Japan Itinerary: Week 1 – Explore Tokyo and Mt. Fuji

Tokyo and Mt. Fuji: A Perfect Blend of City Lights, Scenic Hikes, and Unforgettable Views!

Dear Jane,

Many may associate “Kanto Region” with the world of Pokémon, the area you explore in the original Red, Blue, and Yellow games. But it’s the area of Japan that is home to Tokyo, Yokohama, Hakone, Mt. Fuji, and many other popular places to visit. My stay here included exploring Tokyo and Yokohama and climbing Mt. Fuji.

Tokyo is a large city, 847 sq. miles and 34.7 million people (compared to New York City’s 469 sq. miles and 8.47 million people), and you could easily spend weeks experiencing everything it has to offer. I chose a few neighborhoods that had points of interest for me, and planned to visit them on specific days based on their locations.

Day 1 – Arriving in Tokyo

There are two airports serving Tokyo: Haneda and Narita. Haneda is located half an hour from Tokyo by subway and monorail, and Narita is about an hour and a half away by train and car.

I flew into Narita International Airport. It was the cheaper option for me and offered a direct flight from New York. After getting through immigration and customs, I picked up my pocket wifi and JR Pass and took the Narita Express (aka the N’Ex) using my JR Pass.

Tokyo Accommodations

Tokyo-W-Inn 4-chōme-6-1 Kotobuki, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0042, Japan

Tokyo-W-Inn is a hostel with a capsule theme that is conveniently located in the fun historical Asakusa neighborhood. It’s a clean and quiet budget friendly option, but if you’re not into hostels there are many, many hotels in the area.

Day 2 – Exploring Tokyo: Must-See Sights in Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, and Akihabara

Morning: Asakusa

Asakusa is a neighborhood in the Taito City ward in Tokyo, and it’s a great place to stay. There are a number of affordable accommodation options, and it’s home to some big attractions like Senso-ji and Nakamise-dori Street, and some lesser known, like Hoppy Street and Hanayashiki Amusement Park. Prior to World War II, Asakusa was a theater and red light district. The vibe has since evolved, though still maintains its reputation as a fun neighborhood to hang out in, offering a variety of entertainment and dining options amongst the area’s historic architecture.

Get an Early Start!

Start your morning early if you want to take some unobstructed photos. I started my day around 7:30am.

Points of Interest

• Kaminarimon (Kaminari Gate)
• Nakamise-dori
• Hōzōmon Gate
• Senso-ji

Route

Walk from your accommodations to Kaminarimon (Kaminari Gate), which leads you to Nakamise-dori Street, Hōzōmon Gate, and Senso-ji.

None of the shops on Nakamise-dori open until around 9:00am. They’re all street food stalls and souvenir shops, and many of them sell the same products for varying prices. The gates on each shop have murals painted on them; enjoy the opportunity to see them!

Senso-ji is an active Buddhist temple, and while everyone is encouraged to participate, you should be mindful of the practitioners who are there before the tourists. There are directions in English on how to wash your hands and mouth, use incense, and pray (you can’t take photos inside the main temple building). After a prayer, or respectfully observing others praying, explore the temple grounds which include smaller temple buildings, a carp pond, and statues. Note that the pagoda, which is the equivalent of a cemetery, is only open to family members of those interred.

The temple also has its own shops where you can buy talismans for every occasion and prayer beads. The grounds also have Omikuji stations. Omikuji are written fortunes, and they cost just one ¥100 coin. If your fortune is good, it makes a great souvenir.

Mid-Morning: Walk to Tokyo Skytree

After an hour of exploring the Senso-ji grounds and the area around Nakamise-dori, I made my way to the Tokyo Skytree. The Tokyo Skytree is a 634-meter tall television broadcast tower – the tallest in the world. It sits atop an impressive commercial building, home to two malls in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

Points of Interest

• Sumida Park
• Asahi Flame
• Tokyo Solmachi

Route

It’s easy to get to the Tokyo Skytree by subway, but not by any JR line, from Senso-ji. By foot, it’s 1.4 km, which takes roughly 20 minutes.

