Destination Guides

Tokyo Travel Guides

Every tour and experience in Tokyo, reviewed and ranked by our team. From Shinjuku izakaya crawls and Tsukiji fish market breakfasts to Shibuya food walks and Golden Gai bar hopping.

All Tokyo Guides

Diners eating yakitori under red lanterns in a narrow Tokyo alley at night
Food & Drink13 min read

Tokyo Food Tours: 9 Best Tours Compared (2026 Prices)

Nine top-rated Tokyo food tours compared by neighbourhood, price, group size and what is actually included, so you can pick the right one in a single sitting.

Narrow Golden Gai alley in Shinjuku lined with tiny lit bar fronts at night
Food & Drink10 min read

Shinjuku Food Tour: Izakaya, Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho Compared

Five Shinjuku food tours compared on what they actually include: which ones enter Golden Gai, which cover your food, and which are drinking tours wearing a food tour label.

Neon-lit backstreet izakaya alley behind Shibuya crossing filled with evening diners
Food & Drink12 min read

Shibuya Food Tour: The 8 Best Walking and Night Tours for 2026

Eight Shibuya food tours compared on what you actually pay for: which include your dinner, which are guiding fees with the bill on top, and which run as private groups.

Vendor slicing fresh tuna at a busy Tsukiji outer market stall in Tokyo
Food & Drink14 min read

10 Best Tokyo Fish Market Tours: Tsukiji & Toyosu Compared (2026)

Ten top-rated Tokyo fish market tours compared on price, start time, tastings and group size, including which ones actually reach the Toyosu tuna auction.

Small group raising drinks at a lantern-lit counter bar in a narrow Shinjuku alley at night
Nightlife12 min read

Tokyo Bar Crawl: 7 Pub Crawls and Bar Hopping Tours Compared for 2026

Seven Tokyo bar crawls and pub crawls compared on what they actually are: a Roppongi club party, a language-exchange crawl, or a small guided hop through Golden Gai.

Snow-capped Mount Fuji rising behind Lake Kawaguchi on a clear autumn morning
Day Trips15 min read

10 Best Mt Fuji Tours from Tokyo: Bus, Private and Day Trips Compared (2026)

Ten Mt Fuji day tours from Tokyo compared on price, return transport and what happens when the 5th Station is closed or the mountain is hidden by cloud.

Freshly rolled maki wrapped in nori stacked on a board at a Tokyo sushi class
Food & Drink13 min read

Sushi Making Class Tokyo: 11 Best Classes Compared (2026 Prices)

Eleven Tokyo sushi making classes compared on price, group size, session length and what you actually take home, from a $32 Asakusa session to a $127 ramen and sake pairing.

Host in kimono whisking matcha in a tea bowl on a tatami mat during a Tokyo tea ceremony
Culture11 min read

Tea Ceremony Tokyo: 6 Best Experiences Compared (2026)

Six Tokyo tea ceremonies compared on what actually differs: kimono or not, tatami or chairs, a tea school or a quick matcha class, from $16 to $62.

Neon billboards and night traffic at Shibuya crossing in Tokyo after dark
Adventure12 min read

Tokyo Bike Tour: 9 Best Guided Rides Compared (2026 Prices)

Nine guided Tokyo bike tours compared on price, group size, ride length and whether a helmet is actually included, from a $54 night ride to a $123 private e-bike.

The vermilion Shinkyo Bridge arching over the Daiya River below forested hills in Nikko
Day Trips14 min read

Nikko Day Trip from Tokyo: 8 Tours, Trains & Prices Compared (2026)

How far Nikko really is from Tokyo, the main train and bus routes with fares, and eight guided day trips compared on price, transport and what is actually included.

Private guide showing a couple around the Senso-ji temple grounds in Asakusa, Tokyo
Private Tours14 min read

Tokyo Private Tours: 13 Guides, Drivers & Mt Fuji Trips Compared (2026)

Thirteen Tokyo private tours compared on what you actually pay for two people, who walks with you, and what is left off the bill, from walking guides to chauffeurs and private Mt Fuji days.

