Tokyo 5-Day 4-Night Complete Itinerary 2026: Transport, Hotels, Sights & Budget
Planning your first trip to Tokyo? This complete guide covers a 5-day 4-night Tokyo itinerary with airport transfers, day-by-day schedules, transportation costs, accommodation tips, and a full budget breakdown.
📝 NTJ Editorial Guide · Official Sources Verified
Before You Go: A Few Key Decisions
Sort these out before you fly:
1. Which airport: Narita (NRT) or Haneda (HND)? Haneda is much closer to central Tokyo (about 30-40 minutes), while Narita takes 1-1.5 hours.
2. Getting around: A Suica IC card is the way to go — it works on trains, subways, buses, and even at some convenience stores.
3. Where to stay: Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Ueno, and Asakusa are popular picks among international travelers for their convenient transport links and wide range of options.
Airport-to-City Transport (2026 Latest Fares)
| Transport | From | To | Time | One-way Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N'EX (Narita Express) | Narita | Shinjuku/Shibuya | ~90 min | ¥3,330 |
| Keisei Access Express (Narita Sky Access Line) | Narita | Ueno | ~60-75 min | ¥1,270 |
| Tokyo Monorail | Haneda | Hamamatsucho | ~14 min | ¥520 |
| Keikyu Line | Haneda | Shinagawa | ~12 min | ¥330 |
Money-saving tip: Take the Keisei Access Express on the way in (Narita Sky Access Line, ¥1,270 — cheaper than the Skyliner or N'EX; to save even more, the Keisei Main Line Limited Express is ¥1,030 but takes ~80-90 min). On the way back, if you take the N'EX just buy a single one-way ticket (¥3,330 to Shinjuku, ¥3,140 to Tokyo). The N'EX Tokyo Round Trip Ticket (¥5,200 adult, valid 14 days, foreign passport only) is a round-trip product that only pays off if you ride the N'EX BOTH ways — using it for one leg only costs more, so it isn't worth it here. (The old Suica + N'EX package was discontinued in 2014.) Note the N'EX is all-reserved seating — you can't just tap an IC card to board, so reserve a seat first. > Book Narita/Haneda transport tickets on Klook
5-Day, 4-Night Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival, Asakusa & Ueno
- Land at the airport → get a Suica card or a Welcome Suica (topping up ¥2,000 is a good starting amount)
- Asakusa: Kaminarimon Gate, Nakamise-dori shopping street, Sensoji Temple (free) → budget at least 1.5 hours for photos
- Tokyo Skytree: Go up the tower if you like (Tembo Deck from ¥2,200 weekday / ¥2,800 weekend; variable pricing since Apr 2026), or just snap photos from ground level for free
- Ueno: Dinner at Ameyoko Market (skewers, sashimi, fried snacks)
- Check in to your hotel
Day 2: Old Tokyo & Around the Imperial Palace
- Tsukiji Outer Market (go first thing — most stalls wrap up by ~14:00, closed Sundays and some Wednesdays): sashimi rice bowl for brunch (¥1,500-2,500)
- East Gardens of the Imperial Palace: Free, no reservation needed, closed Mondays and Fridays (also Dec 28–Jan 3)
- Ginza: World-class boutiques and Ginza Six (fun to browse even if you're not buying)
- Odaiba: Rainbow Bridge night view and the Statue of Liberty replica (take the Yurikamome Line, ¥325)
Day 3: Harajuku, Shibuya & Shinjuku
- Harajuku: Takeshita Street (youth culture central) → Meiji Jingu Shrine (free)
- Shibuya: The Hachiko statue and Shibuya Scramble Crossing — one of the most iconic sights in Tokyo
- Shinjuku: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck (free) → dinner in Golden Gai or Kabukicho
- Book a Shibuya/Shinjuku food experience on KKday
Day 4: Day Trip to Nikko or Kamakura
Option 1: Nikko (2-3 hours by train)
- Toshogu Shrine (¥1,600), Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Falls — doing all three in one day is a packed schedule: leave around 7:00, Toshogu 9:30–11:30 (open until 17:00 Apr–Oct / 16:00 Nov–Mar, last entry 30 min before close) → bus up the Irohazaka switchbacks to Lake Chuzenji/Kegon Falls 13:00–15:00 (Tobu-Nikko Station ↔ Chuzenji Onsen ~50 min, ¥1,250) → head back by ~16:30.
