Roavina

City guide · Japan

Tokyo

A photograph of Tokyo
Photograph · Morio · CC BY-SA 3.0

Tokyo is a network of major station districts rather than a single centre. Historic Asakusa and Ueno, commercial Ginza and Marunouchi, and the western hubs of Shinjuku and Shibuya each work as separate sightseeing clusters. Rail makes movement reliable, but large stations and cross-city transfers consume time. A good itinerary stays on one side of the city for half a day and uses the Yamanote loop, subway lines and through-running rail services to connect clusters.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Practical information

Language spoken
Japanese
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+81
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Japanese yen (JPY)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 119 fire and ambulance
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A · 100 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
JNTO states that tap water is safe to drink

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Tokyo

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
5-6 days
Getting around
JR, subway and private rail with an IC card
  1. January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  2. February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: best time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: good time to visit
  7. July: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  8. August: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  9. September: viable with meaningful trade-offs — current month
  10. October: good time to visit
  11. November: best time to visit
  12. December: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  • Best time
  • Good time
  • Viable with trade-offs
  • Difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Tokyo National Museum Tokyo National Museum
    02 1 hr 30 min

    Tokyo National Museum

    東京国立博物館

    Tokyo National Museum stands as Japan's oldest and largest museum. Established in 1872, it occupies grounds within Ueno Park in the Taito ward.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  2. teamLab Borderless teamLab Borderless
    03 1 hr 30 min

    teamLab Borderless

    teamLab Borderless Museum

    teamLab Borderless is a digital art museum in Tokyo created by the interdisciplinary art collective teamLab. The permanent installation occupies a substantial indoor space and presents immersive artworks that dissolve boundaries between visitor and art, and between individual works.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  3. Akihabara Akihabara
    04 2 hours

    Akihabara

    秋葉原

    Akihabara is a district in central Tokyo known for electronics retail and otaku culture. The area developed from a post-war black market for radio parts into a major commercial hub.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  4. teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM.com teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM.com
    05 1 hr 30 min

    teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM.com

    チームラボ プラネッツ

    teamLab Planets TOKYO is a digital art museum operated by the art collective teamLab in the Toyosu district of Tokyo. The immersive installation invites visitors to walk barefoot through various spaces where digital artworks respond to human presence.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  5. Ginza Ginza
    06 2 hours

    Ginza

    銀座

    Ginza is a prominent upscale shopping and entertainment district in central Tokyo, Japan. Its local name is 銀座. The area developed significantly following the Meiji Restoration and became a symbol of Japanese modernization and Western influence.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  6. Shinjuku Shinjuku
    07 2 hours

    Shinjuku

    新宿

    Shinjuku is a major commercial and administrative district in central Tokyo, widely recognized as one of the city's most vibrant urban centers.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  7. Harajuku Harajuku
    08 2 hours

    Harajuku

    原宿

    Harajuku is a district in Shibuya, Tokyo, internationally recognised for its youth culture, street fashion, and distinctive subcultural expressions.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  8. Ryōgoku Kokugikan Ryōgoku Kokugikan
    09 2 hours

    Ryōgoku Kokugikan

    両国国技館

    Ryōgoku Kokugikan is the principal indoor arena for professional sumo wrestling in Tokyo, located in the Ryōgoku district. The facility serves as headquarters for the Japan Sumo Association and hosts three of the six annual honbasho tournaments.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  9. Edo-Tokyo Museum Edo-Tokyo Museum
    10 1 hr 30 min

    Edo-Tokyo Museum

    江戸東京博物館

    The Edo-Tokyo Museum is a history museum in Tokyo dedicated to the history and culture of the city from the Edo period through to modern times.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  10. National Museum of Western Art National Museum of Western Art
    11 1 hr 30 min

    National Museum of Western Art

    国立西洋美術館

    The National Museum of Western Art, known in Japanese as 国立西洋美術館, is an art museum in Tokyo dedicated to Western art. It is located in Ueno Park, a cultural district in the northern part of central Tokyo.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  11. Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter
    12 2 hours

    Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter

    ワーナー ブラザース スタジオツアー東京 - メイキング・オブ・ハリー・ポッター

    Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo is a permanent production-based attraction located in Tokyo, Japan. The facility operates under official Warner Bros. licensing and offers visitors behind-the-scenes access to authentic film and television production environments.

