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Tokyo travel guide

What visitors call Tokyo is really 23 self-governing wards inside a much larger metropolis. The JR Yamanote Line loops around the centre, and most practical hotel choices sit on or just inside it: Shinjuku and Shibuya on the west of the loop, Tokyo Station and Ginza on the east, and the older Asakusa and Ueno districts beyond its north-east corner.

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Tokyo

Getting there and choosing your base

  • Haneda Airport (HND): The nearer of the two airports, in Ōta ward south of the centre. The Tokyo Monorail runs to Hamamatsuchō on the Yamanote loop and Keikyū trains to Shinagawa, so a room in Shinagawa or around Shinbashi and Hamamatsuchō is the least effort after a late flight.
  • Narita Airport (NRT): Most long-haul flights still land here, close to 70 km east of the city. The Keisei Skyliner is the quicker train and ends at Ueno, while the Narita Express runs on to Tokyo Station, Shinjuku and other big JR stations, which is worth matching to your hotel.
  • Tokyo Station: Japan's main shinkansen terminus, with Ueno serving trains to the north and Shinagawa those heading west. Long-distance buses leave from the Yaesu side here and from Busta Shinjuku, so check your departure point before booking a last night.

Areas to consider

Shinjuku

Suits first-timers who want late dining, department stores, high-rise hotels and direct trains or buses towards Mount Fuji and Hakone. Kabukichō, the red-light and nightlife quarter, lies just north-east of the station, so pick the west or south side of the station if you want quieter streets after dark.

Asakusa and Ueno

Suits travellers on a budget and anyone using the Skyliner, with temples, museums and the city's cheapest rooms nearby. Hostels and small inns here often lock their doors around 22:00 to 23:00, so read the curfew line in the house rules before you book.

Ginza and Tokyo Station (Marunouchi)

Suits shinkansen day trips, business travel and shopping, with the Imperial Palace gardens a walk away. Tokyo Station has two main faces, Marunouchi on the palace side and Yaesu facing the bus terminal; check which one the hotel is closer to before you haul luggage through the concourse.

Shinagawa

Suits short stays tied to Haneda flights or westbound shinkansen to Kyoto and Osaka. The station itself is in Minato ward, while Shinagawa ward stretches well to the south, so make sure the address is a short walk from the station rather than merely carrying the name.

When to go

Cherry blossom in late March and early April and the Golden Week holidays from late April push Tokyo room rates to their yearly highs. The rainy season brings grey, drizzly weeks from late May through June, and high summer is a steam bath; the Sumida River fireworks on the fourth Saturday of July pack Asakusa. Autumn brings cooler weather and coloured leaves, and typhoons usually pass Tokyo by.

Before choosing a room

  • Business-hotel rooms near stations are very small, so look at the floor area in square metres and the bed width before choosing a double for two people.
  • Capsule hotels are the cheapest beds in town, but most are men-only; a woman travelling alone should confirm there is a women-only floor.
  • Tokyo levies an accommodation tax on hotel and ryokan stays above a set nightly price, and the rules change from 1 April 2027 to cover guesthouses and private rentals too. It may be collected at the front desk separately from what you paid online.

Sources and planning resources

Facts checked on . Transport services, taxes and hotel offers can change. Confirm the details for your trip before booking.

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