Hello,
I am planning my trip to Japan for February, and I started with the first 4 days in Tokyo. In all my other trips, I preferred not to have a very detailed plan and go more with the flow, but I think that in Japan, it is advisable to have things more or less planned.
Can you tell me if this plan is reasonable and if I included the main points for each day?
Day 1
Explore Shinjuku
Shinjuku Gyoen
Explore Shibuya
Meiji Shrine
Takeshita Street/Harajuku/Omotesando
Shibuya Scramble Crossing
Shibuya Sky (in the evening to see the sunset?) – Should I buy a ticket in advance?
Day 2
TeamLab (as far as I understand, buying a ticket in advance is mandatory, right?)
Explore Ginza
Tokyo Tower
Imperial Palace Gardens
Day 3
Maybe a Mount Fuji tour (do you recommend any?)
Day 4
Senso-ji Temple
Ueno Park
Nakamise Street
Akihabara
Is there anything essential missing from my plan? Any additional precautions I should take (for example, starting each day at a specific location to avoid crowds)?
by Seveloso
12 comments
I spent four nights/four and a half days in Tokyo at the end of my trip. I was able to fill the days very well and I think between the jet lag recovery (assuming you’re not flying from a closer time zone) and a day trip to Mt Fuji, 4 days will be great (you might even need more time).
Also, add:
Tsukiji Fish Market (get free lottery tickets in advance)
Studio Ghibli Museum (also advanced tickets)
If you’re going to Ueno Park, visit the Tokyo National Museum (the art is incredible)
Tokyo is going to be very cold in February so I would skip the parks.
Shinjuku and Akihabara are more interesting in the evening in my opinion.
Ginza is best on Saturdays, Sundays before 18:00 because the main street is for pedestrians only.
Yokohama might be worth visiting: red brick building, cup noodle museum, minato mirai, Gundam, etc.
Your first day is a little packed. Explore Shinjuku might end up being you getting lost in the station for 3 hours.
Also lots of things don’t open until 10/11am so check times before you commit to plans.
Yes get Shibuya Sky tickets in advance (sales open one month in advance I believe?). Check the weather forecast for estimated sunset time and book your slot 20-40 mins before that.
Is your goal for Day 3 to be on Fuji, or to see Fuji? I would check on what’s open on the mountain in February. If you want a really nice view, the Izu Panorama Park & Ropeway is worth the effort to get there.
Your first day took us about 3 days. And day 4 is another 2 days.
I’d suggest don’t go for many different places but have a star attraction for each day and only move on when you had enough. If anything left over consider if you want to discard or go back.
You could swap some of these around for ease of travel. For example putting Tokyo tower and Akihabara / senso-ji on the same day, as you can pretty much walk from TT to Senso-Ji in perhaps an hour or less. Hell you could even squeeze in Akihabara / Ueno on the same day if you really wanted, tawaramachi station in Asakusa goes by both those places anyways.
If you want to do Shibuya Sky definitely buy a ticket before,learnt that the hard way
You can buy TeamLabs tickets at the door but might have to pick a time later on. ( also recommend having a drink before, makes it so so fun)
Day 1 is a bit busy for me, but I didn’t plan anything at all when I went, just went with the flow. Had a list but just went with the flow.
Day 1 do Shibuya crossing shrines etc first and soend the night in Shinjuku. Hit Golden Gui , bars are open until 7am and you’ll make so many freinds. It thrives at night
Just my opinion but the teamlab planets wasn’t worth going out of the way for.
Each of your days is too full. If you only want to *see* Mt. Fuji, it’s easily visible from many spots in Tokyo on clear days (of which there are many in February). One such spot is the (free) Metropolitan Government Building observation deck in Shinjuku, but it’s also visible from many parks or train station platforms in Tokyo. (It’s even visible from the roof of our two-story house.)
In my opinion that first day is too much. You’ll be running like crazy without time to really take it in. Things tend to open around 10:00 or 11:00, except shrines and parks so maybe arrange your day that way and take in the fun lights at night in Shinjuku. Also remember you will need time to rest, eat, be off your feet some.
Thank you so much for your help.
After reading some advice, I’m thinking about skipping the tour to Mt. Fuji, considering that I have only four days. Additionally, besides Shibuya Sky, is it worth visiting other viewing attractions like Tokyo Tower or Skytree? If yes, should I also buy tickets in advance?
I haven’t done much research on cafes and restaurants, but I find Pokemon Cafe a nice place to visit and read that it is mandatory to buy tickets in advance. Are there any other places in Tokyo where purchasing tickets in advance is also mandatory?