    • Must see
    • Entertainment venue
  12. Mori Art Museum Mori Art Museum
    13 1 hr 30 min

    Mori Art Museum

    森美術館

    The Mori Art Museum is a contemporary art museum located in Tokyo, Japan. Its local name is 森美術館. The museum is situated within the Roppongi Hills complex, a major urban development in the Minato ward.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  13. Tokyo Station Tokyo Station
    14 2 hours

    Tokyo Station

    東京駅

    Tokyo Station is a major railway station in the Marunouchi business district near the Imperial Palace. It serves as the primary terminal for multiple Shinkansen lines and regional rail services.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  14. National Museum of Nature and Science National Museum of Nature and Science
    15 1 hr 30 min

    National Museum of Nature and Science

    国立科学博物館

    The National Museum of Nature and Science is a major museum in Tokyo dedicated to natural history and scientific research. Its local name is 国立科学博物館.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  15. Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
    16 1 hr 30 min

    Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

    東京都美術館

    Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is a public exhibition museum in Ueno Park, Tokyo’s established cultural district. Rather than presenting one fixed permanent collection, it provides gallery space for travelling exhibitions, special shows, and related events.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  16. National Art Center National Art Center
    17 1 hr 30 min

    National Art Center

    国立新美術館

    The National Art Center, Tokyo is a major museum in Roppongi, Minato ward. Its local name is 国立新美術館. The building was designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa and opened in 2007.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  17. Nezu Museum Nezu Museum
    18 1 hr 30 min

    Nezu Museum

    根津美術館

    Nezu Museum is a private museum in Tokyo’s Minato ward devoted to pre-modern East Asian art. It grew from the collection of Nezu Kaichiro, a businessman and politician who gathered important Japanese, Chinese, and Korean works.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  18. Sumida Hokusai Museum Sumida Hokusai Museum
    19 1 hr 30 min

    Sumida Hokusai Museum

    すみだ北斎美術館

    Sumida Hokusai Museum is a municipal art museum in Tokyo’s Sumida ward, devoted to Katsushika Hokusai and his connection with the district.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  19. Fukagawa Edo Museum Fukagawa Edo Museum
    20 1 hr 30 min

    Fukagawa Edo Museum

    江東区深川江戸資料館

    Fukagawa Edo Museum is a focused history museum in Koto Ward that recreates everyday life in the Fukagawa district during the late Edo period.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  20. Tokyo Photographic Art Museum Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
    21 1 hr 30 min

    Tokyo Photographic Art Museum

    東京都写真美術館

    The Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, known locally as 東京都写真美術館, is a cultural institution in Tokyo dedicated to the art of photography. It operates under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's cultural programs.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  21. Omotesandō Omotesandō
    22 2 hours

    Omotesandō

    表参道

    Omotesandō is a tree-lined avenue in Tokyo, stretching from Harajuku to Aoyama. The local name is 表参道.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  22. Kagurazaka Kagurazaka
    23 2 hours

    Kagurazaka

    神楽坂

    Kagurazaka is a historic hillside district in Tokyo, once known as a prominent geisha quarter during the Edo period. The area retains much of its old Tokyo atmosphere with narrow cobblestone alleyways, traditional wooden buildings, and hidden restaurants.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  23. Rainbow Bridge Rainbow Bridge
    24 2 hours

    Rainbow Bridge

    レインボーブリッジ

    Rainbow Bridge is the suspension bridge linking Shibaura on the Tokyo mainland with Odaiba across Tokyo Bay. The structure carries road traffic, the Yurikamome automated transit line and pedestrian walkways, making it both working infrastructure and a major waterfront landmark.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  24. Nakano Broadway Nakano Broadway
    25 2 hours

    Nakano Broadway

    中野ブロードウェイ

    Nakano Broadway is a covered shopping complex in Nakano, Tokyo. It opened in 1966 and has become widely known as a destination for subculture enthusiasts, particularly those interested in anime, manga, and collectibles.