If you walk, as I chose to, your map app should bring you to the Sumida River, which has a lovely park and adorable whale themed playground. The river offers a cool breeze, which is important if you’re visiting in the summer, and is an excellent place to snap a photo of the Asahi Flame, aka the Golden Turd.

I arrived at the Skytree, which has two observation decks, a bit before 9am, which is too early to go up to them. But I wasn’t really there for that. If you are, know that at the time this post was written, tickets cost between ¥1,800 and ¥3,100. If you decide to go but didn’t purchase tickets in advance, this is a good time to arrive to get in line early. The entrance to the observation decks is on the fourth floor rooftop of Tokyo Solmachi, the mall that makes up the base of the tower. I spent some time there cooling off and learning about the genetics of sweat.

Shopping

Tokyo Solmachi opens at 10:00am, and that in and of itself is an experience. Japanese retail workers stand outside their stores and bow to everyone entering the building or walking down the maze-like hallway. I visited the Studio Ghibli Store, Pokémon Center Skytree Town, and an anime character shop. There’s also an aquarium and planetarium to enjoy, among 300 or so other stores and restaurants.

Dining

Tokyo Solmachi is home to a plethora of restaurants, including Kirby Café Tokyo, the Kirby themed café, and Hoshino Coffee.

I checked off the first of many foods to try at Hoshino: soufflé pancakes. They start serving pancakes at 11:00am, so there’s time to shop beforehand. I also ordered their delicious iced fruit tea.

Early Afternoon: Return to Asakusa

Following your time at the Tokyo Skytree, make your way back to Kaminarimon, the gate that precedes Nakamise-dori, to visit the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center.

Points of Interest

• Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center

The Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center has a couple of small exhibitions and a viewing deck on the roof. Everything is free to experience. I started at the rooftop viewing deck, which has incredible views of Nakamise-dori and the Tokyo Skytree, and is also home to a café. From there, I worked my way down through the exhibitions, stopping on the second floor to rest and people watch.

Dining

Nakamise-dori has a lot of street food including strawberry tanghulu, melon pan (very good as an ice cream sandwich), and mochi, among many other great snacks. Explore more snacks here.

Shopping

Many people rent yukata, traditional summer robes, at shops outside the gate. I didn’t do this, but you can read more about it here.

Brave the crowds on Nakamise-dori to check out the shops. For the most part, they sell the same items, but prices vary. Consider picking up some paper soap and a fun hand towel, as many public bathrooms in Japan, while clean, lack soap, and something to dry your hands with.

Afternoon: Akihabara

Take a quick break at your accommodations (I opted for a shower and change of clothes) before setting out for your next neighborhood: Akihabara.

If you’re into arcades, video games, and electronics, Akihabara is the place for you! It’s a lively neighborhood filled with specialty shops and entertainment centers. Its nickname is “Akihabara Electric Town,” because of its history of electronic specialty shops. The specialty shops popped up as part of the post-World War II black market in Tokyo. “Akihabara” is actually also a nickname, or shortened name for the the fire deity that used to inhabit the area. The deity’s shrine was destroyed shortly before World War II.

Points of Interest

• Arcades
• Shops

Route

Akihabara is not walking distance from Asakusa. It’s about a 30-minute ride by the JR Chuosobu line. I walked to a JR line. You can also take the Ginza subway line or a combination of the Toei Oedo subway line and JR Yamanote line.

I came for the arcades, and walked a couple of blocks popping in and out before deciding to explore a seemingly less crowded one. While the exact floor plan varied by building, they all had similar layouts:

• First Floor: Crane games with internationally recognizable characters from manga, anime and Disney.
• Second Floor: Crane games with characters popular in Japan.
• Third Floor: Crane games with sexually suggestive figurines.
• Fourth Floor: Music themed games.
• Fifth Floor: Sports themed games.
• Sixth Floor: Modern arcade games.
• Seventh Floor: Vintage arcade game.

I played some table Nintendo games, including Donkey Kong. It was less than a dollar per round, and I’d gotten some coupons with my pocket Wi-Fi rental.

