Travel guide
Tokyo travel guide
Planning a trip to Tokyo
Tokyo is less expensive than its reputation suggests once you split costs: convenience-store breakfasts, set lunches and ramen shops keep food reasonable, while accommodation and bullet-train travel are where the budget goes. It is huge, so choosing a base near a main rail line matters more than the neighborhood's fame.
Best time to go
Late March to early April (cherry blossoms) and November (autumn leaves) are the most beautiful and the busiest, with higher hotel prices. Golden Week in late April and early May is the peak local holiday period. Summer is hot and humid and typhoon season peaks around late summer and early autumn. Winter is dry, cold and good value.
Where to stay
Shinjuku and Shibuya are lively and well connected, Asakusa and Ueno are older and generally cheaper, and areas near Tokyo Station are good for day trips by train. Rooms are small by international standards, so compare size and not just the nightly price.
Getting around
Trains and subways cover almost everything. Load a Suica or Pasmo IC card (many phones can hold one) and tap through. A nationwide rail pass is only worth it if you take several long-distance trips, so compare the individual fares first. Stations can be very large, so leave extra time for transfers.
How to spend less
- Set lunch menus (teishoku) are often much cheaper than the same restaurant at dinner.
- Convenience stores and supermarkets sell good prepared food, especially in the evening when it is discounted.
- Many temples, shrine grounds and parks are free, and observation decks cost less than the headline towers.
- Use tax-free shopping for larger purchases if you bring your passport.
Common mistakes
Assuming everywhere takes cards. Cash is still common at small restaurants and shrines, and 7-Eleven and post-office ATMs generally accept foreign cards. Tipping is not customary and can cause confusion.