Tokyo

Guides and travel notes from Tokyo, Japan.

Where to eat

The vitamin and energy drink shelves in a Tokyo 7-Eleven, with jelly drink pouches on top and rows of small glass bottles below. Food

Japan Convenience Store Vitamin Drinks: What We Bought at 7-Eleven

The Japan convenience store vitamin drinks we bought at 7-Eleven in Tokyo, what's really in each one, and when to drink it, checked against the labels.
Healthy 7-Eleven food in Tokyo: two green smoothies outside a 7-Eleven, a matcha smoothie cup, smoked salad chicken, and soft-boiled eggs Food

Healthy 7-Eleven Food in Japan: Green Smoothies, Protein, and What We Bought

The healthy food we bought at 7-Eleven in Tokyo, how to use the green smoothie machine, and the protein options on the shelf, with prices.
A Lawson convenience store lit up blue and white at night on a narrow Osaka street. Food

7-Eleven vs Lawson vs FamilyMart: Which Japanese Convenience Store Is Best?

7-Eleven vs Lawson vs FamilyMart, head to head. Our winner for onigiri, egg sandwiches, fried chicken, coffee, and sweets after a month in Tokyo.
7-Eleven Japan ice cream we'd buy again: a Choco Monaka Jumbo, a box of BRULEE, a Seven Premium Gold waffle cone, and a Coolish pouch held over the freezer Food

7-Eleven Japan Ice Cream: The 6 We'd Buy Again

The 7-Eleven Japan ice creams we kept buying in Tokyo, from Choco Monaka Jumbo to the viral BRULEE, with prices and what each one tastes like.
7-Eleven Japan food we'd buy again: sprinkle sandwiches on the shelf, a tuna mayo onigiri and egg salad sandwich, a Choco Monaka Jumbo, and a melty chocolate cookie Food

7-Eleven Japan Food: What to Buy (Our Must-Try List)

The 7-Eleven Japan food we'd buy again after a month in Tokyo, from the egg salad hot dog hack to the ice creams, with prices.
Two drinks at a Pokémon card cocktail bar in Tokyo, a purple one beside a Mewtwo V card and a yellow one beside a Pikachu card, each card on a small stand. Food

Pokémon Card Cocktail Bar in Tokyo: Is It Worth It?

Our honest review of FUN, the Pokémon card cocktail bar in Tokyo. How it works, what it costs, where to buy your card, and why we gave it a 4.
A self-order kiosk at Matsuya in Tokyo set to English, showing the beef bowl menu with a plain beef bowl for 460 yen, the kind of screen you use to order food in Japan. Food

How to Order Food in Japan: Kiosks, Ticket Machines, and Tablets

How to order food in Japan without speaking Japanese. Kiosks, ticket machines, table tablets, and call buttons, from a month of eating at Tokyo's chains.
A tempura rice bowl piled with shrimp, fish, and vegetable tempura at Tendon Tenya, a Japanese chain restaurant in Tokyo. Food

Why Chain Restaurants Are the Best Way to Eat in Japan

The best Japanese chain restaurants from our month in Tokyo, from Sushiro to Matsuya, and why chains are the cheapest, easiest way to eat in Japan.
Four of the best restaurant meals in Tokyo: a wagyu double cheeseburger at Shogun Burger, yakitori skewers at Torikizoku, a gyudon beef bowl with egg at Matsuya, and gyukatsu searing on a hot stone at Gyukatsu Motomura Food

The 11 Best Restaurants in Tokyo, Ranked

The 11 best restaurants in Tokyo, ranked after a month of eating there: what to order at each, what we paid, and our score out of 10.
Four Tokyo dishes, conveyor belt sushi at Sushiro, chicken katsu curry, okonomiyaki and monjayaki on a griddle, and a bowl of Ichiran tonkotsu ramen Food

The 14 Must-Eat Foods in Tokyo

The 14 must-eat foods in Tokyo, from conveyor belt sushi and katsu curry to yakitori and konbini egg sandos, after a month of eating our way through Tokyo.
Four plates of nigiri on red-and-white Sushiro plates in Tokyo, with salmon, tuna, negitoro, and yellowtail. Food

Sushiro vs Kura Sushi: Which Conveyor Belt Sushi Is Better in Japan?

Sushiro vs Kura Sushi, head to head in Tokyo. Our real bills, the fish, the belt vs ordering, and the prize game, with a winner for each.
Rare slices of breaded gyukatsu beef cutlet with pink centers on a black hot stone at Gyukatsu Motomura in Tokyo. Food

Gyukatsu Motomura Review: Is the Seared Beef Cutlet Worth the Line?

