set route, rather visitors are invited to wander at will around this colourful imaginary world set within what feels like a large country house. There’s a room dedicated to the history of anime, another that resembles Miyazaki’s own studio and another that’s home to the Cat Bus from My Neighbour Totoro complete with soot sprites.
Located on the rooftop is a life-size statue of a robot from the final episode of Lupin III and Castle in the Sky.
Tickets to the Ghibli Museum are not expensive but because of the museum’s popularity, must be booked well in advance. One option is book them here.
Dedicated Ghibli fans will also want to factor in a trip to Shiro-hige’s Cream Puff Factory, in Setagaya that makes sweets (cream puff, cookies, cakes, etc) with the shape of Totoro.
The best time to visit Tokyo
Spring and autumn tend to be the best time to visit Tokyo when the weather is mild and sunny. However these also tend to be the busiest times.
Summer months are particularly hot, humid and sticky with greater chances of rainfall.
If you’re looking to save money, then the winter months between mid-January and March are a good option. Visitors numbers are fewer and hotel prices cheaper.
Cherry blossom season is one of the most popular times to visit Japan and mid-April tends to be the peak month for Tokyo (the season depends on where you are travelling in Japan, the south of the country sees blossoms bloom earlier).
