Tokyo | The ultimate travel guide for first-timers

I visited Tokyo for the first time at the tail end of last year and learned a ton of dos and don’ts during my five-day stay. So, I thought I’d share everything I learned, along with the places I chose to visit, to help others who are planning their inaugural trip to this incredible city.
#tokyo #japan #japantravel #tokyotravel #japaneseculture #japanvlog #japanesefood #travelvlog #traveltips #travelhacks
Music credits:
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/fare...
uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/sodden
uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/toy-box
uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/some...
uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/ge...
uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/fu...
uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick...
uppbeat.io/t/ra/serenity
uppbeat.io/t/tatami/far-away
uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/slee...
The places I visited (in order of appearance):
OMO3 Asakusa by Hoshino Resorts hotel: maps.app.goo.gl/8dGUnGugVHwoZ...
Sensō-ji Temple: maps.app.goo.gl/qFsms4AUP4q6P...
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center: maps.app.goo.gl/ew366hpWVF7L9...
Tokyo Tower: maps.app.goo.gl/puSJqs6EqfJmD...
Afuri ramen (this is one of the restaurants, but there’s plenty of others in Tokyo as it’s a chain): maps.app.goo.gl/tmNy9Laq2SHys...
Shinjuku City: maps.app.goo.gl/RkayPmcwWy2vZ...
Kabukichō (where the iconic red gate is!): maps.app.goo.gl/Eqvt5vN67L1Mv...
Shibuya City: maps.app.goo.gl/sCA4Qhk6nK3YD...
Shibuya Scramble Crossing: maps.app.goo.gl/jM6NqTebgDio6...
Shibuya Fukuras shopping centre: maps.app.goo.gl/iR7Bo5mJWA6eF...
Cé La Vi bar and restaurant (the free viewpoint is right next to it!): maps.app.goo.gl/VSrTKCUUAHfvw...
Shibuya Scramble Square shopping centre: maps.app.goo.gl/JfKSs3qQzZdvd...
Shibuya Sky: maps.app.goo.gl/eCEMqB7mNJSWY...
Tsuru Ton Tan udon restaurant: maps.app.goo.gl/Ufagm6cZNyJVC...
Shibuya Parco shopping centre: maps.app.goo.gl/YomsjxCeEwpsj...
Nintendo store Tokyo: maps.app.goo.gl/sBY5Z33ipDjMr...
Pokémon store Shibuya: maps.app.goo.gl/6UoZc6iWKWsfo...
Flipper’s pancake restaurant: maps.app.goo.gl/uh4wDuZk9hBbz...
Akihabara: maps.app.goo.gl/ntAyH6LCerQRz...
GiGO Akihabara Building 3 (the arcade we visited): maps.app.goo.gl/tpYkstPmPGgqL...
Super Potato Akihabara: maps.app.goo.gl/GHrSksvZcijNw...
Noborito Station: maps.app.goo.gl/PzAdgD86usih5...
Fujiko·F·Fujio Museum (Doraemon!): maps.app.goo.gl/ghhG5iVkJCWg2...
Tokyo Skytree: maps.app.goo.gl/gsuLqhXxjn5QT...
Kirby Café: maps.app.goo.gl/swo3f72jkU5r4...
Tokyo Solamachi shopping centre: maps.app.goo.gl/zV9rnitoh6HZp...
Meiji Jingu shrine: maps.app.goo.gl/uLdCHQ2asfaNK...
Yoyogi Park: maps.app.goo.gl/SJs42qdvxsCPW...
Meiji Jingu Ichino Torii gate: maps.app.goo.gl/TUPvwetCyjYeq...
Meiji Jingu Sake Barrels: maps.app.goo.gl/REumTha1vRAen...
Hotel New Otani (James Bond hotel): maps.app.goo.gl/rXkrLMkgEpeD3...
Imperial Palace: maps.app.goo.gl/rzucqtzbV5gLy...
Kikyō-mon Gate (where you can get a ticket for an Imperial Palace tour): maps.app.goo.gl/gd28CPJaAeZpQ...
Chowaden Reception Hall: maps.app.goo.gl/SfeX4B53EcCEi...
Gonpachi Nori-Temaki restaurant: maps.app.goo.gl/zJJxWHGtDSX2z...
Kawaguchiko Station: maps.app.goo.gl/nP7P8WEqvgTiv...
Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway cable car: maps.app.goo.gl/6jGwawdCv8EYm...
Lake Kawaguchi boat trip: maps.app.goo.gl/a8ZoJJZyio8Vw...
Shimoyoshida Station: maps.app.goo.gl/Soau4eSrkNgFS...
Arakurayama Sengen Park: maps.app.goo.gl/naBMQCxaK8wRv...
Video chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:55 - OMO3 hotel Asakusa
01:52 - Sensō-ji Temple
02:37 - Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
03:13 - Tokyo Tower
04:35 - Afuri ramen
04:48 - Shinjuku
05:11 - Shibuya
05:59 - Shibuya Sky
06:40 - Tsuru Ton Tan udon
06:52 - Nintendo and Pokémon stores
07:03 - Flipper’s pancakes
07:17 - Akihabara
07:31 - Super Potato Akihabara
08:44 - Fujiko·F·Fujio Museum
10:54 - Tokyo Skytree
11:31 - Kirby Café
12:19 - Meiji Jingu shrine & Yoyogi Park
12:52 - Hotel New Otani (James Bond hotel)
13:26 - Imperial Palace
14:36 - Gonpachi Nori-Temaki restaurant
15:11 - Trip to Mount Fuji
15:35 - Fuji views from Mount Tenjo
16:57 - Lake Kawaguchi boat trip
17:31 - Arakurayama Sengen Park
18:26 - Outro

