Efficient 3 Day Tokyo Itinerary on a Budget (+ Map)
TL;DR
Our efficient and budget-friendly three day Tokyo itinerary is ideal for first time visitors!
Tokyo is famous for being notoriously expensive. In our efficient 3 day itinerary for Tokyo, we try to save as much money as possible by
- Staying in a hostel
- Using free alternatives to popular sights
- Eating affordable food
It is the ideal first time in Tokyo itinerary because it covers all the main areas and highlights.
Three Day Itinerary Tokyo
3-Day Tokyo Itinerary Map
Where We Stayed for our 3 days in Tokyo Itinerary
We stayed at the Imano Tokyo Hostel and absolutely loved the location. It’s super close to public transport, some of the best nightlife options in Tokyo, and Shinjuku Station which was the perfect jumping-off point for our next stop Hakone. Everything was clean and the beds came with power outlets and lights. The cafe downstairs is a convenient option to get some breakfast.
3 Day Itinerary in Tokyo Walkability
Personally, we have walked the entirety of our day 1. On day 2, we only took a train from Tokyo Station to Akihabara. On day 3, we only took public transport to get from Yanaka to Asakusa.
Three Days in Tokyo Itinerary
Day 1 – Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinjuku
Morning – Shibuya
Shibuya Crossing might be the quintessential image of Tokyo. A big crossroad with everybody walking at the same time is quite a sight to see!
If you’re a sucker for views like us, you might also crave a bird’s eye perspective of the crossing and Tokyo’s skyline!
Lunch – Kaitenzushi (Conveyor Belt Sushi)
If you want to eat your body weight in sushi without breaking the bank, your best option is Kaitenzushi or conveyor belt sushi. We loved Uobei. You can easily order sushi and other dishes on your screen (which is also available in English of course) and wait for your food to arrive on the conveyor belt.
There are a ton of hipster food options like rainbow cheese sandwiches, Strawberry Fetish strawberries, and stunning-looking crepes around Takeshita Street. They are nice for a snack but a full belly comes with a hefty price tag here.
Afternoon – Harajuku & Meiji Shrine
Miyashita Rooftop Park is a great spot for a quick rest.
Next, stroll to Harajuku via the famous Cat Street, a nice pedestrian street with – you guessed it – loads of shopping options.
On your way, you can make a quick pit stop at the GYRE Mall where you can find the MoMA Design Store. We also enjoyed the GYRE Gallery for some free art.
Head to Meiji-dori Avenue next. The Fender flagship store and Tokyu Plaza Omotesando with its super cool mirrored entrance are located here. Their free rooftop terrace is a great spot for a little rest – benches are rare in Tokyo.
Opposite of Tokyu Plaza Omotesando, you can find Laforet Harajuku – the hub for Harajuku fashion. We enjoyed some window shopping here even if we didn’t want to spend any money.
On Meiji-dori Avenue, you can also find our favourite hidden gem in all of Tokyo: a free teamLab installation!
Next, head to Takeshita Street. It is the centre of the famous Harajuku area. Harajuku is the centre of Japanese youth culture and fashion. Take your time to explore the quirky shop and food options.
Meiji Shrine is right next to Harajuku. While it’s far from being a hidden gem nowadays, we still enjoyed our visit – especially the stroll through the park – a lot.
Evening – Shinjuku Nightlife
In the evening, explore another great district in western Tokyo: Shinjuku.
If you don’t have enough of free viewpoints yet, we recommend you to head to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. On clear days, you can see all the way to Mount Fuji from their free observation deck.
Two of our favourite Tokyo nightlife options are located in Shinjuku:
- Omoide Yokocho is also called Memory Lane. The narrow lane is full of tiny bars where you can eat hot chicken skewers and drink cold beer.
- Golden Gai, a network of six narrow alleys with over 200 tiny shanty-style bars, clubs and eateries.
Walking around the Shinjuku district, there’s so much more to see. How about a “life-size” Gorilla head or a giant 3D cat coming out of a house?
Day 2 – Ginza & Akihabara
Morning – Shopping for Fish and Fashion
Start your day at Tsukiji Fish Market. It might be controversial to visit a fish market first thing in the morning but that’s when the fish is freshest. In contrast to what the name suggests, nowadays the fish market is mostly about eating super fresh fish. We were a bit overwhelmed by the many restaurants and were super happy when we found Tsukiji Kagura Sushi (marked on our map).
