7 Days in Tokyo: A Complete First-Timer Itinerary

Tokyo is enormous, and a week barely scratches it — but with the right plan, seven days delivers an unforgettable mix of the futuristic and the traditional. Here's a paced first-timer route.

Day 1 — Shinjuku & Shibuya

Ease in with the neon icons: the Shibuya Crossing, Shinjuku's nightlife, and the calm of Meiji Shrine tucked between them.

Day 2 — Asakusa & the old city

Visit Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple, wander Nakamise shopping street, and see the city from the Tokyo Skytree.

Day 3 — Harajuku & Shimokitazawa

Youth culture on Takeshita Street, then the laid-back vintage shops and coffee of Shimokitazawa.

Day 4 — Day trip to Nikko or Kamakura

Escape the city to the temples of Nikko or the giant Buddha and beaches of Kamakura.

Day 5 — Food & markets

Tsukiji Outer Market for breakfast, a depachika food hall, and a proper ramen or sushi dinner.

Day 6 — Akihabara & teamLab

Electronics and anime in Akihabara, then the immersive digital art of teamLab.

Day 7 — Your Tokyo

Leave the last day open — Odaiba, an onsen, or revisiting your favorite neighborhood.

Budget note

Plan around ¥12,000–22,000 per person per day mid-range. A Suica card and the metro make getting around easy.

Pack for Tokyo

• A Japan plug adapter (Type A) — same shape as the US but worth double-checking your device's voltage rating
• Comfortable walking shoes — you will rack up a genuinely surprising number of steps between train stations
• A portable charger — for long train days and a phone doing double duty as map, translator, and camera
• A local eSIM — Japan's eSIM coverage is excellent and skips the airport SIM counter entirely

Make it yours

TravelBeast tailors a Tokyo week to your interests — food-focused, family, or budget — and reshuffles instantly when plans change. Build your Tokyo trip free →