[@friend_built]

72 hours from now my flight takes off to Tokyo!!! A lifetime dream trip for my wife and I. We have both been saving and trying to go on this trip for 13 years, and I’ve been dreaming of this for 27 years

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

That’s incredible, man. You’ll both have an unforgettable time over there. And thank you for watching this video - I hope it helped plan your itinerary!

[@dreamsnotthings]

Loved Tokyo! Absolutely fantastic. We got some spectacular footage and more importantly created amazing memories!

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

It really is such a special city. Glad you enjoyed it as well!

[@paulready8897]

The lake looked very peaceful. I think I’d like to stay in that area.

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

That’s an amazing idea and you should definitely do it. We did wish we had more time around the Kawaguchiko area - it’s so incredibly peaceful and you could easily lose hours looking at the amazing views all around.

[@darthchao195]

Thank you so much for not only the great video but ESPECIALLY for the map locations!!! 👍🏻🔥

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Ah thanks for the feedback and for watching! We super appreciate it

[@brittanycarmen4525]

Great video!! Going next month and this was INCREDIBLY helpful

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Thank you! Really appreciate you watching. You’ll have an amazing trip!

[@jaymeez]

Loved This Video!! I Just subscribed. Heading to Japan next month for my first time and I Love the detail put into the video :)

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Thank you so much for watching and glad you enjoyed it! You’re going to have an awesome trip.

[@Wheres_My_Sports_At]

Great video, thank you.

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Thank you for watching!

[@MrTien]

beautyful city

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

It really is. Thank you for watching!

[@MeelaCaine]

Brilliant video. I loved watching. I can’t wait to visit. Super-useful tips.

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Thank you! You need to go!

[@liamwhite3]

Looks awesome!

[@nowgaku]

You captured Tokyo is superb!

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Thank you so much! We really appreciate you taking the time to watch!

[@JohnPaulSeeTravelFilms]

nice and fun Japan experience ❤

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

It’s such an incredible place. And thanks for watching!

[@yvonnebarnes9972]

Very interesting 👍

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Thank you for watching!

[@rachelleprzybyla9171]

Thank you for this informative video! It will really help us plan for our trip! Can you share where you bought your train tickets to Kawaguchiko? Is the train station close to the Kawaguchiko bus station where you can catch the sightseeing buses? Sorry, I’ve been watching a lot of videos and yours was the first one that mentioned an express train straight to Kawaguchiko. Most of the ones I’ve seen, you have to switch trains along the way. Thank you so much for a great video!

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Thanks for watching and great question! We were also super confused about this so hopefully our experience helps! You can buy the express tickets at any ticket machine at any train station. My advice would be to buy these as soon as you arrive in Japan as they’re super popular and there’s only a limited amount where you get a reserved seat, with the rest being unreserved which, in our experience, basically meant standing for the entire 2 hour or so journey (which nobody wants!) There’s four or so fast trains in the morning and the same amount going back in the afternoon / early evening. Tickets can be booked up to a month in advance and, just a heads up, when you get them you’ll need to buy both a basic ticket and a Fuji Express ticket. I don’t know why this is the case, but that’s just how it works for whatever reason - as we were super confused when we bought them and had so many tickets. But this is completely normal. Another thing, when you’re on the train make sure you’re in the correct carriages, as part way through the journey the train divides and only three or so coaches go on to Fuji. Finally, the Kawaguchiko bus station is literally outside Kawaguchiko train station. As soon as you exit the station you’ll see a giant wide road with buses parked up and tons of bus stops. It really is an amazing trip - and I know you’ll love it!

[@rossstuart2369]

I’ll be taking the Fuji Excursion train next month, hopefully get a glimpse of the blossom, but we’ll see. I’m struggling to find an easy way to stop at Shimoyoshida like you did, did you have to catch a separate train back?

