Tokyo is a city that swallows first-timers whole. The trains are surgical, the signs are confusing, and the first time you walk out of Shinjuku Station you will get lost — not if, when. I’m writing this site for that person. The one who just booked the flight. The one who’s a little bit nervous. The one who wants to know what an IC card is, whether to take off shoes in this particular restaurant, and what exactly to do at the shrine gate.
Everything here comes from me actually being there, with every embarrassing mistake the first few trips taught me. No sponsored content, no fluff. I/you, first-timer to first-timer.
Start here
If you’ve got 60 seconds, these are the three things I’d tell someone who just landed:
- Get an IC card (Suica or Pasmo) at the airport before you do anything else. ¥500 deposit, tap to ride every train/bus/metro, and you can also pay at conbini. It removes 80% of the friction.
- Tokyo has multiple metro companies. JR, Tokyo Metro, and Toei run different lines. IC cards work on all of them. JR Pass does not cover Tokyo Metro.
- Restaurants do not expect tipping. Bowing slightly when someone hands you something is normal. Drinking the water is fine.
What’s on the site
I’m building this out neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Each guide is written for someone visiting that place for the first time — what you’ll actually see, how to get there, a few mistakes to avoid, and some small things you might miss if you didn’t know to look.
Tokyo districts
Six neighbourhoods cover most of what you need: Shinjuku for neon and trains; Shibuya for the crossing and youth culture; Harajuku for colour; Asakusa for old Tokyo and Senso-ji; Akihabara for electronics and geek culture; Odaiba for the bayside and the Miraikan. I’ll add Ginza, Ueno, and Tokyo Station guides as I work through.
Things to do
The big sights — Meiji Shrine, Senso-ji, Tokyo Skytree — plus the quieter ones that I think are better (Rikugien Park in November, Shinjuku Gyoen in April, the Inner Garden iris display in mid-June).
If you only have time for one shrine visit, read the Meiji Shrine guide first. Early morning, south entrance from Harajuku, and pay the ¥500 for the Inner Garden.
Where to stay
First-timer accommodation advice separated by budget. I’m coming from the “sleep somewhere nice then go out and do stuff” school, not the “room is just for sleeping” school — Tokyo rewards a decent bed after a 20,000-step day. Budget and first-timer-friendly area picks.
Food & dining
Not a restaurant list — a practical one. What’s actually expected at a ramen counter. How to use a ticket vending machine before the kitchen. The difference between a izakaya, a shokudo, and a kaiseki. Restaurant reservations (harder than you think) and dining etiquette that actually matters.
Japan tips
The cultural and practical stuff that’s easier to read once, quickly, before you go: bowing, tipping (don’t), shoes on/off, onsen rules, trash rules (there are basically no bins and that’s a whole thing), tattoos, the right way to hand over money. Little things that make the difference between feeling like a tourist and feeling comfortable.
How to actually use this site
Skim the Japan Tips section before you fly. Read a couple of District guides for the neighbourhoods you’re staying in or near. Save the Things to Do guides for the ones that actually appeal — you don’t need to see everything, and trying to will burn you out on day three.
The honest truth about Tokyo is that the city is too big to “do.” You won’t see all of it. You’ll see a specific slice of it, filtered through where you sleep, what you like, and how tired your feet are. My job is to make that slice really good.
Any questions or corrections — I’d genuinely love to hear. Welcome to Tokyo.