so you want to visit Tokyo the world's largest city and heart of Japan over 14 million people call this Urban Jungle their home in fact an average of 4 million people pass through Shinjuku station daily that's almost the population of New Zealand all this might seem daunting but not to worry as this is how I would spend 5 days in Tokyo getting around Tokyo at first might seem like a nightmare after seeing the spaghetti bowl of Madness that is the city's train map not to worry though it's really quite simple this is what you need
to know the yamot or green Loop line connects all the major Urban centers of Tokyo a complete Loop takes 1 hour and it goes both ways so you're never really more than 30 minutes away from where you want to be provided that you're in walking distance of a loop Line stop from these major stations it is easy to transfer to the local lines or the Subways and for this I simply recommend Google Maps which is better than any competing app that I've used and even includes which car on the train will be the best for
a fast transfer a Jr pass will not be needed on this trip if you're only visiting Tokyo as you won't really be spending that much on trains and it's not valid on every line it is much better to pick up an icy card and charge it with approximately 5,000 yen or about $30 these work on all networks across Japan and even at convenience stores and certain vending machines at the time of recording there is an IC chip shortage and Su Tokyo's local IC cut are no longer being sold to tourists but stick around to the
end of the video and tell you how you can still get one IC cards will make things much faster but buying a train ticket without one is simple enough and the machines can also be used in English there is also a Tokyo wide Trin pass which you can learn more about on my channel while in Tokyo I recommend staying close to either Shinjuku or Shibuya this is the Heart of the City and since trains stop running shortly after midnight you will want to finish your nights back in these areas to enjoy the city's vibrant night
life for a good alternative location you could consider the Tio or ASA ausa area along the samuda river this is a great spot for early risers who want to check out the senoji temple at Sunrise before it becomes crowded with tourists in the end because the loop line is so convenient you could choose any location within walking distance of one of its stations just remember not to miss your last train and speaking of which most travelers to Tokyo will arrive in ntia airport which is about an hour away from Tokyo itself try not to land
too late in the evening as you want to clear immigration grab your Wi-Fi and train cards and check into your hotel before the last train stops running so you can jump straight into day one Tokyo is a city that's all about what you want to do for me I think it's best to Dive Right In with an early start at senoji Tokyo's oldest Temple and also its most popular you want to see this either as early as possible or even late at night as during the day it becomes completely packed starting at the kamady gates
walking down the nakam street and ending at the temple will leave you with an unforgettable image of Japan after leaving the temple exploring the surrounding old-fashioned neighborhoods is recommended as well as fueling up with a traditional Japanese meal from here if you want to escape the crowds it's only a 10-minute walk to the Sita river which is lined with sakura trees and is beautiful in Spring you can take a boat ride or just enjoy the views of Tokyo Sky Tree and the assah beer hall an engineering feat that crafted a 360 ton Golden Flame Monument
made by ship Masters using secret submarine construction techniques only to have the locals call it the golden turd the Sky Tree will offer great views of Tokyo and at a height of 280 ft it is the tallest tower in the world it'll cost you $20 to go to the top so I only recommend this if it's a clear day and in the colder month you can even see all the way to Mount Fuji as evening Falls it's time to head over to Shibuya grab some dinner and knock off everyone's number one Tokyo bucket list item
crossing the shabuya scramble the world's busiest crosswalk and estimate ated 3,000 people cross this intersection every 2 minutes and without a doubt it is Tokyo's most recognizable Landmark the scramble is something you just have to do at least once described by architectural experts as a great example of what Tokyo does best when it's not trying shiya is the perfect spot to end your first day in Japan enjoy the night life with a spot of bar hopping or shopping at its many department stores in my opinion a busy first day in a new city is the
best way to beat the jet and also crystallize those first memories of an amazing trip day two contrasting your first day in Tokyo it's time to take things a bit slower and relax for a bit on your second day and one better place than the Tokyo Imperial Gardens which are open from 9 a.m. I just love how this traditional Garden stands in the middle of modern Tokyo a real refuge for those of you who might be overwhelmed by just how crowded Tokyo really is from Tokyo Station it's just a 7-minute walk to the moat walk
