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Ready-made trips · Japan

Tokyo in 8 days

Senso-ji and the Skytree, Meiji Shrine and Shibuya, Ueno and Ginza, with days out to Kamakura's Great Buddha and the lakes of Hakone.

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Length
8 days
Best time
March to May, October to November
Pace
Moderate
Day trips
Kamakura, Hakone

Eight days in Tokyo: Asakusa and the Skytree; Meiji Shrine, Harajuku and Shibuya; Yanaka and Ueno; Roppongi Art and Ginza Food Halls, plus day trips to Kamakura and Hakone. Each full day is one of our own checked days, planned to be walked in order, with opening hours checked and lunch and dinner suggestions close to the stops.

Day by day

1First Evening in TokyoArrival

  • When you arriveTokyo Metropolitan Government BuildingA free observatory on the 45th floor of the city hall, with Mount Fuji on clear days.Tip: Clear winter mornings give the best chance of seeing Fuji.

Lunch nearby: Tsunahachi or Isetan Food Hall

Dinner: Tsunahachi or Isetan Food Hall

2Asakusa and the Skytree

  • MorningSenso-ji TempleHistoric Buddhist temple.Tip: Come at dawn, before the Nakamise stalls open, and again after dark when the pagoda is lit.
  • AfternoonKappabashi StreetKitchenware district.Tip: Tokyo's kitchenware district, famous for incredibly realistic plastic food replicas — a fun, distinctive shopping stop even if not planning to buy restaurant equipment.
  • If you have timeSumida River WalkScenic river path.Tip: A relaxed riverside path offering good views of Tokyo Skytree — especially popular during cherry blossom season along the riverbank.

Lunch nearby: Daikokuya Tempura or Kamiya Bar

Dinner: Daikokuya Tempura or Kamiya Bar

3Kamakura: the Great Buddha, Hasedera and Tsurugaoka HachimanguDay trip to Kamakura

  • MorningGreat Buddha (Daibutsu)Real bronze Buddha statue, genuinely cast in the 13th century and still standing outdoors.Tip: For a small fee you can step inside the hollow bronze Buddha.
  • AfternoonHasedera TempleReal temple, genuinely home to one of Japan's largest wooden Buddhist statues.

Lunch nearby: Komachi-dori Shirasu Stalls

Dinner: Kanda Matsuya or Menya Musashi Bujin

4Meiji Shrine, Harajuku and Shibuya

  • MorningMeiji ShrineForest-surrounded shrine.Tip: A genuinely peaceful forested shrine in the heart of Tokyo, dedicated to Emperor Meiji — a striking contrast to the surrounding Harajuku district.
  • AfternoonHarajukuTrendy fashion district.Tip: Known for genuinely bold youth fashion culture — Takeshita Street is the busiest, most colorful stretch, especially lively on weekends.
  • If you have timeOmotesandoA tree-lined avenue of flagship stores by the world’s great architects.Tip: Look at the buildings as much as the shops: Tod’s, Prada and Dior were designed by leading architects.

Lunch nearby: Maisen Aoyama or Harajuku Gyoza Lou

Dinner: Maisen Aoyama or Harajuku Gyoza Lou

5Hakone: the Open-Air Museum, Owakudani and Lake AshiDay trip to Hakone

  • MorningHakone Open-Air MuseumOutdoor sculpture park.Tip: Genuinely combines outdoor sculpture displays with dramatic mountain scenery — a good, distinctive way to experience art alongside nature.
  • AfternoonOwakudaniSulfur valley & views.Tip: Eat a black egg boiled in the volcanic springs — said to add seven years to your life.

Lunch nearby: Gyoza Center Hakone

Dinner: Kanda Matsuya or Menya Musashi Bujin

6Yanaka and Ueno

  • MorningNezu ShrineA red-lacquered shrine with a tunnel of torii gates, in old Tokyo.Tip: The azalea festival in April fills the hillside with colour.
  • AfternoonTokyo National MuseumJapan’s largest museum.Tip: Japan's oldest and largest museum, genuinely housing significant collections spanning the country's full artistic and cultural history.
  • EveningUeno Park and Shinobazu PondMuseums & cherry blossoms.Tip: Home to several major museums and Tokyo's zoo — especially popular during cherry blossom season when it becomes a major hanami (flower viewing) spot.

Lunch nearby: Himitsudo or Kayaba Coffee

Dinner: Shake Shack Tokyo Dome City or Super Dining Linden

7Roppongi Art and Ginza Food Halls

  • MorningMori Art MuseumContemporary art.Tip: A genuinely well-regarded contemporary art museum atop Roppongi Hills, combining exhibitions with panoramic city views.
  • AfternoonGinzaTokyo’s grand shopping district of department stores and flagship boutiques.Tip: The department-store basements, the depachika, are food halls worth an hour.
  • EveningKabuki-zaTokyo’s great kabuki theatre, where you can buy a ticket for a single act.Tip: Single-act tickets are sold on the day; rent the English audio guide.

Lunch nearby: Mitsukoshi Ginza Food Hall or Kagari

Dinner: Mitsukoshi Ginza Food Hall or Sushizanmai Tsukiji

8Tsukiji Outer MarketLast morning

  • Before you leaveTsukiji Outer MarketStreet food & seafood.Tip: The inner wholesale market moved to Toyosu, but the outer market remains for fresh seafood and street food — go early for the freshest options and thinner crowds.

Lunch nearby: Sushizanmai Tsukiji or Tsukiji Yamachou

Dinner: Sushizanmai Tsukiji or Tsukiji Yamachou

Where to stay

Shinjuku

Tokyo’s biggest hub: skyscraper hotels, neon streets, tiny bars and the busiest station on earth.

Shinjuku station: JR, metro and the Narita Express; direct to Shibuya and Harajuku.

Shibuya

The famous crossing, department stores and bars, next to Harajuku.

Shibuya station: JR Yamanote, the Ginza line and the Narita Express.

Ginza & Tokyo Station

Upmarket central Tokyo, by the Imperial Palace and the Shinkansen.

Tokyo station for the Shinkansen and the Narita Express; Ginza metro lines.

Everything in the plan is ready to book

The full plan has a map of each day, directions between stops, opening hours, restaurant choices, hotels in these areas and tickets, tours and trains linked to book with the provider you choose.

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