Individuals contact me to plan Japan journeys that span far and broad throughout the nation. Despite this, I’ve discovered a shocking fact: Tokyo, greater than Tokushima or Takamatsu or the Tohoku area, is the vacation spot that journeys them up.
It’s a mixture, I feel, of the Tokyo’s dimension and the notion (which I might argue is an incorrect one) that it’s in some way the quintessential Japanese metropolis. Tokyo can be the place most vacationers start their journeys to Japan; they need to have the ability to kick issues off on a momentous be aware, whereas additionally not succumbing to jet lag.
Most often, I discover that should you determine what number of days in Tokyo you’re going to spend, the opposite particulars maintain themselves. Proceed studying to see how this often manifests.
Tokyo Usually Requires Much less Time Than You’d Suppose
For most individuals, even when they haven’t determined the specifics of what number of days to spend in Tokyo, it feels prefer it must be a big quantity. Tokyo is the biggest metropolis on this planet, in spite of everything, and by far the biggest in Japan; it occupies an much more disproportionate place within the understanding many international guests have of the nation. That is to say nothing of the town’s serpentine subway system, by no means thoughts the truth that you’ll be combating jet lag throughout your time right here.
Despite this, a pair key truths about Tokyo override any assumptions. First, reasonably than one massive metropolis, you may consider Tokyo as a number of (barely) smaller cities pasted collectively—23 to be particular, just a few of that are related to non-residents. Secondly, due to how environment friendly Tokyo’s transport system is when you perceive it, it’s truly attainable to see most of Tokyo’s core metropolis heart sights in a single day.
In style Tokyo Journey Concepts
A full day in Tokyo’s metropolis heart
It would shock you, however you may see the lion’s share of Tokyo’s sights in only one full day. I often like to begin at Tsukiji Outer Market then proceed to Asakusa the place, after visiting Senso-ji temple, I can sit down for lunch. I then trip the Ginza Line throughout city to Harajuku, the place I walked down Takeshita Road earlier than using the Yamanote Line right down to Shibuya and again as much as Shinjuku in time to see its neon-lit streets illuminate.
Tokyo on and off the crushed path
One other dimension to think about when deciding how lengthy to spend in Tokyo? Whether or not you’ll discover Tokyo off its vacationer path. For instance, I generally prefer to suggest my purchasers begin one in all their days in historic Yanaka (Tokyo’s oldest neighborhood) earlier than strolling right down to a lot busier Ueno (ideally through underrated Nezu Shrine), then using the Oedo Line over to the Ryogoku sumo district, whether or not or not a match is happening. They will then finish the day close to Tokyo Dome, whether or not for a baseball sport, sundown from Bunkyo Civic Middle or a stroll via Koishikawa Koraku-en backyard.
3 days in Tokyo (together with day journeys)
Planning to spend three full days in Tokyo? Be certain a minimum of a type of is dedicated to day journeys—the 2 hottest choices are Nikko and Kamakura. Nikko, in fact, is the historic mountain metropolis centered across the Seventeenth-century Tosho-gu shrine, whereas Kamakura (which is residence to its fair proportion of shrines) is on the ocean southwest of Yokohama, and truly served as one in all Japan’s capitals earlier than Tokyo did. Different wonderful day journeys embrace the Edo-era city of Kawagoe in Saitama prefecture and Chiba prefecture’s Nokogiriyama mountain.
(As much as) per week in Tokyo
In truth, you may truly go to Mt. Fuji (or, a minimum of, the Fuji 5 Lakes area) for the day from Tokyo, although I often reserve that as an choice for longer journeys. Then again, in case your reply for a way lengthy to remain in Tokyo is “round per week,” you might dig even deeper into the capital’s neighborhoods, be it homey inner-city idylls similar to Daikanyama and Azabu-juban, or extra distant (however nonetheless cool) spots like Shimokitazawa and Kichijoji, each situated in western Tokyo.
Tokyo bookends
This final part is much less about how lengthy to remain in Tokyo, and extra about the way you construction your time there. Particularly, I generally recommend (particularly on longer journeys, like a month in Japan or so) that my purchasers each start and finish their journeys with two roughly equal stays in Tokyo. “Consider them as ‘bookends,’” I’ll inform them, with a smile. That is nice for a lot of causes, amongst them which you could take pleasure in some nostalgia earlier than your journey is even over.
The Finest Solution to Incorporate Tokyo Into Your Japan Journey
Nonetheless really feel tentative about Tokyo? I don’t blame you. As innately as I now perceive the town, even I often get overwhelmed by it. I even received barely rotated in Shinjuku Station a few weeks in the past! However all that apart, I do perceive Tokyo exceptionally properly, particularly back-of-the-hand data about the place to go (and at what time of day) and the way to string varied locations collectively most effectively.
Maybe much more importantly? I’m clear about how Tokyo, what number of days you determine to spend there however, figures into the remainder of Japan. You received’t wish to construction your time there the identical for a two-week journey as you’d for a month in Japan, simply as you’ll strategy the town in a different way on a second—or sixth—go to than you’d a primary. These are just some of the explanations you would possibly take into account hiring me to plan your journey to Japan!
Different FAQ About How Many Days to Spend in Tokyo
What number of days do you want in Tokyo?
The overwhelming majority of vacationers don’t want as lengthy in Tokyo as they assume. Surprisingly, most vacationers can see the vast majority of the town heart’s sights in only one full day, and within the evenings over subsequent days, which they’ll use to take day journeys simply exterior of city. Specifically, I discover that 3-5 days in Tokyo tends to be the candy spot.
Is per week too lengthy to spend in Tokyo?
For many vacationers, I’d say {that a} week is just too lengthy to spend in Tokyo. The exception could be should you plan to “dwell” in Tokyo for per week (through which case, I’d select a quieter neighborhood like Daikanyama or Azabu-juban), and use every day to slowly discover totally different elements of the town, and/or to take day journeys to surrounding cities and cities.
What’s one of the simplest ways to spend 3 days in Tokyo?
In case you have three days in Tokyo, spend the primary specializing in city-center sights, from Tsukiji Seafood Market, to Senso-ji temple, to the nightlife districts of Shibuya and Shinjuku. Break up day two between a morning in both Nikko or Kamakura, and a night amid the arcade and manga tradition of Akihabara. If you happen to don’t take a practice to the Fuji 5 Lakes area on day three, as a substitute dive into underrated Tokyo neighborhoods like Yanaka and Ryogoku.
The Backside Line
Relating to the subject of what number of days in Tokyo you want, I’d argue that the majority vacationers are too bullish. Town is large, in fact; it’s additionally the place your journey to Japan will probably start (and perhaps finish). Despite this, it’s not essentially some tourism paradise, other than just a few must-see sights and attention-grabbing neighborhoods—your time is sort of all the time higher spent farther afield, particularly if it’s your first journey to Japan. To place a finer level on it, you most likely want much less time in Tokyo than you assume. Want personalised assist getting the proportions good? Think about hiring me to plan your journey to Japan!