Travellers pressing gyoza wrappers at a kitchen counter in a Tokyo cooking studio
Food & Drink13 min read

Cooking Class Tokyo: 10 Best Japanese Classes Compared (2026)

Ten Tokyo cooking classes compared on price, group size, dishes and dietary options, from a $44 soba class to a $118 ramen-from-scratch day in Akihabara.

Two sumo wrestlers grappling in the clay ring as the referee watches from ringside
Culture15 min read

Sumo Wrestling in Tokyo: Tickets, Shows & Morning Practice (2026)

The three ways to see sumo in Tokyo compared: grand tournament tickets, morning practice at a real stable, and year-round shows from $51, with the 2027 tournament dates.

Hands applying gold powder along the repaired seam of a ceramic bowl at a Tokyo workshop bench
Culture11 min read

Tokyo Craft Workshops: 6 Traditional Classes Compared (2026)

Six Tokyo craft workshops compared on price, length, group size and what you take home, from a $6 chopstick class to a $146 pure-gold kintsugi session with a master artisan.

A guide leading a small group past a vermilion temple gate in central Tokyo
Culture13 min read

Tokyo Walking Tours: 10 Best Sightseeing Walks Compared (2026)

Ten guided sightseeing walks across Tokyo compared on price, neighbourhood, group size and start times, from a $13 Imperial Palace walk to a $45 morning in Yanaka.

Stone walls of Edo Castle rising above the moat beside a white watchtower at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo
Culture13 min read

Imperial Palace Tours Tokyo: 11 Edo Castle Tours Compared (2026)

Eleven guided Imperial Palace and Edo Castle tours compared on price, group size, start times and the days they run, from a $9 one-hour introduction to a $63 private walk.

Hands sanding a pair of wooden chopsticks at a workbench in a Tokyo chopstick workshop
Culture10 min read

Chopstick Making in Tokyo: 6 Workshops Compared (2026)

Six Tokyo chopstick making workshops compared on price, neighbourhood, group size and how many woods are included, from $6 in Shinjuku to $9 in Shibuya.

The red Kaminarimon lantern and Senso-ji's temple gate above a crowd of visitors in Asakusa
Culture11 min read

Asakusa Walking Tours: 6 Senso-ji Tours Compared (2026)

Six guided walks around Senso-ji and old Asakusa compared on price, group size, duration and start times, from a $13 two-hour walk to an $82 walk with lunch.

Hands lifting fresh noodles into a bowl of ramen with chashu at a Tokyo cooking class counter
Food & Drink12 min read

Ramen Making Class Tokyo: 8 Best Classes Compared (2026)

Eight Tokyo ramen making classes compared on price, what you actually make and how long it takes, from a $44 hand-cut noodle session in Kappabashi to a $161 shift in a working ramen restaurant.

A visitor in a dark hakama raising a practice katana under an instructor's guidance in a Tokyo dojo
Culture11 min read

Samurai Experience Tokyo: 10 Samurai & Ninja Experiences Compared (2026)

Ten samurai and ninja experiences in Tokyo compared on price, what you actually do and who they suit, from a $22 museum entry with ninja stars to a three-hour sword and archery class with a master.

Flight of small sake glasses lined up on a wooden counter at a Tokyo tasting room
Food & Drink11 min read

Sake Tastings in Tokyo: 7 Experiences Compared (2026)

Seven Tokyo sake tastings compared on price, how many sakes you actually pour, group size and days, from a $32 hour in Kabukicho to a $76 sommelier omakase.

Line of costumed drivers in street go-karts waiting at a Tokyo intersection under neon signs at dusk
Adventure12 min read

Tokyo Go-Kart Tours: 8 Street Kart Experiences Compared (2026)

Eight Tokyo go-kart tours compared on price, route, kart type and schedule, from a $51 hour through Akihabara and Ginza to a three-hour night drive past Tokyo Tower.

Private minivan waiting at the Haneda Airport arrivals curb with Tokyo skyline lights beyond
Transport10 min read

Haneda Airport to Tokyo Transfer: 5 Private Cars vs the Taxi (2026)

Five pre-booked Haneda Airport to Tokyo transfers compared on price per car, group size, night rates and how the driver finds you, set against the official fixed taxi fare.

