4 days in Tokyo: an itinerary day by day
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 12 of 16 free; 4 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 4 days, 9:30 to 17:50 each day
- Start and finish
- Shibuya Crossing → Mount Fuji
- On foot
- ≈ 1 h 13 min in total
- Transport
- 6 rides, ≈ 2 h 31 min
- Lunch
- around 12:17
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- November to February: Fuji shows more often and the air is clear.
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
Day 3 · Tokyo09:30–17:50 · 5 places · 8 h 20 min
Akihabara
· 2 h · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Ameyoko
· 45 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 7 min on foot
Ueno Park
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- 34 min · transport or taxi
Kabukicho
· 1 h · Free
- 20 min on foot
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
· 45 min · Free
Day 4 · Tokyo09:30–13:30 · 1 place · 4 h
Mount Fuji
· 4 h · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
12 of 16 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 12 places | 16 h | Free | ||
| Total | 20 h 30 min | 12 of 16 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.
Day 3
- 11
Akihabara. The district of electronics, anime and video games: multi-storey shops and arcades. Shops roughly 10:00–21:00.
- 12
Ameyoko. A noisy market under the JR tracks between Ueno and Okachimachi: 250+ stalls and street food. Free.
- 13
Ueno Park. One of Japan's first parks, 1873: cherry avenue, boating pond, museums and the zoo (600 yen, closed Mondays).
- 14
Kabukicho. Shinjuku's entertainment district: neon gates and the Godzilla head above the Toho building. Liveliest at night.
- 15
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Free observation decks on level 45, 202 m up: Mount Fuji on a clear day. South deck until 22:00.
Day 4
- 16
Mount Fuji. Japan's highest mountain, 3,776 m. The day trip is to Lake Kawaguchiko: about 2 hours by bus or the Fuji Excursion train.
Who this route is for
- A week in Japan starting in Tokyo
- The city and Fuji
- Independent
- Climbing Fuji is only possible roughly July to 10 September
- On a cloudy day the mountain hides
November to February: Fuji shows more often and the air is clear.
How the four days work
The first three days are the 3-day itinerary. Day four is Fuji — put it on the clearest day in the forecast.
Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate.
Mount Fuji day trip from Tokyo
The easiest option is Lake Kawaguchiko: a bus from Busta Shinjuku or the Fuji Excursion train, about two hours. Looking at the mountain is free at any time; climbing is in season only, roughly July to 10 September, for about 4,000 yen.
Other day trips
Mount Takao is a short hike 50 minutes from Shinjuku, with Fuji views on a clear day. Tokyo Disneyland makes a family day, and Kamakura has the Great Buddha and temples.
How to do it right
- Choose your Fuji day by the forecast: clouds hide the mountain.
- Book the Kawaguchiko bus ahead.
- 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.
- Fuji is visible more often in the morning than later in the day.
Questions
What to do with 4 days in Tokyo?
Three days in the city and a fourth at Fuji by Lake Kawaguchiko.
How do I get to Mount Fuji from Tokyo?
By bus from Busta Shinjuku or the Fuji Excursion train, about two hours.
When can you see Fuji?
Most often from November to February, and in the morning.
Can you climb Fuji?
Only in season, roughly July to 10 September.
Is 4 days in Tokyo enough?
For Tokyo and Fuji, yes.
How much is the Fuji trip?
Looking is free; you pay for the bus or train.
Is it good with kids?
Yes; the lake has walks and viewpoints.
Where else can I go from Tokyo?
Kamakura or Mount Takao.
When is the best time?
Spring, November and winter for Fuji views.
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: Mount Fuji
