3 days in Tokyo: a day-by-day sightseeing plan

Tokyo is huge, so this plan keeps each day in one part of the city and uses short taxi rides, or the trains, for the longer gaps. Day one runs from Skytree and Asakusa through Ueno to the Imperial Palace, day two moves west from Tokyo Tower through Roppongi and Shibuya to Meiji Jingū, and day three crosses to the bay islands of Odaiba and Toyosu and ends in the early afternoon.

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Day 1

Skytree, Sensō-ji and the Imperial Palace

5 stops

09:00
Tokyo Skytree
About 1 h 30 min
At 634 metres, Skytree is the tallest tower in Japan, with two observation decks above the city and, on clear days, Mount Fuji far to the west. Booking ahead saves time at busy periods, and the walk to Sensō-ji afterwards crosses the Sumida River.
Walk, 22 min
10:55
Sensō-ji Temple
About 1 h
Tokyo's oldest temple is reached through the Kaminarimon gate with its huge red lantern and along Nakamise, a street of snack and souvenir stalls. In front of the main hall, waft the incense smoke over yourself as local visitors do, then take a short taxi to Ueno.
Taxi, 5 min
12:00
Tokyo National Museum
About 1 h 40 min
Japan's oldest and largest museum stands at the north end of Ueno Park. In the main Honkan building you can follow Japanese art through the centuries, from samurai armour and swords to scrolls and kimono, which fills the plan's long midday slot.
Taxi, 10 min
13:50
Yasukuni Shrine
About 35 min
This Shinto shrine commemorates those who died in Japan's wars, and because it also honours men convicted of war crimes after the Second World War, it is a subject of controversy, especially in China and Korea. Visitors come for the huge torii gate and the tree-lined approach, then it is a short taxi ride to the palace.
Taxi, 4 min
14:30
Tokyo Imperial Palace
About 1 h 40 min
The emperor's palace stands behind moats and stone walls in a park at the centre of the city. Most visitors see the Nijūbashi bridge from the plaza and walk the East Gardens on the site of the old Edo Castle keep, which suits this last, unhurried slot; tours of the inner grounds need booking ahead.

Day 2

Tokyo Tower, Shibuya and Meiji Jingū

5 stops

09:00
Tokyo Tower
About 1 h 30 min
The red and white lattice tower from 1958 was modelled on the Eiffel Tower, and its Main Deck looks across Minato toward the bay. Zōjō-ji temple sits at its foot, so walk through its gate for the view of temple roofs with the tower behind.
Taxi, 4 min
10:35
National Art Center, Tokyo
About 1 h 30 min
Kisho Kurokawa's building in Roppongi has a rippling glass facade and no permanent collection, so what you see depends on the exhibitions of the moment. Check what is on; even without a show, the atrium with its two giant inverted cones is worth a look.
Taxi, 6 min
12:15
Shibuya scramble crossing
About 45 min
Cross the scramble with the crowd coming from every direction when the lights change, then watch it from above from the station or one of the buildings around it. The bronze statue of Hachikō, the loyal dog, is by the station exit.
Taxi, 5 min
13:05
Meiji Jingū
About 1 h
The shrine to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken stands in a large forest in the middle of the city, reached along gravel paths through huge wooden torii gates. An hour covers the walk in, the main hall and the walk back out before the taxi west to the mosque.
Taxi, 6 min
14:15
Tokyo Mosque
About 30 min
Tokyo Camii is the largest mosque in Japan, built in Ottoman style with materials and craftsmen from Turkey, and visitors are welcome outside prayer times if dressed modestly. It is a quiet end to the day in a residential area west of Shibuya.

Day 3

Odaiba, Miraikan, the Rainbow Bridge and Toyosu

4 stops

09:00
Odaiba
About 1 h
Odaiba is a man-made island in Tokyo Bay with shopping centres, a small Statue of Liberty replica and waterfront parks that look back at the city. An hour lets you walk the seaside promenade before heading south to Miraikan.
Walk, 19 min
10:20
Miraikan
About 1 h 30 min
Japan's national science museum focuses on new technology, with hands-on displays on robots, space and the planet and a large glowing globe hanging in the atrium. Ninety minutes suits the main floors, then take a short taxi to the bridge.
Taxi, 5 min
11:55
Rainbow Bridge
About 20 min
The suspension bridge links Odaiba with central Tokyo, and the best view is from the Odaiba waterfront at its end. If the pedestrian walkway is open you can walk part of it; otherwise treat this as a quick photo stop.
Taxi, 5 min
12:20
Toyosu
About 1 h
Toyosu is the home of the wholesale fish market that replaced Tsukiji. By midday the auctions are long over, so come for the viewing galleries, a seafood lunch at the market restaurants and the rooftop garden, then finish the trip at your own pace.

Good to know

Trains reach every stop in this plan; a rechargeable IC card such as Suica or Pasmo makes them easy, and taxis cover the cross-town gaps.
Book the Skytree decks and the Imperial Palace grounds tour ahead if you want them.
Many Tokyo museums close one day a week, often Monday, so check before you fix which day you do what.
Spring and autumn are the easiest seasons; summer is hot and humid, so plan indoor breaks in the museums.
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Open in Atlazi

3 days in Tokyo: a day-by-day sightseeing plan

Tokyo Skytree

Sensō-ji Temple

Tokyo National Museum

Yasukuni Shrine

Tokyo Imperial Palace

Tokyo Tower

National Art Center, Tokyo

Shibuya scramble crossing

Meiji Jingū

Tokyo Mosque

Odaiba

Miraikan

Rainbow Bridge

Toyosu

Good to know

Make this plan yours