    • High
    • Activity
  25. Ueno Zoo Ueno Zoo
    26 1 hr 30 min

    Ueno Zoo

    恩賜上野動物園

    Ueno Zoological Gardens, known locally as 恩賜上野動物園, is a zoological garden in Tokyo. It occupies a position within Ueno Park, a major cultural and recreational district in the city.

    • High
    • Family attraction
  26. Sumida Aquarium Sumida Aquarium
    27 1 hr 30 min

    Sumida Aquarium

    すみだ水族館

    Sumida Aquarium is a contemporary urban aquarium inside Tokyo Skytree Town in Sumida Ward. It forms part of the Oshiage destination alongside Tokyo Skytree and the Solamachi shopping complex.

    • High
    • Family attraction
  27. Sunshine Aquarium Sunshine Aquarium
    28 1 hr 30 min

    Sunshine Aquarium

    サンシャイン国際水族館

    Sunshine Aquarium is an urban aquarium located within the Sunshine City complex in the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo. The facility is operated as a commercial attraction within a major shopping and entertainment destination.

    • High
    • Family attraction
  28. Aqua Park Shinagawa Aqua Park Shinagawa
    29 1 hr 30 min

    Aqua Park Shinagawa

    マクセル アクアパーク品川

    Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa is an aquarium located in the Shinagawa district of Tokyo, Japan. The facility is known for its combination of marine exhibits with lighting and sound technology, creating immersive displays.

    • High
    • Family attraction
  29. Miraikan Miraikan
    30 1 hr 30 min

    Miraikan

    日本科学未来館

    The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, known locally as Miraikan, is a science museum located in Tokyo's Odaiba district.

    • High
    • Museum
  30. Tokyo Water Science Museum Tokyo Water Science Museum
    31 1 hr 30 min

    Tokyo Water Science Museum

    水の科学館

    The Tokyo Water Science Museum is a public educational facility in Tokyo’s Koto ward operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Waterworks. It explains how water is supplied, purified, and distributed across a vast urban area.

    • High
    • Museum
  31. Tokyo Toy Museum Tokyo Toy Museum
    32 1 hr 30 min

    Tokyo Toy Museum

    Tokyo Toy Museum, known locally as 東京おもちゃ美術館, is a specialist cultural venue centred on toys, play, craftsmanship and design.

    • High
    • Museum
  32. Fire Museum Fire Museum
    33 1 hr 30 min

    Fire Museum

    東京消防庁消防防災資料センター消防博物館

    Tokyo’s Fire Museum is dedicated to firefighting history, equipment and the civic role of emergency services. Operated by the Tokyo Fire Department, it occupies a multi-storey complex connected with an active fire station.

    • High
    • Museum
  33. Currency Museum of the Bank of Japan Currency Museum of the Bank of Japan
    34 1 hr 30 min

    Currency Museum of the Bank of Japan

    日本銀行金融研究所貨幣博物館

    The Currency Museum of the Bank of Japan is a focused museum about money, collecting Japanese and international coins, banknotes, and related historical material.

    • High
    • Museum
  34. Intermediatheque Intermediatheque
    35 1 hr 30 min

    Intermediatheque

    インターメディアテク

    Intermediatheque is a distinctive museum and exhibition space in Tokyo, known locally as インターメディアテク. It occupies part of the Kitte building beside Tokyo Station, where a former postal setting has been adapted for contemporary public use.

    • High
    • Museum
  35. Tokyo Dome City Tokyo Dome City
    36 2 hours

    Tokyo Dome City

    東京ドームシティ

    Tokyo Dome City is a large entertainment complex in Bunkyo Ward, central Tokyo, built around the Tokyo Dome baseball stadium. The site combines sports facilities, amusement attractions, dining, shopping, and accommodation in one district.

    • Notable
    • Activity
  36. Hanayashiki Hanayashiki
    37 2 hours

    Hanayashiki

    浅草花やしき

    Asakusa Hanayashiki is a historic amusement park located in the Asakusa district of Tokyo. Established in the mid-19th century, it claims distinction as one of Japan's oldest surviving amusement parks.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
  37. Tokyo Sea Life Park Tokyo Sea Life Park
    38 1 hr 30 min

    Tokyo Sea Life Park

    葛西臨海水族園

    Tokyo Sea Life Park, known locally as Kasai Rinkai Suizokuen, is a public aquarium located in the Kasai Rinkai Park area of Edogawa Ward. The facility focuses on aquatic environments from around the globe, with particular attention to marine ecosystems.

