A photograph of Tokyo

City guide · Japan

Up to 1 hour in Tokyo, Japan — page 2

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. Kyu-Furukawa Gardens Kyu-Furukawa Gardens
    26 1 hour

    Kyu-Furukawa Gardens

    旧古河庭園

    Kyu-Furukawa Gardens is a historic garden in Tokyo, known locally as 旧古河庭園. The site represents an important example of Japanese landscape design combined with Western architectural influence.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  2. Hibiya Park Hibiya Park
    27 1 hour

    Hibiya Park

    日比谷公園

    Hibiya Park is a major public green space in central Tokyo, near the Imperial Palace and Ginza. Established on former imperial army grounds, it became Japan’s first Western-style modern park.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  3. Ameya-Yokochō Ameya-Yokochō
    28 45 min

    Ameya-Yokochō

    アメヤ横丁

    Ameya-Yokochō, known locally as アメヤ横丁, is an open-air market district situated near Ueno Station in Tokyo. The area occupies space beneath the elevated Yamanote Line tracks and extends across multiple streets and alleys.

    • Must see
    • Market
  4. Nihonbashi Bridge Nihonbashi Bridge
    29 45 min

    Nihonbashi Bridge

    日本橋

    Nihonbashi Bridge is a historic bridge in central Tokyo, Japan. The current structure is a reconstruction of the original wooden bridge first built in 1603 during the Edo period.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  5. National Theatre of Japan National Theatre of Japan
    30 1 hour

    National Theatre of Japan

    国立劇場

    The National Theatre of Japan is a major performing arts venue in Tokyo dedicated to traditional Japanese theatre forms.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
  6. Tokyo International Forum Tokyo International Forum
    31 45 min

    Tokyo International Forum

    Tokyo International Forum is a major convention and exhibition center in the Marunouchi district near Tokyo Station. The complex comprises multiple halls and exhibition spaces designed for international conferences, trade shows, concerts, and corporate events.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  7. Zōjō-ji Temple Zōjō-ji Temple
    32 30 min

    Zōjō-ji Temple

    増上寺

    Zojoji Temple is a Jodo-shu Buddhist temple in Minato, Tokyo. It serves as the main temple of the Jodo-shu Chinzei school of Pure Land Buddhism in the Kanto region.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  8. Kanda-myōjin Kanda-myōjin
    33 30 min

    Kanda-myōjin

    神田明神

    Kanda Shrine, also called Kanda Myojin, is an active Shinto shrine in Tokyo. The shrine has served as an important religious site for generations and is associated with protecting Edo, the former name for Tokyo.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  9. Nezu Shrine Nezu Shrine
    34 30 min

    Nezu Shrine

    根津神社

    Nezu Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine in Tokyo’s Bunkyo ward and one of the city’s oldest surviving places of worship. The shrine is especially known for its azalea plantings, traditional architecture, ponds, stone lanterns and vermilion torii gates.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  10. Yasukuni Shrine Yasukuni Shrine
    35 30 min

    Yasukuni Shrine

    靖国神社

    Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Tokyo, Japan. Its local name is 靖国神社. The shrine holds complex significance in Japanese history and contemporary society.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  11. Asakusa Shrine Asakusa Shrine
    36 30 min

    Asakusa Shrine

    浅草神社

    Asakusa Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the Asakusa district of Tokyo, Japan. Its local name is 浅草神社. The shrine stands near the famous Senso-ji Temple, forming part of a significant religious and cultural complex in this historic area.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  12. Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple
    37 30 min

    Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple

    築地本願寺

    Tsukiji Hongwanji is a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple in Tokyo’s Tsukiji district, close to the former Tsukiji Fish Market site. It serves as the Tokyo headquarters of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha denomination.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  13. Gōtoku-ji Temple Gōtoku-ji Temple
    38 30 min

    Gōtoku-ji Temple

    豪徳寺

    Gotokuji Temple is a Buddhist temple in Tokyo’s Setagaya ward, known in Japanese as 豪徳寺. It is strongly associated with maneki-neko, the beckoning cat figurines linked with good fortune.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  14. Tomioka Hachiman Shrine Tomioka Hachiman Shrine
    39 30 min

    Tomioka Hachiman Shrine

    富岡八幡宮

    Tomioka Hachimangu is a Shinto shrine located in the Fukagawa district of Koto Ward, Tokyo. Founded in 1627, it is one of the most significant Hachiman shrines in the city.

