You could spend years in Tokyo and not see and do everything. So what if you only have 3 days? Here’s an itinerary to consider to make those 3 days terrific in Tokyo! Also see our related posts 5 Terrific Reasons to Vacation in Tokyo and Tips & Tricks for Totally Terrific Tokyo Vacation.
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Arrival Day
Airport Transfer & Hotel
You will likely arrive in Tokyo in the mid-afternoon or early evening. Take the Airport Limousine Bus to your hotel. This transportation option is inexpensive and super easy to use. Choose a hotel where the bus picks up and drops off passengers. A wonderful option is the Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku. Shinjuku is a great area of Tokyo to stay in. There is a ton of shopping, dining, and entertainment in Shinjuku. Plus you have easy access to Shinjuku station’s 13 train lines to go anywhere in Japan.
Dinner Options
If you are up for it, take a walk around the hotel after you check in. Find a ramen restaurant or even a standing sushi bar. That’s a great way to start your Tokyo trip! But if you are tired and don’t want to get out, the Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku has hot/cold vending machines where you can purchase your dinner. I enjoyed a can of warm corn soup from that vending machine. It is weird to get something warm from a vending machine, but it was delicious!
Day 1: Tokyo City Tour
Sensoji Temple
On the first of your 3 days in Tokyo, you get to enjoy all that the city has to offer. From Shinjuku, take the subway to Asakusa to visit Sensoji Temple. This Buddhist temple is one of the most colorful in Tokyo. First you will pass through Kaminorimon “Thunder Gate.” Then you will have the opportunity to buy wonderful souvenirs and delicious snacks at the many shops and stalls on Nakamise street. This is a great place to try some street food. Just select anything that looks appealing. Or just look for long lines of locals – they know where the good stuff is! Try a few different things.
One fun activity in the temple is to purchase a fortune stick. For 100 Yen, you chose your stick. Then you match the symbols on your stick to a drawer holding fortunes. If you fortune is good, that’s great! If not, you should tie it to a provided rack and your luck will turn. My fortune was bad – I’m unhealthy, about to lose my job, and was going to get divorced. So far, none of these things have come true, so I guess tying it on the rack worked!
You can spend several hours touring the various shrines in the complex. If you are really curious about the various shrines and other sites in Asakusa, consider taking a Rickshaw Tour or a Guided Highlights Tour.
Imperial Palace
Next, make your way back to the subway to travel to the Imperial Palace. Guided tours of the grounds happen daily at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. except on Sundays and Mondays. Tours take about 75 minutes. You can reserve in advance or book at the Kikyomon Gate that day (limited availability). These tours take you into the off-limits inner grounds but do not take you inside buildings. Alternatively, you visit the Imperial Palace East Gardens. These gardens are gorgeous even in the winter!
Lunch in Shibuya
Take the subway to Shibuya, Tokyo’s fashion and arts district. Make sure to take part in the Shibuya Scramble Crossing by joining the mass of people crossing the intersection outside of Shibuya Station every two minutes. After you cross the road yourself, you can stop at the Starbucks Shibuya Tsutaya to enjoy a latte. While you are there, snap some photos of the chaos from above the fray from the picture windows facing the crossing.
Have lunch in Shibuya. If you are up for a lot of kitsch, try a themed café. One option is Maidreamin’ where the waitstaff dress like maids. You experience a show, cute food, and interesting interactions with the staff. It’s touristy and gimmicky, but fun. If you are happy with a drink and snack from Starbucks for lunch, you could also visit Cat Café Mocha. Here you can purchase treats to lure the cats to you for cuddles. If you aren’t up for kitsch, there are a ton of great restaurants in Shibuya. You may also want to browse through some of the fabulous shops in Shibuya.
Meiji Shrine
After lunch, walk about 15 minutes to Meiji Shrine. The shrine is dedicated to the deity of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Reigning from 1868-1912, Emperor Meiji ruled Japan after the feudal system came to an end. Emperor Meiji ushered in the modern era and made Japan one of the world’s major powers.
