🇯🇵 Japan · Travel Guide
Tokyo Travel Guide
Neon nights, ancient temples, and the safest megacity on earth.
Tokyo fuses hyper-modern districts with centuries-old shrines, world-class food at every price point, and famously spotless, punctual public transport. It is one of the easiest and safest big cities anywhere — a dream first solo trip, family adventure, or culture-packed city break.
Plan my free Tokyo itinerary📅 Best time
March–May for cherry blossoms and October–November for crisp autumn colour. Skip the humid, rainy June–August stretch if you can.
💷 Daily budget
$80–150 mid-range; hostels and convenience-store meals can comfortably halve that.
🗓️ Ideal length
4–5 days for the city, plus a day trip to Hakone or Nikko.
💱 Currency
Japanese Yen (¥)
🗣️ Language
Japanese. English is limited, but clear signage and translation apps make navigating simple.
Is Tokyo safe?
General safety
One of the safest large cities in the world — extremely low crime, even after midnight. Lost wallets and phones are routinely handed in to police boxes.
Solo female travellers
Exceptional for solo female travellers. Walking alone at night is generally safe, and women-only train carriages run during rush hour. Ordinary big-city awareness is more than enough.
LGBTQ+ travellers
Legal and broadly tolerant, with a lively scene in Shinjuku Ni-chōme. Attitudes lean private rather than hostile; same-sex marriage is not yet recognised nationally.
Safety guidance is general and can change — always check your government’s latest travel advice before you go.
Top things to do in Tokyo
- Sensō-ji temple and old-town Asakusa
- Shibuya Crossing, Harajuku and Shinjuku nightlife
- Day trip to Mt. Fuji and the Hakone hot springs
- teamLab digital art museum
- Tsukiji outer market food crawl
More ways to book in Tokyo
Best areas to stay in Tokyo
Tokyo is a city of districts, each with its own character, all tied together by an excellent rail network — stay near a JR or metro hub and the whole city opens up.
Each area opens a hotel map comparing Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, Hotels.com and more.
Getting around & essentials
World-class trains and metro — grab a Suica or Pasmo IC card and tap through. From Narita or Haneda, the airport express or a pre-booked private transfer beats an expensive taxi.
Flight to Tokyo delayed or cancelled? You could be owed up to €600 — check free →
Get a free, personalised Tokyo itinerary
Tell Wavvia who you are — solo, couple, family, LGBTQ+, accessibility needs — and get a day-by-day plan tuned to you, with safety built in.
Plan my trip — freeTokyo FAQs
Is Tokyo safe for solo female travellers?
Yes — it is one of the safest cities in the world for women travelling alone, day or night. Use normal city sense and you will be completely fine.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
No. English is limited, but trains, signage and translation apps cover the gaps. A pocket eSIM keeps Google Translate live the moment you land.
How many days do you need in Tokyo?
Four to five days for the city itself, plus a day trip to Hakone or Nikko if time allows.
Beyond Tokyo: top places in Japan
Mount Fuji
Japan’s sacred snow-capped icon and the Fuji Five Lakes
🦌Nara
Japan’s first capital — a giant Buddha and free-roaming deer
♨️Hakone
Hot springs, lake views and Mount Fuji on the horizon
⛩️Nikkō
Lavish shrines and waterfalls in the mountains north of Tokyo
⛩️Hiroshima & Miyajima
A moving peace city beside an island of floating torii
Still deciding where to go?
More travel guides
Some links are affiliate links — Wavvia may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, hours and entry rules change; verify before you travel.