A 5-Day Tokyo Itinerary for First-Timers from India

Five days in Tokyo is the sweet spot for a first trip. It's enough to see the city's major sights, take one day trip, and still have time to wander. This itinerary groups areas by train line to minimise travel time, eases you in after the overnight flight from India, and includes food and practical notes for Indian travellers.

How Many Days Do You Need?

• 3 days: the highlights only, at a brisk pace, with no day trip.
• 5 days: the highlights plus one day trip, at a comfortable pace. This is the best choice for a first visit.
• 7 days: Tokyo plus Kyoto (and possibly Osaka) by bullet train, or a more relaxed Tokyo trip with two day trips.

If you're flying from India, remember that direct flights from Delhi or Mumbai take roughly eight to ten hours, and many arrive in the morning after an overnight flight. Plan Day 1 as a gentle day.

Before You Go

• Visa: Indian passport holders need a Japanese visa. Apply four to six weeks before travel. See our Japan visa guide.
• IC card: get a Suica or Pasmo, a tourist version or one in your phone's wallet, for trains, buses and convenience stores. It's the single most useful thing you'll carry.
• Internet: buy an eSIM or rent pocket Wi-Fi so you can use maps and transit apps.
• JR Pass verdict: the nationwide Japan Rail Pass became significantly more expensive in recent years. For a Tokyo-only trip, it's not worth it. Use your IC card, and consider a Tokyo Subway Ticket (24, 48 or 72 hours) for unlimited metro rides. For a Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka trip, compare the pass price against individual Shinkansen tickets before buying.
• Cash: carry some yen for small restaurants, temples and shrines. Convenience-store ATMs accept international cards.
• Visit Japan Web: register before you fly to speed up immigration and customs.

Day 1 - Arrive, Settle In, Shinjuku Evening

• Morning: land at Haneda or Narita. Clear immigration (have your Visit Japan Web QR codes ready), withdraw some yen at an airport ATM, and activate your eSIM before leaving the terminal. Then take the train or limousine bus to your hotel. The bus is easiest with heavy luggage, since it drops you at or near many major hotels without any station stairs. The train is faster but involves transfers. Haneda is closer to the city, and Narita is further out. Hotels usually allow check-in from 3 pm, but will store your luggage.
• Afternoon: lunch nearby, then a gentle walk or a nap if you need it. Pick up an IC card if you don't have one.
• Late afternoon: Shinjuku Gyoen, a beautiful garden to stretch your legs in. Note that it closes in the late afternoon.
• Evening: take in the free views from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation decks, then wander East Shinjuku, Omoide Yokocho and the neon streets. Have an early dinner and get a good night's sleep.

Jet-lag note: Japan is three and a half hours ahead of India, so the time difference is manageable. The bigger issue is usually the overnight flight itself. Resist a long afternoon nap. Get outside in daylight and stay up until at least 9 pm local time, and you'll usually be adjusted by Day 2. Families with young children may prefer a later, slower start on Day 2.

Day 2 - Asakusa, Ueno and Skytree

• Early morning: Senso-ji in Asakusa, before the crowds, via the Kaminarimon gate and Nakamise-dori.
• Late morning: explore Asakusa's backstreets and consider a rickshaw ride.
• Lunch: Asakusa has tempura, soba and many small restaurants. Vegetarians can look for vegetable tempura and zaru soba, and ask about the dipping sauce, which usually contains fish stock.
• Afternoon: Tokyo Skytree for the views. Book a timed ticket, ideally for late afternoon so you see the city in daylight and at dusk.
• Alternative afternoon: Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum, especially good for culture lovers and families.
• Evening: a Sumida River walk, or Ameyoko market near Ueno.

Transport today: Asakusa, Skytree and Ueno are all close together. Skytree is one stop or a 20-minute walk across the river from Asakusa, and Ueno is about five minutes by the Ginza Line. From Shinjuku, the Chuo Line to Kanda and then the Ginza Line gets you to Asakusa in roughly 30 minutes. If you're using a Tokyo Subway Ticket, today is when it earns its value.

Day 3 - Meiji Shrine, Harajuku and Shibuya

• Morning: Meiji Jingu, a peaceful forest shrine near Harajuku Station.
• Late morning: Takeshita Street's colourful fashion and crepes, then a stroll down Omotesando's tree-lined avenue.
• Lunch: Harajuku and Omotesando have plenty of vegetarian-friendly cafes.
• Afternoon: walk or take the train to Shibuya. Cross the scramble crossing, visit the Hachiko statue, and shop at Shibuya Parco (with its Nintendo and Pokémon stores) or Shibuya 109.
• Sunset: Shibuya Sky. Book a timed sunset slot in advance.
• Evening: dinner in Shibuya or nearby Ebisu.

