Tokyo Travel Guide 2025

Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, has been a favorite of international travelers since the days of Marco Polo. The sprawling city is home to more than 14 million residents, but Tokyo is divided into a series of very walkable neighborhoods, each with its own distinct personality. Tokyo is best known for its many historic temples and gardens, its diverse and delicious food culture, and abundant green spaces.

This guide to Tokyo will tell you what you need to know to get the most out of your visit to this unique, vibrant city. Whether you're looking for a quick weekend or an active week of sightseeing, shopping and cultural activities, Tokyo has plenty to offer.

Tokyo is a very easy and affordable city to navigate without ever having to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. There are ample subway lines, bike shares, taxis and ride shares to help you get where you need to go without a hassle.

Public transportation in Tokyo is affordable and easy to navigate. The city has 13 subway lines that connect all major parts of the city and the surrounding suburbs. There are a variety of passes and prepaid cards you can buy to make your travels throughout Tokyo easier and more affordable. Prepaid cards generally do not offer a discount, but do make it easier to transit, since all you have to do is swipe a card to go through the turnstile. Tokyo Tour Tickets and Tokyo Subway Tickets give you unlimited use of all subway lines within the city for a 24-hour period. The former also includes suburban lines, but the latter does not. There are also multi-day passes.

There are three major bike sharing services in Tokyo--Docomo Cycle, Hello Cycle and Luup. All have multiple docking stations in the city. You simply download the company's app and reserve your bike. Riding a bike in Tokyo can take a few minutes to get used to. To start, you'll ride on the left side of the road. Make sure you follow all traffic signals, such as traffic lights, as Japanese police can be quite strict about infractions.

Uber is available in Tokyo. As in the United States, you reserve your ride via the Uber app. Keep in mind that there are surcharges from the airport, for popular travel times and for inclement weather. Still, ride sharing is generally more affordable than taking a taxi.

Although Tokyo is a sprawling city, many neighborhoods are very walkable. In fact, "Time Out" magazine ranks Tokyo as the sixth most walkable city in the world. They cite the city's overall safety, many pedestrian-only areas and lack of rainfall most of the year. The Ginza, Shinjuku and Shibuya districts are particularly pedestrian-friendly.

Taxis are extremely expensive in Tokyo. The average cost of a taxi ride between Narita Airport and downtown Tokyo is approximately $50. That's around ten times what it costs to travel from Narita airport to downtown via train. Still, taxis are plentiful in Tokyo and can be a good option when it starts raining or your legs are tired from a full day of shopping and sightseeing.

Renting a car is probably the least desirable mode of transportation for visitors to Tokyo. Tokyo's streets are crowded, and traffic patterns can be confusing, not to mention the challenges of driving on the left side of the road and finding parking.

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You could argue that there is no bad time to visit Tokyo. The city is lovely in all four seasons. However, some times of the year are especially appealing. The weather is the most comfortable and the crowds more reasonable during the spring and fall seasons, making April-May and September-October the favorite times to visit for many people. Spring also brings cherry blossoms, a major tourist draw. June and July can be hot, humid and rainy, so not a good choice if you want to spend a lot of time exploring the many parks in and around Japan's capital city. Winter, November through March can be chilly, but this is also the least expensive time to visit, a major consideration when traveling to one of the world's most expensive cities.

Tokyo has a number of festivals and annual events you might want to plan your trip around. In addition to cherry blossom season, Tokyo is home to Kurayami Matsuri, a spring festival celebrating ancient Japanese culture; one of the largest fireworks festivals in the world (held in July); ArtFair Tokyo (held each March); and Anime Japan (an animation fair held each March).

It's difficult to name just a few "top things to do in Tokyo". There is just so much to see and do in Japan's capital city. However, below are a few of our favorites, if you just have a few days in the city.

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This ancient temple in the Asakura district was built in 645 and is Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple. It was largely destroyed during World War II, but has been carefully restored to its original condition. There is a peaceful courtyard garden at the heart of the temple complex, a welcome contrast to the bustling commerce outside the temple gates along the Nakamise-dori, the shopping corridor leading up to the temple.

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Tokyo Skytree, at 634 meters (2,080 feet) tall, is the tallest structure in Japan. Four high-speed elevators whisk visitors to the top viewing platform. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Mt. Fuji, as well as the sweeping landscape of Tokyo and beyond. The view is particularly lovely right before sunset. Tickets may be purchased online in advance of your visit (and you'll save a little money this way). Please note: Tokyo Skytree is occasionally closed due to high winds.