Shopping

After spending some time in an arcade, explore the smaller shops. If you can imagine a Japanese version of a GameStop and your local comic book shop smushed together, that’s what these stores were. My understanding is that a lot of figurine merchandise comes from the crane games at the nearby arcades. Japanese citizens are allowed to sell their prizes for cash.

Exit at the Electric Town side of the Akihabara JR station to find the electronics stores. I hear you can get a pretty good deal, especially with tax-free shopping, just remember that your electronics will be in Japanese.

Evening: Dinner & Relaxation

If you put in as much walking as I did, you walked 10 miles exploring Tokyo on Day 2. I had dinner on the walk back between the JR station and my accommodations.

Dining

Dinner at 100 Soba. 1 Chome-32-5 Yanagibashi, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0052, Japan

This was a delicious little Soba shop! Cold noodles and a dipping sauce are perfect for summer in Japan. The set I ordered came with karaage, Japanese fried chicken, and buckwheat tea. The tea was also incredible. Although I’ve been told it exists outside this restaurant, I never found any, and my co-worker is pretty convinced they served me the Soba equivalent of pasta water. I’m not mad about it and plan to test this theory soon.

Check out Asakusa’s nightlife or finish up your day with a nice shower and some snacks while exploring Japan’s Netflix offerings.

Day 3 – A Day in Shinjuku, Harajuku, and Shibuya

Morning: Shinjuku

Shinjuku City is a more modern area of Tokyo that encompasses the neighborhoods of Shinjuku, Harajuku, and Shibuya. The Shinjuku neighborhood is known for shopping, government buildings, and (red light) nightlife. In addition to higher end hotels and restaurants, you’re also going to find love hotels and back alley bars. Shinjuku station has millions of people passing through it every day and is connected to a large bus station.

Points of Interest

• Aikikai Foundation Honbu Dojo
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Deck

Route

I woke up extra early to join Tokyoites on their morning commute, taking the Oedo subway line half an hour to the Wakamatsu-Kawada station, to visit the Aikikai Foundation Honbu Dojo in Shinjuku.

If you’ve never heard of Aikido before, it’s a martial art that is defense focused. You wait to be attacked, and then redirect the person attacking you. Unless you’ve studied Aikido, you probably wouldn’t think to visit the Honbu Dojo. My dad is a 4th generation Aikido sensei, that’s generational in terms of student-turned-teacher distance from the founder Morihei Ueshiba, and we had a home dojo.

Honbu Dojo offers the option to take a class, see their website for schedule and pricing. And they offer the option to audit classes. To audit a class, you do not need to make a reservation. Just show up and ask politely to observe. At some point, I’ll write a more in-depth post about this, but for now, I’ll just remind you to be mindful of your Japanese manners…

From the Honbu Doji take the Toei Oedo subway line or JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku Station. This takes about 15-20 minutes. I took the Yamanote line and detoured to find the LOVE statue exit in preparation for my Mt. Fuji hike.

Follow the signs, or the building itself, to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. It’s Tokyo’s city hall, and it has a very distinct look. Each of it’s towers has an observation deck, where on clear days, you can see Mt. Fuji. Both observation decks open at 9:30am and are free visit. When I visited, the north tower was closed for renovations. You enter at the basement level. I arrived around 10am, and there was no line. An hour later there was a significant line.

The observation decks have wonderful views, a souvenir shop, and a small café. If you’re feeling peckish, you can grab a small bite at the café, or you can visit the staff cafeteria, which is open to the public.

Late Morning: Harajuku

Head to Harajuku from Shinjuku (spoiler: I head back to Shinjuku later when more things are open). It was hot, and I was specifically on a mission to eat some “healthy ice cream.”

Harajuku is a fun neighborhood, probably most famous for Takeshita street and the clothing stores on it. It’s all about the fashion, but not the high end shops you might think of (but those are in the neighborhood too). We’re talking Lolita fashion, aka Japanese goth. Harajuku is also home to several historical sites, including the Meiji Shrine.

Points of Interest

• Takeshita Street
• Yoyogi Park
• Meiji Jingu

Route

Harajuku station is just two stops, a mere four minutes away, from Shinjuku on the JR Yamanote line.

