Best Travel Guide for Tokyo In 2022
Tokyo is a city that is crazy, fast, and amazing. Here, you can go to the imperial palace, the fish market in the morning, see the cherry blossoms, party in Tokyo’s trendy nightlife district, sing karaoke, and eat a lot of good food.
Tokyo is unlike any other metropolis in the world. Where else in a metropolis of ten million people can you go and not hear a single drop of water? Most people who come to this place enjoy it.
If you want to be modern and fast-paced simultaneously, this is the city for you! Tokyo has a sense of cleanliness and order, even though it’s a big city. Conde Nast has long ranked as one of the top cities in the world because of this.
A Brief History of Tokyo:
Before 1868, Tokyo was called Edo. When Tokugawa Ieyasu set up his feudal government there in 1603, Edo became the political center of Japan. It was a small town in the 1600s. In a few decades, Edo had become one of the world’s most crowded cities. On January 1, 1860, Emperor Meiji took power in Japan. The emperor and the capital relocated from Kyoto to Edo, Tokyo (“Eastern Capital”). During the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the air raids of 1945, a large part of Tokyo was destroyed.
Today, Tokyo has a seemingly endless number of options for shopping, entertainment, culture, and food for its visitors to choose from. The city’s history may be seen in sites like Asakusa and other superb museums, historic temples, and gardens. In contrast to what most people think, Tokyo has a lot of beautiful green spaces in the city center and near the city’s outskirts that are easy to get to by train.
Getting to Tokyo:
Tokyo has two airports, both of which are used for international flights.
• Narita Airport is the main airport for Narita, Japan,
• The Haneda Airport is in Tokyo, Japan (HND)
Haneda is closer to the city and easier to get to, but it doesn’t have many international connections. These two airports in Tokyo are the busiest in Japan. Some international flights go through Haneda, but it’s mainly used for domestic flights so that most international travelers will arrive at Narita.
Ensure that you get a taxi or shuttle to your hotel from either Narita or Haneda airport. Narita is about 65 km to the east of Tokyo’s center. Haneda is 17 km south. you can book some best and reasonably priced flights to Tokyo via www.aviasales.com
How to Get Around in Tokyo?
Buses:
For one thing, the train system is so easy and convenient that most people don’t use the bus at all. But, it is real. The Toei Bus runs all over Tokyo and to the nearby suburbs.
Trains:
In Tokyo, trains are the best way to get around. So, the city is so big that the Tokyo Metro and the Toei Subway are two separate train companies. Between the two, there’s nothing in Tokyo that you can’t get to. Keep in mind that because Tokyo is so big and has so many trains, the metro and subway map can be hard to read.
Taxis:
There are a lot of taxi companies in Tokyo, and each one has a different color. You can also take an Uber. You can hire a private car in Tokyo, like Tokyo Car Service and Blacklane.
Best time to go to Tokyo:
Most people visit Tokyo in spring and fall when the cherry blossoms bloom (usually March to April). When the weather cools and fall, colors appear (usually October to November). Even in the winter, the weather in Tokyo isn’t freezing. However, it can be hot and humid from late June to the end of August.
Tokyo is a world all its own, and it’s a must-see for anyone who likes to travel. Soak up the traditional Japanese culture, learn about modern life in the city, and look at people until your head spins until you can’t keep up.
PLACES TO VISIT IN TOKYO:
In Tokyo, there are numerous sites to visit. This is only a small portion of the destinations you can see.
1. Koishikawa Korakuen
A beautiful garden in Tokyo called Koishikawa Korakuen is one of the city’s oldest and most beautiful. It was built during the Edo Period, which lasted from 1600 to 1867. It has walking paths that wind through trees, ponds, streams, and rock formations.
Koishikawa Korakuen is beautiful at any time of the year, but it’s most beautiful in spring or fall. To get away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, it’s a great place to spend some quiet time.
2. The Meiji Shrine
The Meiji Shrine is one of the most important shrines in Japan. In the first days of t new year, more than 3 million people go to the shrine to pray for new year. Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine that honours the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. It is named after them. It was built in 1920, eight years after Emperor Meiji died. He was the first emperor of modern Japan, and he died in 1914. The shrine is in a 70-hectare forest next to Yoyogi Park and Harajuku Station. As long as you want to go on a tour, you can book one through Klook or Get Your Guide. It’s easy to visit on your own. If you’re going to go to Meiji Shrine, they have a lot of different tours.
3. Senso-Ji
In Tokyo, Senso-Ji is one of the city’s best-known religious landmarks, just like the Meiji Shrine. It is Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple, having been built in 645. Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, is its name.
Sense-Ji is in the city of Asakusa, and it is just a few minutes from Asakusa Station. If you want to know what Asakusa and Tokyo are all about, look at Kaminarimon, the outside gate of the Kaminarimon. Between Kaminarimon and Senso-Ji, a fun stretch of shops sells different snacks and gifts.You can go to Senso-Ji on your own, or you can go on a tour with a guide.
