Last updated: May 2026
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Three days in Tokyo is enough to see the highlights without burning out. This itinerary covers the must-sees, the best food spots, and exactly how to get around — with real costs for every budget level.
Lock these in before you fly:
– Tokyo hotels on Trip.com → — central rooms from $40/night
– Tokyo Subway 72-hour pass on Klook → — unlimited Metro + Toei lines
– Shibuya Sky timed tickets on Klook → — sunset slots sell out 2+ weeks ahead
Before You Go: Essentials
| Item | What to Do | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| eSIM | Buy before you land. Airalo or Saily. | From $4 |
| IC Card | Get a Suica or Pasmo at any station. Tap to ride trains, pay at konbini. | ¥500 deposit |
| Cash | Withdraw yen at 7-Eleven ATMs. Many small shops are cash-only. | — |
| Subway pass | Tokyo Subway 72-hour Ticket. Unlimited Metro + Toei lines. | ¥1,500 ($10) |
The 72-hour subway ticket pays for itself by Day 2. Pre-order it on Klook → and collect at the airport so you skip the airport ticket-machine queue entirely.
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Day 1: Classic Tokyo — Asakusa, Akihabara, Shibuya
Morning: Asakusa & Senso-ji (9:00–11:30)
Start at Tokyo’s most iconic temple. Senso-ji is free to visit and stunning in the morning light before crowds arrive.
What to do:
– Walk through Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) — the giant red lantern photo spot
– Browse Nakamise-dori — 200m shopping street with snacks and souvenirs
– Try age-manju (fried sweet bean cake, ¥100) and melon pan (¥200)
– Get your fortune (omikuji) at the temple — ¥100. If it’s bad luck, tie it to the rack.
Cost: Free (temple) + ¥300–500 (snacks)
Want context, not just photos? Book a 2-hour Asakusa guided walk on Klook → — a local guide unpacks the history of Senso-ji, takes you to the snack stalls tourists usually miss, and finishes around lunch so you stay on schedule. Around $30/person.
Lunch: Asakusa Area (11:30–12:30)
– Budget: Konbini bento — ¥400–500
– Mid-range: Ramen at a local shop — ¥900–1,200
– Splurge: Tempura at Daikokuya (iconic Asakusa spot) — ¥1,500–2,000
Afternoon: Akihabara (13:00–15:30)
Take the Tsukuba Express (8 min) from Asakusa to Akihabara — Tokyo’s electronics and anime district.
What to do:
– Browse multi-floor electronics stores (Yodobashi Camera is 9 floors)
– Visit a gachapon alley — rows of capsule toy machines, ¥200–500 each
– Check out anime shops on Chuo-dori (free to browse)
– If you game: visit Super Potato (retro games) or a game center (crane games, ¥100/play)
Cost: Free to browse. Budget ¥500–2,000 for gachapon/souvenirs.
Anime/gaming fan? Klook lists Akihabara anime/maid-cafe tours → if you want a guide to translate signs and navigate the multi-floor stores.
Evening: Shibuya (16:30–21:00)
Take the JR Yamanote Line to Shibuya (30 min).
What to do:
– Watch the Shibuya Scramble Crossing from Shibuya Sky or the Starbucks above the crossing (free with a drink)
– Photo with the Hachiko statue outside the station
– Explore Shibuya Center-gai and backstreets
– Shibuya Sky observation deck for sunset — ¥2,000 (book online for ¥1,800)
Critical: Shibuya Sky sells timed-entry tickets and sunset slots are gone weeks ahead. Reserve Shibuya Sky on Klook → — often cheaper than the door price, and you skip the line.
Dinner in Shibuya:
– Budget: Gyudon at Matsuya or Yoshinoya — ¥400–600
– Mid-range: Conveyor belt sushi (kaiten-zushi) — ¥1,000–1,800
– Splurge: Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) — ¥3,000–5,000
Want a guided eat-your-way-through-Shibuya night? Shibuya food tours on GetYourGuide → — 6-8 tastings, English-speaking guide, and they handle ordering.
