Best 5 Day Itinerary in Tokyo for First Time Visitors to Japan (Travel Guide, Daily Plan, Food) 🇯🇵

Best 5 Day Itinerary in Tokyo for First Time Visitors to Japan (Travel Guide, Daily Plan, Food) 🇯🇵

planning a trip to japan is like playing a game of tetris on a grand scale trying to fit in all the activities you’d like to do in and around ticketing schedules when the tickets are actually released proximity of these activities and other touristic sites to each other to minimize public transport transit time and all within the number of days you have to spend in this the most habited city in the world tokyo 37 million people hi welcome to the lens cap chronicles my name’s amanda and we are in japan and more specifically i’m in tokyo i’ve never been more completely overwhelmed when starting to plan a trip nor done more research in almost any other country or city i’ve ever traveled to than tokyo it’s been an intense few months of reading blogs and websites to curate what i think is the most epic 5-day itinerary in japan’s capital in this video i’m going to share with you this incredible trip plan to make it easy for you each day we visit a different general region in tokyo to tick off as many bucket list items as possible as well as a few optional extra activities which i booked on various online platforms i hope this video takes out all the hassle of your trip planning and gives you the best itinerary that you can just follow and not have to stress keep in mind that this is the bare bones this is the itinerary of what you should and could do in tokyo uh in 5 days but for all those tips and tricks logistics pre-planning what to do before you leave what apps you need to download what you need to look out for what things to apply for what tickets to buy before you arrive then i’ll be making a separate video when i’ve made it i’ll put the link up here because that’s going to be really important for your day-to-day getting around making it easy especially if you don’t speak japanese and i’ll be making other videos on my food journey walking tours my favorite activities to do in tokyo my relaxing trip to a japanese onen which is a geothermal spring resort and more i even have a very special and fun tokyo reveals video so stay tuned for that as an aside if you’re a theme park fan then you’ll need to budget an extra day or use one of those days to go and see disney sea or disneyland if you’re an adult go to disney sea you can do more adult things there including having a beer when you’re getting a bit parched and if you’ve got a family go to disneyland anyway let’s get cracking we have an incredible itinerary ahead of us day one incoming [Music] woohoo day one in tokyo and i’m staying at the shabuya xl hotel which is in shabuya and it’s right next to the world’s most busy pedestrian intersection we’re talking 2 and a half thousand to 3,000 people crossing this intersection by foot at any given time the lights change every 80 seconds and this means up to 1 to three million people can cross the intersection per day estimates vary obviously depending on time of year i am so lucky i’ve been given a room on the 24th level of this hotel which is the top floor and i can actually see the scramble from my room window note that if you are following this itinerary we do actually explore shabya tomorrow so you can do the scramble then it won’t take you that much extra time but we have no choice but to start with some mayhem today because i need to get to shabuya station so that we can head over to our first day of exploring in ginsa [Music] here we go crossing the shabya scramble it’s actually really quiet certainly not thousands of people here at the minute definitely hundreds uh but it is only4 to 9 in the morning so lots of people on the way to work through all of the different zebra crossings amazing experience and if you’re not staying in a hotel with a view of the shabya scramble then you can walk across to starbucks which has a great view of everyone flooding through the zebra stripes another very popular stop in shabuya is that of the hatuko statue and this cute little dog this faithful dog behind me was the dog of weno and his master would come home every day to shabuya station where the dog would be waiting unfortunately weno died and didn’t come back to the station one day and his little pup waited for over nine years at shabuya station for his master to come back he’s a very beloved character in the city of tokyo and if you want to wait in line for a photo with him you will have to do that for quite some time the statue of hiko is right by huchiko station on one edge of the shabio scramble so you can easily get here on the train line but do make sure to get off at the hiko exit at shabya station because it is a huge station and it’s so easy to get lost [Music] now would you believe our next destination is actually a train station and we are in tokyo’s largest train station it’s simply called tokyo’s station or central station and the reason i’m here is because there’s a few very cool streets that we can go and check out including a food street a ramen street and the most popular character street where you can find all sorts of characters for sale in 21 shops uh anything from winnie the pooh to pokémon to hello kitty let’s find out and where all three streets converge at the little roundabout