5-Day Tokyo Itinerary: A Day-by-Day Template
Tokyo rewards a plan. Neighborhoods are worlds of their own, and the trains make it easy to string three of them into one day without ever feeling rushed.
Tokyo · 5 days Japan
Best time: Late March to early April for cherry blossoms, or late October to November for cool air and fall color.
Shinjuku and ShibuyaDay 1
⛩️9:00 AM
Meiji Shrine
Enter through the giant torii gate near Harajuku Station while the forest paths are still quiet.
🚶 ~32 min · 🚗 ~4 min · 1.2 mi
🍽️12:30 PM
Omoide Yokocho lunch
Yakitori alleys by Shinjuku Station; point at what looks good.
🚗 ~8 min · 2.3 mi
🌇6:00 PM
Shibuya Crossing and Sky
Watch the scramble from above at sunset, then wander Center Gai.
Asakusa and UenoDay 2
⛩️8:30 AM
Senso-ji Temple
Arrive before the tour groups; Nakamise street snacks open around 9.
🚶 ~31 min · 🚗 ~4 min · 1.2 mi
🖼️1:00 PM
Ueno Park museums
Pick one: Tokyo National Museum for art, or the science museum with kids.
🚶 ~16 min · 🚗 ~2 min · 0.6 mi
🍽️7:00 PM
Izakaya night in Ueno
The lanes under the train tracks (Ameyoko) fill with after-work locals.
Tsukiji and GinzaDay 3
🍽️8:00 AM
Tsukiji Outer Market breakfast
Tamagoyaki skewers and the freshest tuna bowls you will ever have.
🚶 ~15 min · 🚗 ~2 min · 0.5 mi
🌆11:30 AM
Ginza stroll
Depachika food halls in the basements are free to wander and astonishing.
🚗 ~7 min · 2.1 mi
🖼️5:30 PM
teamLab Planets
Book tickets ahead; you wade through knee-deep water, so wear pants that roll up (free shorts to borrow).
Day trip: Kamakura or NikkoDay 4
🚆8:00 AM
Train out of the city
Kamakura for the Great Buddha and beach; Nikko for shrines in cedar forest.
🚶 ~4 min · 🚗 ~1 min · 0.2 mi
🍽️12:30 PM
Local lunch
Shirasu-don (whitebait bowl) in Kamakura is the move.
🚇 Metro or walk
📍6:30 PM
Return and rest
Grab dinner near your stay; tomorrow is the packed one.
Akihabara and Tokyo StationDay 5
📍10:00 AM
Akihabara arcades
Retro game floors at Super Potato; claw machines everywhere.
🚶 ~31 min · 🚗 ~4 min · 1.2 mi
🌳2:00 PM
Imperial Palace East Gardens
Free, calm, and ten minutes from Tokyo Station.
🚶 ~18 min · 🚗 ~2 min · 0.7 mi
🍽️6:00 PM
Ramen Street farewell bowl
Under Tokyo Station: eight famous shops in one corridor.
✈ Live flight status🚶 Travel time between stops🌤 Weather each day📎 Passes & receipts🔗 Share with your group
This is how Petrel lays out a trip. Upload your own confirmations and it builds this for your dates: flights and hotels included, with live flight status and the travel time between stops.
The route, mapped
Every stop below, numbered in the order you would do them.
Make this Tokyo plan yours
Forward your real booking confirmations to Petrel and it builds this exact day-by-day view for you: flights, hotels, reservations, live flight status, and the travel time between stops. Under a minute.
Start your free tripFirst trip free. No account, no credit card.
Best time to goLate March to early April for cherry blossoms, or late October to November for cool air and fall color. June is rainy; August is hot and humid.
Getting aroundGet a Suica or Pasmo card on arrival and ride the JR Yamanote loop plus the metro. Taxis are spotless but pricey; you rarely need one.
Local tip: Many small restaurants are cash-only and seat under ten people. Carry yen and go early, right when they open, to skip lines.
Related itineraries
The full plan as text
The same day-by-day plan as text. Times are starting points, not homework.
Day 1: Shinjuku and Shibuya
9:00 AM
Meiji Shrine
Enter through the giant torii gate near Harajuku Station while the forest paths are still quiet.
12:30 PM
Omoide Yokocho lunch
Yakitori alleys by Shinjuku Station; point at what looks good.
6:00 PM
Shibuya Crossing and Sky
Watch the scramble from above at sunset, then wander Center Gai.
Day 2: Asakusa and Ueno
8:30 AM
Senso-ji Temple
Arrive before the tour groups; Nakamise street snacks open around 9.
1:00 PM
Ueno Park museums
Pick one: Tokyo National Museum for art, or the science museum with kids.
7:00 PM
Izakaya night in Ueno
The lanes under the train tracks (Ameyoko) fill with after-work locals.
Day 3: Tsukiji and Ginza
8:00 AM
Tsukiji Outer Market breakfast
Tamagoyaki skewers and the freshest tuna bowls you will ever have.
11:30 AM
Ginza stroll
Depachika food halls in the basements are free to wander and astonishing.
5:30 PM
teamLab Planets
Book tickets ahead; you wade through knee-deep water, so wear pants that roll up (free shorts to borrow).
Day 4: Day trip: Kamakura or Nikko
8:00 AM
Train out of the city
Kamakura for the Great Buddha and beach; Nikko for shrines in cedar forest.
12:30 PM
Local lunch
Shirasu-don (whitebait bowl) in Kamakura is the move.
6:30 PM
Return and rest
Grab dinner near your stay; tomorrow is the packed one.
Day 5: Akihabara and Tokyo Station
10:00 AM
Akihabara arcades
Retro game floors at Super Potato; claw machines everywhere.
2:00 PM
Imperial Palace East Gardens
Free, calm, and ten minutes from Tokyo Station.
6:00 PM
Ramen Street farewell bowl
Under Tokyo Station: eight famous shops in one corridor.
Make this Tokyo plan yours
Forward your real booking confirmations to Petrel and it builds this exact day-by-day view for you: flights, hotels, reservations, live flight status, and the travel time between stops. Under a minute.
Start your free tripFirst trip free. No account, no credit card.