Tokyo Itinerary for 3 Days: A First-Timer’s Route

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Researched guide · Checked on Nov 9, 2026

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Three days is enough to see Tokyo’s big sights without rushing, as long as you group them by area. (Shorter or longer trip? See our 1-day, 2-day, 5-day and 7-day plans.) This plan spends one day in the east, one in the west and one in the center and on the bay, so you spend your time exploring, not changing trains.

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Contents

1. What could these three days cost?
   1. Day 1 · East Tokyo
   2. Day 2 · West Tokyo
   3. Day 3 · Center & bay
2. This plan at a glance
3. Before you start: subway pass or pay per ride?
4. Day 1: Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, Ueno and Akihabara
   1. Senso-ji and Nakamise-dori
   2. Tokyo Skytree
   3. Ueno Park and Ameyoko
   4. Akihabara
5. Day 2: Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku
   1. Meiji Jingu
   2. Harajuku and Omotesando
   3. Shibuya and SHIBUYA SKY
   4. Shinjuku and a free night view
6. Day 3: Tsukiji, Ginza, the Imperial Palace and Toyosu
   1. Tsukiji Outer Market
   2. Ginza
   3. Imperial Palace East Gardens
   4. teamLab Planets TOKYO
   5. Check closing days for your dates
7. Book before you go: your checklist for this plan
8. Where to stay for this itinerary
9. Where to eat along the route
   1. Day 1: Asakusa and Ueno
   2. Day 2: Omotesando and Shinjuku
   3. Day 3: Tsukiji, Ginza and Toyosu
10. Tips for the three days
11. FAQ
12. Keep reading
13. Sources

What could these three days cost?

Adjust the allowances below for one adult over three sightseeing days. These are planning estimates, not ticket quotes. Hotels, flights, airport transfers, shopping and insurance are excluded.

Food per day (JPY)Local transport per day (JPY)

Day 1 · East Tokyo

Asakusa → Tokyo Skytree → Ueno → Akihabara

Admission allowance, day 1 (JPY)

Plan ahead: Tokyo Skytree. Check the date, entry slot and cancellation terms. Set the allowance to 0 if you skip paid attractions.

Rainy-day alternative

Replace the outdoor Ueno walk with a museum visit; check its opening day and ticket.

With children

Choose Asakusa plus one Ueno activity and skip Akihabara if everyone is tired.

Day 2 · West Tokyo

Meiji Jingu → Harajuku → Shibuya → Shinjuku

Admission allowance, day 2 (JPY)

Plan ahead: SHIBUYA SKY (optional detour). Check the date, entry slot and cancellation terms. Set the allowance to 0 if you skip paid attractions.

Rainy-day alternative

Swap exposed viewpoints and long walks for indoor shopping or a museum.

With children

Choose the shrine and one shopping area; leave the late-night Shinjuku section for another trip.

Day 3 · Center & bay

Tsukiji → Ginza → Imperial Palace East Gardens → Toyosu

Admission allowance, day 3 (JPY)

Plan ahead: teamLab Planets. Check the date, entry slot and cancellation terms. Set the allowance to 0 if you skip paid attractions.

Rainy-day alternative

Swap the East Gardens for an indoor stop in Ginza; retain timed tickets only if practical.

With children

Reduce the market and shopping time. Check teamLab age, stroller and water-area guidance before booking.

Default estimate: ¥23,000 per adult

Food ¥9,000 + local transport ¥3,000 + admissions ¥11,000.

Allowances set October 18, 2026. Child fares and admission prices depend on age and venue; this calculator does not estimate them. If using a pass, enter its three-day cost divided by three, plus extra rides. A subway pass does not cover every railway.

Add accommodation and airport costs → · More rainy-day ideas · Tokyo with children

Check current conditions: Tokyo Skytree, SHIBUYA SKY, teamLab Planets, Tokyo Metro. Swap the East Gardens day when closed; consult the route below.

This plan at a glance

What to book and what to check for each day. All of it is based on the official sites listed at the end of this guide.

Day	Where you go	Book ahead	Check before you go
Day 1	Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, Ueno, Akihabara	Nothing essential. Skytree tickets are also sold at the 4th-floor ticket counter on the day	Senso-ji’s main hall closes at 5:00 pm
Day 2	Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku	SHIBUYA SKY: web tickets go on sale 2 weeks ahead	Meiji Jingu closes at sunset. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government observatories close on some days
Day 3	Tsukiji, Ginza, Imperial Palace East Gardens, Toyosu	teamLab Planets: no tickets at the venue, buy ahead	The East Gardens are closed on Mondays and Fridays. Tsukiji shops set their own closing days

Before you start: subway pass or pay per ride?

