Getting around
Tokyo is one of the few megacities where public transport is almost always better than a car. The JR Yamanote loop provides the broad orientation; Tokyo Metro and Toei subway lines handle the core; private railways take over at the edges. Use an IC card such as Suica or PASMO and let a route planner compare fares and transfers—different operators overlap, which is why the diagram looks harder than the trip usually is. Walk within a neighborhood, but do not casually walk between neighborhoods: Tokyo distances are deceptive and crossings are slow. Taxis are clean and reliable for late-night gaps, rain, luggage or a short final leg, but costly for cross-city journeys; rideshare is limited compared with North American cities. Do not rent or drive in central Tokyo: congestion, opaque road layouts and expensive parking make it a bad trade.
When to go
Late March–April and October–November bring the most comfortable weather, but cherry-blossom weeks are intensely crowded and hotel prices jump. Golden Week, roughly late April through early May, distorts domestic travel further; book transport and popular attractions early or avoid it. June is damp and overcast but can be quieter; July through September is hot and oppressively humid, with typhoon disruption possible in early autumn. Winter is generally crisp, comparatively uncrowded and excellent for clear Mount Fuji views, though daylight is short.
Book before you land
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka — timed admission is limited and famously difficult; book as soon as the applicable sales window opens, especially for weekends and school holidays. · teamLab Planets TOKYO, Toyosu — reserve a timed entry at least 1–3 weeks ahead in busy periods; same-day slots are not something to build an itinerary around. · Shibuya Sky — sunset slots are the ones that sell out; booking opens 14 days ahead, so reserve immediately when that window opens. · Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland — buy dated tickets before travel for weekends, school holidays and peak seasons; DisneySea is the more distinctive park and the stronger reason to make the trip. · Major temporary exhibitions and high-demand museum shows — Tokyo museums increasingly use timed entry, and weekend slots can disappear quickly. Check the specific museum rather than assuming a general museum pass will solve it.
- Carry an IC card and some cash. Cards are widely accepted, but small bars, market stalls, temples and older businesses can still be cash-first; foreign cards are not universally frictionless.
- Queue quietly, stand to one side on escalators according to local signage, and do not eat while walking through crowded shopping streets. Tokyo is informal in many ways, but shared-space etiquette is real.
- Rush hour is not a sightseeing experience. Avoid roughly 07:30–09:30 and the evening peak where possible; packed trains are uncomfortable and make transfers slower.
- Tokyo is exceptionally safe, including at night, but stay alert in nightlife districts such as Kabukicho and Roppongi: ignore aggressive touts and do not follow anyone into an unpriced bar.
- On crowded trains, sexual harassment does occur. Move away, seek station staff or a kōban police box, and say “chikan” if you need to call attention to it.
- Smoking rules are location-specific: do not assume an outdoor pavement is acceptable. Use designated smoking areas, and never litter cigarette ends.
Worth leaving the city for
KamakuraFull day; allow roughly 2 to 2½ hours door-to-door each way from a central hotel once station access and local buses or walking are included.
The best first day trip: a former shogunal capital with temples, the Great Buddha, hillside walks and a genuinely different coastal pace. It offers historical texture Tokyo cannot replicate, though weekends are crowded and the main lanes can feel like a procession.
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NikkoA long full day: typically 3 hours or more door-to-door each way from central Tokyo, plus local transport. Start early; an overnight is better if you also want lakes, waterfalls or an onsen.
Go for the extravagant Toshogu shrine complex and mountain setting, not as a casual add-on. The craftsmanship and forested approach are on another level from Tokyo’s shrine visits; autumn color brings both beauty and serious crowds.
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HakoneFull day, realistically 10–12 hours door-to-door. An overnight makes much more sense if an onsen stay is the point.
Worth leaving Tokyo for if you want onsen, volcanic scenery and, on a clear day, Mount Fuji views. It is not a guaranteed Fuji postcard—the weather can erase the mountain completely—and the standard circuit is busy and transport-heavy.
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Mount TakaoHalf day to a relaxed full day; about 1½ hours door-to-door each way from central Tokyo, depending on the route and trail choice.
The efficient escape when you need forest, a temple and a view rather than another long rail expedition. It is much less monumental than Nikko or Hakone, but it is the best half-day reset from central Tokyo.
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