    • High
    • Place of worship
  15. Atago Shrine Atago Shrine
    40 30 min

    Atago Shrine

    愛宕神社

    Atago Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the Minato ward of Tokyo, Japan. The shrine sits atop Atago Hill, which rises approximately 26 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest natural points in central Tokyo.

    • High
    • Place of worship
  16. Hie Shrine Hie Shrine
    41 30 min

    Hie Shrine

    日枝神社

    Hie Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the Nagatacho district of central Tokyo, near the National Diet Building.

    • High
    • Place of worship
  17. Jimbōchō Book Town Jimbōchō Book Town
    42 45 min

    Jimbōchō Book Town

    神田古書店街

    Jimbocho Book Town, known locally as 神保町古書店街, is a historic district in central Tokyo renowned for its dense concentration of antiquarian bookstores. The area has served as Japan's preeminent center for used and rare books since the early twentieth century.

    • High
    • Historic site
  18. Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai
    43 45 min

    Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai

    豊洲 千客万来

    Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai is a commercial facility in the Toyosu district of Tokyo, developed in connection with the relocation of the historic Tsukiji Market. The name evokes traditional hospitality, suggesting a place welcoming many visitors.

    • High
    • Market
  19. Tokyo Character Street Tokyo Character Street
    44 45 min

    Tokyo Character Street

    Tokyo Character Street is a commercial attraction located in Tokyo Station's Ichibangai shopping area beneath Marunouchi. The destination features shops and displays centered on popular Japanese characters from animation, manga, and related media franchises.

    • High
    • Historic site
  20. Omoide Yokochō Omoide Yokochō
    45 45 min

    Omoide Yokochō

    思い出横丁

    Omoide Yokocho, whose local name is 思い出横丁, is a narrow alleyway district in Tokyo known for its dense cluster of small eateries and drinking establishments.

    • High
    • Historic site
  21. Shinjuku Golden Gai Shinjuku Golden Gai
    46 45 min

    Shinjuku Golden Gai

    新宿ゴールデン街

    Golden Gai is a historic nightlife district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, comprising approximately six narrow alleys and over 200 tiny bars. The area developed from a black market district in post-war Japan and retains its Showa-era architectural character.

    • High
    • Historic site
  22. Meguro River Meguro River
    47 1 hour

    Meguro River

    目黒川

    Meguro River is a canal-like urban waterway running through central Tokyo, stretching approximately eight kilometers from Setagaya Ward through Meguro and Shinagawa wards before reaching Tokyo Bay.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
  23. Kasai Rinkai Park Kasai Rinkai Park
    48 1 hour

    Kasai Rinkai Park

    葛西臨海公園

    Kasai Rinkai Park is a coastal park located in the Edogawa ward of Tokyo, facing Tokyo Bay. The park was developed on reclaimed land and serves as one of Tokyo's largest public parks dedicated to marine environment appreciation and recreation.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
  24. Ōjima Komatsugawa Park Ōjima Komatsugawa Park
    49 1 hour

    Ōjima Komatsugawa Park

    大島小松川公園

    Ojima Komatsugawa Park is a public green space in Tokyo’s Koto Ward, known locally as 大島小松川公園. The park extends through the Ojima and Komatsugawa neighborhoods beside the Kyu-Yodo River water system.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
  25. Asukayama Park Asukayama Park
    50 1 hour

    Asukayama Park

    飛鳥山公園

    Asukayama Park is a public park in Kita ward, northern Tokyo, known locally as 飛鳥山公園. It is one of Japan’s oldest parks and was established as a recreational area during the Edo period.

    • Notable
    • Nature site

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.