Tokyo, Japan · Japan
Tokyo Itinerary 4 Days - Five Districts by Train Line
Tokyo works less like one place and more like a string of villages tied together by rail. This four-day plan pairs a morning and an afternoon district on a single ride, from old Asakusa and Yanaka to Shibuya, Ginza and the forest of Meiji Jingu.
Published October 5, 2026
The doors slide open, a short melody plays, and you step out into a different town. That is Tokyo. The city works less like one place and more like a string of villages tied together by rail, each with its own pace, food and sound.
This **Tokyo itinerary 4 days** plan leans on that. Each day pairs a morning district with an afternoon district, joined by a single ride. You get Asakusa and Yanaka for old Tokyo, Shibuya and Shimokitazawa for crossings and vinyl, Ginza for food halls and craft, and a final morning in the forest around a great shrine. Slow stops fill the gaps. Dim kissaten, basement food halls, quiet shrines.
Why Does a Tokyo Itinerary Work Best by Train Line?
Pairing one morning district and one afternoon district along a single line keeps transfers short and lets you cover five distinct districts in four days. You spend your energy walking streets, not decoding interchange maps. The route below stays on lines every visitor meets anyway. The JR Yamanote Line loops around the centre, and the Tokyo Metro adds the Ginza Line, the Hibiya Line and the Fukutoshin Line underneath. A private line links Shibuya with Shimokitazawa in a few minutes. Half a day per district is enough to eat, wander and sit down once without burning out by lunchtime.
Four days also make a sensible **Tokyo first time itinerary**. Five districts fit without rushing. The evenings stay free for izakaya, rooftop drinks or an early night after the long flight.
Day 1 — Asakusa and Yanaka, Old Tokyo
Asakusa is where Tokyo still looks like the woodblock prints. Rickshaw pullers wait by the river and the whole district orbits one temple. **Senso-ji** is the oldest temple in the city, and its approach starts at Kaminarimon, the gate with the huge red lantern.
Come early. Before the shops on Nakamise-dori raise their shutters, the lane belongs to joggers and locals stopping to pray. Waft some incense smoke over yourself at the big burner by the main hall, as people do for good health. Then slip into the backstreets behind the temple, full of small workshops and old diners.
From Asakusa, ride the Ginza Line to Ueno and change to the JR Yamanote Line for one stop to Nippori. Yanaka is the reward. This corner survived both the great earthquake and wartime bombing better than most, so it keeps narrow lanes, wooden houses and dozens of small temples.
Walk down the Yuyake Dandan steps into Yanaka Ginza, a short shopping street of croquette stands, sweet shops and pickle sellers. Cross the shady paths of Yanaka Cemetery, then finish at a kissaten, an old-school coffee house with dark wood and siphon brewing. Wear comfortable shoes. Yanaka is a walking district.
Day 2 — Shibuya and Shimokitazawa, Crossings and Vinyl
Shibuya is Tokyo turned up loud. Screens flash, music spills from shops and thousands of people cross at once. **Shibuya Crossing** is the scene everyone pictures, and it is worth crossing a couple of times just to feel the choreography.
Say hello to the Hachiko statue by the station, the faithful dog who waited there for his owner every day. For a view without paying, find the glass corridor between the station and Mark City, which looks straight down on the crossing. Then escape the crowds. A short walk up the hill brings you to Konno Hachimangu, a small shrine tucked behind office towers.
From Shibuya, the Keio Inokashira Line reaches Shimokitazawa in a few minutes. The Metro [transport operator](https://www.tokyometro.jp/en/) publishes network maps for planning onward connections.
Shimokitazawa feels like a student town that grew up but kept its records. Low buildings hold vintage clothing shops, secondhand bookstores, tiny live houses and record stores where crates of jazz and city pop fill the floor. There are no must-sees. That is the point. Wander, then rest at a second kissaten.
Day 3 — Ginza, Depachika and Tsukiji Edges
Ginza is Tokyo dressed for dinner. Wide pavements, polished department stores and craft shops line Chuo-dori, the main avenue, which closes to traffic on some weekend afternoons. Itoya, a stationery shop spread over many floors, can swallow an hour of notebook and washi paper browsing.
Lunch happens underground. A **depachika** is the basement food hall of a department store, and Ginza has some of the best. Think bento, grilled eel, wagashi sweets shaped like seasonal flowers and fruit wrapped like jewellery. Everything is packed with care. Build a picnic here and carry it on.
From Ginza, the Hibiya Line hops one stop to Tsukiji, or you can walk. The outer market streets still sell knives, dried fish, tamagoyaki and grilled seafood on sticks. A little further, Hama-rikyu Gardens offers a tidal pond, pine trees and a teahouse on the water with skyscrapers behind it. Stall and garden hours vary, so check the [official tourism board](https://www.gotokyo.org/en/) before you set off.
Day 4 — Meiji Jingu, Harajuku and a Free Yamanote Loop
The last morning starts in a forest. **Meiji Jingu** is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, and the woodland around it was planted by hand with trees donated from across Japan. Step off the Yamanote Line at Harajuku and walk under the giant wooden torii. Within minutes the traffic fades.
On the gravel path you pass a wall of decorated sake barrels, offerings from brewers. At the purification basin, rinse your hands before approaching the hall. Wishes hang on wooden plaques called ema, written in dozens of languages. Check the [shrine website](https://www.meijijingu.or.jp/en/) for gate times, which follow the seasons.
Then flip the mood. Takeshita Street next door is crowded, sugary and colourful, all crepes and costume shops. Omotesando nearby is calmer, a tree-lined avenue of sharp architecture.
Keep the afternoon free. Ride the Yamanote loop back to a favourite district, or go somewhere you skipped. Ueno has big museums for a rainy day. Nezu Shrine, near Yanaka, has a tunnel of small red torii. Shinjuku offers neon alleys for a last dinner.
Which Tokyo Neighbourhoods Suit Which Kind of Traveller?
Each of these **Tokyo neighbourhoods** has a clear personality, which makes swapping days easy. Asakusa suits travellers who love temples and tradition, with Senso-ji and its market lane at the centre. Yanaka suits slow walkers, thanks to Yanaka Ginza and its quiet cemetery paths. Shibuya is for people who want energy, crowds and the famous crossing. Shimokitazawa fits vintage hunters and music fans, with record stores on every corner. Ginza works for food lovers and craft shoppers who want a depachika lunch and a stationery fix. If you only have Tokyo 4 days and one of these leaves you cold, trade it for a second afternoon somewhere you liked. The best **things to do in Tokyo** are often the ones you repeat, like returning to a favourite kissaten.
What Practical Tips Help on a First Visit?
How do you pay for all these rides? A rechargeable IC card such as Suica or Pasmo works on JR, Metro and most private lines, and also in many convenience stores. Tap in, tap out, top up at station machines.
Avoid the busiest lines during commuting hours if you can. A big suitcase on a packed train helps nobody.
At shrines and temples, keep your voice low and follow local cues. Bow at the gate, use the water basin in the usual order, and skip photos wherever signs ask you to.
Small shops and family-run cafes close on different days of the week. Check before a long detour. Carry some cash as well, because tiny kissaten and shrine offices may not take cards.
Spring and autumn are the most popular seasons. Summer is hot and humid, while winter brings crisp air and clear views of the skyline.
Ready to Build Your Own Tokyo Plan?
Create your own itinerary with Keptour: add the places that catch your eye, arrange them into days and share the plan with whoever is coming along. Swap a district, stretch a morning or leave space for the kissaten you stumble into by accident. Tokyo has plenty more lines to follow on a second visit.