Tokyo Travel Checklist for First-Time Visitors

The first time I landed at Haneda, I stood in front of the train map for a good five minutes with my suitcase and absolutely no plan. Every line had its own colour, every station had a number, and half the signs seemed to point in directions that contradicted each other. Forty minutes later I was sitting on the right train, eating a convenience-store egg sandwich that I still think about, and wondering why anyone had ever told me Tokyo was hard.

It is not hard. It is just big, and it runs on rules that nobody tells you about until you break one. This checklist is what I would hand a friend flying out from Singapore for a first visit: what to sort before you leave, what to do in the first hours, how to move around, where to spend your days, what to eat, and the small etiquette things that make locals smile instead of wince. Treat it as a working document. Print it, screenshot it, tick things off.

1. Before you book anything: passports, visas and paperwork

Start with the dull stuff, because it is the only part of the trip that can actually stop you from travelling. Singapore passport holders can enter Japan for tourism without a visa and stay up to 90 days, which is why so many of us treat Tokyo as an easy long weekend. That is not true for everyone you might travel with. A friend on an Indian passport, a colleague on a different one, a parent visiting from elsewhere: each of them may need a short-term visa or an eVisa, and the rules differ by nationality and by where the applicant lives.

The government fact sheet we keep on file lists a short-term stay visa at around JPY 3,000 for nationalities that apply through an embassy, about five working days to process, and a separate eVisa route for eligible residents of certain countries. Fees and eligible groups change, so do not trust a blog post (including this one) for the final word. Our visa requirements checker lets you pick a passport and a destination and shows what applies, with the source and the date it was last verified. Run everyone in your group through it before anybody pays for flights.

One more thing that catches people out. If you or a travelling companion do need a visa, many applications ask for proof of onward or return travel. Buying a real, flexible ticket months before you know whether the visa will be approved is a gamble. This is exactly why we offer a flight reservation service: it is a reservation made for visa application purposes, not an issued ticket and not a flight booking. It will not promise anything about the outcome of an application, and it is not for people who simply want to fly. If your passport is visa-exempt for Japan, ignore this paragraph entirely.

Visit Japan Web is worth ten minutes on a sofa in Singapore rather than twenty minutes in a queue at the airport. You enter passport details, your flight, your first night's address and answer the customs questions, and you get a code that the officers scan. I have watched people fill it in on a phone with one bar of signal at the arrival hall while a line formed behind them. Do it at home.

2. When to go, and how long you actually need

Our own country data lists March to May for cherry blossom and October to November for autumn colour as the headline seasons, and that matches what I have seen. Both are gorgeous and both are busy. Late March into early April is the postcard version of Tokyo: pink petals on the Meguro River, picnic tarps under the trees in Ueno, hotel prices that make you wince. November is calmer on the wallet, with ginkgo avenues turning gold around Meiji Jingu Gaien and crisp mornings that are perfect for walking.

The months to think twice about are June and July, when the rainy season (tsuyu) turns days grey and sticky, and August, which is hot and humid enough that a Singaporean will feel only mildly smug about it. Winter is the secret. January and February are dry, clear and cold, and the views of Mt. Fuji from the city are sharper than at any other time of year.

How long? Four full days is the shortest stay that does not feel rushed, and five or six lets you add one day trip out of the city. Three days works if you accept that you are sampling. I have met people who tried to squeeze Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka into five days and came home remembering mostly trains. If this is your first visit, give Tokyo the time it deserves and treat the rest of Japan as the next trip.

3. Staying connected: SIM, eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi in Tokyo exists, but it is patchy, and you will lean on your phone for maps, translation and train times more than you expect. Sort data before you land so you can pull up directions the moment you clear immigration. There are three sensible routes, and which suits you depends on how many people are travelling and how you use your phone.

An eSIM is what I use now. You scan a code before you fly, switch it on when you land, and keep your normal number live for banking messages. Check that your phone supports eSIM before buying, since some older or locked handsets do not. We list several options, from short daily plans such as the Commbitz Japan daily eSIM (from S$3.00) to a two-week data plan at S$19.00. A physical tourist SIM card is the old reliable if you do not trust eSIM setup. A pocket Wi-Fi router makes sense for groups: one device in the middle of the table, four phones connected, one battery to charge.

If you want the router route, the unlimited pocket Wi-Fi with airport pick-up starts from S$6.00. Whichever you choose, also download an offline map of Tokyo and a translation app with the Japanese pack. Signal drops in underground stations, and a map that cannot load is a map that cannot help.

4. Getting from the airport into the city

Tokyo has two main international airports and the choice of which you land at changes your first hour. Haneda is close to the city; Narita is farther out and the trip into town takes noticeably longer. You will see your inbound flight's airport on the ticket, so plan from there.

