7-Day Tokyo Itinerary: One Week in Tokyo Without Burnout
By Atsushi — host at Bon House in Kanamachi, Katsushika ward. I've run Bon House since 2022 and hosted more than 300 guest groups.
When I build a 7-day Tokyo itinerary, the first thing I pencil in is the Mori Art Museum on the evening of Day 6, because it stays open until 22:00 every day except Tuesday. Seven days leaves room for that: a long day on your feet, then near-empty galleries after dinner.
A week sounds like plenty, but go flat out on Day 1 and your legs give up around Day 3. Plan the seven days in waves, busy then easy, and you'll still be walking on the last day.
7-Day Tokyo Itinerary at a Glance: Areas and Pace
| Day | Area | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival, your own neighbourhood | Slow |
| Day 2 | Asakusa, Ueno, Yanesen | Moderate |
| Day 3 | Meiji Jingu, Shibuya, Shinjuku | Fast |
| Day 4 | Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Kuramae | Slow |
| Day 5 | Tsukiji, Ginza, Shimbashi | Moderate |
| Day 6 | Roppongi, Azabudai | Late night |
| Day 7 | Souvenirs, airport | Finish early |
The one thing to book ahead is a sunset slot at Shibuya Sky. Everything else you can do on the day. Times and prices last checked: October 2026 (2026-10).
One Week in Tokyo: Days 1 to 3
Day 1: Stay close to where you're sleeping
Pack sightseeing into a long-haul arrival day and you'll pay for it on Day 2. Check in, take a short walk around the block, pick up tomorrow's breakfast at a convenience store or supermarket, and get an early night.
Sort out an IC card today. Keisei and JR East still don't let you tap a credit card at the ticket gates, so you need a Suica or PASMO. With one in your pocket, the gates are a non-issue for the other six days. How to buy and top one up is in my Suica guide.
Day 2: Walk Asakusa, Ueno and Yanesen
Walk east to west: Senso-ji, Nakamise, the Sumida River bank, Ueno Park, then Yanesen (Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi). Have a seafood rice bowl at Ameyoko in Ueno for lunch, and graze on deli snacks along Yanaka Ginza in the late afternoon.
The route and timings are in my Asakusa and Ueno walking route. Get to Asakusa before 9:00 and Nakamise is still quiet.
Day 3: Meiji Jingu to Shibuya and Shinjuku
Start at Meiji Jingu in the morning, then work through Harajuku, Omotesando and Shibuya to Shinjuku. Heading south to north like this, you feel the mood of the city change from one neighbourhood to the next.
Shibuya Sky's sunset slots go first, and same-day tickets can sell out before lunch. Booking online is cheaper than the counter: ¥2,700–3,400 for adults as of October 2026, depending on the time slot. Take the slot 30 minutes before sunset and you get the city in daylight and the night view on one ticket.
Why a 7-Day Tokyo Itinerary Needs an Easy Day 4: Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and Kuramae
Slow down once in the middle of the week. Do your laundry, then walk neighbourhoods where Tokyo people go instead of the famous ones.
Kiyosumi-Shirakawa: Blue Bottle Coffee opened its first Japan shop here, and roasters like ARiSE COFFEE ROASTERS sit a few streets away. Coffee in the morning, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, then a walk along the Sumida River: that fills half a day nicely.
Kuramae: full of small workshop-style shops selling leather goods and stationery. Little stores have moved into what used to be a wholesale district, and you can see an old craftsmen's quarter slowly changing. It's 3 stops from Kiyosumi-Shirakawa on the Toei Oedo Line.
If you still have energy, add Shibamata, 1 stop from Keisei Kanamachi. The approach to Taishakuten temple is far less crowded than Asakusa. More in my Shibamata travel guide.
Where to Stay for One Week in Tokyo: Travel Times from Kanamachi
For a week-long stay, where you sleep sets how long you spend on trains every day. From Kanamachi in Katsushika, where my guesthouse is, it looks like this.
| Destination | Time | Change at |
|---|---|---|
| Shibamata | 2–3 min | None (¥146) |
| Asakusa | 25–30 min | Kita-Senju |
| Ueno | 27 min | Kita-Senju |
| Tokyo Station | About 35 min | Kita-Senju |
| Shinjuku / Shibuya | 40–50 min | 1–2 changes |
| Narita Airport | 55–70 min | Keisei Takasago |
| Haneda Airport | About 70 min | Keisei Takasago |
So the east-side days, Day 2 and Day 5, are close, and Day 3 in Shibuya and Shinjuku is the long haul. If your week is mostly west Tokyo, Kanamachi is the wrong base. If it's Asakusa, Ueno, Tsukiji, plus Shibamata and day trips, you'll change trains far less.