these shops are set to open at 10:00 a.m in an absolute blaze of lights and cartoons and anime sweet treats breakfast goods it’s incredible i’m just in time to check out the opening of some really kitsy but cute japanese characters on character street fresh shop and we have some cute little kits cups 7.48 yen chopsticks tea towels socks underwear bags you name it they’ve got it i’m actually not all that into cartoons normally but this place has got me so intrigued i’m not sure what you’d need half these products for in your daily life but they’re pretty cute very colorful they certainly catch the eye i mean everyone needs a cute little pink angry monster in their life right oh my gosh i actually need to buy this for my nephew he’s two this is so cute okay the first of what i’m sure will be many unnecessary purchases in tokyo but this has got to look super cute on my nephew the pokémon store tokyo all of your favorites are here cannot possibly omit this off your itinerary if you’re a pokémon fan and if you’ve got to spend 7,000 yen you can get yourself this fella here a huge pikachu [Music] guys i’m just about to go into my first bandai shop this seems to be quite popular even with fully grown adults um you put some money in a slot and out pops a mystery parcel in a ball there’s lots of different themes you can choose from but they all spit out a ball and inside the ball is a toy so you can choose from lots of different square canisters different theme and then it’s a bit of a mystery potluck situation well so far my shopping spree in tokyo is kicking goals very functional i have a puppy towel hat and two bandai balls with toys inside but our next destination beckons ginsburg [Music] it’s been quite a busy morning so far so i’m just taking a moment in sukiashi park which incidentally happens to be right outside ginsa station and it’s really peaceful it’s it’s a complete sanctuary of greenery uh a nice little statue in the middle individual park benches where you can come and find your own little corner to relax so i thought i would take my opportunity to introduce ginsa to bustling streets crowded shops gorgeous clothes and high-end brand names are all synonymous with the fabulous ginsa area located in the heart of tokyo ginsa is known as one of japan’s premier shopping areas where luxury brands from around the world converge and this is on show as i exited the ginsa station with an emporio armani shop to greet me the main street in ginsa is shu dori but it’s not just the main street that is absolutely awesome the side streets have a lot of surprises including satellite shops for every major fashion brand and you’ll find longestablished stores from the historic edo period with cuttingedge brand shops there’s also some high-end reputable and michelin rated restaurants to enjoy dinner at the end of your day some of the more exciting shops that you’ll find in ginsa are the unilo flagship store and the muji flagship store which are both clothes stores found throughout the world but they originated here the other really exciting place to go is the rooftop garden of ginsa 6 department store where you can overlook the ginsa cityscape making it ideal for capturing the urban scenery there are also many facilities where you can experience japanese traditional culture and art such as the kabukisa theater and some art galleries nearby the first shop we’ll be going to today is the uniqlo flagship store and that’s a mouthful and this has become a popular chain worldwide the clothes are very basic simple easy to mix and match um they do well in other cultures they’re not very bright and gaudy and so forth so they’re kind of your everyday basics i got to say the clothes are actually a little bit plain really but i think that’s why they are so popular okay mildly stressful rules about uniqlo flagship in tokyo only five items allowed and if you want to try more than that you have to line up again and the line is slightly excessive move on to ginsa 6 [Music] [Music] the rooftop garden at the very top of ginsa 6 is a calming oasis in and amongst quite a busy shopping district so it’s a lovely place to come and catch a breath i love how tokyo has these little green spaces dotted through it really beautiful the views from up here are stunning and slightly dizzying they are so high but time now to head off to the kabuki theater the kabuki zar theater opened in 1889 boasting over 130 years of traditional japanese art this is a very unique art form it’s a traditional theater show in japanese so sometimes it’s helpful to read ahead the story line if you do plan to go the full show actually runs for 4 hours or thereabouts and it’s made up of three or four different acts so you can actually buy a ticket to a single act which will go for around 1 hour this can only be done though the day before the show and they sell out very quickly so obviously this is my first day in tokyo and i was flying yesterday so i had matthew at home getting me a ticket when the online ticket booth opened at midday thank you matthew and if you do plan to go for the whole session the whole theater act of 4 hours then you’ll be fine you can book those tickets well ahead it’s just for the single act tickets that you need to be very prepared and buy your ticket the day before [Music] wow that was super interesting and even though i did not