Tokyo Highlights

For a first Tokyo stay, I would allow four to five nights and group days around neighboring districts. After the flight, getting to the hotel, eating nearby and taking a short walk is enough. Divide the remaining days between the east, west and center.

Asakusa and Ueno First Layer

Start in Asakusa with Senso-ji and the surrounding streets. Ueno is a separate district, so account for the walk or train journey between them. A substantial museum visit in Ueno leaves less room for other stops than a stroll through the park.

For Japanese art and history, consider the Tokyo National Museum. Check exhibitions, closing days and ticket types before making it your rain plan. An early temple walk does not mean the museums and shops will already be open.

Shibuya Harajuku and Aoyama

Choose between a full shopping-and-café day and a shorter walk through Shibuya, Harajuku and Omotesando. The famous crossing is only a brief stop; a ticketed observation deck needs its own time slot.

If Meiji Jingu matters to you, visit within its seasonally changing opening hours. It is not an unrestricted late-evening addition after shopping. Allow for the paths through the wooded grounds as well as the streets around Harajuku.

Shinjuku Evening

Pick a restaurant and save the useful station exits for your journey in and out. Dinner and a short walk through the illuminated streets are enough for a first evening. Several tiny bars and a late finish are usually a poor combination with children.

Check the final connection all the way to your hotel, including transfers. A train still leaving Shinjuku does not guarantee that the connecting line will be running when you arrive.

Ginza Tokyo Station and the Palace Gardens

Combine Marunouchi's architecture beside Tokyo Station with a walk toward Ginza. Department-store food floors are useful for buying food; do not assume there will be seats where you can eat it.

The Imperial Palace East Gardens have a separate visitor calendar, closing days and seasonal hours. Visiting the gardens does not provide entry to the residential palace buildings. Before an intercity train, keep enough time for baggage collection and the walk through the station.

Planning Logic

Compare hotels by the actual walk to your needed station entrance and the connection for your onward journey. Ueno and Tokyo Station are different starting points; being near a Shinkansen station only helps if your train departs there.

The budget bands are rough daily per-person estimates with shared accommodation, excluding international flights. Lodging, ordinary meals and local transport form the core; reserved observation decks, special exhibitions and taxis can add significant extras.

What I Would Prioritize

With three full days: Asakusa plus Ueno, Shibuya plus Harajuku, and a day in the center. Add Shinjuku as an evening if the journey back to your hotel is straightforward. With children, choose one main destination and a break each day, leaving the rest flexible.

Where to Go Next

Hakone suits an overnight stay with mountain scenery and hot springs. With less time, continue directly to Kyoto; check the departure station and baggage rules for your booked train.