What Is Tokyo Like for First-Time Visitors?
I knew Tokyo was enormous before I went. What I wasn't prepared for was how calm it felt.
I stayed at the Gracery Hotel in Shinjuku. Godzilla's head juts out of the side of the building, enormous, looming over the street below. I used it as a landmark whenever I got turned around. Point at the sky, ask a local "Godjira?" and they pointed me straight back. It worked every time.
Here's what I'd tell anyone heading there for the first time.
Where should I stay in Tokyo for the first time?
Shinjuku is the practical choice and a good one. It puts you at the centre of everything.
Shinjuku is one of Tokyo's main transport hubs, and the station serves more rail lines than almost any other in the world. That sounds overwhelming until you actually need to get somewhere. Then you realise how useful it is. East of the station is busier, with neon, restaurants and the entertainment district. West is cleaner and quieter, with the government buildings and some of the better hotels. Either works.
The noodle bar on the ground floor of my hotel was the first thing that hit me when I stepped out: the smell of food. Shinjuku is dense with it. Cafes, vendors, restaurants, street-food stalls. Despite the traffic and density, pollution is well controlled. It's a comfortable city to walk around.
For a first visit, staying close to a major station matters more than the exact neighbourhood. Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Shimbashi are all solid choices. Shinjuku's connectivity is hard to beat.
How many days do I need in Tokyo?
Give yourself at least five days. Seven is better. I had ten and I'd still have stayed longer.
Tokyo is not a place that rewards rushing. The obvious things (temples, towers, crossings) can fill a day or two. But the places worth remembering tend to be the ones you find when you're not following a list.
On my visit I booked a tour with a local driver who took me around the city's sites. I'm a Buddhist, so the monastery was a priority. Monks going about their daily tasks in silence, the whole rhythm set by a large gong struck with a rope and log. What struck me most was an engineering detail: parabolic architecture around the monastery grounds that bounces the city's traffic noise back, leaving you in something close to silence. Genuinely impressive.
The driver also took me to the Imperial Palace. Spectacular. The Olympic preparations were underway when I visited, so we couldn't enter the grounds. But the pagoda arrangements, the river and the bridges are worth the journey on their own.
If you're combining Tokyo with Kyoto or Osaka (which most first-time visitors to Japan do), budget a full week in Tokyo and build the rest around it. The bullet train makes domestic travel straightforward.
Is Tokyo safe for tourists?
It's one of the safest cities I've ever visited. That isn't a throwaway line.
I went to Kabukicho, Shinjuku's entertainment and red-light district, after being told where it was and deciding to have a look. It's nothing like a European red-light district. Busy, lit up, lots of people, but not threatening in the slightest. I didn't feel like a target at any point.
The street cleaners were out at 4am, sweeping roads and cleaning even the signposts. By the time the city was fully awake, everything was pristine. There’s a level of collective consideration you notice almost immediately. Rush hour on a packed train is a different matter — it’s a genuine crush and everyone is getting on regardless — but outside of that, the city has a quietness and an orderliness that catches you off guard.
If someone looks lost, a local will help them. A woman at the tourist help booth inside Shinjuku station came out of her booth unprompted, walked me to the ticket vending machine, and showed me exactly what I needed to buy for the Studio Ghibli trip. She didn't need to do that.
Worth knowing: Tokyo is not immune to natural events. Earthquakes and typhoons are real considerations. If you're staying in a decent hotel, they'll brief you on what to do.
What does Tokyo actually feel like?
Orderly, extraordinary, and unlike anywhere else I've been.
The first night, I walked to a 7-Eleven. Bought a triangular rice cake filled with black beans and soy sauce. Tried eating it on the street and learned, fairly quickly, that eating while walking is frowned upon in Japan. Took it back to the hotel room, microwaved it, ate it on the bed. Loved it.
There was a J-Pop band coming out of a hotel one evening. Thousands of people lining the street, photographers, limos, bodyguards, the lot. A band massively famous for approximately two weeks, then forgotten. That's how the J-Pop manufacturing cycle works. I just stood and watched the spectacle.
And one evening at a karaoke bar in Shinjuku: I went in alone, had a couple of beers. A hostess came over and asked if I'd like to join a group who needed one more person. I ended up singing with a group of Japanese office workers until late into the night. Beer flowing, great fun, cannot remember what I sang. It was exactly like the karaoke bar scene in Lost in Translation. Japanese office workers put in extremely long hours, then go straight out drinking, sometimes don't go home at all before heading back to work at five or six in the morning.
Shinjuku at night is something else entirely. The neon is real, the scale is real, and it doesn't feel like a theme park version of itself. It feels like a city that simply happens to look like that.
What are the best free things to do in Tokyo?
Some of the best views and experiences in the city cost nothing.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in west Shinjuku has a free observation deck on the 45th floor. No booking, no entrance fee, just show up and go up. On a clear day you can see Mount Fuji. Most people I've spoken to who've been to Tokyo either didn't know this existed or walked past it.
Shinjuku Gyoen, the national garden, has a modest entrance fee and earns it. Three separate garden styles in one space: French formal, English landscape and Japanese. On a good day you can spend two or three hours there without looking at your watch.
I visited in spring, specifically to see the cherry blossom. I timed it right and caught peak season. Worth building your dates around if you can. Those two weeks are extraordinary and I have the photographs to prove it.
