If you only had a day in Tokyo, how would you like spend it? The easiest way to spoil a good holiday is to travel without a plan, especially when your time is limited. Tokyo is a city that has so much to offer, let us show you how to maximise your time here and get the most out of it in a day.
With the relocation of Tsukiji Fish Market, you might think there is no reason to wake up early in the morning in Tokyo, but actually, there are still plenty of things you can do, so always start early!
05:00 Start by praying
Take a nice long walk around Meiji Shrine before packs of tourists swarm the place and pray for a good weather for your trip before heading over to Shibuya crossing.
06:30 Get a coffee
Visit the most famous Starbucks in Tokyo at Shibuya crossing which is open from 6.30am. Grab a coffee and a seat by the window to enjoy the rush hour of Japan if you happen to visit on weekdays.
08:00 Breakfast in style
Shibuya, Omote Sando, and Jingu Mae have numerous breakfast places that serve to-die-for pancakes breakfast from 8 am in the morning. Just remember to make a reservation way ahead of time, these shops are usually tiny and can only take a small number of people each round.
09:30 Chill and relax at the park
Nothing beats a good stroll in the park after breakfast. Yoyogi park is located just beside Meiji Shrine, one of Tokyo largest city park with wide lawn, ponds, and forested area. It is good to let your heart, body, and soul soak in the peaceful greeneries before heading over to the bustling scene of Harajuku.
11:00 Feel alive and feel the crowd
The crowd at Harajuku is no joke, but if you want to find the latest trend in Japan even before it becomes a boom, this is the place to be. The most prominent area being Takeshita Street and it can get so packed that you have to squeeze through the crowd back-to-back, but apart from that, it is a really interesting place to visit.
13:00 The electric town
Akihabara used to be just a place where you can get all your need for electrical goods and it still is till this day, however, with a strange twist of fate, this area has also become a colourful comical destination for manga/anime lovers. The street of Akihabara houses a large number of pet cafes, maid cafes, arcade game stores, figurines and toys stores, electronics stores, and much more. If you are a big manga/anime fan, even a whole day there may not be enough, however, if that is not your cup of tea, you can head over to Ameya-yokocho at Ueno nearby for some shopping, food, and drinks.
16:00 Back to Temple
After a day of walking, you may want to leave your baggage in the lockers near Asakusa train station and hop on to a ride on a rickshaw for some sight-seeing along the second most visited temple in Japan - Sensoji. Asakusa is an old district which is a great place for taking photos, if you hire a rickshaw, they can show you numerous photo spots and also help you to take some memorable photos with you dressed up in traditional Japanese clothing - Kimono/Yukata. There is also a great view of Skytree from here, but you can save that for the night view.
18:00 Eat and drink till late
The number of restaurants and drinking places in Asakusa are plenty, from Kamiya bar - one of the oldest western-style bar in Tokyo to Hoppy Street, you are bound to have your fill. Monja Yaki is also a delicacy that you should try if you are interested in local food, it is a watery Tokyo version of the Okonomi Yaki and the restaurants that specialised in this are littered around the area.
22:00 Visit the bathhouse
If you finished your food and drinks early, you should return to Sensoji and Skytree for another look, the night view of the temple is a world apart from daytime. Another great spot to see the area at night is up the tourist information centre just in front of Kaminarimon. Apart from night view, you would be glad to soak your tired body into the hot bath at Jakotsuyu Sento - a Japanese style bath house around the area (but please note that if you are drinking, you should not go for the bath, it is unhealthy).
That concludes a day in Tokyo. Although there are still plenty of attractions, but time is limited and we hope this guide will let you make the most out of it.