Dining

I enjoyed a late morning snack at Kippys Coco Cream, which is now closed. But don’t fret! Takeshita Street has a plethora of street food options, and you’ll find something that suits you. Learn more about your snacking options here.

Shopping

Takeshita Street has a lot of fun clothing stores, go window shopping or real shopping! Prepare yourself for crowds.

Afternoon: Harajuku

On the opposite side of Harajuku station from Takeshita Street is Yoyogi Park and the long path that leads to the Meiji Jingu. From Takeshita Street, I went to Yoyogi Park to visit the Meiji Temple. Yoyogi Park is one of the largest public parks in Tokyo and makes for a nice nature break.

Meiji Jingu is a huge Shinto shrine. If you’ve been walking around Tokyo, you’ve likely come across small shrines tucked away in alleys or between buildings or in small parks and playgrounds. They are all homes to different deities. The Meiji Jingu was built in memory of Emperor Meiji and his wife. Depending on how fast you walk, and if you stop to take photos, the main area of the shrine is a 10-15 minute walk from the Harajuku station.

Just like the Senso-ji temple, this is an active religious space, and you should mind your manners. You may see numerous shrine maidens or a ceremony performed. No photos are allowed of them while they are working, and there are security guards present to attempt to enforce this.

Dining

Lunch at Kura Sushi – Global Flagship Harajuku.  4 Chome-31-10 Jingumae, Shibuya City, 150-0001 Tokyo, Japan

This is a fun conveyor belt sushi restaurant with a lot of locations, including Scarsdale, NY. Each location has a slightly different menu, and you don’t have to take the sushi that’s making its rounds in the belt. You can order made-to-order plates. And for every five plates you eat, you can try for a win at their Gachapon game.

Late-Afternoon: Shibuya

Points of Interest

• Shibuya Scramble Crossing
• Hachiko Statue
• Mega Don Quijote

Route

Take a short ride on the JR Yamanote line to Shibuya station. Right outside the station are two very popular sights: Hachiko’s statue and the Shibuya Scramble. Check out Hachiko before the crossing. Hachiko was a loyal Akita Inu who waited for his owner at the train station every day to walk him home after work. He continued to do this for almost 10 years after his owner died at work. His loyalty was honored with a statue, and you’ll find that there will be a long line for people waiting to take photos with the statue. I skipped the line and stood on the deck of a structure that reminded me of the Times Square TKTS booth (this was also a ticket booth). It’s unclear to me if this is a permanent structure or not, but it’s a great spot for a Hachiko photo!

Following Hachiko, take yourself on a walk through the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, Tokyo’s largest pedestrian crossing. It’s actually called Scramble, not because thousands of people (as many as 3,000!) cross at a single time, but because one of the large skyscrapers on the crossing is called Scramble. There are many view points around the crossing to catch an aerial view of it, including Starbucks, Mag’s Park, and Shibuya Sky. I noticed that a lot of stores overseeing the crossing also have huge viewing windows, but it looks like you might have to make a purchase to get to the window.

After an exhilarating walk across the street, I wandered through the nearby streets and popped into some small shops to look around. There are plenty of things to discover this way. I found a watermelon going for almost $500!

Dining & Shopping

Shibuya is a commercial district with a lot of restaurants and stores. There was a healthy mix of local Japanese and globally recognized chains. It’s also home to Mega Don Quijote, the largest Don Quijote store in Japan. Don Quijote is a discount store selling anything you can think of, including regionally exclusive merchandise and snacks. This store sells the famous ¥10 bread, which is a pancake-like bread stuffed with cheese that’s shaped like a ¥10 coin.

Evening: Shinjuku

Points of Interest

• Toho Cinemas Godzilla
• Tokyu Kabuchiko Tower

Route

Hop back onto the JR Yamanote line to head back to Shibuya. Leave the station at Exit 7, and you’ll find yourself 3 blocks from Toho Cinemas.

This movie theater is located in a skyscraper, which is decked out with a Godzilla head.

From Toho Cinemas, I walked a few blocks to the Kabuchiko Tower. It’s a mixed use building that includes hotels, restaurants, and other entertainment facilities.