Only a few minutes away from the busy Harajuku Station, you step through the a huge massive torii gate into a tranquil forested park. One of the most compelling sites of the shrine are the colorful barrels of sake lining the path. These barrels symbolize honor and serve as a gift to the gods.
Take time to wander through the 100,000+ trees on the shrine’s grounds. You can make offerings, purchase charms, and write your wishes on wooden plates to leave at the shrine. It’s free to enter the shrine and walk around. Take some time to visit the Meiji Jingu Museum as well. This museum costs 1,000 Yen and features things belonging to the emperor and empress. The Inner Garden (500 Yen) is also a tranquil and beautiful place to visit.
Visiting Godzilla
End the first of 3 terrific days in Tokyo in Shunjuku. Every traveler to Japan must see Godzilla, and the Gracery Hotel has you covered! A “real” steam-breathing gorilla is on at the top of the hotel. Theoretically, you can see it from the street, but if you can’t find it, enter the hotel. There’s a nice collection of Godzilla artwork to view in the entry.
Godzilla access is limited to hotel guests or café patrons. You need to take an elevator to level 8 of the hotel to get the best view of Godzilla’s head. There is likely hotel staff by the elevator, but just tell them you are visiting Café Bonjour and they will let go up. If you are lucky, you will find the area crowded, so you don’t have to buy anything at the café! But be prepared to have a coffee/tea break, just in case. Godzilla roars and breathes steam every hour on the hour between 12-8 p.m. So time your visit accordingly.
Dinner in Shinjuku
If you didn’t visit a themed café for lunch, you should definitely try one for dinner. We went to the Robot Restaurant, which has since closed. Another option is the Alice in Fantasy Book restaurant. This Alice in Wonderland café features themed foods and drinks in a faithfully reproduced setting straight from the book. You could also travel to Chuo City on the subway to go to the Pokémon Café. A must for any Pokémon or Nintendo fan, the café features adorable food, sweets, and merchandise. Make sure to research themed cafés prior to your trip to find the one that most appeals to you!
Day 2: Mount Fuji Tour
Even when I only have a few days to explore a city, I like to see a bit of the countryside as well. I think you get a better feel for the culture when you get out of the city! So I recommend spending the second of your 3 days in Tokyo visiting Mount Fuji.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan and is instantly recognizable. It is an active volcano, although it hasn’t erupted since 1707. You can see it from Tokyo on clear days, but honestly, there are very few clear days in Tokyo!
How to Get to Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji is about 2.5 hours away from Tokyo. There are a few ways to get there. You mainly have to decide if you want to go with the DIY path or book a tour. If you want to go to Mount Fuji on your own, consult this article for details on how to go by bus or train. This is the cheapest way to get to Mount Fuji, but it is a bit of a logistical challenge.
The easiest way to get to Mount Fuji is by booking a tour. If you can afford it, I highly recommend booking a private tour. That way you can visit the sites you want to see and spend as long as you want at each one. But don’t hesitate to join a group tour. Group tours make it easy and economical to see the world!
Things to Do
There are a lot of things you can do while in the Mount Fuji region. You can visit various shrines and traditional village. Hiking Mount Fuji and participating in water sports or sightseeing cruises on one of the Fuji Goko (5 Lakes) at the base on of the mountain are also popular. But since you only have a day to spend in the region, I suggest the following activities.
Oshino Hakkai Village
Oshino Hakkai is a traditional Japanese village featuring pools that are fed from snow melting from Mount Fuji. It’s very touristy and crowded, but offers some great views of Mount Fuji in a charming setting. You don’t need to spend a lot of time here, but it’s worth a stop.
You can drink water direct from Mount Fuji from the pool. Bring your own bottle to fill or purchase a plastic bottle there. Prior to the pandemic, there was also a communal cup that you could use, but I suspect those days are behind us!
Another must-do activity is to try the snacks. Mitarashi dango are sticky rice dumplings on a stick and are delicious. But what is surprisingly good is kusa mochi, a green pastry filled with sweet red bean paste. Definitely try both, and buy some extra to snack on later as well!
