Tokyo, Japan
The Tokyo Guide For First-Timers
The Tokyo Guide for First-Timers
This trip started as a Japan ski trip with a group of friends. Two of us were photographers, and all we really wanted was to get lost in Tokyo. No plan. No checklist. Just moments.
Anthony Bourdain once said that going to Tokyo for the first time is like taking acid for the first time. It’s powerful. Transformative. You come out the other side seeing the world differently, wondering what you do now knowing that a place like this exists.
For all of that to say, Tokyo might be my favorite city on earth after this trip.
I’m obviously biased toward New York after living there for seven years, and Rio because it’s Rio, but Tokyo belongs in that conversation. It’s a city where ancient traditions coexist with cutting-edge technology, where hyper-dense neighborhoods sit right next to quiet gardens and shrines.
Tokyo proper has over 13 million people. The greater metropolitan area has more than 37 million. It’s nearly double the size of New York City. There is genuinely nothing else on earth like it.
This guide is written for people who have never been to Japan and keep DM’ing me for Tokyo recommendations. It’s based on how I actually moved through the city, not a perfectly optimized itinerary designed to see everything.
I did Tokyo twice on this trip. We stayed in Shibuya for four nights at the start, then came back and stayed in Shinjuku for two nights at the end. The order matters, and I’ll explain why as we go.
Before You Go (Read This First)
Airports
You’ll most likely fly into Haneda (HND) or Narita (NRT). Haneda is closer and easier, but Narita is completely fine. From either airport, you’ll take a train into the city. This is normal, efficient, and part of the experience.
That said, my flight was delayed, and I was eager to catch up with my friends who were already exploring. I grabbed a taxi from Haneda straight to our Airbnb in Shibuya to drop my bags and head out. It cost about $50, and in that moment it was absolutely worth it. There are cheaper ways, but it’s good to know this option exists when you’re tired and impatient.
Suica (This Matters)
Add a Suica card to your Apple Wallet before you leave.
One important thing people don’t tell you: you cannot add money to Suica until you are physically in Japan. It won’t let you load funds outside the country. That’s normal. Don’t stress about it.
Once you land, you can instantly load money onto Suica in Apple Wallet.
Suica is used for subways, local trains, buses, and even convenience stores. You tap in when you enter a station and tap out when you leave. You’re charged based on the distance you travel.
Tokyo is built around train stations. Every neighborhood revolves around one. Think of each station as its own small city.
One thing to know is that Suica gets you into stations, but some trains require an additional ticket, like airport express trains or the Shinkansen. You’ll probably mess this up once. Everyone does.
Why Japan Just Works
Japan is shockingly easy to navigate. Trains run on time. Signs make sense. Google Maps actually works. Even when it’s crowded, it somehow feels calm.
The people are genuinely some of the nicest you’ll ever meet. Polite, helpful, patient. There’s an unspoken respect for personal space and for each other.
There’s no trash anywhere, yet very few trash cans. The country is spotless. Everything runs smoothly. The food is consistently incredible, even in places you stumble into by accident.
Tokyo is crowded, but it feels perfectly organized. No complaints. It just works.
A Quick Note on Planning
Forget the perfect Japan plan.
We made zero reservations in Tokyo, and some of our favorite meals were found entirely by accident. At the same time, I had saved a ton of restaurants and bars on Google Maps. That combination turned out to be perfect.
We’d explore a neighborhood, pull up the map, see something nearby that had been recommended, and check it out. If it was full, we moved on. No stress.
Not having a strict itinerary let us move at our own pace, which mattered a lot with jet lag and a 14-hour time change. Some mornings were slow. Some nights went late. Tokyo is very forgiving if you let it be.
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Tokyo Is a Photographer’s Playground
Tokyo is one of the best cities in the world to photograph. Neon and signage at night, quiet and minimal streets early in the morning, extreme density next to moments of stillness. There are layers everywhere: people, reflections, trains, alleys.
You don’t really hunt for photos here. They find you.
If you wake up early or stay out late, Tokyo rewards you.
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Night 1: Arrival → Shinjuku
We landed around 8pm after a flight delay. We dropped our bags at our Airbnb in Shibuya and went straight to Shinjuku.
Our first stop was Omoide Yokocho, also called Memory Lane. Tiny restaurants with six seats, smoke in the air, shoulder-to-shoulder dining. We ate whatever had space: skewers, sushi, dumplings. No planning, no reservations. Perfect.
After dinner, we wandered into Golden Gai. Drinks, karaoke, cramped bars, strangers singing together. We called it a night around 1am.
It technically didn’t count as a full day, but it set the tone for the entire trip.
