Three Days in Tokyo: Icons, Old Town & the Imperial Center

Youthful west-side Tokyo: a forest shrine, fashion streets, the famous scramble, and neon nightlife.

1. Morning

   Meiji Shrine

   Start beneath the towering wooden torii of Meiji Shrine, where a forest of donated trees muffles the city within a few steps. Arrive near opening for the most peaceful walk along the gravel approach, and look for the wall of sake barrels near the entrance.

2. Late Morning

   Takeshita Street

   Cross into Harajuku and dive down Takeshita Street, a narrow lane of candy-colored boutiques, secondhand shops, and towering crepes. It is the beating heart of Tokyo youth fashion and prime people-watching.

3. Lunch

   Ichiran

   Walk or ride one stop to Shibuya for lunch at Ichiran, the solo-booth tonkotsu specialist where you customize a rich pork bowl on a paper order sheet. It is quick, satisfying, and famously first-timer friendly.

4. Afternoon

   Shibuya Crossing

   Step out to Shibuya Crossing, the scramble where thousands surge across at once beneath giant screens. Wade through with the crowd, then explore the shops, arcades, and lanes of Center Gai just beyond.

5. Evening

   Shibuya Sky

   Ride up to Shibuya Sky, the open-air rooftop above Shibuya Scramble Square, timed for sunset. Reserve in advance, since the golden-hour slots looking west over the city are the first to sell out.

6. Dinner

   Golden Gai

   Head to Shinjuku for dinner and drinks in Golden Gai, a warren of tiny, characterful bars packed along atmospheric alleys. Squeeze into one that catches your eye for a quintessential Tokyo night out.

Old downtown Tokyo, from the city's oldest temple to its tallest tower and a museum-filled park.

1. Morning

   Tokyo Skytree

   Begin in the eastern wards at Tokyo Skytree, riding to the observation decks for a sweeping panorama across the low-rise old town; on clear mornings Mount Fuji floats on the horizon. Book a timed ticket to skip the longest lines.

2. Late Morning

   Senso-ji

   Walk back across the Sumida River toward Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple. Enter through the great Kaminarimon gate and its giant red lantern, then browse the Nakamise stalls selling rice crackers, fans, and sweet bean cakes on the approach to the main hall.

3. Lunch

   Nakamise & Asakusa

   Graze on street snacks along Nakamise and the surrounding Asakusa lanes, or sit down for tempura at one of the district's old-Tokyo institutions. This is a neighborhood built for slow, hungry wandering.

4. Afternoon

   Ueno Park

   Take the train a few minutes west to Ueno Park, a leafy cultural hub gathering major museums, temples, and a large pond. Duck into the Tokyo National Museum for centuries of Japanese art under one roof.

5. Late Afternoon

   Ameyoko

   Dive into Ameyoko, the crowded bargain market lining the lanes beneath the Yamanote tracks near Ueno Station. Stalls hawk street food, sweets, dried goods, and cut-price everything in a rush of energy.

6. Dinner

   Ueno

   Stay in Ueno for dinner among its izakaya and casual counters, an easygoing, budget-friendly end to a full day exploring the old east.

Palace moats, a red-brick station, market seafood, a bayside garden, and Tokyo's most polished quarter.

1. Morning

   Imperial Palace East Gardens

   Start at the Imperial Palace East Gardens, the publicly open grounds of the former Edo Castle, where massive stone ramparts, moats, and pine-dotted lawns sit at the very center of the city. Climb up to the foundations of the old castle keep.

2. Late Morning

   Tokyo Station

   Walk to Tokyo Station to admire its meticulously restored Marunouchi facade, a stately red-brick landmark of domed wings. Dip underground into Character Street and the sweets arcades for regional snacks and souvenirs.

3. Lunch

   Ginza

   Stroll south into Ginza, Tokyo's refined shopping and dining district, for lunch among its department-store food halls and polished counters. The depachika basements are ideal for an affordable, high-quality bento.

4. Afternoon

   Tsukiji Outer Market

   Head east to the Tsukiji Outer Market, a dense grid of stalls selling seafood, knives, tamagoyaki, and fresh sushi. Graze slowly and watch vendors work with practiced speed even after the wholesale trade moved to Toyosu.

5. Late Afternoon

   Hamarikyu Gardens

   Continue south to Hamarikyu Gardens, a former shogunal estate of tidal ponds and pine framed against the glass towers of Shiodome. Pause for matcha at the teahouse on the water before the light fades.

6. Evening

   Kagari (Ginza)

   Return to Ginza for dinner; queue for a silky bowl of chicken paitan ramen at Kagari, or settle into one of the district's celebrated sushi and tempura counters to end the day in style.