In 2024 I spent over 2 months in Tokyo so in this blog I will share with you how to spend one week in this incredible city and squeeze the most out of your stay.

Why Tokyo

There are many places to shoot, so why pick Tokyo? The first reason is the variety of areas, locations and environments. If you want chaotic neon lit nightlife, Shibuya or Shinjuku has you covered. If you prefer quieter neighbourhoods, places like Yanaka come to mind. You have Giza that gives you a modern and minimal aesthetic while a few minutes down the road you get the organised chaos that is Tsukiji Market. Finally if you ever get overwhelmed, you can either escape to the seaside or Fuji.

Even though Tokyo is a mega city, it’s incredibly easy and efficient to get around. The train and metro network is one of the best and most efficient in the world. Equally there are taxis everywhere that won’t break the bank and offer a great way to get around.

Tokyo is one of the safest and cleanest cities in the world. It’s the only place where I felt totally comfortable shooting into the night and having my camera on a cross body strap. This city is built around convenience, anything you need at anytime of the day. Finally if you love Japanese cuisine, then you will be in heaven. I’m personally not a fan however I found ample healthy and not so healthy food choices that were all outstanding.

Is a Week Enough?

One week will be tight but doable. In an ideal world I would suggest 10-14 days, however if time is limited, then you can do it. Just be ready to power through your jet lag and accept that you might need to carry on exploring even if the weather doesn’t agree. You won’t really get much rest and each day will be packed, however many people love travelling like that. The main suggestion would be to create one or even two plans and make sure you have a substitute activity in case something goes wrong. If time is limited, the last thing you want to be doing is sitting in a cafe and frantically trying to find something to do.

Before You Arrive

There are four requirements that will make your journey much easier and these need to be done before you arrive. First is to ensure you have a return or onward journey. I’m sure for some this wasn’t an issue but when I landed in Japan, they were thoroughly checking to ensure you have return or onwards transport booked. Secondly you need cash. Although cashless payments are becoming very common, many places (especially independent businesses and market stalls) only take cash. You can get this at the airport or beforehand, up to you. If you have an iPhone, go into the Apple Wallet App and under transit cards add the ICOCA card. There are other options that all do pretty much the same but I can only vouch for ICOCA as that’s what I used. This is going to be your main transport and payment card. You can use it on all public transport and even use it to pay for things in places where credit cards are not accepted. Just top it up via Apple Pay and you’re good to go.

Make sure you have a translation app on your phone with offline capability. I use Apple Translate and it worked great. Most people don’t speak English or have very limited knowledge of basic words. Finally if there are specific things you must do, make sure to book them before arriving. For example Shibuya Sky can be booked over a week in advance. If you have specific restaurants that you really want to visit, make sure you book them in advance too.

When To Visit

I spent 3 months in Japan from March through to May and have spoken to many locals and other travellers about best times to visit. I would suggest May or September - October. You get perfect weather and less crowds. If you come in March or April, you will have to deal with the Sakura tourists and it becomes unbearable. The winters can be brutally cold while the summers are extremely hot and humid. June is rainy season but I heard October is a great month for sunshine.

Where To Stay

During my visit I stayed in a few different areas and by far the best one was Ebisu. Located just one stop away from Shibuya, you’re central and close to all the main spots without being right in the middle of the chaos. Unlike Ginza, staying in Ebisu feels like you’re in Japan and not in any modern city all while having great food, amenities and transport. Ebisu is on the H line and JR lines. This means it’s one of the best connected spots and it’s easy to get almost anywhere including leaving Tokyo.

Getting Around

There are 3 main ways to get around Tokyo. The first and easiest way is by using the train and metro system. You have metro lines just like any city as well as the JR Line trains which overlap and offer express routes. The train network may seem incredibly complicated however after a while you will understand it, although some of the major stations like Shinjuku can get rather overwhelming. In the stations you have English translations and announcements and there’s always someone to help. As for navigating, I found Apple Maps to be superior to Google both in terms of accuracy and route choice. Finally keep in mind that trains can get very busy especially during rush hour and it’s not uncommon for things to get very tight with people pushing in and using all the available space.

The second way to get around is to grab a taxi by either flagging one down or using Uber. In Tokyo, Uber is used for traditional taxis, not private hire like in Europe. Taxis are also efficient, easy and affordable especially if you have luggage. Keep in mind that for some journeys they can take longer than trains due to traffic. Last but not least walking is a great way to see the city if you’re happy to spend hours on foot and cover many miles. The distances are huge and it’s not uncommon to spend 2-3 hours walking from one spot to another. With that said, you will walk through many great neighbourhoods and will end up seeing a lot of the city that you would otherwise miss.

