A photograph of Tokyo

City guide · Japan

1 to 2 hours, Good for families in Tokyo, Japan

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 S...

Photograph · Morio · CC BY-SA 3.0

22,518 Places
Suggested stay
5–6 days
Getting around
JR, subway and private rail with an IC card

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

Editorial responsibility: Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

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.

Checked 2026-08-26

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

Planning a visit

November · November in Tokyo has mean high 16.7°C, mean low 8.8°C, rainfall 96.3 mm, 7.4 rain days. Comfortable daytime temperatures give Tokyo a strong walking and garden-sightseeing window. November visitors can plan longer days outside in Tokyo with relatively little weather friction.

  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
  10. October: good time to visit
  11. November: best time to visit — current month
  12. December: viable with meaningful trade-offs

Sources

Top things to see

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

  1. Ueno Zoo Ueno Zoo
    02 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
  2. Sumida Aquarium Sumida Aquarium
    03 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
  3. Sunshine Aquarium Sunshine Aquarium
    04 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
  4. Aqua Park Shinagawa Aqua Park Shinagawa
    05 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
  5. Miraikan Miraikan
    06 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
  6. Tokyo Water Science Museum Tokyo Water Science Museum
    07 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
  7. Tokyo Toy Museum Tokyo Toy Museum
    08 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
  8. Tokyo Dome City Tokyo Dome City
    09 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
  9. Hanayashiki Hanayashiki
    10 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
  10. Tokyo Sea Life Park Tokyo Sea Life Park
    11 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

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

More city guides

Common questions

How many days does Tokyo need?

Suggested stay for a first visit: 5–6 days. Use five days for the main eastern, central and western Tokyo areas and chosen museums. A sixth day gives another Tokyo district more room; a trip outside the city needs separate time.

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.