understand a word of it there were so many themes that came through that you could easily pick up in the story line uh revolved around a young man avenging his father’s death i believe and so there was a lot of angry men on stage uh there was some tears some comedy i saw one of the most epic fight scenes on stage when he was actually avenging his father’s death to the point where he was decapitating another man no need to be too worried it’s all fake but so much theater so much drama it was really fun i think one act was enough for me because i didn’t understand the language but if you’re into theater and you know japanese i would say you’d probably enjoy the full four acts this guy was the main character and hero of the show and i believe it was this guy who lost his head anyway time for us to go and see the last shop in the ginsa district that we’ve got time for today and then i am going to get some food cuz i’m famished [Music] again muji seems to come with clothes that are quite block color neutrals mix and match style very cleanlined and elegant [Music] oh my gosh now i know firsthand how ridiculously enticing these shops are they now have a basket that was going to be an impossible task coming out of shopping in japan with no purchases i’m very excited what a cool store desperate times desperate measures this is not how i thought my first japanese meal would go but i’m running late for team labs borderless which is still about 15 minutes away on the train and i’ve pre-booked these tickets so i can’t miss it here we go yogurt for the win to keep me going [Music] okay i made it to team labs there are two team lab art installations in the city one is called planets and the other is called borderless team labs planet is slightly smaller but it is the water version so you’re actually walking through a small amount of water you have to take your shoes off obviously i’ve decided to come to the i guess flagship team labs i’ve just made my way to the locker because i needed to put my shopping away from muji now let’s go check it out this is designed to be a completely immersive art installation uh lots of mirror effects lighting colors and there’s no beginning and no end just wander aimlessly around and probably come across different installations each time [Music] hey hey hey first meal in tokyo a little bit different to what i was expecting and much later in the day but better late than never tokyo is full of raised vantage points that you can look out over the city uh there’s quite a few if you google them and everyone claims to be the best or slightly different in some way we’ll be seeing a few of those on this 5-day itinerary but the first one today is tokyo tower situated in manato city tokyo tower is a communications and observation tower it was the tallest tower in tokyo until the construction of skyree construction was complete in 1958 and it is 332.9 m high not 333 which would have made it so much easier to remember for my video [Music] we’ve arrived at the main deck which is 150 m high we’ve got some lovely 360° views around the city of tokyo i have a 5:30 entry time to the top deck so let’s go see if they’ll let me in slightly earlier [Music] wow 250 m high and the views are spectacular these views really give a great appreciation of the city you can see all the way down to the major bridges and the water the city is actually just starting to come alive i can see little lights dancing across the skyline as some of the buildings start to turn in the lights to the evening and one of the best reasons to book your ticket to the tokyo tower at sunset or dusk is that you get to see it as all the lights come on and it is magnificent what a crazy first day in tokyo everything i could have dreamed and more and now check out the shabuya scramble from my room and away they go look at that [Music] day two tokyo and we are set for some soaring heights and more dizzying views shops and go-karting in shibuya as well as teen culture and animal cafes of harajuku but to start with we are off to maju jingu shrine this is in the heart of the city one of the largest in the city and it’s also surrounded by the largest man-made forest in the city yoy yogi park is a huge area full of nature there are trees pathways small lakes benches to sit on flowers it’s really beautiful and a lot of the locals use it here to exercise and just to take a breath away from the city which is hectic and crazy in a concrete jungle it’s really soothing here and being from australia where we have so much nature this is really my vibe i really love it here and it’s so peaceful to walk around in i’m making my way to the cherry blossoms garden i’m hoping to see them on a tree but i’m right at the end of the sakura season here in tokyo but got to be in it to win it these incredible trees only flower for 2 weeks of a year they start at the southern tip of japan and they start to bloom in succession further and further north and they only last two weeks at a time so i’m right at the end of the season here in tokyo most of the trees here are looking like the flowers are ready to depart just as a tip if you’re using google maps something i found a bit confusing when you get to the park yoy yogi park is that i thought you could enter the shrine through the park but you have to exit the park walk around the corner to get to the maji