Mid-range · 12-hour walk · Tokyo
Tokyo in a day: Asakusa to Shibuya
Senso-ji at dawn, breakfast at Tsukiji, the Imperial Palace, Meiji Jingu's forest, Harajuku, Omotesando and Shibuya from the top of Shibuya Sky.
Tokyo is far too big to see in a day, but a day on the metro can join its best-known corners in an order that works: old Tokyo at dawn, the palace in the morning, the forest shrine and the fashion streets in the afternoon, and Shibuya after dark. The long legs are by train; a day pass for the metro pays for itself.
The route, stop by stop
-
Senso-ji
Tokyo's oldest temple, founded according to legend in 628. Before eight in the morning the courtyard and the great lantern of the Thunder Gate belong to the locals.
50 min here Walk here → -
Tsukiji Outer Market
Arrive by metro from the previous stop
Breakfast from the stalls: rolled omelette, grilled seafood and sushi.
60 min here Walk here → -
Imperial Palace East Gardens
Arrive by metro from the previous stop
The gardens inside the walls of the shoguns' Edo Castle. Closed on Mondays and Fridays; on those days walk to the Nijubashi bridge instead.
50 min here Walk here → -
Meiji Jingu
Arrive by metro from the previous stop
The shrine of the Meiji emperor, completed in 1920 in a forest planted from trees given from all over Japan.
50 min here Walk here → -
Takeshita Street
Harajuku's narrow street of teenage fashion, crêpes and candy floss.
30 min here Walk here → -
Omotesando
The avenue of zelkova trees called Tokyo's Champs-Élysées, lined with flagship stores by famous architects: Tadao Ando's Omotesando Hills, SANAA's Dior, Toyo Ito's Tod's.
45 min here Walk here → -
Shibuya Crossing
The scramble crossing where traffic stops in every direction at once and the whole junction fills with people. Hachiko's statue is by the station exit.
20 min here Walk here → -
Shibuya Sky
The open roof of Shibuya Scramble Square, 229 metres up, looking straight down on the crossing. Book a sunset slot well ahead.
60 min here Walk here →
More walks in Tokyo
Daikanyama T-Site · Hillside Terrace · Kyu Asakura House · Meguro River
Yoyogi Park · Meiji Jingu · Takeshita Street · Omotesando · Shibuya Crossing
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building · Omoide Yokocho · Kabukicho · Hanazono Shrine · Golden Gai
Yanaka Ginza · Asakura Museum of Sculpture · Yanaka Cemetery · SCAI the Bathhouse · Nezu Shrine
Senso-ji · Nakamise-dori · Sumida Park · Tokyo Skytree · Ueno Park · Ameya-Yokocho
teamLab Planets · Toyosu Market · Odaiba Seaside Park · Unicorn Gundam · Rainbow Bridge
Tsukiji Outer Market · Hama-rikyu Gardens · Kabuki-za · Ginza crossing · Tokyo Station · Imperial Palace East Gardens
More in Tokyo
Every walking route in Tokyo, the full Tokyo guide for where to stay and what a day costs, or walks in other cities.