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November 2025 – Tokyo, Japan

Some cities grow on you slowly. Tokyo didn’t bother. 🙂 It hit us like a lightning bolt.

We fell for it instantly – swept up in its colour, rhythm, and electrifying energy. Every day we woke up buzzing, ready for whatever beautifully unexpected surprise the city would throw our way.

By the end of our trip, we’d spent seven days in Tokyo (split between the start and the finish), and that excitement never faded. From Asakusa’s ancient calm to Akihabara’s neon chaos, from Shinjuku’s peaceful gardens to Shibuya’s iconic crossing, every neighbourhood felt like a world of its own.

We drifted between shrines, themed cafés, sky‑high viewpoints, immersive museums, and even squeezed in a day trip to Mt. Fuji before returning for one last dose of Tokyo’s energy. By the time we had to leave, we genuinely didn’t want to go home. And that doesn’t happen too often.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how our week unfolded – a simple overview if you’re planning your own Tokyo itinerary or looking for ideas on what to do in the city.

For a more in‑depth summary, you can find our full Japan travel plan here.

DAY 1 – ASAKUSA

• Sensō-ji
• Samurai Ninja Museum
• Tokyo Skytree

As soon as we exit the subway and surface into the light for the first time, I pat myself on the back for booking our stay in Asakusabashi. Quiet and with lots of small restaurants all around, it turns out to be a great option for us to wind down after every full day of walking around Tokyo.

Just a stone’s throw (well, 2 stations) away is Asakusa, which makes it first on our list simply for proximity reasons. We start early at Tokyo’s oldest temple, Sensō-ji, where the smell of incense floats around, pulling us straight in. It’s busy, colourful, and the perfect “welcome to Tokyo” moment.

From there, we step into the Samurai Ninja Museum for a fun, interactive intro to the world of samurai and ninja (armour try‑out and star‑throwing competition included).

Later on, we head over to the iconic Tokyo Skytree for a breathtaking view over the city from 350 and 450 meters above ground. Not only do we see Mount Fuji far in the distance, but we stay until sunset, when the whole city lights up under our feet. A proper wow moment.

Twelve hours after we leave the hotel, we’re back, completely drained but excited for tomorrow. We did well for a first day!

DAY 2 – AKIHABARA

• Themed cafés
• Electronics shops

Next morning we make our way into Akihabara with freshly restored energy, fueled by our own anticipation. Known as the district of themed cafés and electronic stores, it looks like a totally different planet. We wander through the floors of a six‑storey electronics mall, getting swallowed by flashing screens, beeping gadgets, and aisles that seem to multiply every time we blink. After a while we can’t think, see, or hear anymore – our brains are officially short‑circuited.

So we escape to a cat café for a much‑needed reset – and that’s one of the most normal ones around here. Dog cafés, owl cafés, pig cafés, maid cafés… Akihabara really doesn’t do “ordinary.” Having a coffee while twenty fluffy cats roam around, successfully ignoring us, somehow brings us back to life. It’s a tiny moment of calm in the middle of the neon storm.

After a brief cuteness‑overload moment, we’re ready again and jump back into the busy streets.

DAY 3 – CENTRAL TOKYO

• Imperial Palace National Gardens
• Imperial Palace

Time to check out the central part of the city. Strolling around the park near the Imperial Palace with absolutely no expectation of visiting anything here today, we suddenly spot a queue stretching for around fifty meters. People are waiting in line for one of the free guided tours of the day. Well, we can’t miss this chance. We jump in, and we’re among the last ones to make it before they reach the maximum limit.

Having a guided walk on the serene palace grounds is like taking a breath of fresh air and a history lesson at the same time. Only when we head back toward Tokyo Station do we realise we’re walking through the heart of one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

DAY 4 – SHIBUYA

• Shibuya Crossing
• Shopping
• Shibuya Tower

If Tokyo Station is our first indication of how many people the metropolitan region can accommodate (spoiler: around 40 million!), then Shibuya Station is the full demonstration. Add the evening rush hour to the mix, and you can imagine our shock.

For some reason, one of the multiple lines crossing at Shibuya has become famous and turned into an attraction itself, which means even more tourists join the chaos. Five crosswalks, one green light, and suddenly hundreds of people pour in from every direction at once. It takes us a moment to realise the best spot to watch this show is the first‑floor Starbucks nearby, so we check that too, since we’re already here. It’s even more impressive from above. Everyone glides past each other like they’ve rehearsed it. Simply Tokyo magic.

We had planned to go up the Shibuya Tower afterwards, but the sheer amount of people hits us all at once. So we decide to walk away from the crowds for a bit, letting the noise fade behind us. And of course, we can’t head home without a well‑deserved shopping stop at Uniqlo (what? that’s a proper attraction as well!).

DAY 5 – SHINJUKU

• Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
• Shinjuku Golden-Gai district

Next morning we decide to get as far away from crowds as possible, so we head for the greenest corner of Tokyo: Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. Combining gorgeous greenhouses with impeccably maintained park alleys, picnic areas, temporary flower exhibitions, little cafés, tea houses, and even the old Imperial Rest House open for visits, this place makes you forget you’re in the middle of a megacity. For a few hours, Tokyo feels soft and quiet.

As evening approaches, we venture into the quirky Golden-Gai district, a maze of minuscule bars and restaurants stacked tightly along narrow alleys. It’s fascinating, chaotic, and charming in its own way – but also a bit too claustrophobic for us. So we call it a night and wander back toward our favourite Asakusabashi area to grab some food and reset.

DAY 6 – DAY TRIP MT. FUJI

We cannot leave Tokyo without seeing Mount Fuji. Or at least trying to. So we book a day trip and join a small group tour with a fun guide and a skilled driver who somehow navigates the narrow village roads like it’s nothing. Ironically, after a week of perfect sunshine, this is the one day wrapped in fog and low clouds.

We stop at all the iconic viewpoints where Fuji should be right in front of us… but every time, it’s the same: just a wall of white. At some point, our guide even starts folding little origami Mount Fujis to cheer us up.

And then, at our very last stop – Lake Kawaguchi – it happens. The fog lifts, the clouds drift apart, and suddenly there it is: Mount Fuji, perfectly clear, glowing in the late‑day light, surrounded only by a thin ring of cloud like an aura. For almost an hour we stand there, mesmerised, watching the mountain reveal itself as if just for us. It’s magical. One of those rare travel moments you can’t plan, can’t predict, and definitely can’t forget.

DAY 7 – TEAMLAB PLANETS

We’re already approaching our departure day, but we’re not ready to say goodbye. And what better way to celebrate than booking a visit to teamLab Planets, the most sensorial experience we’ve ever heard of. Stepping inside feels like entering a parallel universe where light, water, sound and space blend into one seamless world. Ok ok, no spoilers – but let’s just say it completely blew my mind.

And with that, our stay in Tokyo comes to an end. It’s been easy, fun, incredibly enjoyable – addictive, almost. At times it felt like too much, because in Tokyo one minute of rest is one minute of missing out on something.

But somehow, that’s exactly what makes it special. We leave with the feeling that there’s still so much more to discover, and honestly, that’s the best way to go. Tokyo had us hooked, and we already know we’ll be back. ❤️

But before we drift into daydreams of returning to Japan, our journey continues somewhere entirely different – slower and impossibly beautiful. Next stop: Kyoto.

Until the next trip – travel well!