Japan: 4 Days in Tokyo
Japan is one of the most interesting, immersive, and unique places you can visit. Because of the recent border restrictions being lifted, people from all around the world have been flocking to this island in Asia to explore, eat, meditate, and enjoy all this country has to offer (which is a lot!)
Table of Contents
Initial tips
A note on cultural differences of Japan
Tokyo 4 day Itinerary
Initial tips before your trip:
Flights: in and out of Tokyo (HND). There are other airports in Japan, but if you are coming from far the most international flights are here. Additionally, the train system is very accessible from the airport to the center city of Tokyo. It is important to purchase flights well in advance as they can get extremely pricey as the date gets closer.
Trains: The trains in Japan are phenomenal. The subways in the cities are reliable, fast, and clean. Inter-city the famous Shinkansen train travels around 150mph to get you to your destination in record time. Be sure to purchase a JR pass before your trip as it will end up saving you money (we did a 7 day pass). In terms of subway pass, you can connect the subway via ApplePay on iPhones making it very easy to upload money while taking the subway
Renting a car: If you want to travel off the beaten track (we did to visit Mt. Fuji), renting a car can be rather difficult. In Japan, drivers are on the left side which can be a hard change for people coming from other parts of the world. Many car rental websites are only in Japanese and cannot be translated so we used Google Lens from a different device to get through the rental process
Google Lens is your best friend! Download the Google app before the trip to easily access Google Lens. We used this multiple times a day to help with food menus, directions, and generally getting around
When to go: the high season is typically March-October, with March-May being particularly popular for cherry blossom sightings. This being said, the high season brings in many crowds and tourist sights can get overrun by the afternoon. To best combat crowds, get to the most prioritized sites early in the morning (7-8am)
A note on cultural differences of Japan
Although I adore Japan, plan on going back, and think everyone should visit at some point in their lives - there are some things that we struggled with while visiting. To start, even in major cities Japanese natives only speak Japanese. Going into the trip, I assumed that in Tokyo people working at restaurants/stores/taxis would speak English and that was not the case at all. I would suggest learning a few key phrases before venturing over to Japan, and be okay with not being understood by many of the people there. Getting around and communicating with people there can take much more time than you account for. With this said, the people of Japan are extremely hospitable and kind to tourists. In every place we went everyone was genuinely trying to connect with us and be respectful regardless of the language barrier. Their culture is one of utmost respect and kindness and it is emulated through all the people we met during our time.
The country in itself is very ethnically homogenous- with 98.5% of its population being Japanese. It was a culture shock for me especially coming from New York City, one of the most culturally diverse places on the planet. With the exception of the major tourist sites, expect to be one of the only non-Japanese people wherever you go.
The technological advances of the country are astounding. From the trains, to the skyscrapers, to even the toilets, it feels like Japan is living in the year 3000 and gives off a futuristic vibe. I really enjoyed immersing myself in their culture and tried my best to respect their way of life. What I found was Japanese people were generally quiet (especially on public transit), respectful (will bow at you entering and leaving their establishment), and love to eat. I was in shock at how many tiny restaurants exist in Tokyo around every corner.
The fashion in Japan is very interesting and special. In proper cities I found most people at the workplace dressing in full suits, and women generally wearing skirts and dress very feminine. The younger generation had really interesting streetwear and you can buy some great pieces during your stay there.
The 7-Elevens in Japan are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. They have a wide variety of prepared lunches that many people enjoy, groceries and healthcare items, and some even have a place to sit and eat your cooked instant ramen! If you’re on the go, definitely stop by the 7-Eleven for a quick bite or even just to compare it to the 7-Eleven you grew up with.
As someone not being very into video games, it was very much ingrained in the culture in Japan. The anime scene is booming there and a whole neighborhood in Tokyo is dedicated to this. I noticed people of all ages watching anime on trains and subways. Japan even has Nintendo World, a theme park in Osaka. If videogames and Anime is something you enjoy, Japan is certainly the right place for you.
The country has almost any kind of terrain you could want. In the northern region near Sapporo and Hokkaido there are mountains and skiing. Islands off the south end of Japan are lush with great swimming. The cities are modern and busy but the countryside serene and zen.
Itinerary
Day 1 (half day): Tokyo
After a long international flight, you will finally arrive in Tokyo. Transit from the airport to the center of Tokyo was easy and user-friendly.
Make your first stop at night Ginza - they hub of all things sushi and shopping. There, you can find the Flagship Muji store, which has several floors and even a cafe.
