Tokyo is a wonderful blend of ancient traditions and modern life. For those coming to Japan for the first time, traveling through the intricate train system and endless list of attractions can be a bit confusing. The 5-day itinerary below is optimally designed to help you go through the capital's typical locations without feeling tired or rushed.
Morning: Start the trip at Sensoji temple, an ancient temple in Tokyo. Go through the Kaminarimon gate with its giant red lantern, stroll through the Nakamise shopping street to enjoy hot grilled senbei cakes and green tea.
Afternoon: From Asakusa, you can walk or take the train one stop to the Tokyo Skytree tower area. This is a tall television tower, providing a panoramic view of the entire city. If the weather is clear, you can see Mount Fuji from this location.
Evening: Enjoy dinner with Ramen noodles or Yakitori grilled food in the area around Asakusa station, where there are small alleys filled with sparkling lanterns.
Morning: Set morning time at Shinjuku Gyoen park. This is a large green space right in the heart of the city, where you can take a leisurely walk and admire the seasonal natural landscape.
Afternoon: Move to Shibuya area. Say hello to the famous Hachiko statue right outside the station, then experience the feeling of joining the crowds at Shibuya Crossing. There are many large shopping centers around here for you to enjoy shopping.
Evening: Return to Shinjuku to explore Omoide Yokocho or Golden Gai alleys. These beautiful small restaurants represent the daily life of local people after work.
Morning: For those who love anime, manga and electronic products in Akihabara. You can visit multi-storey buildings specializing in selling models, video games or experience unique cafes here.
Afternoon: Transfer to Ginza area, where top fashion brands gather. Even without shopping for expensive items, walking around large stores like Uniqlo Ginza with 12 floors of experience is still very interesting.
Evening: Enjoy fresh Sushi at restaurants around Ginza or nearby Tsukiji.
Morning: Visit Meiji Jingu Shrine, a temple hidden in the middle of a large artificial forest right in the heart of the city. The atmosphere completely changes from noise to serenity as soon as you step through the wooden Torii gate.
Afternoon: Right next to the temple is Takeshita Street in Harajuku, the center of youthful street fashion. Here, you can try the popular rolled crepes. Then, take the boat to the artificial island of Odaiba.
Evening: Watch the sunset and brilliant night scene at Odaiba with the highlight being the model of the Statue of Liberty and the Rainbow Bridge spanning Tokyo Bay.
Morning: Visit Ueno Park and the bustling Ameyoko market right under the train overpass. Ameyoko Market is a great place to find dried food, green tea confectionery, cosmetics and souvenirs at reasonable prices.
Afternoon: Return to the hotel to reclaim luggage, transfer to Narita or Haneda airport. Spend about 3 hours before your flight to leisurely check in and buy more specialty candies at the duty-free shop.
For your 5-day trip to go smoothly, you need to keep in mind some technical factors and internet connection:
Look up directions: Trains in Tokyo are very convenient but the network system is quite complicated. Having a constant internet connection to use Google Maps is a must. On average, a basic user will need about 1GB of data per day to look up maps, find destination information and keep in touch.
Keep in touch: Using eSIM helps you maintain mobile internet while still keeping the physical Vietnamese SIM in your device. This is very convenient for you to receive OTP messages from banks or important calls. You can refer to shibaSIM's Japanese eSIM packages with prices listed in VND, flexible payment via VietQR transfer and receive instant activation QR code via email. Devices that support eSIM include iPhone XR/XS and above and most high-end Android models manufactured since 2019. If the device does not support it, you can choose a physical SIM sent by mail. Support service is in Vietnamese and ready to refund if the package cannot be activated due to package error.
Electrical equipment: Japan uses Type A standard flat-pin sockets with 100V power source. You should bring an adapter if your personal device uses a round pin plug.
Tip: Scan and pre-install the eSIM QR code on your phone while in Vietnam. As soon as the plane lands at the airport in Japan, you just need to turn on the eSIM's mobile data and you will have an internet connection to do immigration procedures and find directions to the hotel.
Tokyo always contains many interesting things waiting for you to explore. Carefully preparing your travel schedule and a stable internet connection will help make your first trip much more complete and proactive.
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