Our Gyukatsu Motomura review from Shinjuku. What gyukatsu is, how to sear it on the hot stone, what it costs, and the 45-minute catch.
An okonomiyaki covered in mayonnaise and bonito flakes on a teppan griddle at Osakaya in Shinjuku, Tokyo, with monjayaki cooking beside it. Food

Okonomiyaki vs Monjayaki: Our Morning at Osakaya

Trying monjayaki in Tokyo at Osakaya in Shinjuku, with okonomiyaki side by side, two hours of all-you-can-drink, what it costs, and our score.
A black plate of assorted yakitori skewers, including salted chicken breast with leek, sauced thigh, and hearts, at Torikizoku in Tokyo. Food

Torikizoku Review: Tokyo's 390-Yen Yakitori

Our Torikizoku Tokyo review: how the 390-yen menu and tablet work, the skewers to order (and skip), the 30-minute rice, and what we paid for two.
A round, sugar-crusted melon pan from a Japanese bakery in Tokyo, held in an open hand above the street Food

Japanese Bakery Guide: Melon Pan, Yakisoba Pan, and More

What to buy at a Japanese bakery in Tokyo: melon pan, yakisoba pan, black sesame buns, and egg sandwiches, from two lines at Donsuke Bakery.
A bowl of Ichiran tonkotsu ramen with red sauce and green onion in a wooden solo booth, with a draft beer, a salted egg, sliced chashu pork, and wrapped seaweed in Tokyo. Food

Is Ichiran Worth It? The Solo-Booth Ramen, Explained

Is Ichiran worth it? We ate the solo-booth ramen in Shinjuku at 8am with no line. How to order, what the set costs, and why we gave it an 8.
A bowl of Matsuya gyudon topped with sliced green onions and a raw egg yolk on a dark tray at Matsuya in Tokyo. Food

Matsuya Gyudon Review (and How the Kiosk Works)

Our Matsuya Tokyo review: the gyudon to order, the green onion and egg upgrade, what two bowls cost, and how the English ticket kiosk works.
A tray at Tendon Tenya in Tokyo with an All-Star Tendon tempura bowl, a basket of large shrimp tempura, miso soup, and yellow pickles. Food

Tendon Tenya Review

Our Tendon Tenya review from Tokyo: what to order, how the English kiosk works, the card-payment catch, and what cheap tempura for two cost us.
Plates of nigiri, including shrimp and seared tuna, riding the conveyor belt at Sushiro in Tokyo. Food

Sushiro Tokyo: How to Order Conveyor Belt Sushi

Our Sushiro Tokyo review: how to order on the English tablet, make your own green tea, what we ate, and what 26 plates of sushi cost us.
A white CoCo Ichibanya plate of pork cutlet curry, with the crispy sliced tonkatsu laid over white rice next to thick Japanese curry sauce, in Tokyo. Food

CoCo Ichibanya in Japan: How to Order Japanese Curry

Our CoCo Ichibanya Japan review from Shinjuku: how to order in English, the spice levels, the pork cutlet curry to get, and what we paid.
A Japanese breakfast in Tokyo at Yayoiken, a tray with grilled shima hokke fish, a bowl of rice, miso soup, mentaiko, a raw egg in soy sauce, and a bowl of natto, okra, and grated yam. Food

Japanese Breakfast in Tokyo: Yayoiken

Where to get a real Japanese breakfast in Tokyo for under $5. What's on the tray at Yayoiken, the breakfast menu and prices, and how to eat natto.
A double wagyu cheeseburger with melted cheddar, lettuce, and tomato in a paper wrap, with a draft beer behind it, at Shogun Burger in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Food

Shogun Burger Tokyo Review: Is the Wagyu Burger Worth It?

Our Shogun Burger Tokyo review: the double wagyu cheeseburger, the sauces worth trying, what two of us paid, and the branch with no crowds.
The giant copper cask covered in hammered copper flowers rising through the floors of Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo in Nakameguro. Food

Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo: Is It Worth It?

Our Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo review: the barrel-aged cold brew, the cocktail bar, all four floors, what we paid, and how entry tickets work.
Four Age.3 Ginza fried sandwiches: whipped cream, crème brûlée custard, egg salad, and beef short rib yakiniku with a boiled egg. Food

Age.3 Ginza: Are the Fried Sandwiches Worth the Line?

Our honest Age.3 Ginza review: we waited about an hour for four fried sandwiches in Tokyo. What to order, what to skip, and when the line is worth it.
A McDonald's Japan breakfast tray with a Chicken Tatsuta, a Mega Muffin, Petite Pancakes, Chicken McNuggets, corn and edamame, a Bacon Potato Pie, a Pompompurin Frappé, and a McFizz at a McDonald's in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Food

McDonald's in Japan

What's different at McDonald's in Japan? We tried 15 menu items in Shinjuku, from the Chicken Tatsuta and Samurai Mac to the Ebi Filet-O.