shrine maju jingo shrine was dedicated to the emperor magi and to his empress shoken and in ancient shinu japanese religion divine souls as emperor magi is considered are called kami and kami stands for the divine spirit and kami or this divine spirit is believed to be found in uh people and nature and mythology it’s actually a really unusual religion in that there was no founder there’s no holy book there’s not even really a concept of conversion so it’s very different to many other religions if you’re making your way through to major jingu shrine on the transport system on the trains then you’ll get off at harajuku station and the shrine is roughly a 10-minute walk from the entrance along some beautifully curated gardens we’re here in the main area the main court of maji shrine and wow it’s quite impressive the buildings are so ornate there are two doors on either side of the shrine at the wings so i guess it’s a lucky dip let’s see what’s on either side next destination on our itinerary i have mixed feelings about it’s shabir sky it’s very hyped online as one of the major platform viewing points looking across the city of tokyo you’ve probably seen it on instagram and all manner of social media and i’m very excited to see it don’t get me wrong but the actual hustle of getting a ticket was a little bit of a pain not going to lie tickets are released 2 weeks prior to your scheduled visit date and they sell out very quickly and they come with a selected entry time so if you’re not hot quick to it you will miss the time of your choice and possibly the date of your choice i would recommend going at dusk there are meant to be beautiful sunset views but if you do want to see shabuya sky definitely need to book your ticket ahead of time the views here at shabuya sky are unparalleled 360° and there is no time limit so you can stay here as long as you want that being said there isn’t so much to do up here except for taking photographs and looking around there’s no cafe at the very top up here there is a few chairs to sit in that people are making use of so i’d probably recommend overall about an hour spent at the top every corner on the roof of shabia sky is a photo opportunity and there are people coming up with some crazy places lots of fun and incredible [Music] you will not believe what’s coming next so i’m on route to go-karting in shiba it’s a little bit of a controversial activity i think it does disrupt some of the traffic flow and the instructions i’ve been given to get there seem to have taken me through a little bit of a dodgy part of the town uh i’ve just walked past a whole heap of strip clubs and girls rooms and lots of men lining up outside so very interesting anyway i believe i’m on track to the go-kart entry with any luck phew i have found it it looks legitimate [Music] street car in shabuya with my australian passport and my international driver’s license which i had to arrange before heading to japan and i’m just about to head around the streets of shabuya as a pikachu we’re going to be driving through the shabuya scramble the crazy scramble a few times as we explore the streets i cannot wait let’s go [Music] get serious from over here okay okay driving around tokyo as a pikachu is so much fun i know we are probably a complete hazard and menace to those on the road but this is so much fun [Music] we are just about to enter shibuya crossing in a go-kart oh my gosh i’m a little bit nervous here we go i’ve got my cart up to 50 km an hour it is such a thrill actually starting to get into it now and not quite as nervous or afraid it’s so much fun and there’s so much of the city to see it’s illegal to film while driving so you’re only allowed to film as your cart has stopped the gopro that was on my head to capture some of this footage wow what an experience two guys inside one of these box okay so two of you guys get to pick one box okay so it’s either the left one or the right one you choose let’s pick the left one left one all right okay guys okay he said one of them might have my lunch okay i’m starving don’t take my picture okay three two one let’s go he took my lunch oh my god banana me okay by singing this picture okay close guys is now 3 2 1 flip city [Music] we’re making our way to takashita dori which is the main walking street in harajuku this is a place run by the under 16s anything that’s cute pink bubblegum themed with sweet scents lots of candy we’re going to have a look see what we can find this is where you will come across all the micro cafes the animal cafes cats pigs hedgehogs they’re all there for you i’ve booked one for 7:30 i booked today and it was the last available time slot so i didn’t realize but you do need to book ahead of time for the animal cafes let’s see what harajuku has for us [Music] wow this street is a lot it’s cheap lots of cheap small little shops selling everything and anything crazy it’s actually really cool at dusk all the shops are still open and people are wandering around having a ball [Music] admission to harry’s hedgehog cafe costs 2,310 yen for 45 minutes and for the hedgehog treats they are 550 yen in addition it comes with one free hot drink and here is my first hot matcha tea it’s steaming so good japan does not disappoint food and beverages are on point oh my gosh oh he’s squirming to get away do they bite sometimes sometimes