One of the biggest cities on earth still runs on neighbourhoods: a coffee bar on a back street in Nakameguro, a tiny counter in Shinjuku, a shrine five minutes from Shibuya Crossing. It’s a city that rewards knowing someone who knows it.

Tokyo at a glance

Time zone
Japan Standard Time, UTC+9, no daylight saving
Currency
Japanese yen (¥). Cards work almost everywhere; carry some cash for small places
Language
Japanese. Station signs and menus are often in English too
Airports
Haneda (HND), about 30 minutes from the centre; Narita (NRT), about an hour
Best months
Late March to May, and October to November
Power
Type A plugs, 100 V
Tipping
Not expected, and sometimes refused

Know who’s in Tokyo when you are

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Where to spend your time

  • Shibuya The crossing, the record shops and the late nights.
  • Shinjuku Golden Gai’s tiny bars, Omoide Yokocho, and the park.
  • Nakameguro and Daikanyama Coffee, the canal, design shops; quieter on weekdays.
  • Shimokitazawa Vintage, small venues, and the city’s best people-watching.
  • Asakusa Sensō-ji at opening time, before the crowds.
  • Yanaka Old Tokyo: low houses, cats and temples.
  • Ginza Department-store food halls and the best of everything.

A first week in Tokyo

  1. Day 1 Land at Haneda if you can. Drop your bags, walk Shibuya at dusk, and eat at a counter: ramen, gyoza or yakitori, wherever there’s a short queue.
  2. Day 2 Meiji Jingu early, then Harajuku and Omotesando. Coffee in Nakameguro in the afternoon; the canal at night.
  3. Day 3 Asakusa and Sensō-ji at opening time, then the river and Kuramae for small makers. Golden Gai after ten.
  4. Day 4 Yanaka’s old streets and Ueno’s museums. A standing bar (tachinomi) near the station for dinner.
  5. Day 5 A day out: Kamakura for the Buddha and the sea, or Hakone for the hot springs.
  6. Day 6 Shimokitazawa for vintage and a small gig; Kiyosumi-Shirakawa for coffee and the gardens.
  7. Day 7 Tsukiji’s outer market for breakfast, Ginza’s food halls for what you’re taking home.

Where people meet

  • Counter bars Golden Gai’s bars seat six or eight, so you end up talking. Some charge a small cover; it says so at the door.
  • Standing bars Tachinomi near stations: cheap, quick and sociable, especially after work.
  • Coffee Nakameguro, Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and Daikanyama, where the counters are as much the point as the coffee.
  • Galleries and gigs Roppongi’s museums open late on some nights; Shimokitazawa has a small venue on most streets.

Eating in Tokyo

  • Eat at the counter. Ramen, sushi, tempura and yakitori are all at their best a metre from the cook.
  • Lunch is the bargain: many good restaurants serve a set lunch for a fraction of dinner.
  • The top sushi and kaiseki counters book out weeks ahead, often through the restaurant’s own site or a booking app; a hotel concierge can help.
  • Department-store basements (depachika) and convenience stores are part of the food scene, not a fallback.

Getting around

  • Add a Suica or PASMO card to Apple Wallet and tap through every train, bus and most shops.
  • The JR Yamanote line loops round the centre; the subway fills in the rest.
  • Trains stop around midnight. After that it’s taxis, which are clean, metered and expensive.

Good to know

  • Keep your voice down on trains and skip phone calls.
  • Queue where the lines are marked on the platform.
  • Shoes come off where you see tatami or a step up at the door.
  • Some hot springs and gyms still turn away visible tattoos; check before you go.

When to go

Late March to early April
Cherry blossom. Ueno, Meguro River and Shinjuku Gyoen fill up; book early.
May
Warm, clear and green, before the rain. One of the best months.
June to mid-July
The rainy season: warm and wet, quieter and cheaper.
Late July to August
Hot and humid. The Sumida River fireworks are on the last Saturday of July.
September to October
Still warm; typhoons can pass through. October settles into clear days.
Late November to early December
Autumn leaves in the parks and temple gardens, and cool, bright weather.
Winter
Cold, dry and sunny. New Year is quiet in the city and busy at the shrines.

Day trips and next stops

  • Kamakura The Great Buddha and the coast, about an hour by train.
  • Hakone Hot springs and Mount Fuji views, about 90 minutes on the Romancecar.
  • Nikko Shrines in the forest, about two hours.
  • Kyoto About two hours fifteen by Shinkansen: a next stop, not a day trip.

Questions people ask

Is Tokyo a good city for meeting people?

Yes, if you go where people sit close: counter bars, standing bars and coffee counters. It’s easier still when you already know someone in town, which is what Orbit is for.

Where should I stay on a first visit?

Near a JR Yamanote line station. Shibuya and Shinjuku are the most connected; Ebisu, Nakameguro and Daikanyama are quieter and close by.

How do I get in from the airport?

From Haneda, the Keikyu line or the Tokyo Monorail, about 30 minutes to the centre. From Narita, the Narita Express or the Keisei Skyliner, about an hour.

Do I need cash?

Less than you used to. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, but carry some yen for small restaurants, shrines and older bars.

Is Tokyo expensive?

It can be, but it doesn’t have to be: lunch sets, standing bars and convenience stores are good value, and transport is cheap.