Mount Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
The Mount Fuji Panoramic Ropeway is an aerial cable car ascending to an observation deck. The deck provides panoramic views of Mount Fuji. There are also some fun activities to participate in. You can ring the Bell of Tenjo so that your life is full of love and health.
There are several animal statues to rub. Touching the rabbit statue called Fujimi Usagi (standing rabbit) gives you strong legs. Rubbing the head of the rabbit statue called Yumemi Usagi (Dreaming Rabbit) provides wisdom.
Another activity is Kawasaki throwing at the Circle of Torii. Choose two discs with Japanese writing and toss them, aiming for a circle rope. The rope symbolizes a good match. If you get at least one through the circle, you are blessed with good relationships. If you don’t get either disc to go through the circle, you are not blessed with relationships, but you are exorcised of evil spirits.
Mount Fuji 5th Station
If weather permits, you must go up to Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station. This station is halfway between the base and the peak of Mount Fuji. It’s a great place to view the Fuji Goko (5 Lakes) area as well as Fujiyoshida City and Lake Yamanaka. If you are going to climb Mount Fuji, this is place you likely start your hike and is the last stop for supplies. For non-climbers, you can just enjoy gazing up and seeing Mount Fuji tower above you!
Arakura Sengen Shrine & Chuerito Pagoda
There are several shrines in the region, but I’m always a sucker for the ones that show up most in travel photos! The iconic Chureito Pagoda seen in many pictures of Mount Fuji is at the Arakura Sengen Shrine. The pagoda was built in 1963 as a peace memorial. The shrine dates from 705 and features a red torii entrance gate.
Narusawa Ice Cave & Fugaku Wind Cave
Rounding out our list of must-do activities in the region is Narusawa Ice Cave. The cave is a lava tube formed by volcanic activity. Inside, ice pillars and walls can be seen year round. Admission also includes access to the Fugaku Wind Cave. Another lava tube, this cave features a type glowing moss called goblin gold on it’s back walls.
Day 3: Experiential Activities
Experiential activities are the focus of day 3 of our visit in Tokyo!
Visit a Museum
Spend a few hours wandering through the MORI Digital Art Museum. This museum is a black carpeted, black walled, and mirrored series of rooms with projected lights and images everywhere. It is surreal to walk through. My favorite room is the room where lanterns hung at different levels turn various colors around you. Another favorite activity is lying down and swinging in a huge rope nest with people walking below and watching projected images on the ceiling.
Alternatively, visit the Ghibli Museum. This unique and immersive museum pays tribute to the Ghibli animation studio. A must for fans of Japanese anime films, but this museum is also interesting for anyone who enjoys quirky design and is a Disney fan. Visitors feel like they are walking through a cartoon world as they learn about the process of animation.
Relax in an Onsen
At the end of a busy 3 days in Tokyo, take some time to experience a traditional Japanese onsen. An onsen is where people go to bathe and experience the healing impact of natural hot springs. There are onsens located throughout Tokyo. The onsen we visited during our 2019 trip is closed, but the Tokyo Dome Natural Onsen Spa LaQue 8 looks to be a good alternative. Featuring restaurants, esthetic and relaxation facilities, and a spa with natural hot spring water, this onsen has everything you need for a relaxing afternoon.
Shop ’til You Drop
Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated? Great! Now it’s time to shop! Seek out a Don Quijote mega department store and a 100 Yen store. Department stores hold a overwhelming amount of interesting things, and 100 Yen stores are a wonderful place to get cute (and affordable) souvenirs. No trip to Japan is complete with a little shopping!
Toast the Town
End your 3 days in Tokyo in Shinjuku near your hotel by exploring Golden Gai. This block of six narrow alleyways is home to 200+ bars and restaurants. Arrive after 8 p.m. and hop from place to place enjoying a progressive dinner of bar snacks and drinks. The area is safe and most places welcome tourists, but look for signs in English posted outside to confirm this. Some places will have an entrance fee payable only in cash. You usually get a free drink and snacks in exchange for the fee. This is a fun way to meet and mingle with locals and make a toast to your 3 terrific days in Tokyo!
Have you been to Tokyo?
If so, what activities shouldn’t be missed? Tell us in the comments below. Also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a post!
