Tokyo is where most visitors to Japan begin, and for good reason. Two international airports, the world’s most efficient rail network radiating outward, and enough to fill a week before you even think about leaving. The practical question is not whether to include Tokyo - it is which airport to fly into, which neighbourhood to base yourself in, and how to use the transport system without overcomplicating it.
Twenty-plus years of visiting gives a clear picture of what actually matters versus what is overhyped. The Metro map looks intimidating but you will use maybe five or six lines. The neighbourhood you choose genuinely shapes your experience. And the difference between arriving at Haneda versus Narita is the difference between being in your hotel in thirty minutes versus ninety.
Getting there
Most long-haul flights arrive at Narita (NRT) or Haneda (HND). Haneda is significantly closer to central Tokyo - roughly twenty minutes by monorail versus sixty to ninety minutes from Narita. If your airline offers a choice, Haneda wins every time. JAL’s London service uses Narita, so UK travellers on the best direct option face the longer transfer. For full routing options by origin, see our Japan country guide.
Getting around
Tokyo’s rail network is dense, punctual, and covers everywhere you will want to go. The system looks intimidating on a map but in practice you will use maybe five or six lines. Get a Suica or Pasmo IC card immediately on arrival - it works on everything and saves fumbling with tickets.
The Tokyo Metro (thirteen lines) and JR East (including the Yamanote loop) handle almost all tourist movement. The Yamanote Line connects major hubs: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Ueno, Akihabara. Single rides from 170 yen.
Taxis are expensive for distance but useful late at night when trains stop around midnight. First trains resume around 5am. GO is the local rideshare app. And Tokyo is more walkable than it looks - many neighbourhood explorations are best on foot, particularly Asakusa, Yanaka, Shimokitazawa, and the smaller streets of Shinjuku and Shibuya.