2 Day Tokyo Itinerary
Two full days, split so you’re not crossing the city twice, with old Tokyo on day one and modern Tokyo on day two.
Two days in Tokyo is enough to properly cover old and new sides of the city without sprinting between them. Here’s how I’d split it, day by day.
Old Tokyo & the East Side
Start at Senso-ji Temple early, before the crowds properly build, then walk over to Tokyo Skytree for sweeping views over the city. Head into central Tokyo for lunch and the free Imperial Palace East Gardens, a genuine pocket of calm in the middle of the density.
Spend the afternoon at Meiji Shrine and Harajuku, a quiet forest shrine right next to Tokyo’s loudest youth fashion strip. End the day in Shibuya for the famous crossing, then dinner and a wander through Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai alleyways after dark.
Midday Imperial Palace East Gardens
Afternoon Meiji Shrine, Harajuku
Evening Shibuya Crossing, dinner and drinks in Shinjuku
Modern Tokyo & a Different Pace
Start the second day in Akihabara, Tokyo’s electronics and pop culture district, arcades, anime shops, and maid cafes if that’s your interest. From there, head to teamLab Borderless or Planets for an immersive digital art experience, book ahead, these sell out regularly.
Spend the afternoon in Ginza for upscale shopping and department stores, or Ueno for museums and Ameyoko Street’s street food if you’d rather something more low-key. End the trip with a final dinner in whichever neighbourhood you’re staying near, and a last view of the skyline from Shibuya Sky or Tokyo Tower if you didn’t already catch one on day one.
Afternoon teamLab Borderless/Planets (book ahead), Ginza or Ueno
Evening Final dinner, a last skyline view
Getting around across both days
Tokyo’s train and metro network is extensive and genuinely easy to navigate once you’re used to it, a prepaid IC card covers nearly everything and removes the need to buy individual tickets. The city is spread out, expect real distances between neighbourhoods, walking alone won’t cover this itinerary.
If you only have time for one thing each day
Day one, make it Senso-ji at opening, it’s free and the calmest version of Tokyo’s most famous temple you’ll get. Day two, make it teamLab, book it regardless, it’s genuinely unlike anything else on this list.
That’s everything I’ve got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government’s latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