For solo travellers with light luggage, trains are the sensible choice. Rail links from both airports reach major stations, and you can pay with an IC card once you have one. If you are carrying big bags, travelling with children or landing late at night, the airport limousine bus is easier on the nerves. It runs to a list of large hotels and districts and spares you from dragging a suitcase through a rush-hour interchange. We sell the Haneda limousine bus to Takeshiba, Odaiba and Ariake from S$9.00. For a group of four or five with luggage, a private car works out reasonable per head, though the price climbs quickly with distance: the Haneda to Tokyo downtown transfer is S$130.52, while Narita to Tokyo city is closer to S$212.09.

My rule: if you are two people or fewer and your bags fit on your lap, take the train. If you are tired, carrying a stroller, or arriving after the last comfortable train, pay for the bus or car and thank yourself in the morning.

5. Moving around: IC cards, passes and the trains that matter

Tokyo's rail network looks like a bowl of coloured noodles, and the most common mistake first-timers make is trying to understand it all. Do not. Learn three things: the Yamanote Line loops around the central districts and links most places you will want to go; the Ginza and Marunouchi subway lines cut through the middle; and every station shows a letter and number code that tells you which line and which stop. Follow the code, ignore the Japanese, and you will rarely get lost.

Get a Suica or Pasmo-type IC card. Tap in, tap out, and you are done. Our transport notes put a typical local ride at ¥200 to ¥500, and the same card works at convenience stores, vending machines and many lockers. Most phones can hold a digital version now, which saves queuing at a machine on day one. Top it up whenever it drops under a couple of thousand yen.

Passes are where you need to do the sums rather than assume. The 3-day Tokyo Metro pass costs S$47.48 and makes sense if your plan is subway-heavy, hopping between Asakusa, Ginza and Roppongi. The Tokyo Enjoyment Week Pass, from S$50.37, bundles seven days of access and can be better value if you will be out every day. For trips beyond the city, the Kanto Region Rail Pass from S$55.91 covers a wide area around Tokyo. Add up your planned rides honestly before buying; many first-timers overbuy.

Which brings me to the Japan Rail Pass. A whole-Japan version is listed on our site at S$452.36, and it can be excellent value for a trip that crosses the country by bullet train several times. For a Tokyo-only holiday, it is a waste. Price your actual train journeys before you decide, and remember that some regional passes in our catalogue are restricted by the delivery country, so read the listing before buying.

A few small train rules that save embarrassment. Stand in the marked lines on the platform and let people off before you board. Keep your voice low and your phone on silent; calls on trains are frowned on. Priority seats are for people who need them, so leave them empty if you are able-bodied. Rush hour, roughly 7:30 to 9:30 in the morning and again from about 5:30 in the evening, is genuinely packed on the main lines. If you can shift a trip outside those windows, do.

6. Neighbourhoods and sights worth your first days

Tokyo is a cluster of cities that happen to share a name, and the best approach for a first visit is to cover one or two areas a day rather than ticking off a long list. Here is how I would cut it.

Asakusa and Senso-ji

Senso-ji is Tokyo's oldest temple, and it is the right place to start because it grounds the trip in something older than the neon. Go early. By mid-morning the Nakamise shopping street leading to the main hall is shoulder to shoulder, but at 8 a.m. you get incense, pigeons and a quiet that does not last. Buy a snack from the street stalls, walk the side lanes behind the temple, and cross the river for a skyline view back across the water. If you enjoy a puzzle, we offer a self-guided Asakusa puzzle adventure at S$21.87, which sends you around the old quarter solving clues. It is a good option for groups who get restless on a plain walking route.

Shibuya, Harajuku and Meiji Jingu

Shibuya Crossing is overrated as a thing to stand and look at and underrated as a thing to walk across. Cross it once, then find a window above it and watch for five minutes. The real appeal is the crush of side streets behind it. Harajuku, a short walk away, is where the fashion is loud and the crepes are enormous, and Takeshita Street can be exhausting. My advice is to do Harajuku in the morning and then walk into Meiji Jingu. The shrine is set in a forest dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, and within two minutes of the gate the city noise disappears. It is the single best reset button in Tokyo.

Tokyo Tower, Roppongi and Ginza

Tokyo Tower gives you the old-fashioned city view, and the night lights across the district are worth the visit. Roppongi Hills offers a higher, wider panorama with a modern feel. Ginza is where you walk past department stores that are architectural statements, then slip into a basement food hall to buy a perfect strawberry sandwich. If you want to see the city after dark from the water, an evening cruise on Tokyo Bay is a pleasant, low-effort way to finish a day on your feet.

Shinjuku Gyoen

If your feet start to hurt by day three, and they will, Shinjuku Gyoen is where you go. It is a large national garden with lawns, a glasshouse and a mix of Japanese and European landscaping, and it is the best cherry blossom spot in the central city for people who prefer space to crowds. Buy a bento on the way, sit under a tree, and do nothing for an hour. The skyscrapers of Shinjuku loom on the other side of the wall, which is part of the charm.

