2 days in Tokyo: an itinerary day by day
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 6 of 10 free; 4 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 2 days, 9:30 to 17:02 each day
- Start and finish
- Shibuya Crossing → Ginza
- On foot
- ≈ 46 min in total
- Transport
- 4 rides, ≈ 1 h 38 min
- Lunch
- around 12:17
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Spring and November.
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Tokyo09:30–16:47 · 5 places · 7 h 20 min
Shibuya Crossing
· 30 min · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Takeshita Street
· 45 min · Free
- 13 min on foot
Meiji Jingu
· 1 h · Free; Gyoen garden paid
- Lunch · 1 h
- 29 min · transport or taxi
Tokyo Imperial Palace
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- 31 min · transport or taxi
Senso-ji
· 1 h · Free
Day 2 · Tokyo09:30–17:02 · 5 places · 7 h 30 min
Tokyo Tower
· 1 h · Main Deck ¥1,500; Top Deck ¥3,300 online
- 5 min on foot
Zojo-ji
· 40 min · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Hamarikyu Gardens
· 1 h · ¥300; over-65s ¥150
- Lunch · 1 h
- 14 min on foot
Tsukiji Outer Market
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- 14 min on foot
Ginza
· 1 h 30 min · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
6 of 10 are free; 4 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 3 | Meiji Jingu | 50 | 1 h | free; Gyoen garden paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Tokyo Imperial Palace | 62 | 1 h 30 min | free |
| 6 | Tokyo Tower | 56 | 1 h | Main Deck ¥1,500; Top Deck ¥3,300 online |
| 8 | Hamarikyu Gardens | 36 | 1 h | ¥300; over-65s ¥150 |
| Other 6 places | 6 h | Free | ||
| Total | 10 h 30 min | 6 of 10 free |
Tips for each stop
Day 1
- 1
Shibuya Crossing. The famous scramble crossing: 1,000–3,000 people cross on one green light. Free; the view from above is from Shibuya Sky.
- 2
Takeshita Street. Harajuku's 350 m street of youth fashion: kawaii clothes, crêpes, rainbow candy floss. Free.
- 3
Meiji Jingu. Tokyo's main Shinto shrine in a 70-hectare forest by Harajuku station. Free, sunrise to sunset.
- 4
Tokyo Imperial Palace. The Emperor's residence on the site of Edo Castle. The East Gardens are free; closed Mondays and Fridays.
- 5
Senso-ji. Tokyo's oldest temple in Asakusa: Kaminarimon Gate with its giant red lantern and Nakamise street. Free.
Day 2
- 6
Tokyo Tower. The 333 m red-and-white tower: Main Deck at 150 m 1,500 yen, Top Deck at 250 m 3,300 online. Until 23:00.
- 7
Zojo-ji. The Tokugawa shoguns' family temple below Tokyo Tower, with a gate from 1622. Grounds free.
- 8
Hamarikyu Gardens. An Edo-era garden on the bay among skyscrapers: a seawater pond and a teahouse. 300 yen.
- 9
Tsukiji Outer Market. A 'town of food': hundreds of stalls with sushi, tamagoyaki, dried fish and knives. Free; mornings until lunch.
- 10
Ginza. Tokyo's famous upmarket shopping district with the Wako clock tower. Pedestrian at weekends 12:00–17:00.
Who this route is for
- A weekend in Tokyo
- Food and the city
- Independent, by metro
- Sundays: many Tsukiji stalls are closed
- Akihabara and Ueno are day three
Spring and November.
How the two days work
Day one is the one-day Tokyo itinerary. Day two is the south-east of the centre: the tower, temple, garden, market and Ginza are 5–20 minutes apart on foot. Tsukiji runs in the morning until lunch — if the plan puts it in the afternoon, drag it forward with ≡.
Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate.
Tsukiji Outer Market
The wholesale market moved to Toyosu in 2018, but Tsukiji's outer market stayed: hundreds of stalls with seafood, sushi, tamagoyaki, tea and Japanese knives. Best in the morning after 9:00 and before lunch; many stalls close on Sundays, holidays and some Wednesdays.
Kabuki in Ginza
At the Kabuki-za theatre you can buy a ticket for a single act: in November 2026 an upper-gallery seat costs 1,600–3,000 yen. Shows usually run in the morning and evening.
Is 2 days in Tokyo enough?
For the highlights, yes. Add the dawn tuna auction at Toyosu Market, or Roppongi Hills for the best view of Tokyo Tower. Ueno and Akihabara are day three.
How to do it right
- Do Tsukiji in the morning, before lunch.
- Ginza is pedestrian on Saturdays and Sundays, 12:00–17:00.
- Keep quiet at temples and shrines and take your shoes off before entering halls; photos inside halls are often not allowed. There is no tipping in Japan.
- Japan uses the yen. Foreign cards work almost everywhere, but temples, markets and small cafés want cash. A Suica or PASMO card pays for trains, metro and shops by the station.
- Go up Tokyo Tower at sunset — the Main Deck is open until 23:00.
Questions
What to do with 2 days in Tokyo?
Day one: Shibuya, Harajuku, Meiji Jingu, the palace, Senso-ji. Day two: Tokyo Tower, Zojo-ji, Hamarikyu, Tsukiji and Ginza.
Is 2 days in Tokyo enough?
For the main sights, yes. Akihabara, Ueno and Fuji need more days.
How much is Tokyo Tower?
Main Deck 1,500 yen, Top Deck 3,300 online.
When is Tsukiji Market open?
Mornings until lunch, roughly 6:00–14:00; many stalls close on Sundays.
How much is Hamarikyu?
300 yen.
How much does it cost?
Day one is free; day two is about 1,800 yen with the tower and garden, plus food.
Is it good with kids?
Yes: the tower and the market are fun.
Where to eat sushi in Tokyo?
At Tsukiji in the morning — fresh and no booking.
When is the best time?
Spring and November.
How do I pay in Japan?
Japan uses the yen. Foreign cards work almost everywhere, but temples, markets and small cafés want cash. A Suica or PASMO card pays for trains, metro and shops by the station.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)
- Wikipedia: Tsukiji, Tokyo Tower