Where to stay

An empty sidewalk beside a quiet road near our apartment in Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, lined with hedges and mid-rise apartment buildings. Stay

The Best Neighborhoods in Tokyo for Digital Nomads

The best neighborhoods in Tokyo for digital nomads, from a month living in Shinjuku: where we'd live again, where we'd try next, and 4 more areas.
A modern mid-rise apartment building with a wood-paved entrance on a quiet residential street in Tokyo. Stay

Renting a Monthly Airbnb in Tokyo: How to Find, Book, and Live in One

How to rent a monthly Airbnb in Tokyo: legal listings, the 30-night rule, what a month costs, the passport copy, and what Japanese apartments are like.
Tokyu Kabukicho Tower rising above karaoke signs and shop buildings on a street in Shinjuku, Tokyo, under a clear blue sky. Stay

Staying in Shinjuku: Is It a Good Place to Stay in Tokyo?

Is Shinjuku a good place to stay in Tokyo? We lived there for a month. Which part to book, what we loved, what annoyed us, and who should skip it.
A wide, tree-lined Tokyo avenue running between office towers on a sunny day, with the red and white Tokyo Tower in the distance. Stay

Where to Stay in Tokyo: The Best Areas for Your First Trip

Where to stay in Tokyo, from a month living in Shinjuku: the best area for a first trip, how Shibuya, Ueno, and Asakusa compare, and who each suits.
Our apartment at unito residence Shinjuku Wakamatsu in Tokyo, with a wood kitchen counter and two gas burners in front of a gray sofa and curtained windows. Stay

unito residence Shinjuku Wakamatsu Review: Our Month in a Tokyo Airbnb

Our unito residence Shinjuku Wakamatsu review after a month in a Tokyo Airbnb. The heated bidet, the nightly bath, the price, and who should book.
A Shinjuku intersection at night under tall buildings covered in neon signs, with a taxi waiting at the crosswalk, Tokyo. Stay

Shinjuku vs Shibuya: Why We Chose Shinjuku (and Who Should Pick Shibuya)

Shinjuku vs Shibuya: we lived in Shinjuku for a month and spent a full day in Shibuya. Hotel prices, food, nightlife, shopping, and trains, compared.

Things to do

A colorful Pokémon manhole cover with Tyrunt and Wynaut set into the pavement in Ueno Park, Tokyo. Things to do

Pokémon GO in Tokyo: The Best Spots to Play

Where to play Pokémon GO in Tokyo, from Shinjuku and Ueno Park to Ikebukuro, plus every Pokémon Center, the Poké Lids, PokéPark KANTO, and card shops.
Bernie and Cream taking a selfie with peace signs in front of the colorful Pokémon GO Fest Tokyo 2026 entrance arch by Tokyo Bay. Things to do

Pokémon GO Fest Japan: What to Expect

What to expect at Pokémon GO Fest Japan from two Japan GO Fests: which ticket and add-ons to buy, the park day, the city days, and tips to last all week.
Bernie and Cream smiling and making peace signs in a selfie in front of the giant Unicorn Gundam statue in Odaiba, Tokyo. Things to do

Tokyo for Couples: Is Tokyo Romantic?

Is Tokyo good for couples? Yes. Our romantic things to do in Tokyo, from Odaiba sunsets and sushi dates to onsen spas, night views, and where to stay.
A panda topiary covered in green leaves in Ueno, Tokyo, with a white panda face peeking out of the plants. Things to do

12 Things to Do in Ueno, Tokyo (Ueno Park and Ameyoko Market)

The best things to do in Ueno, Tokyo: Ueno Park's temples and museums, the Moon Pine, Ameyoko market, and a half-day route, with prices and hours.
Blue, purple, and pink hydrangeas in bloom along a park path in Tokyo in early summer. Things to do

Things to Do in Tokyo in June

Things to do in Tokyo in June, from hydrangea and iris gardens to shrine festivals, fireflies, rooftop beer, and a plan for rainy days.
The sun setting over Tokyo Bay behind Rainbow Bridge and the city skyline, seen from the rocky shore of Odaiba, Tokyo. Things to do

The 15 Best Things to Do in Odaiba, Tokyo

The best things to do in Odaiba, from the Rainbow Bridge sunset and the new fountain show to the Gundam Base, with costs, times, and what's closed now.
The cat statue at the entrance to Ameyoko market street in Ueno, Tokyo, under the red arch sign. Things to do

The 16 Best Things to Do in Tokyo (and What to Skip)

The best things to do in Tokyo from a month in Shinjuku: neon nights, Nakameguro, Odaiba sunsets, the big sights, prices, free picks, and what to skip.
The Godzilla head on top of the Shinjuku Toho Building in Kabukicho, Tokyo, against a blue sky. Things to do

The 17 Best Things to Do in Shinjuku, Tokyo

The best things to do in Shinjuku, from the Godzilla head and Golden Gai to a free city view, with costs, hours, and a day-to-night route.
A pink rose bush in full bloom spilling over a low wall beside a brick sidewalk in Tokyo in May. Things to do

10 Things to Do in Tokyo in May (Our Favorite Month)

The best things to do in Tokyo in May: flowers, green parks, Sanja Matsuri, sumo, Pokémon GO Fest, rooftop beer gardens, and how to handle Golden Week.