hello little guy [Music] the cafe also has hamsters and owls so you can actually have an experience with those animals as well and in the center of the cafe is a little mir cat running around on a leash i’m not sure about that i’m sure he’s very well looked after but just seeing them on a leash gives me a little bit of grief it’s actually really nice just sitting here with them bumbling along in their little trough [Music] there are some really edgy but also some really cute stores for clothing and fashion in harajuki gremlins midnight snack anyone a oh my gosh a whole store of bandai capsules my gosh i have 200 yen of coins left i haven’t seen a capsule for only 200 yen but let’s see if i can find one it’s my lucky day i’ve just found an extra 600 yen in my bag stuck down in a side pocket so i now have 800 yen to spend in this capsule store um if this is what i think it is then yes what which one which one you want to you want i want to this one oh oh oh no thank you for helping me [Music] i’m not sure my dog would appreciate this dress [Music] i found the perfect gift for matthew a godzilla t-shirt this guy has taken over the city of tokyo a few times a this looks pretty mean and for me a memory from today a pikachu hat [Music] takoyaki on the streets of tokyo in harajuku [Music] that is so good so soft and fluffy light and fresh the octopus is divine it’s like a cloud in the mouth absolutely delicious [Music] got to go i’ve got a booking with a pig turns out there’s a couple of my pig cafes in harajuku so i’ve been sent with a map to come and find the one where i should be down a dark alleyway [Music] i’ve got a beautiful little sleepy night creepy two months old such coarse hair hello then this is a twin oh my gosh this is a roommate they’re all friends okay how old are they 10 months 10 months wow they’re 10 months old micro pigs and i’ve got a big one coming one and a half okay she’s uh 17 she’s got whoa a little bit heavy she’s got lots things around her mouth is it okay to scratch from the front wow this is as big as she’ll get no she’ll get bigger like 25 the little legs going in hello she likes to rest her head a that’s so cute hello i found one who likes a good massage don’t we all your tail’s working just like my puppy must be a good sign i’d say that’s a happy pig i’ve got a new friend in tokyo 8:00 p.m is the last time slot that you can book in at my pig cafe because that’s when the little piggies are off to bed 2,200 yen for a piggy play date definitely worth it in my opinion they are super cute very soothing to spend some time with these pigs as crazy as that sounds all right well i think that’s me done on takashita street for one evening but just around the corner is an equally quirky neighborhood called cat street and this is a street that kind of connects harajuku and shabuya and it’s been known for quirky clothing kind of teen clothing edgy designer up and coming niche clothing that’s kind of boutiquey and eclectic [Music] wow how’s that for a bit of food theater funito [Music] for those of you up for some more shopping then shinjjuku’s got you covered but it’s also known as the epicenter of tokyo’s night life this is the place you can get up to some funky weird things shinjuku is also known for its huge dynamic 3d billboard just outside of shinjjuku train station and photographers will set up full scale tripods in the crossing below just to film a short sequence of the famous fairy cat despite all of the hype surrounding shabia scramble i found the crossings in shinjjuku almost more flamboyant and chaotic with cartoons lights and music blaring from most billboards surrounding them they are an overload of the senses above whilst chaotic and busy on the street level as pedestrians march their way across i decided to change hotels from shabuya to shinjuku today so i could compare my experience in two highly recommended hotels based in two of the most recommended regions in tokyo for firsttime visitors i’m making another video on this experience so if you’re interested in where to stay in tokyo and why look out for that the hotel i stayed at in shinjuku is wellknown it’s the godzilla hotel or hotel gracery which showcases a godzilla head on its eighth floor terrace viewable from the hotel lobby and the street the interior features some fun godzilla lifts and is decorated in all things godzilla paraphernalia even the tissue dispenser in my room was on theme the goals for our first day in shinjjuku were to explore some of the nearby sites and then to build some courage and tackle the iconic night life on a recommended bar hopping tour we’re going to start with something a little bit smaller and less obtrusive the hanozoko shrine tucked away in the back streets of shinjuku is the hanozono shrine this deity is known for love and relationships so you’ll find many people coming here for success in their relationships and fertility near the shrine you’ll find a mesmerizing path of consecutive red tory gates creating an otherworldly atmospheric effect and when in shinjuku don’t miss the national guy park gardens it’s a 500 yen entry but well worth it for a little peace and quiet a haven in the craziness of shinjuku the national gardens in shinjuku are a sprawling 44 hectares of green space and places to sit and chill and relax and those places are few and far between in the