Photography

Photography is very popular in Japan. I’ve never seen so many camera shops and such a passion for this craft. It’s not uncommon to bump into photographers in every part of town either shooting street, architecture or portraits. This should come as no surprise that photography is accepted and tolerated unlike many other countries where things can be more hostile. With that said people here will make it clear if they don’t wish to be on camera and you have to respect that. They will usually make a cross with their hands to signal they don’t want to be photographed. Equally they will make it clear when they’re happy to be on camera. For a more detailed photography guide, read here.

Japanese people are respectful, polite and quiet. Therefore they will not make a scene even if they feel something is not right. Unfortunately in my time here I’ve seen many photographers take advantage of that and photograph people in a way that they would never dream of back home because they know they will not get any confrontation. It’s not up to me to say what’s right or wrong, all I can say is be respectful and remember you’re a guest. Use common sense and if you feel your actions may upset or alarm someone, then it’s better to put the camera away.

As for gear I found myself mostly shooting between 35mm and 85mm in full frame terms. Many smaller streets, markets and cramped neighbourhoods worked well with the 35mm. The 50mm was great for focusing more on subjects while the 85mm worked well for picking out details, shooting abstract or finding simplicity in chaotic scenes. When heading out of the city, I found myself shooting at either 35mm or 85mm. Whatever gear you choose, my main advice is to keep your set up small and light.

Things To Keep In Mind

Japan has many small rules and customs that at first may seem strange but once you understand the culture and society a little, they will make sense. This isn’t a blog about that so I won’t go into details, but I would suggest reading up before visiting. At the moment Japan is going through a huge tourism boom with 2024 being the busiest one yet. This leads to insane crowds at popular locations, annoyed locals and a general reduction in respect for the environment and people. I’ve seen people chase geishas, some idiot trying to jump on a deer in Nara, littering and general dick behaviour. This has resulted in certain viewpoints or even entire areas being made off limits to visitors. Furthermore if you want to eat out, get ready to either book ahead or wait in long lines that can easily stretch into over an hour especially in popular spots. You can get around this by going to less popular areas or restaurants, ordering from Uber Eats or in worst case scenario popping into a convenience store. Tipping is not really a thing in Japan and very often can actually cause discomfort for the waiter / waitress. If the service was incredible and you really feel like you must tip, I suggest asking first if it’s ok to leave a tip. I’ve done this a few times with a 5050 response.

How Much To Bring

We can split this into two categories… money and luggage. As for money, right now the Yen is weak so your pound, euro or dollar will go very far. I can’t comment on times when the Yen is stronger so just add 20-50% depending on how much stronger the Yen is at the time you travel compared to 2024. When it comes to food, £50 per day per person is plenty as long as you’re not going to really fancy places. You can get this down considerably if you eat from convenience stores, markets and local spots. Most attractions, viewpoints and activities will cost something. However I don’t remember spending more than £20 entry. As for luggage, I suggest bringing a backpack given the short duration. A 40L travel style backpack and a smaller sling, backpack or tote for daily carry will be plenty.

Day 1 - Ginza, Tsukiji, Imperial Palace Gardens, Shimbashi

The first day will start in Ginza, a modern high end shopping district of Tokyo. Ginza is an easy starting point because it’s the most western part of Tokyo and is a good way to ease into the trip. There is plenty of food, coffee, bars and shopping just incase you need to stock up on essentials. The entire area is worth exploring so just zig zag around. I would also pay a visit to Tokyu Plaza and head to the top floor for some great views of the city.

A short walk from Ginza will take you to Tsukiji market. A traditional fish market with amazing street food and plenty to explore. If you love street food, this is a must. Even if you don’t it’s a bustling market that is great to explore. Also be sure to check out some of the back streets and alleys as they often will hide traditional restaurants that you won’t find on google maps or in a tourist brochure.

If at this point you’re a little burnt out from the noise, head over to the other side of Ginza where you will find the Imperial Palace Gardens. As the name suggests it’s a huge park with the Imperial Palace right in the middle. You can easily kill a few hours exploring and relaxing here. By this point it’s getting into the evening so head over to Shimbashi, also located next to Ginza for your first experience of Tokyo night life. It’s packed with bars, food and people letting their hair down after work. The area is small so it’s not too overwhelming. If you like a drink, then you can spend many hours here however if this isn’t your scene, a quick walk round will take no more than an hour.