through the East Gardens towards kitaru Park and if you're visiting in Spring you'll also be rewarded with a real treat as this is one of Tokyo's Premier cherry blossom spots you can even rent a rowboat for just $4 Advanced reservations are not possible unfortunately and qes can start from 8:00 a.m. in the peak season this is very much first come first served but it's a popular local tactic to have one person in the group line up While others explore the surrounding Park while you wait for your turn just across the road from here you'll find
yasak Kuni Shrine and while controversy surrounds its history I definitely believe it's one spot not to be Miss as it's one of the most beautiful locations in the city Travelers visiting in summer will also be able to view the mitama festival in the evening when over 30,000 lanterns will cover the shrine's walls from here let's take a 20-minute train ride to akih Haba Tokyo's electric Town famous for its anime and otaku culture and here's a little tip from me by walking up the hill just past the green bridge or by getting off at ultor Mizu
station you'll be able to find this spot where three train lines converge for the perfect Tokyo pick then head down and explore all the crazy stores that make this Tokyo stop so popular with locals and tourists alike there are some absolutely insane things you can find here if you know where to look and discovering them for yourself is a real treat when you've had your fill you can relax in any of the dozens of maid cafes which are at their best in akuba but don't relax for too long as it's time to spend the evening
in Shinjuku take the East exit when you arrive and then walk 2 minutes to omoi Yoko this Alleyway has a colorful history that began as an old black market adjacent to Japan largest station what was once a den of Thieves and villainy is now a great place to enjoy a quick drink or grab some Yaki Tori in one of the cozy little isaka bars that line the walls Amo de yokoo translates as Memory Lane but it's easier to remember its slightly more vibrant nickname piss alley oh my moving on it's time to take a walk
through Kabuki Cho and its red gates it's really only worth visiting this location at night when it's lit up in all its neon glory and if you look up you might just catch a peak and a familiar face Kabuki Cho is called Japan's largest red light district but to be honest it's actually quite tame unless you really go out of your way but a word to the wise is never to follow any of the TS which will approach you and attempt to bring you back to their bars this is about the only time you're at
risk of being scammed in Japan paying for their overpriced drinks in their dingy bars besides there's a much better spot to grab your next drink and it's only down the road at Golden guy that's golden guy meaning golden block oh a series of six narrow Alleyways with around 200 tiny bars which only seat a few customers at a time some of these have the coziest atmospheric drinking in all of Japan and even if you don't embibe it's worth taking a walk through just for that perfect Japan Street pick it is worth noting that not all
the bars will cater to foreigners here and some will be members only so if the owner doesn't welcome you in warmly just move on to the next one until you find one that does there's no shortage here these bars also have a slight cover charge so it's better to pick one or two and stick with of them rather than see how many you can tick off the list day three last night's walk may have left you with a desire to purify yourself before going any further and there really is no better place than Magi jingu
Shrine connected to yoyogi park this is a massive forest in the middle of Tokyo with over 100,000 trees conveniently located next to Harajuku station it takes about 10 minutes through the forest to reach the main Shrine building and the air of Tranquility will refresh your mind and may even make you forget that you're in a city at all visitors can take part in various shap into activities and it's not uncommon to see traditional Japanese wedding processions and kimonos at their Shrine yoyogi Park also has a Grove of over 700 Saka trees which makes it one
of the most popular Hanami or flower viewing locations in the city so visitors in Spring should be sure to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy a meal as the pink petals dance their way through the air from here walk back to the station but not before checking out Harajuku Japan Center of Youth fashion and cosplay culture start by walking down takash DHI a 400 m to Long Street lined with Boutique shops cafes and restaurants crepes are the most well-known food in Harajuku but in recent years jiggly happy pancakes are more popular not sure what makes
them so happy though since they're about to be eaten contrasting the youth focused Takashi tadori you'll find the adjacent Ottis Sando a 1 km Treeline Road that caters to a slightly older and much wealthier clientele if you're searching for luxury brand Goods while on your trip this will be the spot for you aoti Sando is known as one of the foremost architectural showcase streets in the world and has been compared to the shalizi of Paris so why not complete this theme with an evening visit to Tokyo Tower which is modeled after the Eiffel Tower however