The Shibuya Crossing is free to walk through. That moment when the lights change and pedestrians pour in from every direction at once is one of those things you know you won't forget.
What should I skip on a first visit to Tokyo?
Spending your evenings on tourist traps rather than the real city.
If you've got limited evenings in Tokyo, spend them in an izakaya. These are small local bars identified by a red lantern outside the door. Order whatever the table next to you is having. That's the real Tokyo, not the overpriced spectacle venues around Kabukicho.
For day trips: Hakone is a strong choice for Fuji views without committing to the mountain itself. But don't treat more time in Tokyo as a consolation prize. It isn't.
If you can get to Studio Ghibli in Mitaka, do it. Book the visit before you travel; tickets sell out months in advance. I got to Mitaka station, looked down from the elevated platform, and saw the Cat Bus from Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro on the street below. I ran down the steps and crossed in front of it to stop it leaving. The driver took pity on me. The buses run hourly. Worth every bit of the scramble.
What do first-timers get wrong about Tokyo?
Assuming they can figure out the trains as they go, and assuming Tokyo is all Shinjuku.
Get an IC card (a Suica or Pasmo) before you try to navigate peak-hour Tokyo. It covers trains, subways and most convenience store purchases, and loading it with cash at any station machine takes about two minutes. The station-by-station ticket queue alternative is not something you want to deal with at rush hour.
Shinjuku station itself is enormous. A local told me it might be a mile across. That's probably an exaggeration, but find your nearest entry point before you need it. The walk between entry points is long.
Akihabara (known locally as Akiba) is worth a half-day if you have any interest in electronics or anime. The technology is more advanced than anything in the UK and the prices are lower. I had gadgets coming out of my ears by that point, so I didn't buy anything, but it's worth the trip just to look.
Tokyo is also not one place. Shibuya is fashion and energy. Harajuku is younger and louder. Asakusa has the older, more traditional Tokyo: temple streets and backroads. Shinjuku is commerce, night life and scale. Don't stay in one area and assume you've seen the city.
Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa
Asakusa is Tokyo's most traditional district, and Senso-ji is its centrepiece. The temple complex is free to enter, and the approach through Nakamise shopping street is worth the walk on its own. The main gate, the Kaminarimon, is where you'll find the famous giant red paper lantern.
The scale of the lantern only registers when you're standing in front of it. Standing directly under it is a different experience entirely.
The temple grounds behind the gate are busy but never uncomfortable. Worth a morning.
FAQ
How much does it cost to visit Tokyo?
Tokyo has a reputation for being expensive that doesn't entirely hold. Accommodation near the main stations can be pricey. But eating well is genuinely affordable. Convenience store rice cakes, ramen, tonkatsu set lunches: well priced and often excellent. Japanese whisky bars are worth an evening. The Suntory whisky and Asahi lager are everywhere, and I found a bar that served nothing but Jameson's Irish whiskey. Go in, have your drink, leave. Then move to the next one.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
No. English signage in the main tourist areas and transport hubs is good. Many restaurants have picture menus or plastic food displays outside. Hotel staff generally speak enough English to help. Outside the main areas it gets harder, but pointing and patience go a long way.
There is one phrase worth knowing. "Toire wa doko desu ka?" means "where are the toilets?" Phonetically: "Toyleh wa doko des ka?" That, honestly, is all the Japanese you really need.
What's the food like in Tokyo?
Better than I expected, and I expected it to be good. Convenience store food is genuinely impressive: nowhere near the UK equivalent. Wagyu beef is worth spending money on at least once. I had it — Kobe was on the menu too but the price was another level entirely, so Wagyu it was. No regrets. The marbling is extraordinary and it bears no resemblance to anything you'd find at home. I also had teppanyaki skewers at a local restaurant and matcha green tea in one of the parks with a small biscuity cake alongside. Nothing like the scratchy UK version. Smooth, clean, and worth seeking out.
One thing I noticed in restaurants: before a meal, you may hear "Itadakimasu" (roughly "I humbly receive"), and after eating, "Gochisousama deshita" (roughly "thank you for the feast"). I wasn't always sure of the exact order, but if you want to join in, nobody will mind. They'll probably be delighted.
Should I get a Japan Rail Pass?
If you're travelling between cities, including a bullet train to Kyoto or Osaka, a Japan Rail Pass will almost certainly save you money. For Tokyo only, an IC card is all you need.
What's the best time of year to visit Tokyo?
Spring (late March to early May) and autumn (October to November) are the most popular, and for good reason. I went in spring for cherry blossom season and the timing was perfect. Summer is hot and humid. Winter is cold but clear and considerably quieter.
Can I use cards in Tokyo?
Japan is still more cash-reliant than most Western countries, though this has improved. Carry some cash. Most convenience stores, major restaurants and tourist attractions accept cards. Smaller restaurants, local bars and some transport may still be cash only.
Is Tokyo good for solo travellers?
Very. Safe, clean, efficient and full of solo-friendly eating options. Counter seating is common and perfectly normal. The karaoke bar I ended up in alone turned into the best evening of the trip. You won't feel out of place.
Thinking about planning a trip to Japan?
Tokyo stays with people. I've spoken to travellers who went once and built their entire relationship with long-haul travel around wanting to go back. If you're planning a trip, whether it's Japan for the first time or you want to do it properly, I'd like to help you put it together.
Get in touch and tell me what you're thinking. We'll build something worth the journey.
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