Tokyo, Japan Itinerary
Here’s a rundown of our trip to Tokyo, Japan and everywhere we went while we were there for 5 days!
Hot Tips:
Save all of these places to a list on Google Maps so when you arrive to your destination, you can pull up the map and see all your saves directly on a map to plan out your day
You don’t need to tip
English is not super widely spoken so we used google translate a lot for menus, talking to uber drivers, at restaurants etc.
Women dress very conservative here. I didn’t know this until I was there. It was very hot, humid, and we were walking around all day so I did end up wearing shorts but just something to keep in mind when you are figuring out your outfits.
I expected to do more shopping here but the fashion style in Japan is much more conservative. I didn’t make any clothing purchases but I did purchase matcha to bring home and Japanese beauty products
Trashcans are not a thing in Japan so you will have to hold on to your trash through the day until you get to your hotel
We took Ubers everyday to the area we wanted to explore, then walked around all day, and when it was time to go home, we ordered an uber back to the hotel. We definitely could have used the public transportation but by the end of everyday, were were too exhausted to figure out the train situation so just hopped in Ubers everyday. They were relatively inexpensive and you get really nice cars like teslas and big vans which was a major plus after a hot day of walking everywhere.
To Stay:
We stayed at the Grand Hyatt hotel and were absolutely obsessed with it. It’s huge, clean feels very boujee with impeccable service. If you book through AMEX, you get complimentary breakfast buffet every morning which we definitely took advantage of everyday. We found it to be in a very convenient spot. Would definitely stay here again next time we visit Tokyo.
To Eat/Drink:
Oreryu Shio-Ramen - vending machine ramen! Super casual chain restaurant with delicious ramen.
7/11 - Japanese 7/11’s are elite and are all over the city. Grab their egg sandos for a midday snack, they are so airy, fluffy and delicious!
Katsudon Zuicho - the most incredible Katsu pork over rice you will ever have. It’s in a tiny space and you have to go 1-3 hours before you’d like to eat so you can put your name down. They will ask what size you want for your dish (there’s only 1 dish on the menu) and they will tell you when to come back. Grab a beer down the street at Ol by Oslo Brewing Company while you wait to be seated.
The Matcha Tokyo - get the iced matcha latte and matcha ice cream! The matcha is so pure and green - it’s delicious and super refreshing!
Onodera Sushi - a Michelin guide sushi restaurant! It used to be conveyor belt but now there’s an iPad at each seat where you can order sushi. The fish is super fresh, they Mae it right tin front of you and serve you as it’s ready. If you don’t like fish like me, there are other options that are not sushi so you can have something to eat while your partner or friend enjoys their sushi fix!
Shibuya Kenya Mushashi Bukotsu Gaiden - dipping ramen! You order at a vending machine and eat at the counter. We ate here on our last day and loved it.
Kaneko Hannosuke - I found this through social media as one highly recommended tempura don spot. You order and pay at vending machine (all in Japanese so use your google translate app / look at photos before you go) and then they seat you. I think I’m not a big tempura don girly so I thought it was mediocre but this place was highly rated.
Yakiniku Ushigoro - delicious Japanese bbq
Pizza Strada - by the end of your trip you’re going to crave anything other than Japanese food. This place was soooo good. We got lucky with a walk-in (we had to sit outdoors though) so make sure to make a reservation before you go because it’s a popular restaurant!
The SG Club - cool cocktail bar be sure to make a reservation
Ol by Oslo - we stumbled upon this craft beer spot while searching for a place to sit while we wait for Katsudon Zuicho
*We saved these places but didnt have time to go—
Ichiran Shibuya - highly rated ramen place
Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama - highly rated tonkatsu restaurant
Butagumi - another tonkatsu restaurant that’s highly rated
Udon Maruka - highly rated udon restaurant
To Do:
Areas to Explore—
Aoyama - this area is a must-visit and was probably one of our favorite areas to explore around. It’s one of the wealthiest neighborhood in Tokyo.The Main Street has lots of high-end luxury designer stores. All the stores are beautiful like a work of art. Gentle Monster flagship is also here but the line to go inside gets really long so go when it opens if you’re interested. We “got lost” in the smaller streets inside and it was the best way to explore all the shops. The Matcha Tokyo is in this area as well as an Amore Vintage, QOO and Casanova Vintage so be sure to check those out while you are there.
Harajuku - this district is known for younger fashionable style. It was fun to walk through (we walked down Takeshita st). It felt very carnival, teen vibes! Was fun to walk through but wouldn’t care to go back.
Department Stores—
Ginza Six - beautiful department store with lots of designer brands, fun to walk around
Mitsukoshi - the department store is beautiful but go to the basement floor and roam around all the prepared food counters, bakeries, tea shops! This was really cool to see! I highly recommend. Look for Nox de Beurre and grab a couple!
Isetan Shinjuku - another incredible department store worth checking out! They have a mix of high-end brands and local Japanese brands.
Dover Street Market - unique space with cool designers all throughout. It’s definitely street style type clothes, we didnt see/buy anything here but it was cool to walk through it and window shop.
Vintage Shops—
Amore Vintage - the infamous luxury vintage store on IG! There are two locations, one with LV, Fendi, Hermes and other various designer brands and then one around the corner all Chanel handbags and RTW downstairs. Prices are $$$$.
QOO Vintage - another luxury vintage store with lots of designer bags, Hermes upstairs and Chanel downstairs. Prices were also $$$ but I think less pricey than Amore.
Casanova Vintage - Kim Kardashian has been spotted shopping here!
Camellia Vintage - I found this in TikTok! The prices were more more accessible. Smaller selection but worth to check out if you are in the area.
Other Things —
Honey mi Honey - I stumbled upon this store (it’s up the stairs) a tiny boutique with very frilly/girly style clothing but I randomly found two little bags I loved here.
Floats! - cute random accessory store that I stumbled upon. This is where I got my fluffy bag charms where you can customize the outfit of your bunny keychain!
Cosme - huge cosmetic store to explore in Harajuku. They have luxury skincare/makeup brands and a lot of Japanese beauty brands as well. They have big sections with all the highly ranked products so you can easily browse. There are supposedly multiple floors and I had no idea. Definitely recommend going if you’re into beauty, I could have spent hours there! Bring your passport to get tax return if you plan on buying a lot of stuff.
Shibuya Scramble - The infamous crossing you have probably seen all over IG. We were in the area already and decided to check it out! . You can walk into the Starbucks to get a birdseye view.
Senso-ji - the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. There are lots of touristy street vendors that sell trinkets and food. I didn’t buy anything here bc they were more souvenir type things. It was fun to walk around and see the temple
KAMA-ASA - knife store that was recommended by our Japanese friend. We didnt have have a chance to go here but def worth to bookmark