Tokyo Tower is 3 m taller so take that frenches sa BL the tower is stunning illuminated at night against the city background and the base of the tower also features a new high-tech VR Gaming Center making it worth visiting even if the weather's bad or if you just prefer doing something something indoors day four is the perfect day to explore the outer city or take a day trip somewhere new while there is an almost unlimited amount of things to do in Tokyo it's also the perfect base for exploring the surrounding prefectures especially if you're on
the Tokyo wide pass that allows you to use the bullet trains at no additional cost north of Tokyo Niko kusu onet or masimo one of Japan's three great sites would be a great day or overnight trip in Winter hakon or the Fuji 5 Lakes are breathtaking in four colors and for something a bit Clos I absolutely recommend Yokohama and its Mino M area Yokohama is only 1 hour away and is often assumed to be part of Tokyo but it's actually Japan's second largest city with a relaxed feeling that is all its own the Bay Area
and Yokohama Chinatown are great choices here there is also Japan's most popular theme parks Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney sea which are right next to each other though require separate tickets I don't recommend these myself as I tend to think that Osaka's Universal Studios Japan is better but then again I'm not a Disney adult which brings us just to day five your final full day in Tokyo and for that we have saved something truly special head on over to Ala we'll find Team lab Planet an interactive art expedition of light and sound that changes as
you move through its mesmerizing displays this might be the most memorable experience of your entire trip but there are two things to keep in mind parts of Team lab will require you to walk through water which is 1 and 1/2 ft deep so be sure to wear clothes that you can raise higher than this you will also be walking over mirror floors and skirts are not recommended for the obvious reasons not to worry if you forget as you can also rent shorts from the front desk for this very reason it is critical however that you
make sure to book team lab in advance as it's so popular that one or 2 weeks prior reservation is required to enter team lab borderless will also be reopening in 2024 at a new location so be sure to subscribe to my channel for future updates on what to do in Tokyo after leaving team lab and returning to reality you will probably be hungry and conveniently the toyotsu fish market is just 10 minutes away this is the new market that replaced the previous sukij fish market after it shut down odaba itself is a man-made Island and
Entertainment District and you could spend multiple days just enjoying what it has on offer so spending your last day here is a great choice earlier in the video I said that Tokyo is about what you want to do there is something for everyone in this city so take this time to yourself and revisit anything you think you might have missed from your personal Tokyo Bucket List It is your holiday after all so do it your way I also mentioned at the beginning about the IC chip and card shortage so here are the Alternatives while sua
and pmo sales are suspended to tourists and definitely in Japan there are a few choices here the first of which is that iPhone users can use Apple pay after registering the app and simply tap their phones at the train gates there is also a welcome sua card which has a unique design in the past I have not recommended welcome sua because unlike normal sua it is only valid for 28 days and its remaining balance cannot be refunded at the end of your trip but here is the real secret to the IC card shortage different regions
of Japan have different IC cards posmo and sua being the Tokyo versions but cards from different regions also work in Tokyo for example if you start your trip in Osaka you can buy the ioka IC card which is what I use and is still very much available at the time of recording and not many people know that you can buy TOA at Tokyo station near the tokaido shinkansen office also if you're a friend already has an IC card from a prev trip they can be continued to use on future trips you can buy them secondhand
from people or buy them new from a website like cluke which not only offers IC cards but rail passes tickets and reservations for many of the activities I've mentioned including team lab so you'll be sure you won't miss out and by using the link in my description and the code inaka 5 off you will even receive a discount while helping to support my channel so thank you for that there is just so much more to Tokyo than can fit in this video so I'll be uploading future Tokyo W specific videos which I'm sure you will
enjoy be sure to leave your own tips below and where you want to see next in the comments and if you enjoyed these 5 days in Tokyo then you need to see my personal guide to how I would spend 3 days in Japan's most fun city Osaka and I'll see you in Japan