metropolis of turkey just an interesting observation as i walk through this park watching couples on the ground picnicking families there’s not a huge amount of public displays of affection in japan and i’ve noticed that everywhere on trains in shopping centers people are very reverent and respectful and they keep private things out of the public scene just something to perhaps be mindful of if you’re here with your significant other to be respectful of the japanese way [Music] i have absolutely no idea where i am i got suckered in by a spruer on the street as i was approaching my hotel and i’m in a restaurant that i have no idea the name of on the sixth floor of some random building but they are going to serve me food and a glass of wine i’ve got my soy beans here ready to go ahead of our night out on our bar hopping tour i’ve ordered some gyoza and some shiakei mushrooms oh and some grilled scolops i haven’t tried scolops here yet and it’s absolutely one of my favorite seafood dishes after a delicious meal on the streets outside my hotel it was time to get ready for my evening bar hopping tour in the illustrious region of shinjuku with the highly rated guide shingu i can’t wait to share this entire experience with you and we’ll include the video link when it’s ready it was safe and calm and i had the best time meeting new people trying new japanese tipples and learning all about the hidden underbelly of japanese society it was then time to admire the night view from my shinjjuku hotel room ahead of our adventure tomorrow in the anime and manga capital of tokyo akihabara electric town we’ve got a big day today first go to the tokyo metropolitan government building for the incredible sites that was on yesterday’s itinerary that slipped into today and then we’re heading up to akihabara electric town cosme anime manga you name it it’s full of electronic goods and we’ll be finishing up at 4:30 p.m with the booking i’ve made at a very iconic restaurant here in tokyo [Music] if you’re chasing heights then the tokyo metropolitan government building has to be on your list it’s free entry but it does come with a roughly 20 to 30 minute wait time in a long queue which moved pretty quickly to be fair but the views up here are spectacular superb views across the city of tokyo the tokyo metropolitan building is closed on the weekends but the observatories are still open there is one in the north tower and one in the south tower the north tower generally closes around 5 5:30 p.m and the south tower is open until 9:30 p.m so check the website for more details and accurate timings but well worth the journey up [Music] all right akihabara cakesite this is a huge area full of electronics manga anime cosme anyway any single kind of japanese character you could ever think of will lie on this street somewhere the main street is called chill dori and it’s closed between 1 and 6:00 p.m on a sunday to traffic and incidentally that is the time of day right now so i’m just walking along this pedestrianized road and we’re going to explore some of these shops have absolutely no idea which one to go in first actually when i first arrived i was so hungry just wanted to find some food and there’s actually not really any main restaurants around there are a few dotted here and there but it’s mostly just quick takeaway stuff because people just want to get into the stores shopping and trading cards what i found so far in akihabara is that you walk into a store and it’s suddenly like eight or nine floors tall and then you just need to get out at the right floor to find the right characters and animes and whatever you’re looking for people here have got their niche interests and so they’ll literally go to the store they want to spend their day in and park themselves there so let’s go check out some stores see what crazy things we can find [Music] so there’s loads of these chancer games pop in 200 yen see if you can win a tom or jerry or a care bear i do think you have much more chance of winning if you go for the smaller toys the big ones are designed to fall out of the grip i’m sure of it the claws never work going for what’s this one called have a name 200 yen for one play is that good do you think it’s like waves oh no what a dad definitely go for the small toys the big toys will not hold in those claws whoa oh that’s cute definitely not risking more money on that oh wa here we go anime all the the maze that you could ever want so i’m in a popular anime center at the minute and there are so many different characters you can try to win i have not been successful and i have no idea if i’m going to be successful there are so many people putting coins in those slots and not winning anything surely this is the japanese version of gambling i have not seen anyone all morning win a toy from these games [Music] so it turns out if you don’t want to spend 200 yen over and over and over trying to win one in a claw game you can come to the shop across the road and spend around4 to 5,000 to buy the figurine yourself and for 65 to 100,000 yen you can actually take home your very own japanese toilet pretty [Music] [Music] sure i just walked into a japanese cartoon porn shop oh my gosh this place [Music] there was absolutely no way i was coming back from my trip in japan without this guy pikachu actually not really a pokémon fan at all