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Tokyo in 3 days: a neighbourhood-first itinerary

Group your Tokyo days by area, keep arrival separate and leave enough room to change plans without crossing the city again.

3 days6 places

Explore this itinerary

Tabipita editorial team
Updated 2026-10-20

Senso-ji Temple浅草寺

YOUR DAYS, AT A GLANCE

Explore the route

A suggested starting point, with room for meals and breaks. Stay lengths are editorial estimates; check opening times and bookings before visiting.

Follow the neighbourhoods

Lines show the suggested stop order, not walking or transit directions. Open a place in Google Maps to plan your actual journey.

Asakusa and Ueno2 stops

Before you go

Official references are dated below. Route choices, walking allowances and meal plans are our suggestions, not live directions. Recheck notices for your travel date.

Start here · station & exit

For Senso-ji, GO TOKYO lists Asakusa Station on the Toei Asakusa Line, Exit A4, followed by a five-minute walk. Asakusa has several separate stations; A4 does not apply to every line.

Our planning suggestionAim for a morning arrival. Check the operator accessibility map if you need lifts; an exit number alone does not guarantee step-free access.

GO TOKYO: Senso-jiChecked 2026-10-20

Getting between stops

Asakusa and Ueno are both on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line.

Our planning suggestionReturn to Ginza-line Asakusa and take a train to Ueno. Allow roughly 25–40 minutes between sightseeing areas, including walking and waiting. This is our estimate, not a live journey time.

Tokyo Metro: stations and routesChecked 2026-10-20

Entry, hours & reservations

GO TOKYO lists Senso-ji as a free attraction. Museums in Ueno have their own tickets and calendars.

Our planning suggestionKeep the outdoor route flexible. Check your chosen museum exhibition before fixing the afternoon schedule.

GO TOKYO: Senso-jiChecked 2026-10-20
Tokyo National Museum: FAQChecked 2026-10-20

Food & rest breaks

The official Ueno guide identifies cafes in the park and Ameyoko between Ueno and Okachimachi.

Our planning suggestionAllow 45–60 minutes for a seated lunch after arriving in Ueno, then a short rest. Check menus and dietary requirements with the venue.

GO TOKYO: UenoChecked 2026-10-20

If it rains

Tokyo National Museum normally closes on Mondays; a Monday holiday generally moves the closure to the following day. Check its calendar and exhibition tickets.

Our planning suggestionReplace most of the park time with the museum on an open day. The approach from the station is still outdoors.

Tokyo National Museum: FAQChecked 2026-10-20

STOP 1
Senso-ji Temple
浅草寺
Start with the temple grounds, then leave time for the streets around Asakusa. Follow signs about photography and worship areas.
Suggested visit: about 60 min
Open in Google Maps ↗
STOP 2
Ueno Park
上野恩賜公園
Choose a relaxed park visit or replace part of this stop with a museum you have checked in advance.
Suggested visit: about 90 min
Open in Google Maps ↗

Harajuku and Shibuya2 stops

Before you go

Official references are dated below. Route choices, walking allowances and meal plans are our suggestions, not live directions. Recheck notices for your travel date.

Start here · station & exit

GO TOKYO lists Yoyogi-koen Station about three minutes from the park. Tokyo Metro identifies an elevator connection at Exit 4; the station-level walking estimate is not specific to that exit.

Our planning suggestionFollow park signs after leaving the station and allow extra time to reach your preferred entrance.

GO TOKYO: Yoyogi ParkChecked 2026-10-20
Tokyo Metro: Yoyogi-koen accessibilityChecked 2026-10-20

Getting between stops

Tokyo Metro provides station and route maps for this part of western Tokyo.

Our planning suggestionLeave the park towards Harajuku and continue to Shibuya on foot if conditions suit you. Budget about 25–35 minutes from the Harajuku side, excluding shopping; the gate you use changes the distance.

Tokyo Metro: stations and routesChecked 2026-10-20

Entry, hours & reservations

Yoyogi Park is free, open daily and listed without fixed opening or closing hours.

Our planning suggestionThe mapped route does not include a paid observation deck. If adding one in Shibuya, book directly and arrange the afternoon around its entry time.

GO TOKYO: Yoyogi ParkChecked 2026-10-20

Food & rest breaks

GO TOKYO lists toilets, including accessible facilities, at Yoyogi Park.

Our planning suggestionTake a water and toilet break before leaving. Allow about an hour for lunch around Harajuku and a seated break in Shibuya; check individual venue hours and menus.

GO TOKYO: Yoyogi ParkChecked 2026-10-20

If it rains

Ota Memorial Museum of Art currently states that individual visitors do not need reservations. Admission and shop payments are cash only; opening days depend on the exhibition calendar.

Our planning suggestionOn an open day, replace the park walk with this Harajuku museum. Bring cash. The onward walk to Shibuya remains exposed to rain.