4. MOMAT
Short for the National Museum of Modern Art, MOMAT stands for the National Museum of Modern Art People who work in modern art from Japan from the Meiji era onwards are the focus of this museum’s name. It’s a good-sized museum with four floors that shows a lot of interesting art.
5. Tsukiji Outer Market
As so many people visit Tokyo, Tsukiji Outer Market is one of the city’s most popular attractions. It is about a 15-minute walk from Ginza Station. It became famous because of the tuna auctions that used to be held in its inner market.
You can buy fish at Toyosu Market instead of Tsukiji, but the outer market is still open and bustling. Going there is a terrific opportunity to experience Japan’s market ambiance while also eating a broad range of seafood and Japanese street food.
There are two ways to eat your way through Tsukiji Outer Market: You can go on your own or go on a market tour. Check out Klook, Get Your Guide, and Magical-Trip for a list of tours at Tsukiji Market, then choose the tour that fits your needs.
6. TeamLab Borderless
Borderless is a multimedia show by the teamLab art group. It’s in the city of Odaiba, and it has rooms with interactive digital displays spread out over a 100,000 square metre area. Borderless is a unique and memorable thing to do in Tokyo. It’s a sensory experience that you can’t get out of your head. Gate tickets are available, but you might want to buy them in advance to avoid long lines.
TeamLab also has a multimedia exhibit called Planets near Toyosu Market. Like Borderless, there is an exhibit that visitors have to wade through knee-deep water for.
7. Yayoi Kusama Museum
Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist known for making big sculptures and installations with polka dots. She does other things, like painting and film, but she’s best known for her sculptures. A certain number of people can come at a time. You have to pick a time that works for you.
If you want to visit the Yayoi Kusama Museum, you’ll have to get your ticket quickly. There are a lot of places, so be sure to book your spot weeks in advance. If you want, you can go to the Yayoi Kusama Museum website to do that.
8. The Tokyo Skytree
The Tokyo Skytree is 634 meters tall, and it has two observation decks (at 350 and 450 meters) that give you a great view of Tokyo. Ticket prices for the observation decks can be bought at the gate, or you can buy them in advance.
BUDGET / SUMMARY OF COSTS
Tokyo isn’t very cheap. You may already know that. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a good time without spending a lot of money. Ueno, Asakusa, and Sumida are all cheap places to stay and eat. Convenience stores are another way to save money, and you can also buy food there. In this case, if you’re going to share a cheap hotel room with someone else, you’ll need about JPY 6,500 a day. Take into account your hotel room, food and transportation costs, as well as the rental of pocket Wi-Fi.
ACCOMMODATIONS
If you live in a large city like Tokyo, you may have difficulty finding a parking space. You can stay in a cheap dorm room or a very expensive ryokan. Room prices can vary greatly, so it all comes down to your budget and hotel preference.
MEALS
In general, food is expensive in Tokyo. People usually pay around JPY 800-1,000 for a bowl of ramen in Japan. Convenience stores can help you save money, but not as much as you think they can help. Like hotel rooms, food prices in Tokyo can be very different. A budget of around JPY 3,000 per day should be enough.
TRANSPORTATION
As long as you plan to stay in the center of Tokyo, a transportation budget of around JPY 500 per day should be enough to get around.
ENTRANCE FEES
If you look at the PLACES TO VISIT section of this guide, you’ll see that the admission fees for each place vary a lot as well. Getting into Kosihikawa Korakuen costs just JPY 300. A ticket to teamLab Borderless costs JPY 3,200, which is a lot more than the cost of getting in. Some people have very different tastes, so I won’t include the cost of admission in the suggested budget that I’ve put together. If you want to see certain things, you can add them on your own and then.
RENTAL of POCKET WIFI
About JPY 780 is what it will cost you to rent a pocket Wi-Fi device with unlimited data for the whole time you rent it.
TOTAL COST
About JPY 6,400 a day per person. It’s a reasonable budget for people who like to eat and drink well. Its okay to make changes to the plan based on your travel habits.
How to Stay Safe in Tokyo?
Japan is known for being very safe. Even though Tokyo is a massive city with 10 million people, there’s almost no chance that you’ll be robbed, scammed, or hurt. None. You’re going to be very safe here. Tokyo has been named one of the safest cities globally many times.
People here aren’t really at risk except from the weather. Earthquakes and typhoons happen a lot in Japan, so always make sure you know where your exits are when you arrive at your hotel. In case you need to get around the city in an emergency, you should also download offline maps to your phone so that you can get around.
When you’re alone and a woman, you might have to be on the lookout for rude behavior. Some female travelers have said that men have asked them personal questions or catcalled them. People have been groping each other on the small subways in this country, so you’ll want to keep an eye out (though it is still quite rare).
There are now “women only” cars on many of the city’s train lines during rush hour. You’ll see pink signs that show where women should go. If you need help in Japan, the number for the emergency service is 110. If you require non-emergency assistance, please contact the Japan Helpline at 0570-000-911.