The malls in Tokyo are very intense. They are full buildings that have departments on each floor, with typically the basement being a food court. The interesting thing about Ginza is that there are many of these mall-like buildings all next to each other. This can be exciting but overwhelming as well
Dinner : Tachiguizushi Akira. This is a standing-only tiny sushi bar in the basement of a mall. It only seats 8 people and is a casual setting while the sushi is quite serious (lol). You can pick whatever sushi they have on the menu and the chef will make the nigiri right in front of you! The prices are reasonable for quality sushi and the chef is highly interactive and fun.
Day 2: Tokyo
Our second day really began at Tokyo Station, which is unlike any train station I’ve been to. There are multiple floors of tiny restaurants and shops to stop in, and it is famous for top-notch ramen spots
Lunch: Rokurinsha. A very popular spot at Tokyo station and usually has a line and specializes in pork broth and homemade noodles
Imperial castle : this is where the imperial family of Japan has resided since 1868. There are free tours in English everyday at 1:30, but you have to get there early around 12:30 to check in. You can see the tour availability here . No one is allowed inside the buildings but it is fun to walk around the buildings and see the gardens
Sensoji temple: start at the Kaminarimon Gate where there will be many vendors leading up to the temple. When I went there in the afternoon, it was quite crowded so expect it to be highly populated unless going early in the morning
There are yummy food vendors for small bites, plenty of souvenirs, and lots to do on the Kaminarimon Gate and surrounding area of asakusa. Another street worth checking out closeby is Hoppy street, with lots of food and street murals
Next, take the train to Shibuya, one of the most popular areas of Tokyo. You’ll exit the station and feel overwhelmed by the amount of neon signs and people around. I would equate the famous Shibuya Crossing to Tokyo’s “Time Square”. This is also a great photo-opp for people to get that quintessential “I’m in Tokyo” picture.
Around the block from Shibuya scramble, a skyscraper that has shops, restaurants, and maybe office buildings? But we found a nice matcha and dessert shop with a view of Shibuya crossing that was amazing
Dinner: Ryan 雷庵 a homemade soba restaurant. This place is very chic and you can watch the chefs cook the dishes in front of you. The soba (both hot and cold options) was some of the best I had on the trip. If you’re looking for a nice treat definitely check it out!
Day 3: Tokyo
You can’t leave Japan without
trying the notorious souffle pancakes. I would argue I found the best souffle pancake establishment in Tokyo (yes that is a little bit of a bold statement). Nonetheless, please go to Micasadeco & Cafe Jingumae. There is normally a wait but it is WELL WORTH IT if you are looking for basically cloud pancakes.
The surrounding area of Harajuku in Jingumae might be my favorite area in Tokyo to walk around and spend a few hours getting lost on cute streets shopping.
Harajuku is famous for its colorful streets and vintage boutique stores. Cat street and snack bar WaraTako should be on your to-do list. WaraTako is known for their street food of octopus balls, with mayo and scallion. For a quick pick me up, head to The Matcha for a matcha kick and matcha cookie.
Shopping recommendations - ScoLar for unique women’s pieces that are very “Japan”, Surku Cafe for mens streetwear, and Ahres for some signature scents.
For dinner, take the metro to Shinjuku. Get your cameras out to capture some of the most narrow, intimate streets in Japan. Head to Omoide Yokochō for the famous tiny alleyway filled every inch with izakayas (tiny japanese bars and snacks) that you can hop around to grab different bites to eat. It is definitely a memorable experience.
To end the night, walk around Golden Gai which is a similar feel to Omoide, but has more snug bars that only have around a 10 person capacity.
Day 4: Tokyo
Carve out around 2-3 hours to spend your morning in Yoyogi park and Meji shrine. Yoyogi park is next to Meji shrine and a pleasant place to walk around a park and people watch. Meiji shrine is one of the most famous Shinto shrines in Tokyo and has a lot of ground to walk. It is almost a hike to get to the actual temple so save some time for walking around
We taxied over to lunch at Toufuya Ukai - one of the most beautiful lunch spots I’ve been to. It has awesome views of Tokyo tower and an entire Zen garden to meander around. They are famous for homemade tofu and having individual rooms to enjoy dining in privacy.
Next, we went to Akibara, the video game district. This area has massive stores for anything technology, anime, and video games. Some of the technology stores can be overwhelming with the amount of signs in a small, confined space. The arcades were multiple stories and broken down by category.
Last event of the day, go to TeamLab planets for an immersive museum experience. It has become increasingly popular (even Kim Kardashian came here on her Japan trip). It is also a good place to take children!
If you’re looking for something really special (caveat.. it’s pricey), I recommend Sushi Ryusuke. It is run by a famous sushi chef and there are only 6 seats per dinner for their omakase. In order to get the reservation, I had to use the third-party site Table All that assists with restaurant reservations. This was probably the best sushi I’ve ever had, and would go again if in Tokyo