Modified Japanese sports cars parked under the looping expressway ramps at Daikoku Parking Area at night
Adventure12 min read

Daikoku JDM Tours from Tokyo: 8 Best Car Meet Tours Compared (2026)

Eight Daikoku JDM tours from Tokyo compared on price, the car you actually ride in, start times and what happens when police close the car meet.

Private van on the expressway from Narita Airport toward the Tokyo skyline at dusk
Transport10 min read

Narita Airport to Tokyo Transfer: 5 Private Cars vs Taxi and Train (2026)

Five pre-booked Narita Airport to Tokyo transfers compared on price per car, group size, night and holiday rates and how the driver meets you, set against the official taxi fare and the train.

Hands shaping a vintage coin ring on a mandrel at a small Tokyo workshop bench
Culture10 min read

Ring Making Workshops in Tokyo: 5 Coin and Silver Ring Classes Compared (2026)

Five Tokyo ring making workshops compared on what the booking price covers, what guests actually pay, how hands-on each is and where they are, from $16 coin rings to hammered silver.

Hands sharpening a Japanese santoku knife on a wet whetstone at a Tokyo workshop bench
Culture10 min read

Knife Making in Tokyo: 4 Japanese Knife Workshops Compared (2026)

Four Tokyo Japanese knife workshops compared on what you actually do, what you take home, what costs extra and how long each lasts, with base sessions from a $96 sharpening class to a $166 make-your-own knife session.

Marbled slices of A5 wagyu searing on a teppanyaki grill at a Tokyo counter restaurant
Food & Drink11 min read

Wagyu Tours in Tokyo: 5 A5 Wagyu Tastings Compared (2026)

Five Tokyo wagyu experiences compared on what you actually eat, which ones confirm A5 grade, price, days and where they meet, from a $70 cooking class to $210 all-you-can-eat A5 in Ginza.

Narrow lane of old wooden houses and potted plants in Yanaka, Tokyo's old town, on a quiet afternoon
Culture12 min read

Yanaka Walking Tours and Ueno Food Tours: 8 Compared (2026)

Five Yanaka walking tours and three Ueno food tours compared on price, what is included, how far you walk, start times and where they meet, from a $45 walk to a six-hour food crawl.

Neon anime billboards and shop signs above Chuo-dori in Akihabara, Tokyo's Electric Town, at dusk
Culture11 min read

Akihabara Anime Tour: 8 Best Guided Otaku Tours Compared (2026)

Eight Akihabara anime tours compared on price, maid café, arcade games, private or group, and how long each lasts, from a $45 retro gaming walk to a $190 four-hour anime and food tour.

The great wooden torii gate on the forest path to Meiji Jingu shrine in Tokyo
Culture10 min read

Meiji Shrine Tours in Tokyo: 6 Guided Walks Compared (2026)

Six guided Meiji Shrine tours compared on price, length, what else they cover and when they start, from a $15 ninety-minute walk to early-morning tours that add Asakusa and Shibuya.

Lantern-lit yakatabune houseboat on Tokyo Bay at dusk with the illuminated Rainbow Bridge and Odaiba skyline behind
Food & Drink10 min read

Tokyo Bay Dinner Cruise: Yakatabune and 3 Alternatives Compared (2026)

Four Tokyo Bay evening cruises compared on price, food, seating and timing, from a $51 bring-your-own sunset boat to a $101 yakatabune sukiyaki dinner with a live shamisen show.

Yellow ginkgo trees lining an avenue in central Tokyo under a clear late-November sky
Travel Guide11 min read

Tokyo in November (2026): Weather, Autumn Leaves, Prices & Best Things to Do

November is Tokyo's crisp, settled autumn month: highs around 17°C, about 96 mm of rain on 7 days, clearer views of Mt Fuji and the ginkgo trees turning gold late in the month. Hotels are among the year's dearer, at a median $164 to $497 a night, with Saturdays costing the most.

Blue and white Christmas illuminations along a tree-lined street in central Tokyo at dusk
Travel Guide11 min read

Tokyo in December (2026): Weather, Christmas Lights, Prices & Best Things to Do

December brings Tokyo's clear, cold winter skies: highs around 12°C, about 58 mm of rain on 5 days, the year's best chance of seeing Mt Fuji and Christmas lights across the city. Hotels cost far less than in November until Christmas, then climb to a median $341 on New Year's Eve.

