For first time Japan travelers 🇯🇵
Must-See locations ⛩️
Budget restaurants 🍱
(Prices included) 💴

Tokyo, Japan

10 Days in Tokyo, Japan

Upon arrival, purchase a suica or pasimo card for easier travel. Load your card using yen at train stations or you can add your card digitally to apple pay. 

I always recommend 10 days or more if possible. I lived in Tokyo for a month, but 30 days is still not enough time to see everything!

Budget around $100 for train & bus travel if you are staying only in Tokyo.

Hostel (Shared dorms) are typically $20-40 a night. Usually a bunk in a female, male, or mixed dorm with shared toilets, showers, and sometimes kitchen. 

We stayed in a Ryokan (Traditional Japanese Inn) our first time in Japan. Highly recommend if you want the entire Japanese experience. You get a traditional breakfast every morning and the chance to try a public bath (sento). Prices range from $150-250 a night

A Japan Rail Pass is not needed for Tokyo travel. JR Passes are typically used for travel outside of Tokyo to cities like Kyoto or Osaka. A 7-day adult pass is $200+.

Most of these are chain restaurants with multiple locations throughout Tokyo. They also have English menus or ticket machines that make ordering food a lot easier! 

Below are places you have to see before you leave.

On average you will spend over 1K to fly to Japan depending on where you live.

To save money, we like to book separate flights to & from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Narita international airport is one hour away from the city center. 

Haneda Airport is 30 minutes from the city center, but flights that land in Haneda are typically more expensive.

Famous landmarks, popular districts, and Shrines & Temples

If you plan on driving or doing Street Kart (Mario Kart), you will need your international drivers license BEFORE you leave to Japan. I applied for mine at a local AAA.

Ryokan we stayed at; no longer available

We typically eat breakfast at any convenience store, like 7-Eleven, Lawson, or Family mart. They can be found anywhere in Japan. 

Matsuya or Yoshinoya can be found in every corner. They are popular for gyudon (beef rice bowl)

Hamazushi, Genki Sushi (Uobei Shin-Okubo), Coco Curry, and Ichiran Ramen are all some of my basic budget favorites

Marugame Seimen is super affordable. They serve  udon & tempura in a cafateria style way. 

Taxi is more expensive and Uber/Lyft is not really used.

If you are able to splurge more on food be sure to try some of my favorite Japanese dishes:

1st- Roundtrip flight from our departing airport to LAX $200+

*Be aware of the risk of cancelation or delays and be mindful of your layover time (I recommend to give yourself least 3 hours)

2nd- Roundtrip flight from LAX to Tokyo $800+

I recommend to exchange dollars to yen before you leave Japan. This can be done at your local bank for a small fee. 

Airports have higher exchange rates, but are useful if you need to exchange more money.

Japan is cash only for the most part, so it’s important to bring or exhange how much you plan to spend. 

For emergencies you can exchange at ATM’s or Local Banks in Japan.

For piece of mind, I added a local clinic in Tokyo.

*Be aware that public transportation doesn’t run 24 hours. They run from 5am to midnight.

Wherever you choose to stay, I highly recommend to be within walking distance to a train station, particularly a JR train station. The JR line circles all of Tokyo, so it’s more convenient and easier to get to places. Accommodation near any station on the green line is a great choice. 