Ota Memorial Museum of Art: visitor noticesChecked 2026-10-20

STOP 1
Yoyogi Park
代々木公園
Use the park as a green break near Harajuku before exploring the surrounding shopping streets.
Suggested visit: about 60 min
Open in Google Maps ↗
STOP 2
Shibuya Scramble Crossing
渋谷スクランブル交差点
Explore central Shibuya at your own pace. If you have an observation-deck booking, organise the afternoon around its entry slot.
Suggested visit: about 60 min
Open in Google Maps ↗

An optional Shinjuku day2 stops

Before you go

Official references are dated below. Route choices, walking allowances and meal plans are our suggestions, not live directions. Recheck notices for your travel date.

Start here · station & exit

Shinjuku Central Park lists Tochomae Station Exit A5 as a one-minute walk. Shinjuku Station West Exit is about ten minutes away.

Our planning suggestionChoose Tochomae for a shorter approach. Check the accessible route separately if travelling with a wheelchair or stroller.

Shinjuku Central Park: accessChecked 2026-10-20

Getting between stops

The park access page includes a map of the area west of Shinjuku Station.

Our planning suggestionWalk east through Nishi-Shinjuku towards Cocoon Tower. Allow about 15–20 minutes plus crossings and photos. Our map line shows stop order, not pedestrian navigation.

Shinjuku Central Park: accessChecked 2026-10-20

Entry, hours & reservations

The nearby Tokyo Metropolitan Government observatories are free viewing spaces.

Our planning suggestionThe mapped Cocoon Tower stop is exterior-only; it does not promise school entry or an observation deck. Use the government observatory if you want an indoor view, subject to its opening notices.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government: observatoriesChecked 2026-10-20

Food & rest breaks

The park is about ten minutes on foot from Shinjuku Station West Exit.

Our planning suggestionKeep this day relaxed: rest in the park when dry, then allow 45–60 minutes for a seated lunch on the west side of the station before travelling onward.

Shinjuku Central Park: accessChecked 2026-10-20

If it rains

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government observatories offer free indoor viewing, subject to opening schedules and temporary closures.

Our planning suggestionReplace the long park stop with an observatory visit if open. Visibility may be poor and the approach is not fully sheltered. Keep Cocoon Tower as a short exterior stop.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government: observatoriesChecked 2026-10-20

STOP 1
Shinjuku Central Park
新宿中央公園
A relaxed starting point on the western side of Shinjuku. This day can be shortened or swapped for your own interests.
Suggested visit: about 60 min
Open in Google Maps ↗
STOP 2
Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower
モード学園コクーンタワー
An exterior architecture stop on the way towards Shinjuku Station. This is an educational building, not a public observation deck.
Suggested visit: about 20 min
Open in Google Maps ↗

What these three days mean

This outline assumes three sightseeing days, not a late arrival followed by an early departure. If your flight removes half a day, shorten the plan instead of treating airport travel as free time.

The main planning choice is to keep eastern and western Tokyo on different days. Use one accommodation base and adjust the order around weather and any tickets you already hold.

Day 1: Asakusa and Ueno

Use Asakusa as the morning focus and Ueno as the second area. Senso-ji is one possible anchor in Asakusa; in Ueno, choose between a park-led visit, shopping streets or a museum rather than attempting all of them.

Make lunch a break between areas. Check the actual journey from your hotel and choose rail or walking according to your energy and the weather. An itinerary map should help you select a route, not pressure you to walk every line on it.

Day 2: Harajuku and Shibuya

Choose a main interest in the Harajuku area, then use Shibuya as the afternoon or evening focus. This could be a day for shopping and streets rather than paid attractions.

If you book a timed observation-deck visit, build the rest of the day around that slot. Avoid promising yourself a particular view or weather condition. Keep a meal break and a margin for finding the entrance.

Day 3: one personal-interest day

Choose Shinjuku, a museum-focused day or more time in a favourite neighbourhood. The official Tokyo guide suggests Shimokitazawa and Shinjuku as another pairing; use it only if those places match what you want to do.

The map shows one gentle Shinjuku option: Shinjuku Central Park and an exterior look at Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower. These are optional stops, not a requirement to fill the day.

This is also your recovery day. Move a weather-sensitive activity here, or drop an optional stop if the first two days were tiring. Leaving one day adaptable is more valuable than adding another distant area by default.

If you have just arrived

Use our Tokyo arrival-day checklist before starting a full sightseeing day. Do not schedule these three days as if immigration, baggage and the hotel transfer take no time.

Make the route yours

Write down one priority for each day and one optional extra. Check official opening calendars for those priorities. Then check the route from your actual hotel, including station exits if stairs or luggage matter.

The daily practical notes include dated official references and selected admission details. Travel allowances and meal breaks are editorial suggestions, not live journey times or availability. Recheck operator notices for your travel date.