Always follow your gut. If a taxi driver seems shady, get out of the cab and leave. If your hotel isn’t as clean as you thought, leave. You have the right to get out of the way. Make copies of your passport and ID, as well as any other important documents you own. Send your itinerary to your friends and family so they can keep track of where you are.
People should buy good travel insurance, the most important thing I can tell them to do. Travel insurance protects you from sickness, injury, theft, and trip cancellations, among other things. When something goes wrong, it’s going to cover you for everything.
THE BEST PLACES TO STAY IN TOKYO
Even though Tokyo is massive, its metro system makes it possible to stay in a lot of different places. In Tokyo, it won’t be hard to get around.
Most people who search for the best places to stay in Tokyo will point you to Shinjuku. A great area in Tokyo to stay in is Shinjuku. It’s a lively area with many shops and restaurants, making it easy to get around. A color-coded map below shows where the best places to stay in Tokyo are, as well as where they are on the map.
UENO
Ueno is an excellent option if you’re looking for a more classic Tokyo neighborhood. For those looking for a less-exciting place to stay in, it’s located near some of Tokyo’s best cultural sites, such as the National Museum of Japan and Ueno Park. In addition, it is less expensive to stay in Ueno. A famous market street known for its cheap eats is Ameyoko in Ueno.
ASAKUSA
Asakusa, a similarly traditional neighborhood east of Ueno, is home to numerous temples and historical landmarks. There, you’ll find Tokyo’s oldest and most famous temple, Senso-Ji. Asakusa is similar to Ueno; therefore, it’s a fantastic choice if you’re looking for less expensive lodgings in Tokyo.
SUMIDA
Across the Sumida River from Asakusa, this region lies in a more tranquil setting. There are a few notable attractions here, although it’s not as popular as some of the other areas on our list. These include Tokyo Skytree, Edo-Tokyo Museum, and the Ryogoku sumo neighborhood. Additionally, lodging costs are often lower in this location. Located near Tokyo Skytree and at an affordable price, we stayed at Oak Hostel Sakura.
SHINJUKU
Tokyo’s most acceptable lodging option is Shinjuku, as indicated. This area is densely packed with restaurants, pubs, and stores. Even at night, when all the neon signs are lit up, this place is even better.
You could stay in Shinjuku the whole time you are in Tokyo and never leave. You can do and see so much there. If you can find one that suits you, I suggest booking a hotel close to Shinjuku Station. Make sure to look at some of the best hotels in the area.
SHIBUYA
Besides Shinjuku, Shibuya is another great shopping area in Tokyo. It’s a little younger than Shinjuku, but still, a great place to go. Many shops, restaurants, and cafes are also in the area.
There are a lot of things to do and see in Shibuya, but it doesn’t have the same vibe and energy as Shinjuku, especially at night, when the city comes to life.
If you want to find places to stay in the Shibuya area, you can use booking sites to search for places to stay. A hotel near Shibuya Station might be possible.
GINZA
The Ginza district in Tokyo is like New York City’s Fifth Avenue. Luxury hotels, well-known brands, and upscale dining can all be found in this affluent area. Tsukiji Market, Tokyo’s most famous fish market, is just a short walk from Ginza.
TOKYO STATION
Tokyo Station, the city’s primary transportation hub, is located just north of Ginza. If you’re taking the Shinkansen to Nagoya, Kyoto, or Osaka, this is a beautiful place to stay.
The Imperial Palace, MOMAT, and Ginza can all be reached on foot, as can many dining options.
AKIHABARA
Akihabara is a well-known Tokyo neighborhood. It is the center of the otaku culture and is home to many arcades, electronics stores, maid cafes, and anime stores.
ROPPONGI
If you’re looking for a spot to stay in Tokyo, you can’t go wrong with Roppongi. It’s a more affluent part of the city, home to various fine dining establishments, museums, galleries, and nightlife options. A less crowded alternative to Ginza. This guide’s section on the neighborhood of Roppongi has more information.
ODAIBA
An artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Odaiba is a famous shopping and entertainment destination for residents and visitors. Some of Tokyo’s most futuristic structures can be found here. In addition to the well-known team Lab Borderless digital museum, there are other more family-friendly activities in the area.
Odaiba is a great place to stay if you’re traveling with young children, as it feels a bit removed from the rest of Tokyo. you can also book some budget hotels in any of the above mentioned areas at www.aviasales.com
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do Japanese tour guides speak English?
Yes. Local tour guides are fluent in English. We recommend learning some fundamental Japanese vocabulary before using translation tools.
What do I need to bring?
A roll of toilet paper. In most public restrooms, you won’t find a toilet paper dispenser. To add insult to injury, garbage cans are few in Tokyo. A small plastic bag or paper pouch is an excellent place to save trash. If you’re visiting Japan during the rainy season, bring a hat or cap and a raincoat or umbrella (between June to July).
How many days should I spend in Tokyo?
When visiting Japan for the sole purpose of sightseeing and traveling, two weeks is generally recommended. 3 to 5 days out of those two weeks are typically dedicated to Tokyo; the balance is spent elsewhere.