- ⚠️ In autumn-foliage season (mid-Oct to early Nov), the Irohazaka road jams badly and the 50-min bus can stretch to 2–3 hours — pick just one: central Nikko (Toshogu) OR the lake, not both.
- 💡 The JR Tokyo Wide Pass (¥16,000, 2026 price) covers the JR route (Tohoku Shinkansen + JR Nikko Line) and the JR–Tobu through limited express from Shinjuku (Spacia Nikko / Kinugawa, reserved seat), but not the Tobu Spacia Kegon from Asakusa (pure Tobu line); for a single Nikko day trip it may not beat a plain JR round-trip (~¥11,000) unless you reuse it another day.
Option 2: Kamakura (1-1.5 hours by train)
- The Great Buddha of Kotoku-in (¥300; +¥50 for the interior), Hasedera Temple, Enoshima Island
- Book a Kamakura day tour on Klook
Day 5: Roppongi, Akihabara & Departure
- Roppongi: Tokyo City View observation deck (Mori Tower 52F, ¥2,200 online / ¥2,400 at the door) plus the Mori Art Museum (53F, separate admission)
- Akihabara: Electronics district and anime/manga culture
- Head to the airport (leave at least 3 hours)
Where to Stay in Tokyo
| Area | Highlights | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Shinjuku | Great train connections, excellent shopping | ¥8,000-15,000/night |
| Asakusa | Traditional Japanese atmosphere, close to Tokyo Skytree | ¥7,000-13,000/night |
| Ikebukuro | Great value, convenient shopping | ¥6,000-12,000/night |
| Ueno | Near the airport train (Keisei Line), museum district | ¥7,000-12,000/night |
| Ginza/Marunouchi | Upscale, close to the Imperial Palace | ¥15,000-30,000+/night |
5-Day, 4-Night Budget Breakdown
| Item | Budget (Low) | Budget (Mid) | Budget (High) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight (round-trip, incl. tax — e.g. Taiwan-Tokyo) | NT$5,000 | NT$8,000 | NT$12,000 |
| Hotel (4 nights) | ¥24,000 | ¥40,000 | ¥70,000 |
| Local transport | ¥3,000 | ¥5,000 | ¥7,000 |
| Meals (5 days) | ¥8,000 | ¥15,000 | ¥25,000 |
| Admission fees | ¥2,000 | ¥5,000 | ¥8,000 |
| Shopping | ¥5,000 | ¥20,000 | ¥50,000+ |
| Total (JPY, excl. flight) | ¥42,000+ | ¥85,000+ | ¥160,000+ |
Flight cost is a reference figure for a Taiwan-Tokyo round trip (2026 estimate); prices vary by departure city and season, so check fares for your own route. Exchange rate reference: ¥1 JPY ≈ NT$0.22 (2026 estimate).
Must-Try Tokyo Food
- Sushi: Sushiro conveyor-belt chain (from ¥110/plate), or splurge on higher-end sushi near Tsukiji/Toyosu Market
- Ramen: Ichiran (individual booth seating), Kitakata-style (soy sauce broth), Tokyo Ikebukuro Taishoken (dipping ramen/tsukemen)
- Tonkatsu: Tonkatsu Maisen, Katsukichi (¥1,200-2,000)
- Izakaya: Shinjuku Golden Gai or the Asakusa area (¥2,000-4,000 per person)
- Convenience stores: 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson — perfect for breakfast or a late-night bite (¥300-600)
Back home and ready to keep leveling up your Japanese? Head over to the Grammar Challenge to master travel-Japanese sentence patterns, so your next trip to Tokyo means chatting with locals stress-free!