Next, take a stroll to Ginza, the most expensive part of Tokyo. The district is full of luxurious shopping opportunities. Even if you don’t want to spend any money, we recommend doing some window shopping. Points of interest are:
- Ginza Wako, the symbol of Ginza.
- Tokyu Plaza Ginza with a rooftop terrace that offers views over Ginza.
- Mitsukoshi Ginza with its rooftop garden.
- Ginza Six, the biggest shopping mall in the area.
- The UNIQLO flagship store.
- The free photo exhibition at Ginza Canon Gallery.
The Imperial Palace is right next to Ginza. The palace is surrounded by a huge garden. Not all parts of the ground are open to the public. Especially the east gardens are worth exploring. The Edo Castle ruins and Ninomaru Garden (a Japanese Garden with free entry) are the main highlights here.
Lunch – Tokyo Station
It might seem weird to suggest visiting a train station but we have two good reasons for that:
- The location is between your last stop the Imperial Palace and your next stop Akihabara.
- It’s a cool station.
At Tokyo Station, you can find places like Tokyo Character Street with character-themed shops and food joints, Tokyo Ramen Street, and Gransta Yaekita with gourmet food. As you can see there are loads of great lunch options.
Additionally, you can find cool spots like Tokyo Station Gallery in the train station.
Afternoon – Akihabara
Akihabara is the otaku hub of Japan. But what does that mean? It means that the area is full of hardcore fans who devote a great deal of time and money to their passion – in English, you would say nerds.
The best area to get a glimpse of the nerd culture is Akihabara Electric Town. Here, you can
- Pop into anime shops like Animate, Mandarake, and Lashinbang.
- Computer game shops like Super Potato, BEEP, and Trader.
- Check out game centres like Gigo, Game Panic, and HEY.
- Visit electronics shops like Yodobashi Camera.
Another thing that is very typical for Akihabara is maid cafés. In a maid cafe, cute girls in maid outfits serve food and drinks. It may sound spicy but it’s not intended to be. In most maid cafes, you have to pay a cover charge and drinks are quite expensive so you have to budget around 20$ but we think it’s worthwhile nonetheless.
Another cool spot in Akihabara is 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan Alley. It’s full of art, crafts, and coffee.
End your day at Ueno Ameyoko Shopping District, a busy market street along the Yamanote Line tracks between Okachimachi and Ueno stations. You can buy food and clothes here and it’s also a great spot to get some dinner.
Day 3 – Asakusa & Yanaka
Morning – Yanaka
Travel guides call Yanaka a quarter with nostalgic charm as well as a hidden gem. We’ll give you a hint: If it’s referenced in travel guides, it’s probably not a hidden gem anymore. We still enjoyed our visit very much.
Start at Tennoji Temple which is the smaller brother of the Instagram-famous Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto – without the crowds.
Next, stroll to Yanaka Ginza shopping street. There’s a good mixture between local and touristy shops.
At the end, you can find loads of temples. We especially liked Kyooji Temple. Tennoji Temple with its bronze Buddha is probably the most iconic temple in Yanaka. It might sound odd, but you should also pay a visit to Yanaka Cemetery. A lot of famous people are buried here, including Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last Shogun of Japan.
If you’re craving a beer (we’re German so we always do), head to Yanaka Beer Hall.
Lunch – Asakusa
There are plenty of budget-friendly restaurants in Asakusa. We personally went to Asakusashoten and enjoyed it a lot.
Afternoon – Asakusa
If you don’t have enough of viewpoints yet, head to Tokyo Skytree.
Asakusa is mostly known for two things: Shopping and Sensoji Temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo.
Start your exploration at Kaminarimon, the Gate of Sensoji Temple. Afterwards, stroll, down Nakamise Street with its many shops. The street ends in the two highlights Sensoji Temple and Asakusa Shrine.
Make sure to also explore the side streets like
- Shin-Nakamise Street, the new Nakamise Street with more restaurants and shops.
- Kappabashi Street which is great for buying cooking utensils.
- Hoppy Street, named after the Hoppy drink, a cheap beverage with a similar taste to beer but a much lower alcohol content.
Speaking of beer, the Asahi Beer Tower is a must for beer lovers. You can also have a cheeky glass at the Asahi Brewery.
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