One Day in Tokyo Itinerary: Tsukiji, Asakusa, Harajuku and Shibuya Sky in Order

Tokyo is too big to wing. Plenty of first-timers lose half a day crossing the city back and forth because everything "looks close" on the train map. It isn't. So this plan clusters the day: east side in the morning (Tsukiji, Toyosu, Asakusa), west side in the afternoon (Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku).

Times assume an October weekday. Sunset is around 5:10 PM in mid-October, which shapes the whole afternoon. Check hours before you go.

The plan at a glance

Tsukiji for breakfast. teamLab Planets in Toyosu. Asakusa for Senso-ji and lunch. Train west to Meiji Jingu before it shuts, walk down through Harajuku, Shibuya Sky at sunset, the crossing after dark, dinner in Shinjuku.

Get a Suica or Pasmo on your phone first. Every leg here is a train ride, and tapping in is way easier than buying paper tickets.

Stop by stop

8:00 AM: Breakfast at Tsukiji Outer Market

The famous tuna auction moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the outer market's food stalls are still here. Tamagoyaki on a stick, grilled scallops, a bowl of fresh sashimi over rice. Most shops are going by around 9:00, and a lot of them close on Sundays, national holidays and some Wednesdays, so check the market's calendar for your date.

Eat standing up, near the stall you bought from. Walking and eating is frowned on here.

10:00 AM: teamLab Planets

About 15 minutes away by train in Toyosu. You walk through it barefoot, and some rooms have water up to adult knee height, so wear shorts or pants that roll up. It's listed as open 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM (last entry an hour before close) and adult tickets started at 3,800 yen, changing by date and time. You can't buy at the door, it's online only. Budget 90 minutes.

Get tickets: teamLab Planets (official site)

12:30 PM: Senso-ji and Nakamise-dori

Train up to Asakusa. You walk in under the giant red lantern of Kaminarimon, then down Nakamise-dori, a 250-meter strip of snack and souvenir stalls, to Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple. The grounds are open all the time and free. The main hall opens at 6:30 AM in October and closes at 5:00 PM.

Grab lunch on the side streets west of Nakamise. Tempura and soba places there have been doing it for decades.

2:45 PM: Meiji Jingu

Long-ish ride, about 35 minutes to Harajuku. Meiji Jingu is open sunrise to sunset, and for October the shrine listed 5:40 AM to 4:40 PM. That's why it's here and not later. It's free. The walk in under the giant wooden torii, through what feels like real forest in the middle of the city, is the best part.

3:45 PM: Harajuku and Takeshita Street

Come out the shrine's south gate and Takeshita Street is right across from Harajuku station. It's loud, narrow and packed with teenagers, and yes, you should get a crepe. If it's too much, walk down Omotesando instead, the wide tree-lined avenue, toward Shibuya. It's about 20 minutes on foot.

4:40 PM: Shibuya Sky

The rooftop deck on top of Shibuya Scramble Square. Adult web tickets were 2,700 yen before 3:00 PM and 3,400 yen from 3:00 PM, with counter tickets 300 yen more. Open 10:00 AM to 10:30 PM, last entry 9:20 PM. New entry slots every 20 minutes.

Book a slot about 30 minutes before sunset and you get daylight, sunset and the city lights all in one go. These slots go first, so book as soon as your date opens. Hats, bags and selfie sticks aren't allowed on the roof, there are lockers.

Get tickets: Shibuya Sky (official site)

6:15 PM: Shibuya Crossing

You'll have seen it from the roof. Now walk it. Up to a few thousand people cross at once when the lights change. Cross it twice, once each direction, and that's honestly enough.

7:15 PM: Dinner in Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku

A few stops north on the Yamanote line. Omoide Yokocho is a couple of narrow alleys of tiny yakitori counters, smoke everywhere, six or eight seats each. Point at what the person next to you is eating. Afterward, if you've still got legs, Golden Gai is a 10-minute walk east: a grid of bars so small some fit five people.

What to skip

• The Robot Restaurant. It closed. Some old blog posts still list it.
• Tokyo Tower and Skytree on the same day as Shibuya Sky. One big view is plenty. Shibuya Sky's open roof wins.
• Taxis for long hops. Expensive, and the trains are faster.
• Trying to see the tuna auction at Tsukiji. It's at Toyosu now and takes a very early start.

Mistakes people make in Tokyo (number 1 wastes half the day)

1. Zigzagging across the city. East in the morning, west in the afternoon.
2. Meiji Jingu after sunset. It's closed. In October that's around 4:40.
3. Not booking Shibuya Sky. Sunset slots sell out.
4. Turning up at teamLab without a ticket. No door sales.
5. Tsukiji on a Sunday. Lots of it is shut.
6. Eating while walking. Locals really don't, and some stalls will ask you to stay put.

Quick questions about one day in Tokyo