Snow-capped Mt Fuji beyond the Tokyo skyline on a clear January morning
Travel Guide11 min read

Tokyo in January (2027): Weather, New Year, Sumo, Prices & Best Things to Do

January is Tokyo's coldest month and its sunniest: highs around 10°C, about 60 mm of rain on 4 or 5 days, the January sumo tournament and the year's clearest air for Mt Fuji. After New Year, hotels drop to some of the lowest rates of the year, a median $110 to $145 on most nights.

Pink and white plum blossoms against the old stone walls of the Imperial Palace East Gardens in February
Travel Guide11 min read

Tokyo in February (2027): Weather, Plum Blossoms, Prices & Best Things to Do

February is Tokyo's last cold month: highs around 11°C, about 57 mm of rain on 5 days, the first plum blossoms and Setsubun on February 3. Hotels stay good value, at a median $126 to $156 on most nights, about 40% below the same hotels' late-March rates.

Cherry trees in full bloom over a moat in central Tokyo at the end of March
Travel Guide12 min read

Tokyo in March (2027): Weather, Cherry Blossoms, Prices & Best Things to Do

March is when Tokyo turns from winter to spring: highs around 14°C, about 116 mm of rain on 9 days, and the cherry blossoms, which normally open around March 24. Hotels are good value for the first three weeks, then rise by about 40% as the blossoms arrive.

Cherry blossom petals over a river walkway in Tokyo in early April
Travel Guide12 min read

Tokyo in April (2027): Weather, Cherry Blossoms, Prices & Best Things to Do

April is Tokyo in full spring: highs around 19°C, about 134 mm of rain on 9 or 10 days, the last of the cherry blossoms in the first week and the azaleas after. Hotels cost the most in the first ten days, then fall to about $161 to $212 on most nights from mid-April, just before Golden Week.

A portable shrine carried through the crowds near Senso-ji in Asakusa during the Sanja Matsuri in May
Travel Guide12 min read

Tokyo in May (2027): Weather, Golden Week, Sumo, Prices & Best Things to Do

May is Tokyo's warm, green late spring: highs around 24°C, about 140 mm of rain on 10 days, the May sumo tournament and two of the city's biggest festivals. Golden Week is dear on May 1 to 3, then hotels settle to a median $159 to $197 on most nights.

Blue and purple hydrangeas beside a shrine path in Tokyo on a wet June day
Travel Guide11 min read

Tokyo in June (2027): Weather, Rainy Season, Hydrangeas, Prices & Best Things to Do

June is Tokyo's rainy season month: highs around 26°C, about 168 mm of rain on 12 days and the fewest sunshine hours of the year, but also hydrangeas, quieter sights and steady hotel rates of about $144 to $160 on most weeknights.

Fireworks over the Sumida River and the Tokyo Skytree on a summer night in July
Travel Guide11 min read

Tokyo in July (2027): Weather, Heat, Fireworks, Prices & Best Things to Do

July is when Tokyo's summer arrives: highs around 30°C, about 156 mm of rain on 10 or 11 days, the end of the rainy season around July 19 and the Sumida River fireworks late in the month. Hotel rates are steady, at a median $150 to $164 on most weeknights.

Awa Odori dancers in summer yukata performing in a Koenji shopping street in Tokyo in August
Travel Guide11 min read

Tokyo in August (2027): Weather, Heat, Obon, Typhoons, Prices & Best Things to Do

August is Tokyo's hottest month: highs around 31°C, about 155 mm of rain on 8 days, the Obon holiday week and peak typhoon season. Hotel rates stay low and level, at a median $146 to $164 on most weeknights, even through Obon.

Sumo wrestlers facing off in the ring at Ryogoku Kokugikan during the September grand sumo tournament in Tokyo
Travel Guide11 min read

Tokyo in September (2027): Weather, Typhoons, Sumo, Prices & Best Things to Do

September is Tokyo's late summer: highs around 28°C, about 225 mm of rain on 11 days, peak typhoon season and the September sumo tournament. Hotel rates are low, at a median $148 to $164 on most weeknights until the holiday weekend of September 18 to 20.

