3-day itinerary

Tokyo

Senso-ji at 9am is tour groups and phone cameras. Go before 8am and the Kaminarimon gate is yours — incense drifting, the stall shutters still down, the Nakamise approach quiet enough to walk slowly. This 3-day Tokyo itinerary starts early in Asakusa, swings through Tsukiji outer market for breakfast (the inner wholesale market moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the outer stalls — tamagoyaki, fresh tuna, octopus skewers — are still the best food start in the city), and ends each evening in Shinjuku and Shibuya rather than rush hour. The Shibuya Crossing is not the spectacle people expect at 6pm in packed commuter traffic; at 9pm, with the neon at full intensity and the crowd lighter, it is actually extraordinary. Convenience store onigiri is genuinely excellent and costs ¥150; do not feel bad about eating one for breakfast.

Day 1

Asakusa, Ueno, and Akihabara

Start in Asakusa — the oldest part of Tokyo, built around the Senso-ji temple. Morning is the best time for the temple; the Nakamise shopping street is quieter before 10am. Ueno park and Akihabara are walkable from here.

Morning

Senso-ji Temple

Established

Tokyo's oldest and most visited temple, founded in 628 AD in Asakusa. The Kaminarimon gate and the Nakamise shopping street leading to the main hall are the approach. Visit before 9am for the best light and fewest people. The fortune papers (omikuji) are ¥100.

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Nakamise shopping street

Established

The 250-metre approach to Senso-ji lined with vendors selling traditional sweets, fans, toys, and souvenirs. Better in the morning before tour groups arrive. The senbei (rice crackers) are worth trying from the small producers.

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Afternoon

Ueno Park

Established

Tokyo's most famous park — home to five major museums, the National Zoo, and a large pond. The Tokyo National Museum has the world's largest collection of Japanese art. The park itself is a destination in cherry blossom season.

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Akihabara

Established

The electronics and anime district — seven stories of video games, manga, and components in buildings covering every block. Even without buying anything, the sensory experience of Yodobashi Camera's main building is extraordinary. The retro game shops in the backstreets are worth finding.

Explore area

Evening

Ichiran Ramen, Asakusa

Established

The ramen chain famous for its individual booth system — you order on a paper form, a bamboo curtain parts, and a bowl of tonkotsu ramen appears. Solo dining perfected. The Asakusa branch has shorter queues than Shibuya.

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Days 2–3