but i did dress up as pikachu on my street card experience and he’s pretty cute and super functional he’s got a zip in the back so i can put my essentials in there [Music] and couldn’t possibly buy something for myself without a little gift for matthew so matthew when i get home this is all yours darth vader if cartoons and unique electrical goods are not your thing you could easily swap for a tour of the boisterous and chaotic skidgy fish market which i found extremely interesting if not slightly overwhelming but i thoroughly enjoyed trying the unusual food items such as sea urchin eel skewers rau beef and strawberry mochi see the video link above for more details alternatively you could spend a relaxing walk through the weno park a hop skip and jump from akihabara here you’ll find some excellent galleries and museums beautiful pandas at weno zoo the shin bazu pond and the historic weno toshogu shrine if you’re visiting at the right time of year then you’ll also have a chance to see the striking weno park cherry blossoms we’re off to a restaurant called samurai restaurant time and it used to be known as the robot restaurant in shinjuku there’s something a little bit adult component it’s not a strip club it is nothing to do with an adult show but you do have to show your passport as proof of age and they use a whole host of strange robots so it used to be called robot restaurant before co hit and then after co they went under management changed and they’re now called samurai restaurant time but apparently it’s the same robots used in the show the next thing you’re going to see is going to be slightly crazy [Music] [Music] thank you so are you guys doing right now are you guys good all right then yes sir right now we’ll be starting this restaurant i would like to ask you all are you guys ready i’m not so sure about your answer yet [Music] hey [Music] hey hey [Music] heat heat [Music] wow that was big and bold and colorful fun [Music] it’s definitely full it’s really full i lost i lost halfstone before i got here put a stone on say bye-bye [Applause] [Music] sadly our last day in tokyo and we are spending it in asakusa which is besides being incredibly fun to say a entertainment shopping precinct in tokyo we’ll be starting off the day at sensoji temple which is entered by the very impressive kamarimon gates and visitors can then walk down the nakamise street which is full of little trinkets and souvenirs for tourists i’m not sure why i was expecting a quiet and peaceful time at the senoji temple but i have found myself amongst the most visited religious sites in the world there are over 30 million people who come here every year if you’re claustrophobic then senoji is perhaps not for you but this is quite an impressive buddhist temple that has also been rebuilt since 1945 uh after it was attacked by the air raids in world war ii so this area has undergone a little bit of turmoil in the past i’d also recommend skipping breakfast the morning you come here because there are so many amazing japanese sweets on the street on nakami street to try okay walking up the steps to the main area of the temple this place is chaos there are so many people here like i said this is the most visited religious site in the world we’re talking more people than jerusalem or the vatican or even mecca in saudi arabia it takes a while to get past all the people but quite an impressive place it’s believed that tossing a 5yen coin into the offering box in the temple will bring you good luck and that is because the 5 yen coin or gwen in japanese sounds similar to the word gowen in japanese also meaning destiny so if you do toss your coin into the offering box then perhaps you’ll get a bit of good luck senzoji temple is open between 6:00 a.m and 5:00 p.m although do be sure to check for updated times whilst the shops in the nakamise shopping street are generally open between 10:00 and 7 it does appear i missed a memo and did not wear a kimono so if you are after a bit of a traditional photo at sensoji then you can dress up in a kimono you will not be alone and there’s plenty around here for rental as well if you don’t own one yourself exploring the shops in the streets around sensoji and nakamise is an experience in itself cute food outlets ice cream matcha products galore it’s worth spending a bit of time exploring ice cold beer in asakusa this is saporoku label delicious and very cold have i got a beer mustache we’re now headed to the iconic kapashi street a place that offers shoppers a great blend of practicality fun and tradition whether you want to shop for professionalgrade kitchen wear or unique souvenirs or just want a fun hands-on activity capabashi has got something for everyone another popular activity in asakusa is to go on a boat tour along the sumita river which cuts down the side of asakusa in between asakusa and the big turd aka the flame of the asah building things are getting serious folks i’m here at the asahi headquarters and no i’m not applying for a job although that sounds quite fun i’m going to the rooftop floor where they have an incredible beer hall for a pint super drive incoming it’s actually only quite a small space but it does boast some of the best views across tokyo next on the itinerary a traditional japanese tea ceremony one of my favorite activities that i’ve done in tokyo is the