Are you planning a trip to Tokyo, Japan? In this blog post, you’ll find a 1-week Tokyo travel itinerary that you can use to help plan your upcoming trip. Plus, find an interactive map with all locations pinned at the end.
Tokyo has so many things to do, see, and eat! Use this travel itinerary as a starting point and build upon/update as you see fit.
For example, if you’re interested in anime, I would suggest adding places like Sunshine City, Studio Ghibli Park, and the character cafes to your list.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your Japan trip:
- Double-check that the place you want to visit is open on the day you want to visit.
- Some places require advance ticket reservations before arriving. (It’s not just the theme parks that require tickets!)
- Consider venturing out to neighboring prefectures for quick day trips outside of Tokyo.
- Don’t stretch yourself too thin by overplanning your day. I recommend sticking to one area per day if possible.
- Most importantly, leave room to explore one area and give yourself time to take in your surroundings. Allow yourself the time to take in the fact that YOU ARE IN JAPAN! How awesome is that? 🙂
I hope you find this post helpful!
➡️ I know how chaotic planning a trip can be! So I created a simple “Japan Travel Checklist” to help you keep track of everything! You can sign-up to get the free checklist here.
➡️ Check out my Tokyo video playlist on YouTube!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. These are all products and services I highly recommend. Please read full disclosure here.
How to Spend a Week in Tokyo
DAY 1
- GYOEN NATIONAL GARDEN: an impressive natural park with lots of multi-cultural gardens.
- TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT BUILDING OBSERVATION DECK: Head to the 45th floor to get an impressive 360 view of the city!
- KABUKICHO: Japan’s largest red-light entertainment district filled with lots of restaurants, shops, love hotels, and nightclubs that are open all night. I recommend coming here at night to grab photos of the bright street (and Godzilla!).
DAY 2
- ASAKUSA: Visit Tokyo’s oldest temple and walk around the popular shopping and street food area.
- ➡️ Find out how to spend half a day in Asakusa.
- YANAKA GINZA: Head to a smaller shopping street and look for the hidden cat statues all around the area. There’s even a list you can get to check off all the cats you’ve found which is a fun activity.
- RYOGOKU: Check out the area located next to the National Sumo Arena. Try Chanko, the famous sumo hot pot dish, and be on the lookout for sumo-related statues and souvenirs in the area.
- TOKYO SKYTREE: If you have time, head over to see a night view of Tokyo from Tokyo Skytree (reserve tickets).
Purchase a Greater Tokyo Pass to save money on tickets to the city’s most popular attractions.
Pro Tip: Research attraction prices first to see potential cost savings through pass.
DAY 3
- SHIRO HIGE’S CREAM PUFF FACTORY: Get the cutest Totoro cream puffs and cookies! The cream puffs are as good as they look. You can also sit down and eat lunch at the upstairs cafe. The seating area is tiny, though, so expect a wait.
- SHIBUYA: Visit the Hachiko Statue, do some major shopping, and cross the iconic Shibuya Scramble Crossing!
- SHIBUYA SKY: Another place to get fantastic views of the city! Reserve Observation Deck timeslot.
- If shopping’s not your thing or you have extra time during the day, check out YOYOGI PARK.
DAY 4
- KAWAGOE: Take a break from the busy city and visit Kawagoe, also known as Little Edo. You’ll find Edo-Period buildings, street food, snacks, and small shops in Kawagoe!
- KANETSUKI-DORI STREET: Check out Toki no Kane, the historic bell tower, and grab a drink at a Starbucks whose architecture is a mix of modern and traditional Edo-style. You can also grab a cold Coedo beer, Kawagoe’s locally-produced beer, to drink as you walk around.
- CANDY ALLEY (KOSHIYA YOKOCHO): Kawagoe is known for Japanese sweet potatoes, and here you’ll find a variety of different
- KAWAGOE HIKAWA SHRINE: Visit the matchmaking shrine to grab a red snapper omikuji, walk through a tunnel of charms, and get your love wishes granted.
- KOEDO KURAI: Finish your trip sake tasting at Koedo Kurari!
DAY 5
- MEIJI JINGU: One of the most famous shrines in Tokyo surrounded by a beautiful garden.
- HARAJUKU: Explore, SHOP, and eat unique snacks at Harajuku Takeshita Street. Located in Shibuya, you get off at Harajuku Station. I recommend grabbing a strawberry daifuku from Yurinan!
- CAT STREET: After exploring Takeshita Street, go to Cat Street Tokyo, a hip shopping alley that runs between Harajuku and Shibuya. You’ll find a mix of well-known brand stores, eclectic boutiques, food stalls, cafes, and restaurants.
- OMOTESANDO: Shop and grab dinner. I recommend getting tonkatsu for dinner at Maisen Aoyama.
DAY 6
- YOKOHAMA: Visit Japan’s second-largest city located only a half hour south of Tokyo.
- SANKEIEN GARDEN: A large Japanese-style garden with traditional historic houses and buildings that the government deemed as culturally important. These buildings were brought in from all over the country.
- YOKOHAMA CHINATOWN: One out of three Chinatowns in Japan and Japan’s largest Chinatown. Come here to eat and walk through the shops!
- RAMEN MUSEUM: Learn about the history of ramen and try ramen from different prefectures! This is a great place to eat lunch (or dinner).
Other fun things to do in Yokohama are:
- CUP OF NOODLE MUSEUM (learn about the history & make your own!)
- MINATO MIRAI (shop)
- KIRIN BREWERY
- YOKOHAMA RED BRICK WAREHOUSE (dine & shop)
Purchase a Yokohama Pass to save money on tickets to the city’s most popular attractions.
DAY 7
- IMPERIAL PALACE PARK: Visit the Imperial Palace, the Emperor of Japan’s main residence, and explore the surrounding park!
- GINZA: The upscale shopping area near the Imperial Palace. Even if you’re not looking to shop, the area is worth walking through because the storefronts are beautifully over the top!
- Other areas to consider visiting are AKIHABARA (definitely add this if you’re into ANIME!) and TOKYO STATION (great for souvenirs and there’s even a ramen street).
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned earlier, there are many things to do, see, and eat in Tokyo, Japan! I hope this example itinerary gives you an idea of how you could plan your trip.
The best tip I have for visiting Tokyo (and Japan in general) is to leave time in your schedule to walk around and really take in the fact that you’re in Japan!
I recommend having one day in your itinerary where you choose a prefecture or area and explore.
Enjoy your surroundings, and don’t feel pressured to do or see anything in particular!
I hope you found this post helpful!
➡️ Follow me @remishimazu on Instagram and YouTube for more things to do in Japan and Los Angeles.
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Purchase a Greater Tokyo Pass to save money on tickets to the city’s most popular attractions.
Pro Tip: Research attraction prices first to see potential cost savings through pass.
WATCH NEXT
5-Day Japan Travel Itinerary | TOKYO (part 1): unique things to do, places to eat, travel tips
Check out my Tokyo video playlist on YouTube!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. These are all products and services I highly recommend. Please read full disclosure here.
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