What to see in Tokyo in 4 days? Tokyo, the capital of Japan, has so many places to see that you could spend a week seeing things non-stop and still leave with the feeling of having left something behind. From ultra-modern skyscrapers to historic temples, from manga-only neighborhoods with streets full of fashionable people, Tokyo is a city of contrasts, full of life and multiple surprises.
That’s why before visiting Tokyo you have to be very clear about what to see and know how to discard as you won’t be able to see everything. In my case, I spent 4 days in Tokyo so I have time to see many things and I ended up quite satisfied. Here you have my list of what to see in Tokyo during 4 days of travel.
What to see and what to do in Tokyo?
1. Senso-ji Temple – Asakusa
Senjo-ji Temple is Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple and one of the most visited by both Japanese and tourists. It was built in 645 in honor of Kannon, the Buddhist God of compassion. The temple was destroyed during World War II and later reconstructed as a symbol of peace and rebirth for the Japanese people.
You can take advantage of your visit to Senso-ji Temple to see the Asakusa district, an old district full of traditional shops with good views of the Sumida River. On Nakamise Street you’ll find plenty of food stalls, souvenir and craft shops.
If, like me, you are one of those who likes to walk around the city, from the Akihabara neighborhood you have a 40-minute walk to the Asakusa neighborhood. However, it is advisable to visit it early in the morning to save tides of tourists taking pictures.
2. Akihabara Neighbourhood
Not far from Asakusa is the Akihabara neighborhood, one of Tokyo’s most famous neighborhoods for its freaky atmosphere. This neighborhood is characterized by its shopping centers dedicated to manga, anime and video games. If you’re a fan of anime and video games, it’s a must during your trip to Tokyo in 4 days. Don’t forget to go to Akihabara’s best-known shopping mall: Yodobashi-Akiba.
Akihabara is also home to a large number of maid cafes: cosplay cafes, where waitresses are dressed as maids, sing songs and dance. Everything inside is quite surreal and very kawaii.
3. Shibuya Crossing
Another surreal place worth visiting is the Shibuya crossing. It is by far the busiest crosswalk in the world. Standing at the foot of the street, seeing how during the red light the sidewalk is filled with people and when it turns green a lot of people cross the street to different directions is a curious experience. You can wait a while to see if the influx of people goes down and you will see that it never stops.
Once seen and lived from the ground, it is worth seeing it from above. If you don’t want to spend anything you can see it from the subway corridor. Otherwise, you can go to one of the many cafes in the buildings adjacent to the crossroads. For example: Starbucks, Magnet by Shibuya 109 terrace or Mag’s Park lookout. In this link there is more detail about the best places to see the crossing from above.
Near Shibuya crossing you can go to Yoyogi Park, one of Tokyo’s largest parks, and Meiji Shrine, an oasis in the middle of Tokyo.
4. Golden Gai Bares – Shinjuku
Next to Shibuya, the Shinjuku district is the most cosmopolitan and bustling of all Tokyo. Packed with skyscrapers, shopping malls, restaurants, cafes and neon-lit bars, this neighborhood is not lacking in anything.
Shijuku is home to the business district, the Shinjuku train station, which with over three and a half million people a day, is the busiest station in the world, and the red-light district of Kabukicho, where a huge Godzilla head overhanging a building welcomes you.
At one end of Kabukicho’s red-light district is the Golden Gai, an area of small bars that can accommodate no more than 6-8 people per bar. In the Golden Gai there is a total of 200 bars, the buildings do not exceed two floors and each bar is a world apart. Without a doubt it is one of the places with most personality of all Tokyo. Here you can see a very interesting article about the Golden Gai.
5. Viewpoints of Tokyo
If there’s one thing that’s not missing in the city of Tokyo, it’s lookouts. I advise you to stop by at least one of them to enjoy the breathtaking views of the skyscrapers of Tokyo. And if you’re lucky and the day is clear, you can even see Mount Fuji in the distance.
- The Metropolitan Government Building: In Shinjuku. It has two viewpoints at 202 meters high. Free of charge.
- Torre Mori: In the Roppongi Hills complex. It has two viewpoints at 230 meters high: The Tokyo City View (1500¥) and another one outdoors, the Sky Deck (500¥).
- Tokyo Tower: In Minato-ku. It has a viewpoint at 150 meters (820¥) and another at 250 meters (1420¥ both).
- Tokyo Skytree: In the Sumida neighborhood, there are two viewpoints. Tembo Deck is 350 meters (2060¥) and Tembo Galleria 450 meters (3090¥ both).
What to see after Tokyo?
After visiting Tokyo, you can’t miss a trip to Mount Fuji. You can make a lightning round trip in a day like I did or stay a few days staying at the foot of this impressive volcano. Otherwise, you can take a flight to Kyoto or Osaka, another two must see cities of Japan.
If this post about what to see in Tokyo in 4 days has seemed practical to you, you can comment it, value it and/or share it. Thank you! If you want to check more beautiful places of Japan, you can check my post about Fukuoka, an ideal place to live.
Everything in excess is bad, except travel.