Day 4 - Day Trip: Mt Fuji and Hakone, or Nikko

Option A: Hakone

Take the Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku (about 85 minutes). A Hakone Freepass covers the loop of train, cable car, ropeway and lake cruise. You'll see volcanic valleys at Owakudani, cruise on Lake Ashi, and on clear days get Fuji views. Finish with an onsen (hot spring) visit before heading back.

Option B: Kawaguchiko

Highway buses from Shinjuku take around two hours. Enjoy lakeside Fuji views, the Chureito Pagoda and cafes. Fuji is most often visible on clear winter mornings, and frequently hidden by cloud in summer.

Option C: Nikko

About two hours from Asakusa or Tokyo Station. See the ornate Toshogu Shrine, the Shinkyo Bridge and forested mountains. It's a great option if Fuji is forecast to be cloudy.

Tip: check the weather the night before and choose the option with the best forecast.

Whichever you pick, start early. The first Romancecar or highway bus of the morning gets you there before the day-trip crowds and gives you the best chance of clear mountain views, since clouds often build up by midday. Carry snacks and water, because food options in the mountain areas can be limited for vegetarians. Pack a light jacket too. Hakone and Kawaguchiko are noticeably cooler than Tokyo. If you'd like to extend it, a night at a Hakone ryokan with a private onsen and a kaiseki dinner is one of the most memorable things you can add to a Japan trip, and it's especially popular with honeymooners.

Day 5 - Toyosu, Ginza and Tokyo Station

• Morning: teamLab Planets in Toyosu, an immersive digital art museum. Book ahead.
• Late morning: Tsukiji Outer Market for snacks, tamagoyaki and souvenirs.
• Afternoon: walk to Ginza for department stores, flagship shops and the basement food halls, ideal for gifts.
• Late afternoon: the Imperial Palace East Gardens (check opening days) and the red-brick Tokyo Station building.
• Evening: a farewell dinner in Ginza or Marunouchi, then pack. Use luggage forwarding or a direct airport bus from your hotel the next day.

Shopping tip for your last day: many department stores and big retailers offer tax-free shopping for tourists on purchases above a minimum amount, so bring your passport. Popular gifts to take home include Japanese snacks and sweets such as Kit Kat flavours, matcha treats and senbei (rice crackers), along with beautiful stationery, kitchen knives from Tsukiji, and skincare from drugstores. Leave space in your suitcase, or buy an inexpensive extra bag.

Adding Kyoto for a 7-Day Trip

With seven days, spend four in Tokyo and three in Kyoto:

• Day 5: take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto (about 2 hours 15 minutes). Visit Fushimi Inari's thousands of torii gates in the afternoon.
• Day 6: see Kiyomizu-dera, the old streets of Higashiyama and Gion in the evening.
• Day 7: visit Arashiyama's bamboo grove early, then Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion), before flying home from Osaka's Kansai Airport or returning to Tokyo.

Use luggage forwarding to send big suitcases ahead, since the Shinkansen has limited space for oversized bags, and some trains require reservations for large luggage.

Food Notes for Indian Travellers

• Vegetarian: it's possible, but plan ahead. Many dishes use dashi (fish stock). Use apps that list vegetarian restaurants, carry a card that explains your dietary needs in Japanese, and look for shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine), Indian and Nepali restaurants, and vegetarian-friendly cafes.
• Convenience stores: great for plain onigiri (rice balls), fruit, sandwiches, salads and snacks, with clear labels on many items.
• Indian food: Tokyo has many Indian restaurants, particularly around Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Nishi-Kasai and Ginza. They're good for a comforting meal midway through the trip.
• Try something new: vegetable tempura, inari sushi (rice in sweet tofu pockets), udon (ask about the broth), matcha desserts, mochi and Japanese fruit.

Where you stay shapes how smooth this itinerary is. Shinjuku and Shibuya are ideal for this plan, and Tokyo Station suits you if you're adding Kyoto. On Onto, the price you see for your hotel is the price you pay. If the rate drops after you book, Onto rebooks you automatically and refunds the difference while your booking is still cancellable.