traditional tea ceremony dressed up in kimono and traditional attire we’ve just been taken through an incredible experience of tea making in japan served on traditional bamboo mats and with a host who has shown us all the different aspects the traditional tea ceremony shows a lot of reverence and respect for the various elements the understanding is that it’s quiet so that people can hear and understand the small intricacies of nature in the stillness the small sounds that we generally forget to take in on a day-to-day basis as we’re busy rushing around so there’s a lot of nonverbal communication and cues including bowing to each other as a mark of thanks and respect this tour that i’m doing actually is a combination tour next up we are off to the samurai museum [Music] the beginning of the experience at the samurai ninja museum in tokyo begins with a bit of a dress up so here i am as a samurai warrior very serious and we’ll move on shortly to have a bit of an explanation maybe we’ll add a layer of clay on both side for this side a thinner layer of clay and for the back side a thicker layer of clay and they heat it and dump it to the water it will result in a different cooling speed which makes this car the samurai ninja museum is a great place to visit for families and the kids will love it you’ll witness real life ninja warrior costumes ninja swords and sheets and view outfits which resemble famous movie characters be sure to check on the official website for the various packages available you’ll learn a lot about the history and culture regarding the rise of the ninja profession and finish in a large room where the guide will demonstrate how to throw shakurin the iconic sharp ninja stars we’ve gone from prissy girly dressing up in a kimono to throwing ninja weapons after throwing a fuchsia and hoping for a bullseye we finished with a real life ninja demonstration the ninja was stealthy quick quiet and dangerous all the hallmarks of his trade well it’s raining here on my last night in tokyo so i’ve just stepped in to a little isizakaya to get some okonomiyaki steaming hot okonomiyaki what could be better on a cold rainy day in tokyo hope that this 5day itinerary is useful for you it’s certainly been a lot of fun tokyo has been an amazing city to discover the people are so friendly the train system works like an absolute breeze everything was so easy and user friendly so much beauty so much street culture and the best food thanks for watching and i’ll catch you in the next video bye for now [Music] [Music]

Are you travelling to Japan and struggling to plan your itinerary?

In this video, I’ll take all the hassle out of it for you! I spent many (many) hours researching my trip to Japan, especially Tokyo. I joined social media groups and discussion threads and poured over travel websites and vlgos to learn as much about venues and regions in Tokyo as possible. Don’t get me started on the frustrations of booking tickets for certain attractions!

There are so many things to consider in the world’s most populated city (27 million people!!) and it’s essential to have a structured daily itinerary to keep you on track and to discover as much of this incredible city as possible. If you just like to wing it and allow your travel days to unfold spontaneously then I hope this video will still give you daily ideas that you can incorporate into your trip.

In this video I pass on what you can expect from various regions in Tokyo and what I tips that I learnt in the process to make it easier for you. We visit the ‘must do’s’ for any first time in Tokyo: Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, Taito City, Harajuku, Ginza, Minato City, Akihabara Electric town and more. There’s green parks, concrete city jungle, good food, anime, manga and I possibly purchase a Pokemon toy. You’ll see incredible optional extra activities, including Teamlabs Borderless, go-karting through Shibuya Scramble, a traditional Kimono tea ceremony and watch as we throw a ninja star in our visit to the Samurai Ninja Museum. We seek as many viewpoints as possible for epic photographs across Tokyo, including Tokyo Tower, Shibuya Sky, the Asahi Sky Room and the Tokyo Government Metropolitan Building (yes, it’s free!). We also visit Meiji Jingu shrine, Yoyogi Park, the traditional Kabukiza Theatre, experience the hustle of Tsukiji fish market (whilst trying some adventurous seafood morsels) and experience some unexpectedly peaceful animal cafes in Harajuku (think hedgehogs and micropigs!!)

This 5 day ‘best of’ itinerary covers all the essentials of Tokyo but it would be SO easy to stay longer. Keep in mind that if you wish to visit a theme park such as Disneyworld, Sanrio Puroland or Ghibli Park, then you may wish to add an extra day to your visit. Likewise, if you plan to visit the mysterious and magical Mt Fuji, I would allow an additional day to day-trip there. Fortunately, we later visit Hakone, an onsen region (geothermal hot spring baths!) in Japan, where I share my breathtaking experience of Mt Fuji from my ryokan villa window (and some other must-see viewpoints).

In this video, however, we explore the chaos, charm and craziness of Tokyo! Here is my ultimate 5 day itinerary in Tokyo, Japan!

Thank you as always for watching and supporting my channel!
Amanda x

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