Akihabara and the odder corners

Akihabara is the district for anime, games and electronics, and even if none of those are your thing, walking through the arcades is entertaining. For something more physical, there is a street go-kart experience in Akihabara from S$108.12, where you drive through real traffic in costume. It is not for everyone, you need the right licence documents, and you should read the conditions on the listing, but it is memorable for the right kind of traveller.

7. Food: what to eat and how to order it

Tokyo is one of the easiest cities in the world to eat well in, even without a reservation, a Japanese phrasebook or a big budget. The list in most guides starts with sushi and ramen, and for good reason. Here is how I approach each, with a few things I learned the awkward way.

Ramen shops often use a ticket machine at the door. Insert cash, press the button for the bowl you want (the picture tells you everything), hand the ticket to the staff and sit. Slurping is fine and in fact encouraged. Our country notes list the regional styles you will see: tonkotsu with its rich pork broth, shoyu with soy, miso, and the lighter shio. Tokyo's own style leans towards a clear shoyu broth, so try it at least once.

Sushi sits in a wide range. A conveyor belt restaurant is cheap, fun and perfectly good, and an omakase counter is a different experience entirely, with the chef deciding each piece for you. If you plan the second kind, book ahead. Tempura counters are similar: a few seats, a fryer and a cook who sends each piece to you as it comes out. Takoyaki, the octopus balls from street stalls, arrive too hot to eat. Wait. I did not, and I regret it.

For the seafood devoted, the fish markets have moved on from the old days at Tsukiji, but the outer market still sells grilled seafood, tamagoyaki and fresh sushi in a tight lane of stalls. Go before lunch. If you want to see the tuna side of the trade properly, we offer the complete tuna auction and Toyosu Fish Market experience, an English-led 4.5 hour outing from S$147.00. It begins before dawn, so go to bed early the night before.

Dietary needs deserve a note. Dashi, the fish stock, hides in a surprising number of dishes, so vegetarians and anyone avoiding pork or seafood should write down the key words in Japanese or use a translation app's camera mode. Convenience stores are a lifesaver for a quick, decent meal at any hour of the day. I eat at least one egg sandwich a day and I am not ashamed.

8. Day trips: Fuji, Hakone and beyond

By day four or five, many first-timers want to see Mt. Fuji. A clear day makes it extraordinary, and a cloudy one makes it a rumour, so give yourself buffer days and do not schedule your trip around a single sunrise. There are several routes. The Mt. Fuji and Hakone day tour on the bullet train route, the Mt. Fuji I Line from S$85.05, packs in a lot. If you would rather go it alone with a bus, the Tokyo to Fuji-Q Highland round-trip via Lake Kawaguchi runs from S$33.14 and suits amusement park fans.

Hakone is the classic pairing: lake, ropeway, volcanic valley, onsen. The Hakone Free Pass, an official ticket from S$61.47, covers local transport over a few days and works well if you stay overnight. For a shorter option, the Hakone Owakudani and Lake Yamanaka day tour from S$69.70 packages the highlights, and the Hakone sightseeing cruise on the lake is a relaxed add-on at S$15.21. Mt. Takao, reachable by the Keio one-day ticket with cable car and chair lift at S$19.19, is the easy hiking option and often forgotten by visitors.

I would not try to do Fuji and Hakone on the same day unless you love long days, and I would not do both on your very first day after landing. Jet lag is real, even from a short flight. Pick one, keep the other for later.

9. Money, tax-free shopping and etiquette

Japan has become more card-friendly, but cash still matters at small restaurants, temples, local shops and some vending machines. Withdraw yen at a convenience store ATM, which usually accepts foreign cards, and carry enough that you are not stuck, but do not carry thousands. Our budget range notes put a comfortable day at somewhere between ¥10,000 and ¥30,000 per person, depending on how often you eat at counters and how much you spend on attractions.

Tipping is not customary and can cause confusion, even offence. Leave the coins. Exact change on the tray, a bow and a quiet thank you in whatever language you have is enough. Remove your shoes where there is a step up at the entrance, and wear socks without holes. Speak softly on trains and in small restaurants. Carry your rubbish with you, because public bins are scarce, and sort it properly when you do find one. Do not eat while walking in busy areas; many locals stop at a stall and finish before moving.

Tax-free shopping is available at many large stores for visitors who show their passport, usually above a minimum spend. Bring your passport when you shop, not a photo, and keep the items sealed until you leave if the store asks for it. Rules shift from time to time, so ask at the counter.

10. A sample four-day plan for first-timers

Here is the plan I would follow if I were landing tomorrow with four days and no strong opinions. Adjust it freely.