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Day 1: Running Tokyo, Eating Everything
I’m not a runner, but this ended up being one of the highlights of the entire trip.
We woke up early and ran about four slow miles through Tokyo before the city woke up. Empty Shibuya Crossing, quiet side streets, no pressure to move fast. We stopped constantly to take photos. It felt like the city belonged to us.
We ended the run at Little Nap Coffee Stand for coffee and pastries. It was so good. We met other runners there from Australia who actually live in Tokyo. One of them opened a pizza restaurant. Tokyo is like that.
Later that day, we did conveyor belt sushi at Kura Sushi. Seventy-two plates. About $11 per person. Easy ordering, great quality, zero stress. This is a must for first-timers.
We grabbed matcha from After All Coffee, which might be the best matcha I’ve ever had, then headed to Tsukiji Fish Market. Absolute chaos in the best way. Mochi, wagyu skewers, seafood everywhere. We ate until we physically couldn’t.
That same day, we stumbled into our favorite meal of the entire trip.
It was a tiny horumon spot with six seats total. We took up four of them. The entire place was run by one man. No show, no ego. Just pride.
It was a wagyu omakase-style meal, cooked and served by hand. You could tell this was his life’s work. He was genuinely happy to serve us and proud of every dish that came off the grill. It was pure luck, and it was unforgettable.
Dinner was Ichiran Ramen later that night. Solo booths, ordering tickets, no talking. It’s touristy for a reason and still hits.
We finished the night with cocktails at SG Club, then foot massages, and called it a night.
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Day 2: Shrines, Temples, and Konbini Runs
We started the day at Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken. It sits inside a forest in the middle of the city and feels completely removed from Tokyo’s chaos. We saw ceremonies happening and moved slowly through the grounds.
From there we headed to Asakusa and visited Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. This was one of our favorite days. We did all the rituals: purification, incense, walking Nakamise Street. It felt spiritual, not rushed.
We had planned to visit the Imperial Palace, but it was closed for the holidays. That’s late December in Japan. Build flexibility into your plans.
We saw Tokyo Tower, grabbed lunch at a tiny hole-in-the-wall spot with six seats and no English, and then leaned fully into convenience stores.
Konbinis are elite. 7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart. Egg salad sandwiches, onigiri, Pocari Sweat, Strong Zero, hot snacks late at night. They are not a backup option. They’re part of the experience.
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Day 3: New Year’s Energy
This day was looser. More conveyor belt sushi. Animal cafes. Shopping.
Tokyo around New Year feels different. Quieter streets, more intention.
We had a long New Year’s dinner with the group, no rushing, then rang in the New Year at CÉ LA VI. It was a big contrast from the tiny bars earlier in the trip, and it reminded me how well Tokyo handles extremes.
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Day 4: Travel Day → Kyoto
We left Tokyo for Kyoto.
👉 Kyoto guide linked here.
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Day 12: Back to Tokyo (My 31st Birthday)
After Hakuba, we came back to Tokyo and stayed in Shinjuku. This was also my 31st birthday.
We went to the Shinjuku Sumo Club. Since we were there outside of official sumo season, this was the perfect way to experience it. Context, culture, and appreciation without needing tournament tickets.
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Where I’d Eat Again in Tokyo
Some places were planned. Some were accidents. All were memorable.
Udon Shin – my favorite udon
Naraseiman – favorite shoyu ramen
Fuunji – elite tsukemen
Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho (Shinjuku) – get the shrimp tomato tsukemen
Tatsuya (Shinjuku) – favorite oyakodon, great casual lunch
Kameya Shinjuku Branch – unfussy soba, especially good while bar hopping in Omoide Yokocho
Shabushabu Yamawarau (Omotesando) – great personal-size sukiyaki or shabu shabu
Fujiki (Nakameguro) – excellent tonkatsu, perfect for strolling days
Butagumi – higher-end tonkatsu
Itasoba Kaoriya (Ebisu) – get the goma soba and drink in Ebisu Yokocho
Jomon (Roppongi) – kushiyaki skewers of all kinds
Savoy – great Neapolitan pizza
Torikizoku – honorable mention, cheap beers, fast food, perfect late night
Bars
Grandfather’s – best bar in Japan. Underground listening bar, vinyl only, cigarette smoke, perfect vibes.
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Day 13: Fly Home
We flew out at night. Tired, full, and grateful.
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Final Tokyo Takeaway
Tokyo rewards curiosity.
Wake up early. Stay out late. Eat where there’s space. Walk without a plan.
It’s overwhelming until it isn’t. And then it becomes one of the most energizing cities on earth.
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What’s Next
This Tokyo guide is part of a bigger trip.
Kyoto Guide
Hakuba Guide