My partner and I will not be traveling outside Tokyo due to the limited number of days. It will be my first time going and I want to make sure that we’ve allotted our time wisely. It would be great if anyone could also recommend places to view plum blossoms and early-blooming cherry blossoms within Tokyo. Those marked with **\*\*** are booked and the schedule cannot be changed. We chose Tsukiji as our go-to for breakfast.
We also included several restaurant options in case we don’t want to queue for too long.
|DATE|TIME|DESTINATION|
|:-|:-|:-|
|**DAY 1**|11:35 AM|Arrival at NARITA AIRPORT|
|March 3, 2024|1:00 PM (ETA) – 3:00 PM|Arrival at TOKYO STATION//DROP OFF LUGGAGE AT HOTEL|
||3:00 PM – 5:00 PM|Late lunch at SUKIYA//**TOKYO STATION:**- Character Street- Jump Shop- GBL Store|
||5:00 PM – 6:00 PM|Check-in at HOTEL|
||6:00 PM onwards|**SHIBUYA:**- Hachiko Statue- Shibuya Crossing- JINNS- Scout for Skechers//DINNER (RAMEN):- Ippudo- Hakata Furyu- Ichiran- Gyukatsu Motomura (3 branches)- Tempura Tendon Tenya|
|**DAY 2**|6:00 AM – 9:00 AM|**TSUKIJI OUTER MARKET:**- Tamago- Tsukiji Ushitake (wagyu beef skewer)- Kouragumi Tsukiji (snow crab legs)- Tarakabune (ikura with crab meat inari sushi)- Tempura Tendon Tenya|
|March 4, 2024|9:30 AM – 1:00 PM|**ASAKUSA:**- Senso-ji Temple- Nakamise Shopping Street- Tokyo Skytree- Sumida Park/River (cherry blossoms)//LUNCH:- Asakusa Chicken (唐揚げ専門・東京浅草チキン)- Unagi onigiri- Suzukien (matcha gelato)- ImoPippi (caramelized sweet potato)- Taco-Taco Koromo Brothers (takoyaki)- Tempura Tendon Tenya|
||1:30 PM – 2:30 PM|\*\***GINZA ART AQUARIUM MUSEUM**|
||2:30 PM – 4:00 PM|**GINZA:**- Uniqlo- GU//SNACKS:- Ginza Kimuraya Cafe (oldest bakery in Japan)- Age.3 (fried bread with filling)- Patisserie Parola (cream puffs)- Kanadaya (floating daifuku)- Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza (Hokkaido goods)- Tempura Tendon Tenya|
||4:00 PM – 5:30 PM|**YUSHIMA TENJIN SHRINE**|
||6:00 PM onwards|**AKIHABARA:**- BIC Camera- Gachapon Kaikan//DINNER:- Menya Musashi Bujin (tsukemen)- Hakuyotei Curry (katsu curry)- Coco Ichibanya (katsu curry)- Nikuya Yokocho (AYCE wagyu)- Gyukatsu Motomura (stone grill)- Tempura Tendon Tenya|
|**DAY 3**|6:00 AM – 8:00 AM|**TSUKIJI OUTER MARKET:**- Tamago- Tsukiji Ushitake (wagyu beef skewer)- Kouragumi Tsukiji (snow crab legs)- Tarakabune (ikura with crab meat inari sushi)|
|March 5, 2024|9:00 AM – 11:30 AM|**HARAJUKU:**- Takeshita Street//LUNCH:- McDonald’s- Gyukatsu Motomura (stone grill)- Tempura Tendon Tenya|
||1:00 – 6:00 PM|\*\***WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR TOKYO – THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER**|
||6:00 PM onwards|**IKEBUKURO**DINNER:- Ramen Hiiki (try tokusei ramen)- Hakata Furyu- Izumo (unatama don *until 6PM only*)- Gyukatsu Motomura (stone grill)- Tempura Tendon Tenya|
|**DAY 4**|8:00 AM – 9:00 AM|**HIE SHRINE**|
|March 6, 2024|10:00 AM – 12:00 NN|**HANA BIYORI PARK**|
||1:00 PM – 2:00 PM|**SHIMOKITAZAWA:**- Unu Glanta- Shiro Hige’s Cream Puff Factory//LUNCH(?):- Hikiniku to Kome (hamburger patty)- Satou (menchi katsu)|
||2:30PM – 4:30PM|**SHIBUYA:**- Parco- Miyashita Park (Hachiko compass)//LUNCH/SNACKS:- Nikuya Yokocho (ACYE wagyu)- Luke’s Lobster (lobster roll)- Pakupaku Morimori (curry)- Gyukatsu Motomura (2 branches)- Tempura Tendon Tenya|
||5:00 PM – onwards|FREE TIME/SHOPPING FOR SOUVENIRS//OR//**SHINJUKU:**- Shinjuku Gyoen- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bldg (Tokyo Night & Light, 7-9PM)|
|**DAY 5**|9:00 AM|HOTEL CHECK-OUT|
|March 7, 2024|10:30 AM – 11:30 AM|**KEISEI-UENO STATION:**- Skyliner Narita Express|
||12:50 PM – 5:00 PM|**NRT TERMINAL 2**|
*Open for suggestions. We’re not into drinking or nightlife tho!*
by Affectionate-Meet852
2 comments
Please don’t patronize those loathsome animal exhibitions. The animals lead awful lives that are far shorter than they would be if they were properly cared for. The ‘Art Aquarium’ place obviously has tanks far overcrowded and oxygen deprived. Whichever fish you see are likely to be dead within a month, rather than the (for goldfish) 10 to 15 years they can be expected to live if properly cared for.
For Tokyo generally, I wouldn’t advise deciding on places to eat before you come to Japan. Any you’ll have heard of from outside Japan will be crowded and no better than the 100 or more other restaurants within a 100 meter radius. Just stop in to a place that looks appealing when you’re hungry and you’re sure to have a good meal. In 35 years here, I’ve had 3 bad restaurant meals I can recall: the restaurant that served one has since closed, and the other two are not in places tourists go. Also, many of the restaurants you list are chains with outlets all over the city.
Day 2: BIC Camera has outlets all over Tokyo; there’s no need to go to the one in Akihabara.
Day 4: Shimokitazawa’s a waste of time, and I’ve been given to understand that the popular-only-with-foreign-tourists Shiro Hige’s cream puffs sell out at 11 AM. Try the Kichijoji area instead.
Most shops on Takeshita St. open 11:00 and restaurants for lunch at 11:30 so that part of the schedule doesn’t really work … maybe go to Meiji-Jingu instead or just start your day later, shop after the tour and eat a late dinner.