Why go
Nowhere else eats like this. Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city, and the cheap food is just as carefully made: a bowl of ramen, a skewer of grilled chicken, a sandwich from a department store basement.
It is really a collection of towns, each with its own character. Old temples and wooden shopfronts in Asakusa, glass towers and quiet moats around the Imperial Palace, neon and crowds in Shinjuku and Shibuya. The trains are clean, safe and exactly on time, so all of it is within reach.
When to go
Late March to early April for cherry blossom, and late October to early December for clear skies and autumn colour. These are the best weeks and the most expensive, so book early.
June to mid July is the rainy season. August is hot and very humid, and typhoons are possible into September. Winter is cold, dry and bright, with the best chance of seeing Mount Fuji from the city.
Where to base yourself
Otemachi and Marunouchi, beside Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, have many of the top hotels and the easiest train connections, though the streets are quiet at night. Ginza, a short walk south, adds shopping and restaurants on the doorstep.
Shinjuku and Shibuya are livelier and better for nightlife. Roppongi and the new Azabudai Hills district suit travellers who want galleries, bars and a more international feel.
What we would build into your trip
An early morning at a sumo stable to watch practice, a sushi counter booked well ahead, and an evening of small bars and grilled skewers with a guide who knows the back streets. We like to add an afternoon at teamLab Borderless and a walk through the gardens of the Imperial Palace.
With an extra day, Kamakura for its temples and Great Buddha, or Nikko for shrines in the mountains. Hakone, for hot springs and a view of Fuji, deserves a night of its own.
Good to know
The best restaurants are small and book out weeks ahead, and many take reservations only through a hotel concierge or a booking site. Tell us the kind of meal you want early, and never skip a booking, because it reflects on the hotel that made it.
Haneda airport is much closer to the centre than Narita. There is no tipping. Send your large bags ahead to your next hotel by courier, which is cheap and reliable, and travel on the bullet train with hand luggage only.