TeamLab Planets, opened in 2018, is a unique museum that uses digital technology to blend the boundary between the physical world and the imaginary. This popular site features four indoor exhibit spaces and two gardens, each with changing exhibition. TeamLab Planets is located near the Tokyo waterfront, is just a one-minute walk from Shin-Toyosu subway station.

Once a royal garden, Shinjuku National Garden is a 144-acre oasis in the heart of bustling Tokyo. Plantings include more than 900 trees, including some iconic Japanese cherry trees, plus flowers, shrubs and herbs. The greenhouse features a variety of tropical plants, several of which are near to extinction.

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Tokyo's Ginza District is something of a Japanese Times Square, with multi-store electronic billboards, luxury shops and entertainment venues. The flagship Sony showroom is located here, as is the first Apple store to open outside of the United States. Many kimono shops are located in the Ginza district and you'll see many women wearing kimonos as they shop here. Entertainment venues include the Kabuki-za Theater, the leading place to watch Kabuki-style theater in Japan.

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Some of the best hotels in the world are located in Tokyo. The myriad of accommodation choices range from sleek high-rises to historic structures. Below are some of our favorites.

Located in the Shibuyu district, with direct access to the Shibuyu station, the Shibuyu Excel Hotel Tokyo features 408 guest rooms, all with air conditioning, electric kettles, flat-screen television sets and free WiFi. Facilities include a coffee shop and bar. Breakfast is included in the room rate.

The Hilton Tokyo is located in the Shinjuku neighborhood, connected to the subway station via an underground tunnel. All guest rooms in this sleek high-rise hotel feature complimentary WiFi and many have sweeping views of the city. Facilities at the Hilton Tokyo include two restaurants, an English-style pub, a rooftop tennis court, an indoor swimming pool and a health club.

The New Otani Garden Tower was built in 1962 to accommodate the influx of tourists coming to Tokyo for the 1962 Olympic Games. The gracious hotel, located near the Imperial Palace, features nearly 500 guest rooms, all with free WiFi, Yakuta robes, mini-refrigerators and floor-to-ceiling windows. Facilities include a 17th-floor lounge/restaurant with spectacular views of the city and Mount Fuji beyond. There are also multiple other restaurants and lounges, an outdoor swimming pool, a business center, a sports club, a hair salon and even a chapel.

The iconic Imperial Hotel Tokyo has been one of the city's most luxurious accommodations since 1890, when it served as the official guest house for foreign visitors of the Emperor. Later, architect Frank Lloyd Wright added onto the hotel, a new guest building was added and today it is consistently ranked as one of the best hotels in the world. All 651 guest rooms and suites feature complimentary WiFi and a mini-bar. Facilities at the Imperial Hotel include a shopping arcade with 50 shops, 12 restaurants, multiple bars and lounges, a pool and fitness room, and a hair salon.

Another historic hotel, the Dai-Ichi Hotel Tokyo opened in 1938. Located near the Shimbashi rail station, this hotel offers elegant guest rooms, all with complimentary WiFi. Premier floors have a private lounge. Facilities at the Dai-Ichi Hotel include two restaurants, a fitness club and a swimming pool.

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One of the best things about traveling to Tokyo is the diverse array of foods and restaurants to sample. From bento boxes to elegant sushi, Japanese cuisine is delicious and beautiful. Tokyo also boasts a large number of ethnic eateries, offering everything from classic French to Vietnamese cuisine. Below are just a few of our favorite Tokyo restaurants.

Located near Tokyo's Kinshicho Station, Ryuduki features traditional Japanese cuisine and sushi. They also serve more than 100 different cocktails. One of the highlights of this restaurant is the aquarium zone, where all diners have a view of the massive aquarium, the floors are covered in sand and blue lighting gives the space an underwater ambiance. Ryuduki serves dinner daily.

Chanfe Tokyo is one of Tokyo's top Italian restaurants. The eatery, located in the heart of Tokyo's Ueno district, is part wine bar, part restaurant. Menu highlights include the restaurant's signature onion soup, which is served in a hollowed-out onion; blue cheese gnocchi, and scallop Genovese pasta. Chanfe Tokyo serves dinner daily. Reservations are recommended.

Located on the top floor of the Four Seasons Hotel in Tokyo, Sezanne is a three-star Michelin restaurant that serves classic French cuisine with a Japanese flair. The restaurant makes all of its dishes from scratch, including making its own sourdough bread using Hokkaido corn. Sezanne serves lunch Wednesday through Saturday and dinner from Wednesday through Sunday.

