Planning a sumo day? Read our guide to sumo tournaments, Tokyo’s Kokugikan and regional tours.
Tokyo, one neighbourhood at a time
Our starting point for a first visit: allow three full sightseeing days, choose a hotel with a straightforward station walk, and group your plans by area. Add another day for a theme park or a slower pace. Treat arrival day as a gentle introduction.
A temple courtyard, a small lunch counter, a view across the rooftops: Tokyo works best when you leave room between the big moments. You do not need to cross the whole city every day. Start with the part of Tokyo you want to wake up in, then build a few manageable days around it.
Where to stay in Tokyo
There is no single best neighbourhood for everyone. Compare the journey from your airport, the places you want to visit and the exact hotel entrance. A slightly longer train ride can be an easier choice than a complicated transfer with bags.
| Area | Consider it for | Check before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Ueno / Asakusa | Museums, temple streets and an eastern Tokyo base | These are different areas: compare the nearest station and your airport connection rather than treating them as interchangeable. |
| Tokyo Station / Marunouchi | An onward Shinkansen journey and a central base | The station is large. Check the correct exit, walking distance and room price. |
| Shinjuku | Shopping, restaurants and a lively city stay | Choose the street carefully, especially with children. Allow extra time to navigate the station. |
| Shibuya / Harajuku | Fashion, shopping and a western Tokyo itinerary | Check evening noise, hills or steps on the walk, and whether your room faces a busy street. |
Before paying, open the exact room category. Check bed sizes, maximum occupancy, luggage space and cancellation terms. For a family of three, enter the child’s actual age and confirm whether the quoted rate includes a bed or assumes bed-sharing. Our where-to-stay guide has the booking checklist.
From the airport to your hotel
Haneda: the main rail choices are Keikyu and the Tokyo Monorail. Compare the complete journey to your hotel, including any transfer and the final walk. An airport bus may suit you if its current route stops close to your accommodation. See the official Haneda access guide.
Narita: compare the Narita Express, Keisei services including Skyliner, and airport buses. Skyliner serves Nippori and Keisei-Ueno; the best choice depends on where you are staying, not just the headline train time. Check your terminal, stopping pattern and ticket requirements in the official Narita access guide.
For either airport, leave time for immigration, baggage and finding the boarding point. Check the last departure against your actual arrival time. If comparing a private transfer, confirm the total party and luggage allowance, child-seat arrangements, waiting time and cancellation policy before paying. Keep your hotel’s address saved offline.
A proposed three-day Tokyo itinerary
This is our suggested structure, not a timed tour. Move days around to suit weather, opening days and reservations. Keep one main experience per half-day; if it is going well, there is no need to rush to the next place.
Day one · Asakusa, then the river
Begin around Senso-ji and the surrounding Asakusa streets. Take a proper lunch break, then choose a Sumida riverside walk or the Skytree area for the afternoon. Leave the evening near your hotel if you are still adjusting to the time difference. Check opening and admission details for any observation deck you want to visit.
Day two · Harajuku and Shibuya
Start with Meiji Jingu, then explore Harajuku at your own pace. Continue towards Shibuya for the crossing, shops and dinner. Pick one shopping area that genuinely interests your party rather than trying to cover every street. A booked skyline view can be the day’s main event, with plenty of time to reach it.
Day three · Ueno, with room to choose
Make Ueno Park and one museum your anchor. Choose the museum around your interests and check its closing day before setting out. Afterwards, consider Ameyoko or a separate visit to Yanaka if everyone has energy. With younger children, a shorter park-and-museum day may be enough.
Have another day? Use it for Shinjuku, an attraction you have reserved, or a slower return to a favourite neighbourhood. Give a theme park its own day. For wet weather, swap an outdoor afternoon for one indoor attraction or museum, checking availability first instead of adding a long journey across town.
Getting around Tokyo
Tokyo’s rail network includes JR, Tokyo Metro, Toei and other operators. A station name alone is not always enough: check the line, direction, platform and exit. Leave a margin for walking inside larger stations. With a pushchair or limited mobility, plan the lift route as well as the train journey.
An IC card such as Suica or PASMO can simplify payment on compatible local transport, but it is stored credit, not unlimited travel. Special services can require additional tickets or reservations. A subway pass covers only the operators and services listed in its conditions; it is not a pass for every train in Tokyo. Compare coverage with your actual route before buying. See Tokyo Metro’s ticket guidance.
Keep the same card or device for tapping in and out. Check the arrangements for each traveller, including child fares, rather than assuming one card can cover the whole family. Avoid packing your first morning with tight connections. Our Japan transport guide explains how local journeys fit into the wider trip.
Tokyo with children
- Make the room work first. Confirm beds and occupancy in writing if the description is unclear. A room that technically permits three people may still feel tight with bags.
- Protect the gaps. Put meals, toilet stops and a rest into the plan before adding another attraction.
- Check the actual access. Look up lifts, pushchair rules and accessible entrances for the stations and venues you will use.
- Share the choices. Let each child choose one experience, then build the day around it rather than a long adult sightseeing list.
- Keep a simple fallback. Save the hotel address and agree what to do if someone becomes separated in a busy station.
What to book before you arrive
Secure the accommodation and any experience that is central to your trip first. For popular timed-entry attractions, theme parks and special exhibitions, check the official booking page for release dates, age rules and availability before planning the rest of that day. Avoid treating a ticket shown by a reseller as proof of official availability.
Compare the full cost and cancellation rules, not just the first price shown. Check the meeting point, entry window, language and what is included. Leave some unbooked time for shops, neighbourhood walks and meals. Keep tickets available offline, and use our Japan essentials checklist for the practical preparations.
Continue from Tokyo to Kyoto
If Kyoto comes next, plan your departure station and luggage before the travel morning. The direct Tokaido Shinkansen runs from Tokyo Station and Shinagawa to Kyoto. Our Tokyo-to-Kyoto guide covers train choices, booking, seats and luggage. Then use the Kyoto city guide to choose a base and plan your days.
Sources and editorial note
Desk research checked on 24 September 2026. This itinerary and the planning trade-offs are our editorial suggestions; no hotel inspection or family field test is claimed. Official references: GO TOKYO first-visit guide, Shinjuku, Ueno, Tokyo transport, and the airport and ticket sources linked above. Recheck operating hours, admission, fares and access with the operator for your dates.