3-Day Tokyo Itinerary for First-Timers: Asakusa, Shibuya, Tsukiji
By Atsushi — host at Bon House in Kanamachi, Katsushika ward. I've run it since 2022 and hosted over 300 guest groups.
This 3-day Tokyo itinerary has exactly one paid ticket: Shibuya Sky (¥3,400 online for entry from 15:00). Everything else is temples, shrines, shopping streets, a market and a free rooftop garden.
I picked stops with one test in mind: would a first-time visitor kick themselves for missing it once they got home? Then I held to two rules. No day should wear you out, and you shouldn't spend half of it on trains. Days 1 and 3 stay on Tokyo's east side; only Day 2 goes west.
3-Day Tokyo Itinerary at a Glance: Areas and Budget
| Day | Areas | Budget per person |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Asakusa, Yanesen, Ueno | ¥4,000–7,500 |
| Day 2 | Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku | ¥7,000–11,000 |
| Day 3 | Tsukiji, Ginza, Tokyo Station | ¥4,000–7,500 |
Accommodation isn't included. Trains run ¥1,000–1,500 a day and food ¥3,000–6,000 a day, plus the Shibuya Sky ticket on Day 2. For 3 days in Tokyo, ¥15,000–26,000 per person is a realistic figure. Budget for souvenirs separately.
Day 1 of Your Tokyo Itinerary: Asakusa, Yanesen and Ueno
8:30 — Senso-ji and Nakamise-dori
Get to Senso-ji early. The crowds are thin, and while the morning light is on the five-storey pagoda the grounds are still quiet. The Nakamise stalls start opening around 9:00.
For snacks, get ningyo-yaki (little cakes filled with red bean) and age-manju (deep-fried bean buns). Asakusa Kokonoe is the famous age-manju shop, from ¥160 each. Most ningyo-yaki shops sell them by the bag.
After your photo at Kaminarimon, walk on to Denboin-dori. The tour groups thin out, and the old shopping-street feel is still there.
10:30 — Walk the Sumida River Terrace
Head from Senso-ji towards Azuma Bridge and you can drop down to the riverside path. Skytree sits across the water, and there are benches to rest on. Thirty minutes of walking is plenty. To decide whether to go up Skytree, read my Tokyo Skytree guide.
12:00 — Lunch in Asakusa
Old tempura-bowl places like Daikokuya Tempura on Denboin-dori have a queue at lunchtime. To skip it, get in between 11:00 and noon, or pick a yoshoku diner or soba shop on a back street.
14:00 — Yanesen (Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi)
Take the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line from Asakusa to Ueno, then JR to Nippori. Yanesen starts a short walk from Nippori Station, and the old Showa-era feel is still strong here. It's known as a cat neighbourhood, and you really do meet cats in the alleys. The classic move is grazing down Yanaka Ginza with a croquette or a skewer in hand. I cover walking from Asakusa to Ueno in my Asakusa and Ueno walk.
19:00 — Dinner at Ameyoko, Ueno
You can walk from Yanaka to Ueno. Ameyoko's food stalls get busy from late afternoon: seafood bowls, yakitori, standing bars doing motsu-yaki. ¥1,000–2,000 fills you up.
Day 2 of the 3-Day Tokyo Itinerary: Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku
9:00 — Meiji Jingu
The entrance torii is right outside Harajuku Station, and from there it's about 10 minutes through the forest to the main hall. That a forest this deep sits in the middle of Tokyo surprises me every time. Allow 15–20 minutes for your visit. The quiet makes a good contrast with the noise of Shibuya later.
10:30 — Harajuku and Takeshita-dori
Crepes, colourful knick-knacks and vintage clothing shops line the street. It's relatively quiet in the morning.
12:00 — Lunch in Omotesando
Eat at Omotesando Hills or a café on a back street. Budget ¥1,200–2,000.
14:00 — Shibuya and Shibuya Sky
Walk the Scramble Crossing and the streets around 109, then time Shibuya Sky (the rooftop deck on Shibuya Scramble Square) for dusk. The view as the city lights come on is stunning. Adult tickets bought online cost ¥2,700 for entry up to 14:59 and ¥3,400 from 15:00; at the counter each is ¥300 more. Sunset slots sell out early, so book online once your dates are fixed.
19:00 — Dinner at Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku
Shinjuku is about 10 minutes from Shibuya by train. Omoide Yokocho is a tight alley of tiny bars, full of overseas visitors and a bit smoky. It's lively, and people either love it or hate it. Have yakitori and motsu-nikomi (slow-simmered offal stew) for dinner.
