Tokyo

Tokyo at a glance

Time zone

Japan Standard Time, UTC+9, no daylight saving

Currency

Japanese yen (¥). Cards are common, but carry some cash for small restaurants and older bars

Language

Japanese. Major stations have English signs; smaller restaurants may have Japanese-only menus

Airports

Haneda (HND): about 20 min to Hamamatsuchō by monorail; Narita (NRT): about 1h to Tokyo Station by Narita Express

Best months

Late March to May, and October to November

Power

Type A plugs, 100 V

Tipping

Not expected. Pay the amount on the bill

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Where to spend your time

• Shibuya Exit at Hachikō for the crossing, then explore the record shops and bars around Center-gai and Dōgenzaka.
• Shinjuku Visit Shinjuku Gyoen by day; explore Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai after dark.
• Nakameguro and Daikanyama Walk beside the Meguro River, stop for coffee, then browse the bookshops in Daikanyama.
• Shimokitazawa Browse vintage shops by day; check listings for a small live music show at night.
• Asakusa Visit Sensō-ji early for fewer crowds; the Nakamise shops open later in the morning.
• Yanaka Start at Yanaka Ginza for small shops and snacks, then walk the quieter streets towards Nezu.
• Ginza Browse department-store basement food halls; reserve a sushi counter if you want dinner nearby.