    • Notable
    • Family attraction
  38. Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
    39 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

    東京都現代美術館

    The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo is a major public art museum in Tokyo’s Koto ward. Its collection and exhibitions focus on contemporary art from the postwar period to the present, with Japanese and international artists represented.

    • Notable
    • Museum
  39. National Stadium National Stadium
    40 2 hours

    National Stadium

    国立競技場

    National Stadium, or Kokuritsu Kyōgijō, is Tokyo’s purpose-built national venue for athletics and football.

    • Notable
    • Activity
  40. Nippon Budokan Nippon Budokan
    41 2 hours

    Nippon Budokan

    日本武道館

    Nippon Budokan is a renowned indoor arena located in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, adjacent to the Imperial Palace grounds. Opened in 1964 for the Tokyo Olympic Games, it was originally constructed to host judo competitions.

    • Notable
    • Activity
  41. Meiji Jingu Stadium Meiji Jingu Stadium
    42 2 hours

    Meiji Jingu Stadium

    明治神宮野球場

    Meiji Jingu Stadium is a historic baseball venue in central Tokyo, beside the Meiji Jingu Outer Garden.

    • Notable
    • Activity
  42. Ariake Arena Ariake Arena
    43 2 hours

    Ariake Arena

    有明アリーナ

    Ariake Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the Ariake district of Koto Ward, Tokyo.

    • Notable
    • Activity
  43. Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
    44 2 hours

    Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium

    東京体育館

    Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium is a major sports complex in Sendagaya, within Shibuya Ward. It is a working venue for athletic competitions, training and public recreation rather than a conventional sightseeing museum.

    • Notable
    • Activity
  44. Chidorigafuchi Moat Chidorigafuchi Moat
    45 2 hours

    Chidorigafuchi Moat

    千鳥ヶ淵

    Chidorigafuchi Moat is a historic waterway on the northwestern edge of the Imperial Palace grounds, forming part of the former Edo Castle fortifications. Its name refers to a shape associated with a thousand birds.

    • Notable
    • Activity

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Central Tokyo is easiest to understand as an east-west sequence. Asakusa, Ueno and Yanaka carry much of the older city; Tokyo Station, Marunouchi, Nihonbashi and Ginza form the central business and shopping core; Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku anchor the west. Roppongi and Akasaka sit between those spines, while Odaiba lies across the bay. The wider metropolis extends well beyond the central wards, so Mt Takao, western Tokyo and island destinations belong to separate day plans rather than a central-city route.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Use rail for nearly every cross-city journey. Tokyo Metro operates nine lines and Toei operates four subway lines, alongside JR and private railways; a rechargeable IC card removes most ticketing friction across operators. The subway alone covers more than 280 stations, but JR passes do not cover Tokyo Metro or Toei services. Trains generally stop around midnight, so late-night plans need a route check. Inside a district, walking is usually faster than making a one-stop transfer through a very large station.

Checked 2026-08-26

Common questions

How many days does Tokyo need?

Five to six days suit a first visit. Four days can cover the main eastern, central and western clusters, while extra days allow slower neighbourhood exploration or a separate trip to western Tokyo.

When is the best time to visit Tokyo?

Spring and autumn usually give the most comfortable walking weather. Peak blossom and foliage periods can be crowded, so the broader March-May and October-November windows are more useful than targeting one forecasted week.

Do visitors need a rail pass inside Tokyo?

Usually not. A rechargeable IC card is simpler because Tokyo journeys may involve JR, Tokyo Metro, Toei and private railways. A JR pass does not cover the two subway operators.

Does Tokyo public transport run all night?

No. The official Tokyo guide notes that last trains are commonly between about 23:30 and 00:30, with first services around 05:00. Check the final connection before a late evening across town.

Which districts should be combined?

Pair Asakusa with Ueno, Marunouchi with Ginza, and Shibuya with Harajuku. Shinjuku can fill its own half day. Grouping nearby station districts reduces transfers through large hubs.