Day 3 of Your Tokyo Itinerary: Tsukiji, Ginza and Souvenirs at Tokyo Station
9:00 — Breakfast at Tsukiji Outer Market
It's touristy now, but the morning buzz is real. Eat standing up: tamagoyaki, fresh sea urchin, tuna sashimi. ¥500–1,500 does it. Many shops close by early afternoon, and plenty also close on Wednesdays, Sundays and public holidays, so if Day 3 lands on one of those, swap it with Day 2.
12:00 — Ginza
Stroll the streets with the highest land prices in Japan. The rooftop garden at GINZA SIX is free and looks down over Ginza's streets.
15:00 — Souvenirs at Tokyo Station's GranSta
Tokyo Station is the easiest place to buy souvenirs. GranSta Tokyo gathers sweets and Tokyo gift shops in one place. Most of it is inside the ticket gates, so on a day you aren't riding JR you'll need a platform ticket. Popular items can sell out by evening, so go early.
Where to Stay for 3 Days in Tokyo: the East Side, 27 Minutes from Ueno
Two of the three days on this itinerary are on Tokyo's east side, so basing yourself in the east keeps the travel short. From Kanamachi in Katsushika, where my guesthouse is, the times look like this.
| Destination | Travel time | Change at |
|---|---|---|
| Ueno | 27 min | Kita-Senju |
| Shinjuku / Shibuya | 40–50 min | 1–2 changes |
| Narita Airport | 55–70 min | Keisei Takasago |
The ride back from Ueno takes 27 minutes and costs ¥253. The trade-off is Day 2: from Shinjuku it's 40–50 minutes. If late nights drinking in Shibuya or Shinjuku are the point of your trip, stay in Shinjuku, not Kanamachi.
Bon House is a single tatami room inside a detached house, with 4 futons and its own bath and toilet. A family of four fits in one room. There's no kitchen, but you get a fridge, a microwave, an electric kettle and a washer-dryer. Neither the Keisei lines nor JR take contactless bank cards at the gates, so pick up a Suica or PASMO before you start.
If you're doing Tokyo mostly from the east side, check Bon House's room, rates and open dates here.
A 3-Day Tokyo Itinerary Based in Kanamachi: How It Plays Out
Here's how it typically goes for a family of four spending 2 nights in Kanamachi and 3 days around Tokyo.
On Day 1 you change at Kita-Senju for Asakusa, walk Yanesen, eat at Ameyoko and ride 27 minutes from Ueno back to Kanamachi. Start the washer-dryer before bed and the clothes are dry by morning. Breakfast is whatever you picked up the night before at the Maruetsu supermarket by the station, warmed in the microwave. Day 2 means a 40–50 minute ride home, so at Omoide Yokocho, check the last train on a transit app before ordering a second round. On Day 3 you check out with your bags, leave them in a coin locker at Tokyo Station, then do Tsukiji and Ginza. Buy souvenirs at GranSta and head off straight from Tokyo Station.
You only haul big luggage on a train twice: the day you arrive and the day you leave.
Tips for 3 Days in Tokyo: What to Watch Out For
- Tsukiji's closing days: many shops close on Wednesdays, Sundays and public holidays. If Day 3 lands on one, reshuffle.
- Booking Shibuya Sky: sunset slots go fast. Book as soon as your dates are set.
- Don't overpack the days: I capped each day at three areas. Asakusa to Shibuya is over 30 minutes one way even on the Ginza Line, so they're never on the same day.
- Autumn leaves: if you're visiting between late November and early December, adding a day of autumn colour changes the trip. Peak timing and crowd tips are in my Tokyo autumn leaves guide.
Once your 3 days in Tokyo are planned and you want a quiet room to sleep in at night, have a look at Bon House's rates and availability.
3-Day Tokyo Itinerary FAQ
Can I fit Disney into 3 days in Tokyo?
Only by giving it a whole day. Swapping out Day 2 is the realistic option. From Kanamachi, change at Shin-Matsudo to the Musashino Line: about 45 minutes, ¥616 with an IC card. The route is in my guide to getting from Kanamachi to Tokyo Disneyland.
What should I change if it rains?
Swap Day 1's Yanesen walk, which is the longest stretch outdoors, for indoor spots. I list options in Tokyo rainy-day spots.
What if I have more than 3 days in Tokyo?
From Day 4 on, add Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Kuramae or a day trip. For a full week, see my 7-day Tokyo itinerary.