Over a week, laundry makes the biggest difference. Bon House has a washer-dryer in the room, so 3–4 days of clothes in your suitcase is enough. There's no kitchen, but there is a fridge, a microwave and a kettle, so you can heat up ready meals from Maruetsu or Tokyu Store by Kanamachi Station for dinner.
If you're looking for a base for seven days in Tokyo, check the Bon House room, rates and open dates here.
7-Day Tokyo Itinerary: Days 5 to 7
Day 5: Eat your way through Tsukiji, Ginza and Shimbashi
Morning: breakfast at Tsukiji Outer Market, eating tamagoyaki and seafood bowls as you go. Plenty of stalls shut soon after 12 noon, and many close on Sundays, public holidays and Wednesdays, so put this day on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday. The old knife maker Tsukiji Aritsugu is here too.
Lunch: Ginza. Even tempura or sushi can come in at around ¥2,000–3,500 at lunchtime.
Evening: the izakaya alleys under the railway tracks in Shimbashi. From 17:00 they start filling with office workers. Yakitori, motsu nikomi stew and a Hoppy is the Shimbashi way to spend an evening.
Day 6: Art after dark in Roppongi and Azabudai
Spend the afternoon at Azabudai Hills (opened 2023-11), with shops and gardens spread around the Mori JP Tower.
In the evening, head to Roppongi Hills for Tokyo City View (the observation deck, around ¥2,200 for adults) and the Mori Art Museum. The museum is open until 22:00 except on Tuesdays, so go after dinner when the galleries are empty. Prices and hours change with each exhibition, so check the official site before you go.
Heading home from Roppongi, the Hibiya Line runs straight to Kita-Senju with no change. If you're staying on the east side, that's the line to remember.
Day 7: Buy souvenirs the day before, leave for the airport early
Hunt for souvenirs on your last day and you lose track of how long you have before the airport. Stop at Gransta in Tokyo Station on your way back from Ginza on Day 5, and Day 7 is just packing and leaving.
From Kanamachi, Narita Airport is 55–70 minutes with one change at Keisei Takasago (how to get there). Haneda Airport is about 70 minutes, also changing at Keisei Takasago (how to get there).
A Sample Week in Tokyo Based in Kanamachi
Here's how the week usually runs for two people landing at Narita at 15:00 on a weekday and staying 6 nights in Kanamachi.
Clear immigration, collect your bags and board a Keisei train around 16:00, change to the Kanamachi Line at Keisei Takasago, and you're at Keisei Kanamachi a little after 17:00. Buy dinner at the Maruetsu by the station, heat it up in the room, and Day 1 is done. On Day 2, change at Kita-Senju for Asakusa and ride back from Ueno in 27 minutes. On Day 4, run the washer-dryer in the morning before heading out to Kiyosumi-Shirakawa. On Day 6, take the Hibiya Line from Roppongi back to Kita-Senju, and on Day 7, go to the airport via Keisei Takasago.
You only drag big suitcases through Tokyo Station or Shinjuku twice: the day you arrive and the day you leave. That's the biggest win of staying on the east side.
Budget for a 7-Day Tokyo Itinerary
| Item | Rough cost for one week |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (guesthouse private room to vacation rental) | ¥30,000–70,000 |
| Food, transport and admission | ¥30,000–50,000 |
| Total | ¥60,000–120,000 |
Where you stay and how you eat move these numbers a lot. Do both Shibuya Sky and Tokyo City View and admissions alone come to around ¥5,000 per person. If you only pick one, go to Shibuya Sky for the night view, or Roppongi if you want art with it.
Once your 7-day Tokyo itinerary is set and you want a quiet place to come back to every night, see Bon House's availability and rates.
7-Day Tokyo Itinerary FAQ
Should I add a day trip to one week in Tokyo?
If you do, keep it to one day and swap it in for Day 4. Staying on the east side puts Nikko and Disney close. Times and fares for each are in my day trips from Tokyo guide.
How do I rework the week for rain?
Swap the rainy day with Day 6, the museum-heavy one. That's the simplest fix. Indoor options are listed in my Tokyo rainy day guide.
What if I have less than a week?
With only 3 days, build around Days 2, 3 and 5. My 3-day Tokyo itinerary gives you an order you can use as is.