Where we’d send a friend

• Fuglen Tokyo (フグレン トウキョウ) Tomigaya, Shibuya. Oslo coffee bar with Scandinavian vintage furniture; cocktails after dark. 1-16-11 Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku. Yoyogi-Koen, about 5 min. Order: Coffee of the day, an Irish coffee or the Fuglen Gimlet. Opens at 7 AM, late from Wednesday to Sunday. No reservations. Website
• Onibus Coffee (ONIBUS COFFEE 中目黒駅前店) Nakameguro. Roasts its own beans in a small house beside the Toyoko Line tracks. 2-14-1 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku. Nakameguro, about 2 min. Order: Hand-drip, or a latte. Small, with few seats. Website
• Chatei Hatou (茶亭 羽當) Shibuya. A kissaten open since 1989; no reservations. 2F Futaba Bldg, 1-15-19 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku. Shibuya (East Exit), about 3 min. Order: A hand-drip blend with chiffon cake. Cash only, and no photos of the counter. Website
• Kayaba Coffee (カヤバ珈琲) Yanaka. A coffee shop since 1938, in a wooden building from 1916. 6-1-29 Yanaka, Taito-ku. Nezu, about 10 min. Order: The egg sandwich set. Closed Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a holiday). Mornings can have a queue; tables can be booked online. Website
• Fuunji (風雲児) Shinjuku. Tsukemen: thick noodles and a rich chicken-and-fish dipping broth. 1F Hokuto Daiichi Bldg, 2-14-3 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku. Shinjuku (South Exit), about 5 min. Order: Tsukemen. No reservations; it closes when the soup runs out. Website
• Kanda Yabu Soba (かんだやぶそば) Kanda. Edo-style soba house, rebuilt and reopened in 2014 after a fire. 2-10 Kanda-Awajicho, Chiyoda-ku. Awajicho (Exit A3), about 2 min. Order: Seiro soba. Closed Wednesdays; last orders at 8 PM. Website
• Ginza Kyubey (銀座久兵衛) Ginza. Sushi counter founded in 1935; book through a concierge or booking site. 8-7-6 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Shinbashi, about 5 min. Order: A nigiri set, or sushi kaiseki. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Website
• Bird Land (バードランド 銀座) Ginza. Okukuji shamo chicken grilled over charcoal at a basement counter connected to Ginza station. B1F Tsukamoto Sozan Bldg, 4-2-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Ginza (Exit C6). Order: The shortest omakase course. Dinner only. Closed Sundays, Mondays and holidays. Book ahead on its own site or by phone; cancelling on the day costs ¥11,000 a person. Courses start at about ¥9,800. Website
• Hyakuyaku by Tokuyamazushi (百薬 by 徳山鮓) Ginza. Counter kaiseki built on Shiga’s fermented funazushi, with game in season. 9F Yasuda Bldg, 4-4-2 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Ginza (Exit A13), about 2 min. Order: The chef’s course at the counter. Dinner only. Closed Sundays. Book ahead on TableCheck: counter seats at about 6 PM or 8:30 PM. The chef’s course is about ¥38,500 plus service; cancelling the day before costs half. Website
• Kamiya Bar (神谷バー) Asakusa. Open since 1880, and the home of Denki Bran. 1-1-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku. Asakusa, about 2 min. Order: Denki Bran. On the ground floor, you buy tickets at the door, and cards aren’t accepted. Closed Tuesdays and two Mondays a month. Website
• BenFiddich (ベンフィディック) Nishi-Shinjuku. Tell the bartender what flavours you like; Hiroyasu Kayama makes cocktails with herbs and spirits. 9F Yamatoya Bldg, 1-13-7 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku. Shinjuku, about 3 min. Order: A cocktail built to your taste. Book online: seatings at 7, 9 and 11 PM. Each month’s seatings are announced on the 20th. Website
• Bar High Five (バー ハイ・ファイブ) Ginza. Hidetsugu Ueno’s bar with no menu: say what you like, get a drink for it. B1F Efflore Ginza 5 Bldg, 5-4-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Ginza. Order: A cocktail made to your taste. No reservations. Call shortly before arriving to check for a seat. Closed Sundays and holidays. Website
• Bar Trench (バー トレンチ) Ebisu. A small bar built around absinthe and herbal liqueurs. DIS Bldg 102, 1-5-8 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku. Order: Absinthe, or a cocktail from the herbal liqueurs. No reservations; come in a small group. Website
• Little Soul Cafe (リトルソウルカフェ) Shimokitazawa. Eight counter seats in front of a wall of soul and funk records, played one at a time. 2F Taisei Bldg, 3-20-2 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku. Shimokitazawa, about 4 min. Order: A rum, and ask for a soul or funk record. Open every night from about 7 PM to 2 AM. No reservations. Ask about the cover charge when you sit down. Website
• Ginza Music Bar (銀座ミュージックバー) Ginza. A listening bar built around a Garrard turntable and Tannoy speakers. 4F Brown Place, 7-8-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Shinbashi, about 4 min. Order: A Ginza: white rum and lime. Open from about 7 PM to 4 AM. Book by phone or its contact form. Cocktails are about ¥2,600 to ¥3,100. Website
• Kakimori (カキモリ) Kuramae. Choose the paper and cover for a notebook bound to order; browse pens and bottled inks. 1-6-2 Misuji, Taito-ku. Kuramae, about 10 min. Closed Mondays; blending your own ink upstairs needs a reservation. Website
• Kama-Asa Shoten (釜浅商店) Kappabashi. A Kappabashi kitchen shop for over a century: knives, pans and tools. 2-24-1 Matsugaya, Taito-ku. Tawaramachi, about 7 min. Knives bought here are engraved for free. Website
• Isetan Shinjuku food hall (伊勢丹新宿店 地下1階 フードホール) Shinjuku. The first basement of Isetan’s flagship: counters of prepared food, sweets and gifts, from tonkatsu bento to wagashi. B1F, Isetan Shinjuku main building, 3-14-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku. Shinjuku-sanchome, directly connected. Open 10 AM to 8 PM. Exits B3 to B5 of Shinjuku-sanchome Station lead straight into the basement. Website
• Nezu Museum (根津美術館) Minami-Aoyama. See Japanese and East Asian art, then walk the museum garden. Reserve a timed entry. 6-5-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku. Omotesando (Exit A5), about 8 min. Closed Mondays; book a timed ticket online. Website
• 21_21 Design Sight Roppongi. Design exhibitions in a Tadao Ando building in Tokyo Midtown. 9-7-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku (Tokyo Midtown). Roppongi, about 5 min. Closed Tuesdays. Website
• Teien Art Museum (東京都庭園美術館) Shirokanedai. Tour Prince Asaka’s former Art Deco home, then walk the garden. Check which exhibition is on. 5-21-9 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku. Shirokanedai (Exit 1), about 6 min. Closed Mondays; the garden stays open between exhibitions. Website
• Kiyosumi Garden (清澄庭園) Kiyosumi-Shirakawa. A stroll garden around a pond, with stepping stones across it. 3-3-9 Kiyosumi, Koto-ku. Kiyosumi-shirakawa, about 3 min. Open 9 AM to 5 PM, last entry 4:30 PM; entry ¥150. Website
• Tokyo Photographic Art Museum (東京都写真美術館) Ebisu. Photography and film exhibitions at Yebisu Garden Place. Check the current show before visiting. Yebisu Garden Place, 1-13-3 Mita, Meguro-ku. Ebisu (East Exit), about 7 min. Closed Mondays; open until 8 PM on Thursdays and Fridays. Website
• Daikoku-yu (押上温泉 大黒湯) Oshiage. A neighbourhood sento with natural hot-spring water, near the Skytree. 3-12-14 Yokokawa, Sumida-ku. Oshiage (Exit B2), about 6 min. Tattoos are fine. Cash only; closed Tuesdays. Website