Day 1 Cost Summary
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| ¥2,500 ($17) | ¥5,500 ($37) | ¥10,000 ($67) |
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Day 2: Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, Shinjuku
Morning: Meiji Shrine & Harajuku (9:00–12:00)
Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingu) — Tokyo’s most important Shinto shrine, set in a peaceful forest in the middle of the city. Free entry.
What to do:
– Walk through the massive torii gate and forested approach (10 min walk)
– Watch a traditional wedding procession if you’re lucky (weekends)
– Write a wish on an ema (wooden plaque) — ¥500
Then walk to Takeshita-dori — Harajuku’s famous pedestrian street:
– Rainbow cotton candy, crepes, and Instagram-worthy snacks everywhere
– Quirky fashion shops and 100-yen stores
– Daiso (100-yen store) for cheap souvenirs — everything ¥100
Cost: Free (shrine) + ¥500–1,500 (snacks/shopping)
First time in Japan and want a guide who can explain shrine rituals? Meiji Shrine & Harajuku walking tours on GetYourGuide → are 2-3 hours and end right where lunch starts.
Lunch: Omotesando/Harajuku (12:00–13:00)
– Budget: Harajuku crepe — ¥500
– Mid-range: Ramen at AFURI (yuzu shio ramen) — ¥1,100
– Splurge: Omotesando cafe lunch — ¥1,500–2,500
Afternoon: Shinjuku (14:00–17:00)
Walk or take the train one stop to Shinjuku.
What to do:
– Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building — Free observation deck on the 45th floor. Better than paying for Tokyo Tower.
– Shinjuku Gyoen — Beautiful garden, ¥500 entry. Perfect for a relaxing break.
– Kabukicho — Walk through Tokyo’s entertainment district (safe during the day, lively at night)
Evening: Golden Gai & Omoide Yokocho (18:00–21:00)
Two of Tokyo’s most atmospheric food/drink alleys, steps from Shinjuku Station:
– Omoide Yokocho (“Memory Lane”) — Tiny yakitori stalls under the train tracks. Smoky, atmospheric, delicious. Skewers from ¥100.
– Golden Gai — 200+ tiny bars, each seating 6-10 people. Some charge a cover (¥500–1,000). Look for signs saying “tourist welcome.”
Solo travelers and first-timers often feel intimidated walking into a 6-seat Golden Gai bar cold. A Golden Gai bar-hopping tour on Klook → handles the awkward door etiquette and gets you into 3-4 bars with locals in one evening.
Dinner:
– Budget: Yakitori at Omoide Yokocho — ¥800–1,500
– Mid-range: Izakaya (Japanese pub) — ¥2,000–3,000
– Splurge: Wagyu beef at a Shinjuku restaurant — ¥5,000–8,000
Day 2 Cost Summary
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| ¥3,000 ($20) | ¥6,500 ($43) | ¥14,000 ($93) |
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Day 3: Tsukiji, Ginza, Teamlab
Morning: Tsukiji Outer Market (8:00–10:30)
The inner market moved to Toyosu, but Tsukiji Outer Market is still the best food market in Tokyo. Go hungry.
Must-try:
– Tamago-yaki (Japanese omelette on a stick) — ¥100–200
– Fresh sushi at a market stall — ¥500–1,500 for a mini set
– Grilled seafood — scallops, crab, uni (sea urchin) — ¥300–800 each
– Melon — Hokkaido melon on a stick — ¥500
– Strawberry daifuku (mochi with strawberry) — ¥300
Budget: ¥1,000–1,500 for a filling “grazing breakfast”
Not sure which stall to pick from? A Tsukiji food tour on Klook → takes you through 7-8 of the highest-rated stalls in 2 hours — way more efficient than wandering with a hungry decision-paralysis brain.
Midday: Ginza (11:00–13:00)
Walk 15 minutes from Tsukiji to Ginza — Tokyo’s upscale shopping district.
Free/cheap things to do:
– Uniqlo Ginza flagship — 12 floors. Pick up Japan-exclusive items.
– Itoya stationery store — 12 floors of beautiful Japanese stationery. Great for unique souvenirs.
– Ginza Six rooftop garden — Free, great view
Lunch: Ginza has amazing affordable lunch sets (ランチセット). Even upscale restaurants offer lunch for ¥1,000–1,500 that would cost ¥5,000+ at dinner.
