Tokyo at a Glance
Entry Requirements
⚠️ Always verify before travel. iatatravelcentre.com
Best Time to Visit Tokyo
Tokyo is best from March–May (cherry blossoms, mild) and October–November (autumn colours, perfect walking weather). July–September is hot and humid. January–February is cold but the least crowded.
🟢 Best 🟡 Good ⚪ Avoid if possible
Transport in Tokyo
Narita Express (NEX)
Direct train from Narita Airport to Shinjuku and Shibuya in about 90 minutes. Book online for better prices. Far more comfortable than the airport bus.
~¥3,070 one wayHaneda Airport Access
Haneda is much closer to the city. The Keikyu or Tokyo Monorail lines connect to the city center in 30–40 minutes. Most domestic and some international flights use Haneda.
~¥650 to ShinagawaTokyo Metro & Toei Subway
The world's most punctual metro system covers virtually every corner of the city. Buy a Suica or Pasmo IC card on arrival — tap in and out at every station.
~¥170–320 per rideTaxi
Tokyo taxis are clean, metered, and driven by professionals. Doors open automatically. Relatively expensive but reliable late at night when trains have stopped.
¥730 base + ¥80 per 250mCycling
Many neighborhoods are flat and very bikeable. Rental bikes are available through the docomo Bike Share app. Perfect for exploring Yanaka, Asakusa, or the riverside parks.
~¥165 per 30 minTop 10 Food Experiences
Tsukiji Outer Market at dawn 🐟
Even though the wholesale market moved to Toyosu, Tsukiji's outer market still opens at 5am with the freshest tuna sashimi, tamagoyaki, and grilled skewers in Tokyo. Arrive before 7am to eat alongside chefs doing their morning shopping.
Book Tsukiji food tour →Ramen in a tiny 8-seat shop 🍜
Tokyo's greatest food ritual is finding your perfect bowl of ramen in a shop smaller than a garden shed. Fuunji for tsukemen, Ichiran for solo tonkotsu, Afuri for yuzu shio — each a revelation.
Book ramen experience →Standing sushi at Toyosu Market 🍣
The inner market at Toyosu is now open for guided tours and the outer restaurants are extraordinary. Eat omakase sushi at a standing counter surrounded by the world's best tuna for under ¥3,000.
Book Toyosu tour →Yakitori under the train tracks 🍢
The alley under the Yurakucho train tracks is lined with tiny yakitori grills serving skewered chicken over binchōtan charcoal. Order everything — liver, hearts, thigh, and neck — with cold Sapporo.
Book yakitori experience →Depachika basement food halls 🏬
The basement floors (depachika) of Tokyo's department stores are arguably the best food halls in the world — Isetan in Shinjuku and Mitsukoshi in Ginza have floors of bento, wagashi, and prepared foods that will stop you in your tracks.
Hotels in Shinjuku →Tonkatsu at a specialist shop 🥩
Japanese pork cutlet — breaded, fried to a perfect crunch, and served with shredded cabbage and tonkatsu sauce — is humble comfort food elevated to art. Maisen in Omotesando is the gold standard.
Book food walking tour →Izakaya pub crawl in Shinjuku 🍺
Golden Gai in Shinjuku is a maze of 200 tiny bars each seating 5–8 people. Each has a theme, a vibe, and a loyal following. Start at 9pm and let the night take you where it will.
Book Golden Gai tour →Wagyu beef at Asakusa 🥩
A5-grade wagyu in Tokyo doesn't have to cost a fortune if you know where to look. Asakusa's specialist beef restaurants serve incredibly marbled sirloin at prices far below Ginza.
Hotels near Asakusa →Soba at a century-old noodle house 🍝
Hand-cut cold soba with dipping broth at a shop that has been in the same family for 100 years is one of Tokyo's most meditative food experiences. Sarashina Horii in Azabu is the benchmark.
Book traditional food tour →Night food at Konbini 🏪
The convenience store (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) is genuinely one of Tokyo's great food institutions. Onigiri, hot sandwiches, oden, and desserts that put Western convenience food to shame — and open 24 hours.
Budget hotels Tokyo →Best Restaurants in Tokyo
One of Tokyo's most celebrated tsukemen (dipping ramen) shops. The thick, rich broth and perfectly chewy noodles draw queues from opening time every day.
Hotels in Shinjuku →Widely considered one of the best sushi restaurants on earth. Chef Takashi Saito's omakase is almost impossible to book — ask your hotel concierge months in advance.
Luxury hotels Tokyo →The best introduction to Japanese BBQ — premium wagyu grilled over charcoal at your table. Order the premium beef tongue and short rib set.
Book food tour Tokyo →A 160-year-old Kyoto tea house with a Ginza outpost. The matcha parfait, warabi mochi, and matcha soba are Tokyo's finest expression of Japanese sweets.
Hotels in Ginza →Japanese curry is a national comfort food and Curry Up does it perfectly — thick, slightly sweet, and served with crispy katsu over fluffy rice. Always a queue at lunch.
Hotels in Shibuya →A beloved izakaya chain where you grill your own fresh seafood at the table. The atmosphere is boisterous, the sake is cold, and the grilled scallops are unmissable.
Book izakaya tour →Best Food Neighborhoods
Tokyo's most intense food neighborhood spans multiple worlds — the neon-lit restaurant towers of Kabukicho, the intimate bars of Golden Gai, and the ramen alleys that never close. Whatever you want at whatever hour, Shinjuku has it.
The best-preserved traditional neighborhood in Tokyo feels like a village — shopping streets lined with sembei makers, tofu shops, and tiny family restaurants that have barely changed since the 1950s. Perfect for a slow morning food walk.
The historic heart of old Tokyo, where street food vendors sell ningyo-yaki (filled waffles), melonpan, and freshly grilled senbei around Senso-ji Temple. The atmosphere is festive year-round.
Tokyo's most prestigious eating district — Ginza for Michelin-starred kaiseki and world-class sushi, Tsukiji for the world's freshest seafood market breakfast. Two completely different worlds side by side.
Essential Tips for Eating in Tokyo
Eat at the counter
Tokyo's best sushi, ramen, and tempura is always eaten at the counter facing the chef. You can watch the preparation, ask questions, and get the food at its absolute freshest.
Queue culture is real
A queue outside a Tokyo restaurant is always a signal to join it. Locals here will wait 2 hours for a bowl of ramen without complaint — and it's almost always worth it.
Vending machines are genuinely good
Hot canned coffee, cold matcha, and even warm miso soup from vending machines dotted throughout the city are legitimately delicious and cost around ¥120.
Last orders are early
Many Tokyo restaurants stop taking orders at 9pm or 9:30pm even if they're open until 11pm. Always check last order time when you sit down.
Cash is still king
Many of Tokyo's best small restaurants — especially ramen shops and izakayas — are cash only. Always carry ¥10,000 in cash when heading out to eat.
Standing restaurants are the fastest
Tachigui (standing) restaurants at train stations and underground malls serve extraordinary soba, sushi, and curry in under 10 minutes. Some of Tokyo's best food is eaten standing.