Tokyo in 4 Days

Editor’s note:The following post is by Michael Barltrop, a teacher by trade who quit his job for a year to undertake the trip of a lifetime. He’s documenting his one year around the world at his website, OneYearTrip.

So much to do, and so little time. It’s a saying we’ve all heard countless times before, and unfortunately it’s quite often true. This is no more apparent than in Tokyo. As one of the world’s largest cities, ranked as being World Class by the GaWC, Tokyo offers a host of things to do.

Each district is almost a city within itself, offering its own culture, lifestyle, and pacing. Now let us assume for a moment you’d like to see as much of this sprawling city as possible, but you’ve only budgeted yourself 4 days. Will this be possible?

Most would say, no. I say, of course!

Day 2 at Ueno Park, Tokyo

Day 1 in Tokyo: Narita to Shinjuku to Akihabara

You arrive in Narita airport, and immediately hop on the N’ex (the train that will take you all the way into the city proper). Go drop off your bags at your hotel, and then head right back out to the streets.

As this is your first night in Tokyo, you’ll want to head to Shinjuku, accessible by the JR Yamanote train line which circles all the key locations. When you get off the train you will see the eerie incandescent glow of neon lights illuminating the streets. As you continue walking the streets you’ll find yourself passing red light districts, noodle shops, and a host of other oddities.

Tokyo's Shinjuku district

Now head back to the train station and train over to Akihabara. This is Tokyo’s tech town. Anime and computer games meet real life here. There will be the loud ringing of pachinko machines, matched by the screams of shop keepers trying to get you to buy their wares.

Head into one of the many tall buildings with shops all the way from the ground floor to the tenth floor to browse manga, action figures, and (the higher you get) more and more adult related products.

Be sure to buy some capsule toys from the 500-yen machines. There really is no better Tokyo souvenir.

By this point you’re verging on passing out, but you have one stop left. Shibuya. As you exit the station look for the statue of a dog. This is a local meeting spot in Tokyo, and quite well known.

Before you lies the most populated scramble crossing in the world. Wait for the traffic to stop, and then get lost in the flood of humanity as you pass from one corner of the street to the other.

Meet you at the dog

Head over to a bar, and have a drink, eat some octopus and squid, keep them down, and tell the waitress how delicious they were, and then jump right back on the train and head to sleep. You deserve it.

Day 2 in Tokyo: Towers with a view

You’ve probably over slept. But that’s ok – you had a late night, and jet lag is still affecting you. Why it’s probably noon by now. Why not enjoy the afternoon at Ueno Park (easily accessible from the JR Yamanote line, once again). It’s beautiful, and full of street performers. If the mood strikes you, you can even visit the zoo.

After a few hours here to simply relax and take in Tokyo, head back to Shinjuku. This time you’ll explore the other half of the district. Gone will be the wild party from the night before, replaced by business towers, and corporate workers going about their lives.

You’ll want to see the Tokyo Tocho building (city hall). There is a free elevator ride up, up, and up. It’s one of the fastest in the world, so the ride will take no time at all, but it will deliver you to an observation area from which you can see just how far the city stretches. This is something that is impossible to appreciate from the ground. The view is simply astounding through the full-wall windows.

Now it’s back to Shibuya. You may want to walk through the green train car outside of the station which explains the importance of the dog statue. Become lost in the flow of human traffic across the crossing once more, and then head up the hill to Love Hotel Hill. This is where all the hotels that can be rented by the night, or by the hour, are located. They have such charming names as, ‘Hotel White Box.’

The busiest cross walk on the planet

At this point you’ll need to decide on how you want to spend your night. I would suggest, if you’re with people, going to a Karaoke bar and experiencing the Japanese tradition of two hour drink-all-you-can karaoke sessions.

But remember, at some point you’ll drag yourself home to sleep. The trains do stop at 12 midnight. And if you don’t make the last train you may want to explore the other Japanese tradition of paying 1,000 yen for an all-night internet café; passing out in the booth, you won’t be alone, as there will be others who missed the final train as well.

Day 3 in Tokyo: Old Japan

Now it’s time to visit Old Japan, which is quite similar to “tourist Japan” but pay that no mind. If you really want, get up early and check out the fish market. You may pay for this later. You should be at the market around 4am. (You can also book a walking tour of the fish market over on Viator.)

Next, head over to Asakusa. This is one of the most important stops you can make if you don’t want to find the smaller temples. You’ll find a pagoda, and a very large temple. Making your way towards this location is an experience in and of itself, passing through a laneway of little shops – try some Rose ice cream. Suddenly things open up, and you’ll watch people cover themselves in smoke to cleanse their bodies before heading any further. It’s a beautiful location, and, again, one not to be missed. (You can book a morning walking tour of Tokyo, including Asakusa, on the Viator site.)

Asakusa temple complex in Tokyo

Now head to Shinagawa on the Yamanote line, and make your way to the Imperial Palace. You can’t get inside, but you will be able to view the temples over an arched bridge. This popularized image is one that should be experienced first hand. A statue-filled garden also welcomes those who make the journey.

For those who love shopping Ginza cannot be beat. All the big brand name stores you’d expect to find in a world class city are located here, on this strip. There is also a Godzilla statue hidden here, standing little more than a foot tall. Try and find it, if you dare. Be sure not miss the public bathrooms in the Sony building with the heat up seats, and water spraying, auto opening features. Then head out of the Ritzy area, and treat yourself to a public squat toilet experience. What a contrast only a kilometer apart.

Now feel free to head to sleep. Your final day is coming up.

Day 4 in Tokyo: The end

Wake up early and, if it’s a Sunday, head to Harajuku. Walk through Yoyogi park, and then take a tour of Meji Jingu. Finally, as you leave the park, head over the bridge to see a great number of cosplayers, people dressed and dancing like Elvis, and a whole host of other unique sights.

Once you’ve taken in this Sunday-Only experience, head to the N’ex, and rush back to the airport.

Wow. Tokyo in four days. See, it can be done.

-Michael Barltrop

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Tokyo tours & things to do in Tokyo, from Tokyo walking tours to Tokyo day trips and day tours.