There’s an arcade featuring a giant crane game on the third floor. If you ever wanted to acquire the bean-bag version of your favorite character through a crane game, this is your opportunity!

Dining

On the second floor, there’s a very fun food court, nothing like the food courts you know from American malls. Each restaurant features food from a variety of regions in Japan. However, the food is pretty expensive, so I skipped eating here.

Day 4 & Day 5 – Climbing up and down Mt. Fuji

You’re in Japan, braving the summer heat and humidity because this is the only time you can climb Mt. Fuji, one of Japan’s three holy mountains. So, let’s climb it! In one day (the second day or your two-day climb), you’ll experience below freezing and almost 100 F temperatures.

Points of Interest

• Mt. Fuji
• Yoshida Trail
• Tomoekan Mountain Hut
• Mt. Fuji Summit

Route

If you’ve joined the Willer Express Co.’s Mt. Fuji climbing tour, your morning starts very early. Make your way to the LOVE statue in Shinjuku to check in with your tour conductor. It’s a 45-50 minute journey by the Toei Oedo subway line or JR Chuosobu line.

The Willer Express Co. climbing tour will drive you to the 5th Station on the Yoshida trail, where you’ll meet your climbing guides. Your group will get ready at the 5th Station (there are restaurants, gift shops, and a post office) before spending the next 6 and half hours climbing to the 8th Station. After a few hours sleep at the Tomoekan Mountain Hut, you’ll be up at 3am and ready to climb to the summit.

Read about my experience climbing Mt. Fuji.

And, wow! Congratulations! You summitted Mt. Fuji. After returning back to Tokyo, I recommend returning back to your accommodations immediately for a well-earned hot shower. I relaxed for a bit and did my laundry. Everything I brought back from Fuji was sweaty and dusty.

Dining

Dinner at Asakusa Chicken. 2 Chome-10-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan

This is a take-out only stall that sells award winning chicken bento. The couple that runs the stall is super friendly, and their food won Japan’s 2023 Kaarage Grand Prix! Your bento comes with rice and pickled vegetables. They also offer a curry option.

Finish out your evening in bed with Japanese Netflix, you’ll be tired.

Day 6 – Day Trip to Yokohama Ramen

Morning: Yokohama

Today you’ll take a day trip to Yokohama, the capital of the Kanagawa Prefecture. It’s located immediately south of Tokyo, and sits on Tokyo Bay. Yokohama was the first port to open to foreigners after Japan’s near 300-year period of isolation. Because of that, Yokohama is a huge commerce hub.

Points of Interest

• Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum

Route

Hop on a Shinkansen this morning! Take the Ginza Tokyo Metro line or walk to Ueno station. Ride the JR Joban line to Shinagawa Station or the JR Tokaido Main line to Tokyo Station, and catch one of the Shinkansen lines to Shin-Yokohama station. This journey will take about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes.

From Shin-Yokohama station, it’s just few blocks to the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. This is actually a theme park (by Japanese standards), but it does have a small exhibition on the history of ramen. The museum opens at 11:00am, and I arrived about 20 minutes prior. There was already a line, a small one, outside.

Admission, cash only, is ¥450 for an adult day ticket. The ground floor has a gift shop, the exhibition on the history of ramen, and a ramen making classroom. You want to head towards the subbasements where you’ll enter the theme park, a recreation of an Edo period street filled with ramen shops.

Several of the ramen shops are permanent fixtures, and each serves a regional ramen style. A few of the shops are there for year-long residencies. Order your ramen via a machine (cash only) outside each shop. Mini bowls are available for ¥600 each. After eating your fill of ramen, explore the “theme park” to find an old fashioned candy shop and diner.

Afternoon: Yokohama

Points of Interest

• Chinatown
• Gundam Factory Yokohama
• Yamashita Park

Route

After filling up on ramen, walk back to the Shin-Yokohama station to take the JR Yokohama line, which will convert to the JR Keihintohoku-Negishi Line while you’re on it, to Sakuragicho station, where you will transfer to the Rapid version of the JR Keihintohoku-Negishi Line. Get off at Ishikawacho station. This is about a 20 minute journey.