A first week in Tokyo

1. Day 1: Land and walk Shibuya. After dropping your bags, walk through Shibuya Crossing at dusk. Eat ramen or yakitori nearby rather than crossing the city again.
2. Day 2: Shrines and coffee. Visit Meiji Jingū early, then walk Harajuku and Omotesando. Take the train to Nakameguro for coffee and a walk along the Meguro River.
3. Day 3: Old Tokyo, late bars. Visit Sensō-ji early, then explore Nakamise and Kuramae. After dinner, head to Shinjuku for Golden Gai if you still have energy.
4. Day 4: Yanaka and Ueno. Walk Yanaka Ginza and the streets around Nezu, then choose a museum in Ueno Park. Eat near Ueno Station.
5. Day 5: Out of town. Choose one: Kamakura for the Great Buddha and the coast, or Hakone for hot springs. Both take most of the day.
6. Day 6: Vintage and gardens. Spend the day in Shimokitazawa for vintage shops and a live show. Prefer gardens? Choose Kiyosumi-Shirakawa instead.
7. Day 7: Markets and food halls. Have breakfast at Tsukiji Outer Market, then visit Ginza’s department-store food halls for gifts or food for the journey.

Where people meet

• Counter bars Golden Gai has tiny counter bars. Check each door for cover charges and house rules before you enter.
• Standing bars Tachinomi are standing bars, often near stations. Good for a quick drink; check how ordering and payment work.
• Coffee Try a coffee counter in Nakameguro or Kiyosumi-Shirakawa if you want a short stop and a chance to chat.
• Galleries and gigs Check museum evening hours before planning a visit. For live music, look up a small venue in Shimokitazawa and book if needed.

Eating in Tokyo

• Sit at the counter Choose a counter if you want to watch ramen, tempura, sushi or yakitori being prepared. Some places have only a few seats.
• Lunch is the bargain Look for set lunches at restaurants that are pricier at dinner. Check lunch hours before going.
• Book the best early Reserve sought-after sushi and kaiseki counters well before your trip. Check the restaurant’s website or ask your hotel concierge.
• Go underground Depachika are department-store basement food halls: go for prepared food and gifts. Convenience-store onigiri makes an easy breakfast.

Getting around

• Tap through On an iPhone, add Suica or PASMO to Apple Wallet for local trains, buses and small purchases. The Shinkansen and some airport express services need a separate ticket or seat reservation.
• The loop The JR Yamanote Line connects Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Ueno and Tokyo Station. Use the subway for places the loop doesn’t reach.
• After midnight Most trains stop around midnight. Check the last train before going out; taxis run later but cost much more.

Good to know

• Quiet on trains Speak quietly and avoid phone calls on trains.
• Queue on the marks Line up at marked boarding spots and let passengers off before getting on.
• Shoes off Remove shoes when signs or a raised entrance indicate it; use the shoe rack provided.
• Tattoos Some hot springs and gyms still turn away visible tattoos; check before you go.

When to go

For cherry blossom, aim for late March or early April; for autumn leaves, try late November. June and early July are rainy, July and August are hot and humid, and typhoons can affect travel into autumn.

Late March to early April

Cherry blossom draws crowds to Ueno, the Meguro River and Shinjuku Gyoen. Check bloom dates and advance-entry rules.

May

Generally warm before the rainy season. Good for parks and walking between neighbourhoods.

June to mid-July

Expect humid days and spells of rain. Carry a small umbrella and keep an indoor museum option.

Late July to August

Hot and humid. Summer fireworks draw crowds along the Sumida River; check each year’s event date.

September to October

September can be hot and stormy. October is often more comfortable for long walks; watch weather alerts.

Late November to early December

Autumn colour often arrives in late November. Try gardens such as Rikugien or Shinjuku Gyoen.

Winter

Winter is often cold and dry. Many businesses close over New Year; major shrines can be crowded.

Day trips and next stops

• Kamakura Take a JR train for the Great Buddha and a walk near the coast. About 1h.
• Hakone Take the Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto, then local transport to hot springs or Lake Ashi. Fuji views depend on the weather. About 1h 30m.
• Nikko Take a Tobu train from Asakusa for the Tōshō-gū shrine complex; allow a full day. About 1h 50m.
• Kyoto Make Kyoto your next stop rather than rushing it as a day trip. Take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station. About 2h 15m.

Questions people ask

Is Tokyo a good city for meeting people?

Try small counter bars, standing bars or local events. If you’re an O member, you can also see people who choose to share overlapping travel dates.

Where should I stay on a first visit?

For easy rail transfers, stay near Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ebisu or Tokyo Station. Nakameguro and Daikanyama are quieter, but you’ll use connecting lines.

How do I get in from the airport?

From Haneda, take Keikyu to Shinagawa or the monorail to Hamamatsuchō. From Narita, the Narita Express reaches Tokyo Station in about 1h, while the Skyliner reaches Ueno in about 45 min. Choose based on your hotel.

Do I need cash?

Cards and phone payments are widely accepted, but carry yen for small restaurants, older bars and shrine donations.

Is Tokyo expensive?

Hotels and high-end dining can be expensive. Set lunches, local trains and convenience-store meals help keep daily spending down.