Almost every stop in this plan is on the Tokyo Metro or Toei Subway. The Tokyo Subway Ticket gives you unlimited rides on both for 24, 48 or 72 hours from your first ride. It is sold to overseas visitors and to Japanese visitors who live outside the Tokyo area. It covers only Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines. Whether it saves money depends on how many rides you take: if you walk between nearby stops, paying per ride with an IC card can cost less. Compare with the fare search on the official Tokyo Metro website before you buy.

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Day 1: Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, Ueno and Akihabara

Old Tokyo in the morning, the city’s tallest tower at midday and electric Akihabara at night. Start early to see Senso-ji before the crowds.

1. MorningSenso-ji and Nakamise-dori
2. Toei Asakusa Line, Asakusa to Oshiage, about 5 min
3. Late morningTokyo Skytree
4. Subway to Ueno, about 20 min
5. AfternoonUeno Park and Ameyoko
6. Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Ueno to Akihabara, about 4 min
7. EveningAkihabara

Senso-ji and Nakamise-dori

Tokyo’s oldest temple, reached through the Kaminarimon gate and the shopping street of Nakamise-dori. The main hall opens at 6:00 am (6:30 am from October to March) and closes at 5:00 pm. Arrive before 9:00 am if you want photos without crowds.

Tokyo Skytree

At 634 meters, Skytree gives you the widest view of the city, and Mount Fuji on clear days. The observation decks open at 10:00 am and close at 10:00 pm on most days (8:30 pm on some days), with last entry one hour before closing. Ticket prices depend on the day and on whether you buy in advance, so check the official site before you go. The Solamachi shopping complex below the tower is an easy place for lunch.

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Ueno Park and Ameyoko

Ueno Park is a large public park with several major museums, including the Tokyo National Museum. Just south of the park, the Ameyoko market street runs under the railway tracks, with food stalls and small shops.

Akihabara

End the day among the electronics shops, anime and game stores and arcades of Akihabara. It is two stops from Ueno on the Hibiya Line, so you can also walk if you still have energy.

Day 2: Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku

A quiet forest shrine in the morning, then Tokyo’s busiest streets, and a free night view to finish. You can do the whole day on the subway pass by using the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line instead of the JR Yamanote Line.

1. MorningMeiji Jingu
2. Walk, about 5 min
3. Late morningHarajuku and Omotesando
4. Walk down Omotesando, about 20 min, or Tokyo Metro one stop
5. Afternoon to sunsetShibuya and SHIBUYA SKY
6. Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line to Shinjuku-sanchome, about 7 min
7. EveningShinjuku and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

Meiji Jingu

A large Shinto shrine in a forest next to Harajuku Station. Entry is free and it is open every day from sunrise to sunset. Hours change by month: for example, 5:40 am to 4:40 pm in October and 6:40 am to 4:00 pm in December.

Harajuku and Omotesando

Takeshita Street is narrow, crowded and full of youth fashion and sweets. Omotesando, the wide tree-lined avenue next to it, is lined with designer architecture and cafés and leads you most of the way to Shibuya on foot. See our Harajuku and Omotesando guide.

Shibuya and SHIBUYA SKY

Cross the famous Scramble Crossing, then go up to SHIBUYA SKY, the open-air rooftop on top of Shibuya Scramble Square. Tickets are sold by time slot and sunset slots often sell out, so book online in advance and check the opening hours on the official site. From November 19, 2026, visitors who live overseas or book through Klook, Trip.com or KKday must show their original passport at entry.

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Shinjuku and a free night view

The observatories on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building are free. You can enter until 9:30 pm and must leave by 10:00 pm. Check the official calendar before you go, because the observatories close on some days. Afterwards, eat at the small bars and yakitori counters around Shinjuku Station’s west exit.

Day 3: Tsukiji, Ginza, the Imperial Palace and Toyosu

Breakfast at the market, a walk through Ginza, the Imperial Palace gardens and a digital art museum by the bay. Check the day of the week first: the Imperial Palace East Gardens are closed on Mondays and Fridays.

1. MorningTsukiji Outer Market
2. Walk, about 15 min
3. Late morningGinza
4. Tokyo Metro to Otemachi, then walk, about 20 min in total
5. AfternoonImperial Palace East Gardens
6. Walk to Yurakucho Station, Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line to Toyosu, then walk, about 40 min in total
7. EveningteamLab Planets TOKYO

Tsukiji Outer Market

The wholesale fish market moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the outer market of shops and food stalls is still in Tsukiji. Professional buyers shop from 6:00 to 9:00 am, and the market is open to the public from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Each shop sets its own closing days, so go on a weekday morning if you can. See our Tsukiji and Toyosu guide.