Afternoon: teamLab or Toyosu (14:00–17:00)
Choose one:
Option A: teamLab Borderless (Azabudai Hills)
– Immersive digital art museum. One of Tokyo’s top attractions.
– ¥3,800 — Book online in advance (sells out)
– Allow 2-3 hours
– Reserve teamLab Borderless on Klook → — timed entries sell out 7-10 days ahead in peak season
Option B: Toyosu Fish Market
– Watch the tuna auction from the observation deck (free, arrive by 5:30 AM for auction; market viewing from 9 AM)
– Sushi breakfast at the market restaurants
Evening: Your Choice (18:00–21:00)
End your Tokyo trip with one of these:
– Tokyo Tower at night — ¥1,200. Less crowded than Skytree, more charming. Discounted Tokyo Tower tickets on Klook →
– Odaiba — Waterfront area with the Gundam statue, teamLab Planets (¥3,800), and rainbow bridge views. teamLab Planets tickets on Klook →
– Nakano Broadway — The “other Akihabara” with rare vintage goods and manga
– Simply explore — Tokyo rewards wandering. Pick a neighborhood and get lost.
Dinner:
– Budget: Supermarket half-price bento after 8 PM — ¥300
– Mid-range: Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) set — ¥1,200–1,800
– Splurge: Sushi omakase (chef’s choice) — ¥5,000–15,000
Day 3 Cost Summary
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| ¥3,500 ($23) | ¥8,000 ($53) | ¥18,000 ($120) |
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Total 3-Day Cost (Excluding Accommodation & Transport Pass)
| Style | 3-Day Total | Per Day |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | ¥9,000 ($60) | ¥3,000 ($20) |
| Mid-range | ¥20,000 ($133) | ¥6,700 ($45) |
| Comfortable | ¥42,000 ($280) | ¥14,000 ($93) |
Add accommodation (¥3,000–10,000/night) and the 72-hour subway pass (¥1,500) for your full budget.
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Where to Stay for This Itinerary
For a 3-day Tokyo trip following this route, base yourself near the Yamanote Line. Best areas:
– Shinjuku — Central, transit hub, walking distance to Day 2’s activities. Browse Shinjuku hotels on Trip.com →
– Shibuya — Trendy, walkable, great for nightlife. Compare Shibuya hotels on Trip.com →
– Asakusa / Ueno — Traditional, cheaper, perfect for Day 1 morning start. See Asakusa hotels on Trip.com →
– Tokyo Station / Ginza — Premium location, best Shinkansen access if you’re continuing to Kyoto/Osaka. Find Tokyo Station hotels on Trip.com →
Trip.com typically prices Japanese inventory 5-15% below the Booking.com rate, and most rooms include free cancellation up to 24-48 hours before check-in — useful flexibility when you’re still finalizing flights.
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Tokyo Tips That Save Money
– Free observation decks beat paid ones. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (free) has views as good as Skytree (¥2,100).
– Lunch sets are the cheat code. Restaurants that charge ¥5,000+ at dinner often have lunch sets for ¥1,000–1,500.
– Don Quijote (Donki) for souvenirs. Tax-free for tourists on purchases over ¥5,000. Snacks, cosmetics, electronics — everything under one roof.
– Convenience stores are your best friend. Breakfast from konbini = ¥350. From a cafe = ¥1,000+.
– Vending machines > restaurants for drinks. ¥110–160 vs ¥300+.
– Avoid taxis. The subway goes everywhere and costs ¥170–300 per ride. A taxi from Shibuya to Shinjuku is ¥2,000+.
– Pre-book attractions instead of buying at the door. Klook regularly prices teamLab, Shibuya Sky, and Tokyo Tower 5-15% below the door rate — and you skip the ticket queue.
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Plan the Rest of Your Trip
Three things move the needle for a Tokyo trip — your hotel, your subway pass, and one signature experience.
Browse Tokyo Activities on Klook →
Top-rated Tokyo tours on GetYourGuide →
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– 🚄 Is the JR Pass Worth It in 2026? — Complete cost breakdown
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