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Opinion needed for my 4days in Tokyo 2014/8/1 05:34
I've come up with my own itinerary for 4 days in Tokyo later this year. I want to know if what I've come up with is reasonable, so if there's anyone who knows Tokyo well i'd like to hear your feedback.

Because there is so much to see in Tokyo i have decided to split each day into a different area. The sightseeing page for Tokyo lists places for Central, Western, Southern and Northern Tokyo - so that's what im doing. 1 day for each of those areas (some spots may cross over into definitive territories but there's a general idea to each day and I've tried to go in a loop).

I'm staying at the Park Hotel in Minato. I'll be checking in around midday, my flight arrives in at Narita at 9.30am.

I'm not looking for anywhere in particular to get food - i'll find places that interest me where and when i'm hungry. Breakfast is included each day at my Hotel.

I have a JR Pass and a Tokyo subway card with some credit on it so i'll be using the subways/train lines quite a bit to get to different places.


I've listed in order the places i want to visit. All being well i'm not jet lagged to f*ck. I'll plan on starting my days relatively early.

Arrival and Day 1 - Central
Hamarikyu Gardens (right next to my hotel)
Imperial Palace
Koshikawa Korakuen/Tokyo Dome City
Akihabara
Ginza

Day 2 - Western
Shinjuku-Gyoen
Meiji Shrine/Yoyogi Park
Harajuku
Shibuya
Government Metro Building Observation Decks
Shinjuku

Day 3 - Northern
Edo-Tokyo Museum
Ameyoko street
Uneo Park
Asakusa
Sensoji Temple
Tokyo Skytree

Day 4 - Southern/Central
Tsukiji Fish Market (hotel very close)
Odaiba
Sengaku-ji
Tokyo Tower/Zojoji temple
Roppongi


I don;t know if i have planned TOO much. After leaving Tokyo and travelling round the rest of Japan i return to Tokyo for 1 more full day. I could do things on that day if i miss out on anything i wanted to do previously.

Is this itinerary reasonable? Too much? anything else i could fit in or do differently?

All comments welcome. Thanks
by eddyf100  

Re: Opinion needed for my 4days in Tokyo 2014/8/1 17:49
Days 2 and 3 may be hectic, depending on your destinations and crowdedness there.

What would you visit in Shinjuku, Shibuya and Roppongi areas?
You plan to visit the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, right?
In order to visit the Imperial Palace itself, you need to apply for a tour organized by Imperial Household Agency and get a permission.

Regarding the order of places, you can visit
Tsukiji Wholesale Market (near Tsukijishijo Station (E-18): Exit A1),
Edo-Tokyo Museum (near Ryogoku Station (E-12): Exit A4),
Koishikawa Korakuen (near Iidabashi Station (E-06): Exit C3)
and Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1 (North / South Observatory) (near Tochomae Station (E-28): Exit A4)
in this order, using Toei subway Oedo Line counterclockwise from and to Shiodome Station (E-19) just near your hotel.
If you can choose one day when none of the facilities is closed, they sound enough for a medium-pace traveler to visit in a day.
You might add Zojoji Temple and Tokyo Tower (near Akabanebashi Station (E-21): Akabanebashi Exit) at the end if you are a high-pace traveler and you start in early morning.

Concerning Tokyo Tower / Tokyo Skytree, if you plan to climb it with a same-day ticket, I recommend you would allot a weekday to it, considering possible crowdedness.
Please note that you cannot purchase in advance an admission ticket of the upper observatory of Tokyo Tower / Tokyo Skytree. Only visitors in the lower observatory can be admitted to the upper observatory.

By the way, are you a good walker?
Omotesando Street, which is manly on a slope, is not yet listed. It appears in the japan-guide.com article featuring Harajuku.
- Harajuku
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3006.html
Meiji Jingu Shrinefs main building and Harajuku Station are located a little apart.
You may hope to take one train on Toei Subway Oedo Line from Shiodome to Yoyogi, walk to Meiji Jingu Shrine and take the route below to Harajuku.
Meiji Jingu Shrine: Yoyogi Gate [North Gate] --(North Approach)-- Main Building --(South Approach)-- Harajuku Gate [South Gate].
http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/map/2.html
From Harajuku Gate of Meiji Jingu Shrine, you can proceed to Omotesando Street.
If you plan to visit Takeshita-dori Street, you can make a detour by the street on the way back to Harajuku.
From Harajuku Station you can get to Shibuya Station by JR on one train.

An area which can be called Shinjuku is very wide, including districts of Shinjuku and Shibuya as municipalities.
TMG Building and Meiji Jingu Shrine are located away from Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, which has gates in Shinjuku and Shibuya city wards.
The Shinjuku railroad terminal is composed of several stations on many lines, but they are not always the best stations for your destinations.

Shibuya Stations (of four operators on many lines) are at the bottom of various slopes. Redevelopment works have been ongoing in and around Shibuya Stations.
When you tour Shibuya, I recommend you would rely never on guidebooks issued in 2012 or before but on newer well-updated sources.
by omotenashi rate this post as useful

Re: Opinion needed for my 4days in Tokyo 2014/8/1 17:59
Day 1: Too ambitious, considering it's your arrival day. I think you'll have no time for both Ginza and Akihabara. If it was down to me, Akihabara wins hands down.

Day 2: Pretty busy day but it's ok.

Day 3: Perfectly doable. Again busy day.

Day 4: I'd just schedule Tsukiji and Odaiba for this day (don't forget to visit Miraikan, it's an amazing museum!). Maybe you can add Roppongi at the end. You can perfectly fit Ginza and the rest of the stuff you left from Day 4 in your last day + a bit of last minute shopping. At my time in Tokyo I scheduled one full day in Odaiba, but of course it depends on your planned activities.
by aerond rate this post as useful

Re: Opinion needed for my 4days in Tokyo 2014/8/1 20:33
Thanks for the feedback. I thought I was being a bit too ambitious here. 5-6 things a day may be pushing it, I will look at doing 4 maybe 5 things a day instead.

Last time I came to Tokyo I stayed in odaiba, and covered every inch of it pretty much, I may feel like missing that out. Won't know until I get there though. I think I'll take it easy the first few days and then try and space some stuff over the last day.

I just want to do things that logistically make sense instead of going back and forth all the time from different areas
by eddyf100 rate this post as useful

Re: Opinion needed for my 4days in Tokyo 2014/8/1 20:41
You have a JR pass? For 4 days in Tokyo? ?
by stuck (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Opinion needed for my 4days in Tokyo 2014/8/1 20:50
As aerond said, D1 is likely too much considering your arrival time. The rest is fine, busy but doable. You can always skip things so as long as you don't get frustrated if you cannot make it all, you'll be fine.
by just a guest (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Opinion needed for my 4days in Tokyo 2014/8/1 22:26
I have a JR pass for 3 weeks as I travel to different places after Tokyo (in reply to 'Stuck').

Thanks for the feedback people. I will take it a bit easier and use the full day at the end to see things I may miss out on.
by eddyf100 rate this post as useful

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