Day 2 - Shibuya, Shinjuku, Gyoen Park

This is where things get a lot busier with the first stop being Shibuya. I recommend visiting it both day and night to get a good feel for the place and during the day I suggest booking a visit to Shibuya Sky. You might need to pre-book however it’s well worth it. You will get amazing top down views of the crossing and take in the vastness of the city too. As for Shibuya itself I suggest just walking around and exploring the small streets.

A stones throw away is Shinjuku and just like Shibuya I suggest visiting both day and night. If you love used film cameras then Shinjuku probably has the most camera stores in any one area. Also like Shibuya, this is the party centre of Tokyo with many bars, clubs and restaurants if that’s your thing.

By this point you might need a break from the chaos so head straight into Gyoen Park near Shinjuku. It’s one of the most beautiful parks and although you need to pay a small fee, it’s well worth it. We spent a good few hours here on our visit.

Now it’s time to head back and explore Shinjuku / Shibuya at night. You will do Shinjuku first and then I suggest walking to Shibuya. It will take an hour or so but it’s worth it. How long you stay will depend on if you enjoy nightlife and if you can tolerate many people. Before leaving Shinjuku make sure to visit Golden Gai, a collection of tiny bars that are a must see. When you get into Shibuya pop into MAG’s PARK for another cool view of the crossing. Finally keep in mind that the trains usually only run until midnight or just after if you decide to stay out late.

Day 3 - Yanaka, Akihabara, Ueno, Tokyo Tower

On day 3 grab a train to Yanaka, a quiet part of town that feels more like a village. From here explore the sleepy streets but also check out the high street, then proceed to Ueno Park. The walk is great and the park is really nice to explore. From the park head through Ueno and keep going towards Akihabara.

Ueno is packed with restaurants, markets and street food so make sure to do a loop as you pass by. As you walk towards Akihabara try to take different routes in order to see more. For example the main road will be busy, the back roads will be very quiet and follow the train tracks, for a nice walk.

If you decide to go on the weekend, they sometimes shut the road too. Akihabara is the place to go if you like video games and anime. It’s full of arcades, video game cafes and anime stores. After that we headed to Tokyo Tower.

Although Tokyo Tower isn’t the most breathtaking viewpoint, it’s still pretty cool to see and the views of the tower as you walk closer are nice. Also in the area are some nice temples to visit, so I do recommend adding it to your list.

Day 4 - Kamakura & Enoshima

By this point you might be feeling a little burnt out from the chaos and packed days so why not head to the beach. Kamakura is a sleepy and picturesque beach town located only an hour or so away by train. I already created an entire blog on this and I will link it here.

Day 5 - Asakusa, Tokyo Sky Tree, Team Lab Planets,

The fifth day will start in Asakusa, one of Tokyos oldest and most traditional neighbourhoods. Filled with temples, stores selling hand crafted goods and delicious food. It get’s extremely busy though so I suggest coming as early as you can.

A quick hop from Asakusa is Tokyo Sky Tree. It’s the tallest observation tower in Tokyo and will give you the best views of the entire city. On a clear day I heard Fuji can be visible but can’t confirm it. It also get’s busy especially during sunset.

Once you’re done with the tower, grab a train and head to Odaiba to visit Team Lab Planets. As mentioned before you would need to book ahead as they almost never have tickets on the day. This was a truly unique experience and one I would recommend. I don’t want to spoil it so won’t go into details. All I will say is the best vegan ramen I ever had was from a little hut just outside. If you have spare time after, you can see Odaiba by taking the train all the way around.

Day 6 - Fujiyoshida

Although this is a Tokyo guide, it would be criminal to come all the way here without seeing Fuji given its close proximity. For this I suggest a day trip to Fujiyoshida. You can find a dedicated blog here.

Day 7 - Shimo-Kitazawa

By day 7 you’re probably exhausted so I left it as a bit of a chill day. Head over to Shimo-Kitazawa and experience one of the nicest and most chill areas of Tokyo. It feels like a small hip town and is a million miles away from the chaos. Explore nice coffee shops, amazing food, plenty of vintage clothing and more. Of course if you still have energy then you can always re-visit anything you missed. Or stay in Shimo and watch the world go by with a drink.

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