You’ll walk for about another 20 minutes towards Yamashita Park. Meander and don’t walk directly in a straight line, and you’ll find yourself walking through Yokohama’s Chinatown, the largest in Japan. Yamashita Park is a beautiful greenspace along Yokohama’s waterfront. From this park you can access the, now closed Gundam Factory, which had a life-sized animatronic Gundam suit. While I was there, they were setting up for a festival in the park and I sat in the shade watching the performance rehearsals.

Dining

I filled up on Ramen, so I didn’t eat in the afternoon. But you can learn more about the food available in Yokohama’s Chinatown here.

Shopping

If you walk along Motomachi Street from Yamashita Park back to Ishikawacho Station, you’ll pass a number of boutique shops and cafés.

Evening: Asakusa

If your legs aren’t exhausted from Yokohama and Mt. Fuji, make sure to do a last evening walk through Asakusa to re-visit something you saw earlier or explore something new.

Dining

Dinner at Kaarage Senchan/Yakitori Sakura. 1 Chome-5-5 Kaminarimon, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0034, Japan

This is an izakaya, or Japanese Pub. This particular restaurant felt kind of chain-like and may have been from a chain, but the super small and local izakaya were full of smokers, and I have asthma so I wasn’t able to check them out. I enjoyed a variety of skewers for dinner.

Day 7 – Travel Day to Kyoto

If you’re continuing on with me, we’re traveling to Kyoto by Shinkansen. Kyoto is approximately 3 hours away, depending on which Shinkansen line you take. I did not reserve a ticket or pick a train in advance because of the flexibility of the JR Pass.

Morning

Start the day early, or don’t! It’s a travel day. I spent the morning re-packing and enjoying a slow conbini breakfast before checking out.

Points of Interest

• WWII Utility Pole
• Ueno Park

Route

From Asakusa, you’ll walk to Ueno Station. Without detours, it’s about a 25-minute walk from Tokyo-W-Inn. In Japan, most hotels require you to check out by 11:00am and don’t allow check-in until 3:00 or 4:00pm. You can expect some inflexibility on this if you have requested early check-in or late check out in advance.

All of that is to say, you’ll have some time to kill in Tokyo or in Kyoto. I opted for an extended walk to Ueno Station through a more residential area of Asakusa to check out a WWII damaged utility pole.

Ueno Park is right at Ueno Station, and it’s home to many museums and a zoo. You might consider visiting the park or a museum before your train. Luggage can be left in lockers at the station.

Dining

Ueno Station, like all large train stations in Japan, has a shopping center attached/within it. You will want to pick up some food for your train journey. Unlike all other trains in Japan, eating on a Shinkansen is acceptable. JR recently ended the snack trolley service on the Shinkansen. The station will have a variety of options for you, including conbinis (convenience stores), Ekiben shops (Eki = station, Ben = bento or lunch box), or a nicer takeaway meal from an actual restaurant.

Shopping

Fashion, character shops, home goods. You’re going to find it all at the station shopping mall.

Afternoon

When you get on the train, don’t forget to sit on the right side so you can see Mt. Fuji when you pass by.

After arriving in Kyoto Station, get your bearings and head to your accommodations. Mine was within walking distance of the station. If yours isn’t, there are limited regional train lines that also stop at Kyoto Station, and there is a large outdoor bus station behind Kyoto Station.

Week 1 Wrap-Up: Urban Exploration and Mt. Fuji Adventure in Tokyo

There’s so much to do in and around Tokyo, you could easily spend more than a week here. If climbing Mt. Fuji isn’t something of interest to you, here are some other day trips you can make from Tokyo:

• Walking the Historic Nakasendo Samurai Trail – This looks like a beautiful walk, which takes you through historic villages and serene forests.
• Kamakura – If you can’t get to Nara and Kyoto, this is a great day trip alternative that includes temples, a giant Buddha, and beaches!

See you later for Week 2: History and Food!

<3 Katherine

PS – You can learn more about the magic of “Sumimasen” and mastering crane games from this playlist.