Your First 24 Hours in Tokyo

A gentle introduction to Tokyo for the first-time visitor

Arriving in Tokyo for the first time can be a curious experience. After a long flight from Britain, the signs are unfamiliar, the railway stations seem enormous and everything appears to work to a slightly different rhythm.

There is no particular need to understand it all immediately. The first day is better spent settling in, finding your bearings and allowing Tokyo to unfold at its own pace.

Arriving in Tokyo

Most visitors arrive at either Haneda or Narita. Haneda is much closer to central Tokyo, while Narita lies around 50–60 kilometres from the city. Both are well connected by train and bus. GO TOKYO's airport guide is a useful place to check the current options before travelling.

Once through immigration and customs, there is little reason to hurry. Make sure your phone is working, have some yen available and keep the name and address of your hotel somewhere easily accessible.

The journey into Tokyo is part of the experience. From the train window, the city gradually replaces the airport, and somewhere along the way the feeling of having arrived in Japan begins to settle in.

Making your way to the hotel

Tokyo's railway system can look daunting on a map, but it is remarkably well organised. Haneda has direct rail connections towards Shinagawa and Hamamatsucho, while from Narita the Narita Express and Keisei Skyliner provide fast routes into the city. GO TOKYO's guide to getting around Tokyo explains the principal services.

With luggage, the simplest route is often the best. There is little satisfaction in saving ten minutes if it means changing trains twice with two large suitcases.

Japan also has an excellent luggage-delivery system. Both Haneda and Narita offer services that can send cases onwards to your accommodation. Your luggage will generally arrive the following day, so anything needed for the first night should remain with you. GO TOKYO's luggage guide explains the current arrangements.

Checking in

Hotel check-in is usually calm and efficient. You will normally be asked for your passport and booking details, with payment or a deposit taken if necessary. Check-in time varies, although around 3.00 pm is common.

If the room is not ready, the hotel will usually be able to look after your luggage. This is no great inconvenience; in fact, it can be a good opportunity to step outside and have your first look around the neighbourhood.

Japanese city hotels can be more compact than their British counterparts, particularly in central Tokyo. This is largely a matter of space rather than quality. Rooms tend to be carefully organised, with surprisingly little wasted.

The Japan National Tourism Organization's accommodation guide is useful if you are unfamiliar with the different types of Japanese hotel and traditional accommodation.

The first afternoon

After a long journey, there is something to be said for doing very little.

Have a shower, unpack what you need and sit down for a while. Tokyo is not going anywhere.

When you are ready, explore the streets immediately around the hotel. There is no need to make the first walk an expedition. A small shrine, a quiet side street, a neighbourhood café or a row of tiny restaurants may tell you more about everyday Tokyo than a succession of major attractions.

This is one of the pleasures of the city. Behind the familiar images of Shibuya crossings and neon-lit streets is an enormous collection of ordinary neighbourhoods, each with its own character.

Your first meal

The first Japanese meal need not be an occasion that requires research and a reservation. A small ramen shop, sushi counter or local restaurant is often the better introduction.

Even the ubiquitous convenience stores are worth a look. Onigiri, bento, noodles and other simple foods are prepared with a care that can come as a pleasant surprise to a first-time visitor.

There will be plenty of time for more ambitious meals later in the journey.

An evening in Tokyo

After dinner, a short walk is worth making.

Tokyo changes considerably as daylight fades. Restaurant signs begin to glow, office workers make their way home and small streets take on a quieter, more intimate character.

You do not need a destination. Just wander for a while and see what is around you.

It is often during this first unplanned walk that Tokyo begins to feel less like a place being visited and more like somewhere you are actually staying.

A little etiquette

There is no need to learn a long list of Japanese rules before travelling. Courtesy and common sense will take you a long way.

Sumimasen is useful for excuse me or sorry, while arigato gozaimasu means thank you. A small nod when greeting someone is also perfectly appropriate.

Public spaces tend to be quieter than visitors from Britain may expect, particularly on trains. The Japan National Tourism Organization's guide to Japanese customs and manners is a good introduction if you want to understand a little more before you arrive.

One difference visitors notice is that tipping is not customary in Japan. In ordinary hotels, restaurants, taxis and other services, the price shown is generally the price to pay.

The following morning

Try to get up at a reasonable time, even if the first night has been disturbed by jet lag.

Tokyo in the morning has a completely different character. Commuters fill the stations, restaurants begin preparing for the day and neighbourhood shops gradually open their doors.

This is a good time to begin exploring properly.

If Japanese gardens are part of your interest in Japan, consider making one of them an early destination. A garden offers a quieter introduction to the country and provides an opportunity to notice the things that can easily be missed when moving quickly between attractions: the relationship between stone and planting, the use of water, the framing of a view and the careful transition between buildings and landscape.

The first 24 hours

The first day in Tokyo is not really about seeing as much as possible. It is about becoming comfortable in an unfamiliar place.

Find your hotel. Learn the route to the nearest station. Eat something you have not tried before. Take a walk simply because a street looks interesting.

By the following morning, much of what seemed unfamiliar on arrival will already have begun to make sense.

Tokyo is a city that rewards taking your time. The more you look, the more there is to notice.

Further information

GO TOKYO – Airport Access

GO TOKYO – Getting Around Tokyo

GO TOKYO – Luggage & Storage

Japan National Tourism Organization – Accommodation

Japan National Tourism Organization – Customs & Manners

Information checked against official Tokyo and Japan tourism sources in September 2026. Transport services and arrangements can change, so it is sensible to check the relevant official websites shortly before travelling.