Tokyo in 5 days: temples, neon and quiet neighbourhoods

5 days Japan 4 min read

Tokyo is less a single city than dozens of distinct districts, each with its own station, character and rhythm. Ancient temples sit a few stops from neon crossings, quiet shrine forests from department store basements full of food. The scale can be overwhelming, but the trains are precise, the streets are safe and clean, and almost everything is easier than it first appears.

Five days lets you take the city district by district: old Asakusa and Ueno, the youth culture of Shibuya and Harajuku, the towers of Shinjuku, the bay side and a day trip beyond. Group places by train line and leave evenings free to wander, which is when Tokyo is at its most memorable.

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Plan 5 days in Tokyo

Top places to see

1
Senso-ji
Tokyo's oldest temple, in Asakusa, approached through the Kaminarimon gate with its giant red lantern and along Nakamise, a street of traditional snack and souvenir stalls. The main hall and five storey pagoda are impressive at any hour, but the grounds are open all night and far quieter after the shops close. Come at dawn or after nine in the evening, and look up at the dragon painted on the hall ceiling.
2
Meiji Shrine
A Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji, set in a forest of a hundred thousand trees next to Harajuku station. The gravel path under huge torii gates leads to the main courtyard, where you may see a wedding procession on weekends. The contrast with Takeshita Street, the teenage fashion lane just outside, is part of the fun. Write a wish on a wooden ema and watch how visitors bow and clap at the hall.
3
Shibuya Crossing
The scramble crossing outside Shibuya station, where up to three thousand people cross at once when the lights change. Watch it first from above, from the Shibuya Sky deck or the windows of the station building, then join it. The Hachiko statue by the station is the classic meeting point. The surrounding streets of Center Gai and the Miyashita Park rooftop are good for an evening.
4
Tsukiji Outer Market
The wholesale fish auction moved to Toyosu, but the outer market at Tsukiji remains, with narrow lanes of stalls selling grilled seafood, tamagoyaki, knives, tea and fresh sushi for breakfast. Arrive by nine before the crowds, and eat standing at the counters as you go. It is a short walk from Ginza and from the Hamarikyu Gardens, a lovely old garden with a teahouse on the pond.
5
Shinjuku Gyoen
A large garden a few minutes from Shinjuku station with Japanese, English and French landscape sections, a greenhouse and wide lawns. It is one of the best places in the city for cherry blossom in late March and for autumn colour in November, and a calm escape from Shinjuku's neon. Alcohol is not allowed and there is a small entry fee. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building nearby has a free observation deck.
6
teamLab Planets
An immersive digital art museum in Toyosu, where you walk barefoot through water and mirrored rooms of light and flowers. It is one of the most popular attractions in the city, and tickets for a specific time must be booked online well ahead. Wear trousers you can roll up, and allow about two hours. The site is near the Toyosu fish market and the Yurikamome line across the bay.
7
Ueno Park
A large park in the old north east of the city with the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, a zoo, a pond full of lotus and shrine buildings among the trees. The national museum is the best introduction to Japanese art, from samurai swords to woodblock prints. Ameyoko, the lively market street beside the station, is good for a cheap lunch afterwards.
8
Kamakura
An hour south by train, Kamakura was the seat of the first shogunate and has dozens of temples and shrines in wooded hills by the sea. The Great Buddha at Kotoku-in, Hase-dera with its hydrangeas and sea view, and the hiking trail between temples are the highlights. Take the little Enoden line along the coast to Enoshima island if time allows. A day trip, or a long one with an early start.

Good to know

Get a Suica or Pasmo card, or add one to your phone, and tap in and out on every train, subway and bus. It also pays at convenience stores and vending machines, which saves a lot of coins.
Trains stop around midnight and restart around five. Plan the last journey back, and note that taxis are reliable but expensive for long distances, so late nights are best spent near where you sleep.
Keep quiet on trains, do not eat while walking, and carry your rubbish until you find a bin, which can be rare. Tipping is not practised anywhere and can cause confusion rather than gratitude.
Many small restaurants and temples still take cash only, so withdraw yen at 7-Eleven or post office ATMs, which accept foreign cards. Book popular museums and teamLab days or weeks ahead.

Best time to visit

Late March to early April brings cherry blossom and mild days, while late October to early December has clear skies and autumn colour, making these the two best windows. June is the rainy season and July and August are hot and humid. Winter is cold but dry, sunny and uncrowded, with Mount Fuji often visible from the city.

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