4 days in Tokyo: Itinerary recommendations?

6 comments

1. Trains are easy as, just follow Google Maps. It even tells you which carriage to take for most efficient exit.

2. I did some bar hopping at golden gai and took photos in most of them. I avoided the ones with a cover charge. Last time I went in 2019 there were quite a few people at night trying to sell drugs so just be careful (non-japanese people)

3. >Since I’ll be right there, make my way over to Omoide Yokochō AKA “Piss Alley” or Golden Gai?

   >I’ve heard Shibuya and Shinjuku have a huge red-light district, are there any areas I should steer clear from?

   That’s right in the middle of Shinjuku’s .

   >A waterfall

   Nikko but it’s 2 and a half hours from Shibuya.

4. If you’ve any interest in Sake [Nihonshu] then you absolutely MUST visit One of the Kurande Sake Markets in Tokyo, there’s 4 or 5 branches but having been a couple times their staff are very well mannered and knowledgeable, their selections are wider than I even knew possible for Sake and it operates on a time basis [pay Xxxx yen and drink for 2/3/4 hours].

5. Shimokitazawa is lattes and graphic design, Koenji is a more working class neighborhood with a punk counterculture. Both are fun and pretty different.

   For foliage and waterfalls, if Nikko is too far, try Mt. Takao.

   There are lots of red light districts in Tokyo. Golden Gai/Omoide Yokocho are in or bordering red light districts. I wouldn’t recommend against visiting, since street crime is rare, but the atmosphere can be a bit sketchy; exercise normal city precautions and be suspicious of strangers. Kabukicho is full of scammers trying to lure you into an overpriced bar and scam with a $1000+ bill. I think the scammers usually target men but still be wary of “invitations” and you may want to avoid exploring above the ground floor bars.

6. >I would LOVE to visit someplace with a good view of the Autumn foliage if possible. A waterfall or hike/nature trail would be amazing too. Maybe a combination of the 3?

   Nikko, as another commenter suggested, is not a bad idea but it is quite far (~2 hrs by train to the station but then at least another hr or so by bus to the falls/lake area depending on traffic). I was just there this past weekend and the foliage was quite nice but perhaps just a bit past peak, so I’m not sure how it would be in a few weeks. There was also terrible traffic and the bus ride took nearly 2 more hrs.

   I personally would recommend Mt. Mitake or Mt. Takao. They’re both about an hr train ride from Shibuya and have a nice cable car + falls (the ones in Mt. Mitake require a bit more of a hike). The only thing is the leaves aren’t quite red yet, so it may depend on what’s more important (proximity or foliage).

   >I’ve heard Shibuya and Shinjuku have a huge red-light district, are there any areas I should steer clear from?

   This is not untrue, but I personally consider both rather tame (this is coming from an not short but not tall Asian girl in her early 30s). Of course exercise caution and use your best judgement, but I personally never feel uncomfortable walking around those areas even at night by myself. There are the typical rowdy drunks and people trying to coerce men into hostess clubs, but I find it’s easy enough to just pop one street over and steer clear of anything if it’s looking a bit too much.