Red and orange autumn trees above Lake Chuzenji near Nikko on a clear October day
Travel Guide11 min read

Tokyo in October (2027): Weather, Autumn Colour, Prices & Best Things to Do

October is when Tokyo turns to autumn: highs around 22°C, the highest rainfall of the year in the normals, about 235 mm on 10 or 11 days, and the first autumn colour in the mountains at Nikko. Hotels cost more than in summer, at an estimated $185 to $215 on most weeknights.

The Kaminarimon gate and red lantern at Senso-ji temple in Asakusa with Tokyo Skytree behind
Sightseeing19 min read

Best Things to Do in Tokyo (2026): What to Book, What's Free and What to Skip

Tokyo's best sights are mostly free, its best experiences are mostly about people, and the few tickets that sell out need booking weeks ahead. Here are the eight experiences worth paying for, the temples, gardens and views you can simply walk into, and what each one really costs.

A child in a samurai costume practising sword moves with an instructor in a Tokyo dojo
Family17 min read

Best Things to Do in Tokyo for Families (2026): 8 Kid-Friendly Experiences Compared

Tokyo is one of the easiest big cities in the world to travel with children, but the experiences kids remember are hands-on ones: a sword lesson, a sumo challenge, a bento shaped like a panda. Here are eight compared on what a family of four really pays, plus the free things that fill the gaps.

A couple riding a rickshaw through the old streets of Asakusa with Tokyo Skytree in the distance
Romance15 min read

Best Things to Do in Tokyo for Couples (2026): 8 Romantic Experiences Compared

Tokyo for two is less about grand gestures than small, memorable ones: a rickshaw through old Asakusa, rings you make from vintage coins, a tiny bar in Golden Gai and the city lit up from the water. Here are eight compared on what a couple really pays.

An older couple walking along a stone path through the Imperial Palace East Gardens in Tokyo in autumn
Sightseeing17 min read

Best Things to Do in Tokyo for Seniors (2026): 8 Easy-Paced Experiences Compared

Tokyo is safe, clean and polite, but its stations are full of stairs and many of its restaurants seat you on the floor. Here are eight experiences compared on what two people pay and, just as important, how much walking, how many stairs and what kind of seat each one involves.

Crowds crossing the Shibuya Scramble Crossing at dusk under giant lit screens in Tokyo
Sightseeing14 min read

Best Things to Do in Shibuya (2026): The Crossing, Shibuya Sky and 8 Experiences Compared

Shibuya is Tokyo at full volume: the world's most photographed crossing, a rooftop deck 229 metres up, izakaya alleys and flagship stores for Nintendo and Pokémon. Here is what is free, what needs a ticket, and eight experiences compared on price and what you actually get.

Lantern-lit yakitori stalls in the narrow Omoide Yokocho alley in Shinjuku at night
Food & Drink14 min read

Best Things to Do in Shinjuku (2026): Food Alleys, Golden Gai and 8 Experiences Compared

Shinjuku is where Tokyo eats and drinks: smoky yakitori alleys, the six-seat bars of Golden Gai and the neon of Kabukicho, with a free view from the 45th floor and one of the city's best gardens by day. Here is what is free, what costs money, and eight experiences compared.

Akihabara's main street lit by anime billboards and electronics store signs at dusk in Tokyo
Culture13 min read

Best Things to Do in Akihabara (2026): Anime, Arcades, Maid Cafes and 7 Experiences Compared

Akihabara is Tokyo's capital of anime, manga and games: towers of figures and retro consoles, multi-floor arcades, maid cafes and a shrine that anime fans make pilgrimages to. Here is what to see for free, what is worth paying for, and seven experiences compared.

Snow-capped Mt Fuji rising behind Lake Kawaguchi on a clear morning, a classic day trip from Tokyo
Day Trips15 min read

Best Day Trips from Tokyo (2026): Mt Fuji, Hakone, Nikko, Kamakura and 10 Tours Compared

Mt Fuji, Hakone, Nikko and Kamakura are all within two hours of Tokyo, and half of the best day trips are easy by train on your own. Here is which places are worth a guided tour, what each costs, and 10 day tours compared.