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Hey, it’s a great question and one we found the answer to the hard way! So we bought Fuji Express tickets from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko and thought we could only use the tickets once. So we ended up actually walking from Kawaguchiko to Shimoyoshida (which is about a 4km walk!) and getting the train home from there. But it turns out the tickets are open, so you’re free to get off at Shimoyoshida on your way there or heading back, then jump back on to finish your journey. This is what we saw everyone else doing. We even asked the train staff ourselves and they said it was all fine to do that. In terms of getting back from Shimoyoshida, our return ticket wasn’t locked to a time, so we just jumped on the first train coming through that was heading back to Tokyo and sat in an unreserved seat. So yeah, we also found it super confusing but thankfully we made the mistakes so you don’t have to! It’s also worth noting that, if you’re ever confused with anything train ticket wise, the staff are always very eager to help you and will usually go above and beyond. Communication wasn’t an issue either, they usually knew enough English, or they pulled out a translator on their phone.

[@rossstuart2369]

Fantastic, thanks so much! Awesome set of videos by the way, has helped a bunch with my planning, keep it up!

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

No worries at all - happy to help! And thanks for the support! All the best with your trip - it’ll be an incredible one.

[@user-jn2tk9sx4q]

Looks amazing. How did you find the train travel? Did it take you longer to get to places because you weren't on the Yamanote Line? I'm travelling alone (and love your hotel), did you find it easy to navigate on the different train lines? Also can I ask if the hotel provided luggage storage? I have a midnite flight to London so will need to store it for the day of flight. Thanx so much

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Great questions and thank you for watching the video! Train travel for us was super fast and convenient. From Asakusa you’ve got a couple lines - the Asakusa line and Ginza line that can quickly get you from one side of the city to the other. We never felt like it took a long time to get anywhere - riding the Ginza line all the way to Shibuya only takes about half an hour, for example. I wouldn’t worry too much about needing to be close to the Yamanote line because, for us at least coming from London, the biggest game changer was that getting trains doesn’t feel like a chore in Tokyo. Everything is right on time, incredibly convenient, and people go out of their way not to bother you or anyone else around them. In terms of navigation we found it super simple. Google Maps is your best friend in Tokyo - we used it all the time to get where we wanted to and only had minor issues knowing what exit to take out of stations because, in many cases, you can end up being quite far from what you want to see or do if you take the wrong one. There’s also plenty of maps around which are easy to follow as stations are marked with numbers and letters. Also there are English announcements on the train itself in addition to Japanese. And yes, the hotel did provide luggage storage! In fact, all our hotels on our visit did and the staff were all super nice about it and didn’t give us any kind of time limit for holding them or anything. But yeah, we really had a great stay in that hotel and we really liked being in the Asakusa area!

[@user-jn2tk9sx4q]

@@SweetSweetKetchup Thanx so much for all your advice. As I mentioned before, the hotel looks fabulous. Did you find it to be too small - As I'm travelling on my own I don't feel brave enough to venture out at night too much. Is the room comfortable enough to relax in at the end of the day? Is there a television? Also, did you use a Suica or PASMO for train travel and shopping in general?? Sorry for so many questions but greatly appreciate your help :)

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

Haha, you’re good! The room size was more than enough for two people - plenty of room to relax in the evenings! Most importantly though we could actually open two suitcases up on the floor at once, which wasn’t the case with our other two hotels in Osaka and Kyoto! And there was a TV in there although, admittedly, we never even turned ours on! We used the Suica card for getting everywhere, and to pay for things in the likes of 7/11, Family Mart, et cetera. I think it’s more tricky to get physical cards but you can add them to either your Apple or Google Wallet in seconds through your phone settings. Most things we paid for was either using a debit card with no international fees, which here in the UK are the likes of Monzo, Starling, or Chase. But you 100% also need cash as there are so many places that don’t do contactless! I’d also say with regard to going out the evening, even though you’re travelling alone you should definitely get out and explore at night. There’s a completely different look and feel to Tokyo at night with all the lights, signs, and people. It really does look incredible and is pretty surreal to experience.

[@carlospena5033]

What type of room is that at the omo3 hotel?

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

It’s called the ‘Yagura’ room. I believe it’s the cheapest type of room they do in the hotel. You’ll see it listed on all the usual booking sites like Expedia, et cetera!

[@dima3899]

leaving for 1.5months there in a couple weeks

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

That’s amazing - I’m sure you won’t want to go home after being there for that long!

[@bleujob]

I thought Starbucks at shibuya crossing was closed ?

[@SweetSweetKetchup]

It’s still there! It was incredibly busy with lines going out the door the entire time we were there. Tons of people wanting to have a drink and watch the world go by!