Day one: land, settle, wander. Clear immigration with your Visit Japan Web code ready, collect your eSIM or router, pick up an IC card, and get to your hotel. Do not plan anything big. Walk around your neighbourhood, find a convenience store, eat something simple, and go to bed at a reasonable hour.

Day two: old Tokyo. Senso-ji at 8 a.m., a stroll through Asakusa, lunch nearby, an afternoon in Ueno or Akihabara, dinner at a ramen counter. If it is blossom season, add a riverside evening walk.

Day three: modern Tokyo. Meiji Jingu first thing, Harajuku brunch, an afternoon at Shibuya, sunset from a high viewpoint, dinner in Shinjuku. The day ends with a lot of neon and a lot of steps, so wear your best shoes.

Day four: your choice. A Fuji or Hakone day trip if the weather is kind, otherwise a slow day: Shinjuku Gyoen, a museum, last-minute shopping. Fit in a final proper meal. Allow plenty of time for the airport, since you will almost certainly buy more than you planned.

11. The final checklist

Before you leave your front door, run through this list. It is short on purpose.

• Passport valid, copies saved on your phone and emailed to yourself
• Visa status confirmed for every traveller in the group
• Visit Japan Web QR code screenshotted
• Data plan or eSIM ready, offline map downloaded
• IC card plan decided, passes bought only if the maths works
• Some yen in cash, cards notified, insurance documents saved
• Layers for the season, comfortable shoes, a power bank
• Hotel address saved in Japanese as well as English
• Emergency numbers saved: police 110, ambulance and fire 119
• Reservations made for any counter restaurant or timed attraction you care about

Featured experiences in this guide

Commbitz Japan e-SIM DailyFrom S$3.00 Book →Japan Pocket Wi-Fi - Unlimited Data / 3GB per day(Pick-Up at Japan Air...From S$6.00 Book →Airport Transfer - Haneda Airport to Tokyo DowntownFrom S$130.52 Book →Airport Private Transfer - Narita Airport to Tokyo CityFrom S$212.09 Book →Tokyo Enjoyment Week Pass 1 Week Free Pass|Have fun in Tokyo|Tokyo Cit...From S$50.37 Book →Kanto Region Rail Pass|Greater Tokyo Pass Transport PassesFrom S$55.91 Book →Japan Rail Pass for Whole Japan - Delivery Coverage: Indonesia onlyFrom S$452.36 Book →Japan Bus Ticket - Tokyo to Fuji-Q Highland Round-trip Bus Ticket via...From S$33.14 Book →[Official Ticket] Hakone/Hakone-Kamakura/Fuji-Hakone Free PassFrom S$61.47 Book →Hakone Owakudani and Lake Yamanaka Day Tour, Free Hakone Ropeway, Opti...From S$69.70 Book →Hakone Sightseeing CruiseFrom S$15.21 Book →

Frequently asked questions

Do Singapore citizens need a visa for Tokyo?

For tourism, Singapore passport holders can enter without a visa and stay for up to 90 days, according to the government source we track. Always confirm on the visa checker before you fly, since rules can change and other nationalities in your group may be treated differently.

How many days do I need in Tokyo as a first-timer?

Four full days lets you cover the old city, the modern districts and a rest day or day trip without rushing. Five or six is better if you want Hakone or Fuji. Three works as a sampler.

Is the Japan Rail Pass worth it for Tokyo only?

Usually not. It pays off when you take several long bullet train journeys. For a Tokyo-only trip, an IC card plus a metro pass or a regional pass for a day trip is normally cheaper. Price your rides before buying.

What is the best way to stay connected?

An eSIM is easiest for a solo traveller with a compatible phone. Groups often prefer a shared pocket Wi-Fi router. Whichever you choose, download an offline map in case signal drops underground.

Do I need cash in Tokyo?

Yes, some. Many places take cards, but small restaurants, temples and local shops often prefer cash. Convenience store ATMs are the usual way to get yen. Tipping is not expected anywhere.

When is the best time to see cherry blossom?

Late March to early April is the usual window in Tokyo, though the exact dates move each year with the weather. Book your hotel early, because it is the busiest and most expensive time of the year.

Can I book a flight reservation for my visa application?

If you or a companion need a visa and the application asks for travel proof, our flight reservation service provides a reservation for that purpose. It is not an issued ticket, and it does not guarantee any outcome from the embassy. Visa-exempt travellers do not need one.

Is Tokyo safe for solo travellers?

It is one of the safest big cities I know, and I have walked home alone late at night more than once. Use ordinary sense with your belongings and keep emergency numbers saved: 110 for police, 119 for ambulance and fire.

Tokyo will not be fully figured out on a first trip, and that is the point. Get the paperwork right, keep your first day gentle, say yes to the odd detour, and leave something on the list for next time. You will almost certainly want one.