Located near the waterfront with views of the Rainbow Bridge, YORIMICHI Odaiba serves creative Japanese cuisine in a casual setting, suitable for families as well as business clients. Popular dishes here include duck bowl, pot-roasted beef and assorted sashimi. YORIMICHI Odaiba serves lunch and dinner daily.

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Vacation photos are an integral part of any trip to Tokyo, whether you post them on Instagram or have prints made to put on your refrigerator. Below are a few of our favorite Tokyo photo spots to help you create the perfect vacation photos.

1. Tokyo Imperial Palace. The area surrounding the Tokyo Imperial Palace evokes the essence of ancient Japan. The classical architecture and the gardens are lovely and they make a striking contrast to the busy streets outside the palace gates.

2. Senso-ji Temple. The temple is open 24 hours a day, so this is a good place to get early morning photos when the light is gentler and the crowds have yet to arrive. The sun rising over the Thunder Gate at the end of Nakamise Street makes a memorable image.

3. Shibuya Crossing. This is a great spot is you like to photograph people. It's estimated that as many as 2,500 people cross the street here at one change of the traffic lights.

4. Tsukiji Fish Market. For market scenes and sushi shots, the Tsukiji Fish Market is the place to go. It's open daily from 5:00 a.m. to around 2:00 p.m. To avoid the early morning crowds and still see all of the vendors before they start packing up, visit between around 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

No trip to Japan would be complete without a trip or two outside of the city. From the rugged nature near Hakone to the rich history of Kamakura, there are a myriad of interesting and enjoyable short trips by train from Tokyo.

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Kamakura is best known as the site of the Great Buddha, as well as its many shrines and temples. The area also has many excellent hiking trails and uncrowded beaches where you can relax. The city's long and rich history is showcased in the many historic houses and museums that dot the city of around 175,000 residents.

One of the most popular day trips from Tokyo, Hakone is home to a scenic lake, multiple tea houses, beautiful mountains and three major hiking trails. There are also more than a dozen museums, including the Hakone Open Air Museum and the Pola Museum, known for its extensive Impressionist collection.

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The port city of Yokohama is best known for its vibrant waterfront, eclectic art scene and massive Chinatown. The city of more than three million residents is also home to not one, but two noodle museums.

Nikko, about an hour's train journey from Tokyo, is well-known for its many temples and shrines, especially the Toshogu Shrine, which is dedicated to the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. There are also many natural hot springs in the area.

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Kawagoe, also known as Little Edo, is a charming town, just a half hour's train ride away from Tokyo, that has the feel of ancient Japan. Kurazukuri Street, a short walk from the train station, is lined with picturesque, historic warehouse buildings, made from clay and tile. The city is well-known for its many eateries and its traditional architecture. There's even an entire street dedicated to sweets.

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Visiting Tokyo doesn't have to break your budget. Below are some of our favorite ways to save money when visiting Tokyo.

1. Take a free walking tour of Tokyo. Several companies offer free walking tours, including tours of the popular areas of Shinjuku, the Imperial Palace gardens and Asakusa. The tour is free. All you have to do is to remember to tip your guide if you feel he or she deserves it.

2. Shop for food near closing time. If you are staying somewhere you can prepare your own food or want to get snacks for a picnic or late night repast, do what the locals do and shop late in the day. Many Tokyo food stores discount their ready-to-eat meals and other items on a sliding scale as they approach the (typically) 9:00 p.m. closing time. You can save as much as 50 percent off of the marked price.

3. Use your AAA member discounts. Being a member of AAA comes with a myriad of perks. Among these are car rental discounts, discounts on admission tickets and hotel discounts. Make sure to ask your travel consultant about these valuable membership perks when planning your trip to Tokyo.

4. Take advantage of the many free attractions in Tokyo. Tokyo has a reputation for being an expensive city to visit. However, the City of Tokyo offers several free attractions...if you know where to look. Free things to do in Tokyo include strolling the grounds and gardens of the Imperial Palace, watching sumo wrestlers train at Arashio Stable and touring the National Diet, the Japanese seat of government.

5. Use transit passes. Purchasing one of the many rail passes available in Tokyo not only saves you money, but makes getting around the city easy. There are day passes that include unlimited trips on the subway as well as passes that also include trips outside of Tokyo proper. Passes are available at the major subway stations as well as at Narita and Haneda airports.

Planning your dream trip to Tokyo doesn't have to be stressful. Once you’ve gathered inspiration for your ideal Tokyo trip on Trip Canvas, contact one of AAA’s Travel Agents today to start making your dream a reality, using your AAA membership to access exclusive deals. No matter your budget, they can help you simplify the planning process with prepackaged trips or à la carte options.