However long or short your stay in Tokyo is, you would want to experience the most out of it, right? Let’s say you have 5 days to spend in Tokyo, you might wonder what to do, where to go, and how to make the most out of your Tokyo trip.
Good news! By the time you've finished reading this article, you will have the answer to all of that.
In this article, I’m going to share with you some of the endless things you can do in Tokyo for 5 days, where to go, some itinerary ideas, extra tips and ways to make your Tokyo trip better, and more recommendations. So read on!
Tokyo, one of the world’s greatest cities, is a sprawling city with endless incredible attractions and sights. Each of them has their own character and appeal that continues to attract people from all over the world.
Tokyo has it all. A lively and modern side, and also a traditional and serene side. Temples and shrines, nightlife, street food to fancy dining, flea market to high-end shopping, bustling-crowded area to quiet-suburban area, nature, anime, arcade games, themed cafes, parks and so many more.
What to do in Tokyo for 5 days
The things you can do in Tokyo are endless. It pretty much has anything and everything of your interest. The obvious things to do are to visit the major places or spots you want to see, but I’ll list some ideas of things you can do:
- Visit the many themed cafes like Robot Restaurant, Vampire cafe, Monster cafe, maid cafe, owl cafe and so many more.
- Eat good food. Everywhere in Tokyo, literally everywhere (ramen, takoyaki, sushi, Kobe beef, anything you like!)
- Go to Akihabara to see anime and electronics paradise.
- Visit the temples and shrines such as Senso-ji Temple and Meiji-Jingu Shrine.
- Go to the convenience stores and buy some of the interesting food, snacks, and drinks.
- Have a picnic and enjoy the beautiful nature in some of the parks in Tokyo such as Shinjuku Gyoen National Park and Ueno Park. Especially if it’s cherry blossom season or autumn!
- Go go-karting around Tokyo.
Wait, that’s not all.
- Watch sumo tournaments or sumo practice. Which you can learn how through by clicking here.
- Go to the many different museums in Tokyo, like the Mori Art Museum, Samurai Museum, Ghibli Museum and so many more interesting ones.
- Do a little people-watching (not in a creepy way) at the Shibuya Crossing.
- Enjoy the city view from Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
- Participate in a Japanese tea ceremony.
- Shop high-end things in Ginza or Omotesando, and also kawaii stuff in Takeshita Street.
- Go to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea.
- See cosplay (at Harajuku) or even cosplay your own (buy costumes at Akihabara)!
...and so many more. The choice is yours.
Here's a time-saver
You should send a message to one of the local guides in Tokyo! They will help you make a customized itinerary and give you a quotation for an unforgettable experience.
Trust me: It’s a good idea to have a guide take care of you in Japan!
5 days in Tokyo- too short, too long or just right?
Even if you lived here for a year, it would be impossible to experience all of Tokyo. So, I think it’s more of a personal preference however long and short is enough to travel around Tokyo. Like I said, the things you can do in Tokyo are endless. It’s impossible to get bored in Tokyo with all the choices of things you can do and places you can go.
You can visit a lot of the major places in Tokyo in 5 days, well, but it comes back to how you structure your time in Tokyo. That’s why I always emphasize how important it is to plan and research ahead of your trip.
Where to go in Tokyo?
I’ll list some popular areas in Tokyo and some of the major spots or related stuff in that area that you can check out and go.
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Shibuya |
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Harajuku |
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Ginza |
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Ikebukuro |
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Shinjuku | |
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Asakusa |
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Akihabara |
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Ueno | |
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Roppongi |
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Odaiba |
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There are still so many temples, parks, and other places to go in Tokyo, which you can click here to find out.
Itinerary ideas for 5-day Tokyo trip
To make your trip a great one, you would need a great itinerary as well.
If you are looking for 5-day Tokyo itinerary, you can check this Tokyo 3-day itinerary for first-timers. Although it is only 3 days, for the fourth and fifth day, you can freely stroll around Tokyo to possibly discover lesser-known places, or plan an itinerary on your own, or choose from these itinerary suggestions:
Travel plan for first timers in Tokyo- packed with the major destinations that represent Tokyo.
Tokyo 1 day itinerary (Imperial Palace, Ginza, Skytree) - a great itinerary that includes the popular spots of authentic Tokyo and popular shopping district Ginza.
Tokyo Rainy 1 day itinerary- You can’t always expect to have sunny weather during your Tokyo trip, so just in case it rains, you can follow this itinerary.
A more convenient way for your 5-day travel in Tokyo
Or, you could just hire a private guide to make everything so much easier. You don’t have to make an itinerary yourself or follow some random itinerary that may or may not include your interests.
By hiring a private guide, you can have a great and hassle-free Tokyo experience. You can have itineraries tailor-made just for you to match your preferences and interests. There are still so many more advantages such as having an enhanced trip, a deeper understanding of the places and culture in Tokyo, extra safety and many more.
Also...
They will guide you so you don't have to worry about direction, transportation, and language difficulty. You can get their suggestions of where are the best places to go, best restaurants to eat at, and ways to make the most out of your trip. Hiring a guide can make your trip more interesting and memorable.
Recommended tour guides
Look:
There are many places on the web where you can hire tour guides, but you never know what you are getting into, whether the guides are quality guides or not. Or whether the website is trustworthy or not.
That’s why I’m recommending you GoWithGuide. The website offers many qualified tour guides options in Tokyo and other areas of Japan from which you can choose according to your needs and preferences.
Through the website, you can watch the guides’ personalized videos, read the reviews of each guide, check their availability and service cost to help you find the right guide.
There's more:
The website also has many different private tour options in many different areas of Tokyo, which you can check out by clicking here, and also different cultural experiences like Japanese tea ceremony, sumo practice watching, samurai experience, and more. You can check them out by clicking here.
Where to hire a private guide for your Tokyo trip?
You don’t have to look very hard to find a great private guide for you. Here is a list of great tour guides in Tokyo. And if you are looking for guides in other areas of Japan, you may want to click here.
You can also go on a private tour of your choice, here is a list of private tours with set itineraries that you can customize when you book. Here are my recommendations for private tours in Tokyo and other areas of Japan.
Another thing!
If you think that joining a private tour or hiring a private guide is the best option for you, you can still make your trip in Tokyo easier. You can rent a private charter van or car (depending on the size of your group) to charter you around in Tokyo. Click here to check the many options of private chartered cars in Tokyo. So convenient!
I hope this article helps you figure out what to do in Tokyo for 5 days, where to go in Tokyo with itinerary suggestions, another way to make your 5-day Tokyo trip more interesting and easier, and other suggestions. I hope you have a great time in Tokyo!
