Five days is enough to get a real feel for Tokyo without rushing — long enough to slow down in a neighbourhood instead of just photographing it, short enough that you won't run out of energy halfway through. This itinerary groups sights by area rather than by category, so you're not crossing the city back and forth on the same day. Days 1 and 2 stay in the east, where old Tokyo survives most visibly. Start at Senso-ji in Asakusa as early as you can manage — by mid-morning the Nakamise approach is packed with tour groups, and the temple grounds lose the quiet that makes them worth visiting at all. From there, the Tokyo Skytree is a short walk or one subway stop away if you want the elevated city view; it's not essential, but the observation deck gives a useful sense of just how far Tokyo actually spreads in every direction. Spend the afternoon at the Tsukiji Outer Market — not the old wholesale fish auction, which moved to Toyosu years ago, but the surrounding lanes of food stalls, knife shops, and tiny sit-down counters that are still very much active and considerably less touristy than their reputation suggests. Finish day two with a walk along the Sumida River as the light drops; the views back toward Asakusa and the Skytree are best in the last hour before sunset. Day 3 moves to the other side of the city for contrast. Shibuya Crossing is worth seeing once, ideally from the Shibuya Sky observation deck or a café window above street level rather than standing in the middle of it with everyone else trying to do the same thing. Meiji Shrine, a short walk from Harajuku, is a genuinely calm forested space in the middle of the city — go before midday if you want it quiet. Takeshita Street nearby is the opposite: loud, crowded, and worth fifteen minutes for the people-watching alone. In the evening, head to Shinjuku's Golden Gai, a cluster of alleyways packed with tiny bars seating six to eight people each — pick one that looks half-full rather than empty or overflowing, and expect a cover charge of a few dollars at most places. Day 4 is for culture and gardens, and it's the day to slow the pace deliberately after three days of walking. The Imperial Palace East Gardens are free, spacious, and rarely crowded even when the rest of the city is busy — a good antidote to Shibuya the day before. From there, teamLab's digital art museum (there are two competing venues; check which is currently showing the work you want to see, as locations have changed in recent years) is worth the ticket price and the advance booking it requires. End the day in Ginza, Tokyo's most upscale shopping district, even if you're not buying anything — the department store food halls in the basements are worth browsing for a sense of Japanese food culture at its most polished. Day 5 is a day trip, and which one you pick depends on what you haven't seen yet. Hakone, about 90 minutes from Tokyo by train, combines mountain views, a lake, and onsen (hot spring) bathing — go for an overnight if you can spare it, since rushing an onsen visit defeats the point. Nikko, a similar distance north, trades the lake for some of Japan's most elaborately decorated shrine architecture and forest walks. Kamakura, the closest option at under an hour, gives you a large seated Buddha statue and a string of coastal temples, making it the easiest half-day option if you'd rather sleep in. A few logistics worth knowing before you go: buy a Suica or Pasmo IC card on arrival rather than fumbling with paper tickets at every station — it works across nearly every train, subway, and bus line in the city. If your trip includes destinations outside Tokyo like Kyoto or Osaka, look into a Japan Rail Pass before you arrive, since it has to be purchased before entering the country to get the best value. And don't over-schedule the evenings — some of the best Tokyo experiences happen when you wander into a six-seat ramen counter you didn't plan to find.