Ginza

Tokyo’s upscale shopping district is an easy walk from Tsukiji. Department store food halls in the basements are a good place to try Japanese sweets.

Imperial Palace East Gardens

The former grounds of Edo Castle, free to enter. They open at 9:00 am and close between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm depending on the season (4:30 pm in October, 4:00 pm from November to February). They are closed on Mondays and Fridays, and from December 28 to January 3.

teamLab Planets TOKYO

An immersive digital art museum in Toyosu where you walk through some of the rooms barefoot. Tickets are sold for a specific date and time, so buy them online before your trip.

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Check closing days for your dates

Choose your first day. We check each stop against its usual closing rules and public holidays. Special closures are not included, so check the official site before you go.

First day of your trip

Check my dates

Already bought a timed ticket? We will not move that day.

SHIBUYA SKY teamLab Planets

Book before you go: your checklist for this plan

Work down this list from the top. Hotels and SHIBUYA SKY time slots can fill up, so do those first.

1. As soon as your dates are set: your hotel. See where to stay below for the best areas for this route.
2. 2 weeks before Day 2: SHIBUYA SKY. Web tickets are sold up to 2 weeks ahead, for a set entry time. Adult web tickets cost ¥2,700 for entry before 3:00 pm and ¥3,400 from 3:00 pm (¥3,000 and ¥3,700 at the ticket counter). If the web tickets sell out, the counter is sold out too. Bags can’t be taken up to the rooftop, so plan to use a locker. SHIBUYA SKY tickets guide
3. Before you fly: teamLab Planets. There are no tickets at the venue, so buy them before you go. Web tickets bought from the official ticket store can be moved to another date or time up to 2 hours before entry, up to 3 times, but they can’t be refunded. teamLab tickets guide
4. On Day 1: if you bought a 72-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket, start it. The 72 hours start from your first ride, so use it for the first time on the morning of Day 1.
5. The night before Day 3: check the day of the week. If Day 3 is a Monday or Friday, the Imperial Palace East Gardens are closed, so swap Day 2 and Day 3.
6. No booking needed: Senso-ji, Meiji Jingu and the Imperial Palace East Gardens are free to enter. Tokyo Skytree tickets can also be bought at the 4th-floor ticket counter on the day.

Where to stay for this itinerary

The best bases for this plan are Ueno and the Tokyo Station area. They put you closest to Day 1 and Day 3, and both are on the subway lines this plan uses.

• Ueno: the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line runs straight to Asakusa, and the Hibiya Line runs straight to Akihabara, Ginza and Tsukiji. Hotels in Ueno · Best hotels in Ueno
• Tokyo Station and Ginza: you can walk to the Imperial Palace East Gardens and Ginza on Day 3. Hotels near Tokyo Station · Best hotels near Tokyo Station and Ginza
• Shinjuku: if you want nightlife. Day 2 ends here. Hotels in Shinjuku · Best hotels in Shinjuku

Because this plan uses the subway every day, choose a hotel a short walk from a Tokyo Metro or Toei Subway station. Our Where to Stay guide explains how to compare areas.

Where to eat along the route

Restaurants near each day’s stops, from our restaurant guide. We have not eaten at all of them, so check each page for hours and closing days.

Day 1: Asakusa and Ueno

• Daikokuya: a long-established Asakusa restaurant known for tendon (tempura on rice). Cash only.
• Tempura Sansada: tempura right next to the Kaminarimon gate.
• Ueno Seiyoken: a Western-style restaurant in Ueno Park, founded in 1872.

Day 2: Omotesando and Shinjuku

• Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama: black pork tonkatsu, 3 minutes from Omotesando Station.
• Shinjuku Nakamuraya Manna: Nakamuraya’s Indian-style curry, first sold in 1927.

Day 3: Tsukiji, Ginza and Toyosu

• Sushizanmai Tsukiji: the first Sushizanmai, open 24 hours, every day.
• Ginza Bairin: tonkatsu in Ginza since 1927.
• Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai: a food village next to Toyosu Market, a short ride from teamLab Planets.

Tips for the three days

• Book timed tickets (SHIBUYA SKY, teamLab Planets) before you arrive, especially for weekends. See all the tickets to book ahead.
• If Day 3 falls on a Monday or Friday, swap Day 2 and Day 3.
• Temples, shrines and gardens close early in the afternoon in winter. Visit them first.
• Bring a small bag for your shoes at teamLab Planets and a coin purse for temples and market stalls.

Not sure how many days you need? Compare every trip length in how many days in Tokyo.

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