72 Hours in Tokyo: The Only Itinerary You Need

Day 1: Arrival and Shinjuku

Land at Narita or Haneda, grab a Suica card at the airport, and you're already moving like a local. The train network is bewilderingly efficient — your hotel in Shinjuku is 45 minutes away and will cost you about ¥1,000.

Drop your bags and head straight to Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) in Shinjuku. This narrow alley of smoky yakitori stalls has barely changed since the 1950s. Order the chicken skewers, a cold Sapporo, and resist the urge to photograph everything — just sit in it for a moment.

After dinner, take the free elevator to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck. It closes at 10:30pm and the views over the city at night are genuinely extraordinary. No charge, no queue mid-week.

Day 2: East Side — Shibuya, Harajuku, Asakusa

Start early at Tsukiji Outer Market. The inner market moved to Toyosu, but the outer market is still the best breakfast in Tokyo. Tamagoyaki (sweet rolled omelette) on a stick, fresh uni on rice, and the strongest green tea you'll ever drink.

Spend the morning in Harajuku before the crowds arrive. Takeshita Street is best before 11am. Walk through to Omotesando — Tokyo's answer to the Champs-Élysées — and browse the flagship stores. The Prada building alone is worth seeing for the architecture.

In the afternoon, take the subway east to Asakusa. Visit Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple, but skip the main gate approach and enter from the side streets instead. You'll get the same views without fighting 500 tourists.

End the day at Shibuya Crossing. The famous scramble crossing is best experienced from the Starbucks above — grab a window seat, order a matcha latte, and watch the controlled chaos below.

Day 3: North — Yanaka, Akihabara, Hidden Bars

Yanaka is the Tokyo that survived the earthquakes and the bombs — a quiet neighbourhood of old wooden houses, cats, and independent shops. Have a slow breakfast at a local kissaten (coffee shop), browse the cemetery (oddly lovely), and pick up ceramics and snacks along Yanaka Ginza.

Spend the afternoon in Akihabara even if you're not into gaming. The sensory overload is part of the experience — six-storey shops dedicated entirely to model trains, robot cafes, and more anime merchandise than you thought possible.

For the final night, hunt down one of Shinjuku's Golden Gai bars. These 200 or so tiny bars — many seating fewer than eight people — are the best places in the world to have a drink. Each one has a personality. Some are jazz bars, some show old films, some just play the owner's favourite records. Order whisky, talk to whoever's next to you, and stay until the trains stop running at midnight.

Practical Notes

• Getting around: Suica card covers trains, buses, and many convenience stores. Don't bother hiring a car.
• Cash: Still essential. Many smaller restaurants and bars are cash-only.
• Food budget: You can eat extraordinarily well for ¥1,500–3,000 per meal. Michelin stars are not the only measure of quality here.
• Language: Google Translate's camera function will get you through any menu.
• Best time to visit: March–April (cherry blossom) or October–November (autumn colour). Avoid August — it's unbearably humid.