Plan your trip

A glass office tower reflecting the Tokyo sky above a round fountain on a patterned stone plaza. Plan

How Long Can You Stay in Japan? (Visa Guide for Digital Nomads)

How long can you stay in Japan? The 90-day visa-free entry, Visit Japan Web, the remote work rules, and what Japan's digital nomad visa really takes.
Supermarket bento boxes in Tokyo stacked under 598-yen price stickers, with tempura rice bowls and rolled omelet. Plan

Cost of Living in Tokyo: What a Month Cost the Two of Us

The real cost of living in Tokyo from our month in Shinjuku: rent, food, trains, and phone, about $3,200 to $3,600 for two, plus what a longer stay costs.
A Kabukicho street in Shinjuku, Tokyo, lined with tall vertical shop signs under a clear blue morning sky. Plan

Is Tokyo Good for Digital Nomads?

Is Tokyo good for digital nomads? Our month working from a Shinjuku apartment: wifi, rent, cheap food, coworking, cafe time limits, and the visa.
A sunny Kabukicho street in Shinjuku, Tokyo, lined with shop signs, billboards, and tall buildings. Plan

How Many Days in Tokyo? Our 3, 5, 7, and 10-Day Plans

How many days in Tokyo? Our answer after a month there, with 3, 5, 7, and 10-day plans built one area at a time, plus the best day trips.
The Moon Pine, a pine tree trained into a circle, seen from the red railing of Kiyomizu Kannon-do above the green trees of Ueno Park in Tokyo. Plan

The Best Time to Visit Tokyo

The best time to visit Tokyo, month by month: what May was really like, the rainy season, cherry blossoms, fall leaves, crowds, and the cheapest weeks.
A wide, tree-lined avenue running between glass skyscrapers in Tokyo, Japan, under a blue sky with scattered clouds. Plan

Is Tokyo Worth Visiting? Our Honest Take After a Month

Is Tokyo worth visiting? Our honest verdict after a month living in Shinjuku, what we loved, what we didn't, and who should wait for a longer trip.
Pedestrians in everyday summer clothes walk down a busy Shibuya shopping street lined with shops, signs, and banners under a bright blue sky. Plan

What to Wear in Tokyo: A Month-by-Month Guide

What to wear in Tokyo in every month, from what we wore living in Shinjuku in May to winter coats, rainy season gear, and walking shoes.
Four things to know before visiting Tokyo: an English-language self-order kiosk at Tendon Tenya, subway ticket gates, packed convenience store fridge shelves, and the Godzilla head over Shinjuku at dusk. Plan

22 Things to Know Before Visiting Tokyo

Things to know before visiting Tokyo, from a month living in Shinjuku. Suica, train exits, English kiosks, trash cans, tipping, and the mistakes to skip.
A departure board at Keisei Ueno Station showing the next Skyliner to Narita Airport, with the white Skyliner train waiting at the platform. Plan

Narita to Shinjuku: Skyliner or Narita Express?

How to get from Narita to Shinjuku by Skyliner, Narita Express, bus, or taxi, with 2026 fares, and the mistake that nearly cost us our flight home.
A long row of single wooden seats along a conveyor belt sushi counter in Tokyo, each with its own ordering screen and a divider between seats. Plan

Is Japan Good for Solo Travel? Our Honest Take

Is Japan good for solo travel? After a month in Tokyo, our take on eating alone, safety, capsule hotels, and why being on your own is normal.
The Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo skyline silhouetted against an orange sunset over Tokyo Bay, seen from the beach at Odaiba, Japan. Plan

Japan as Your First International Trip: Is It Too Scary?

Is Japan a good first international trip? Our honest answer after a month in Tokyo, what felt intimidating at first, and the game plan we'd give a first-timer.
A wide Shinjuku intersection at night, lit by neon signs and billboards on the buildings around it, Tokyo. Plan

Is Tokyo Safe? What We Learned Living There for a Month

Is Tokyo safe? After a month living in Shinjuku: walking home at night, the Kabukicho bar touts, women alone, trains, earthquakes, and tap water.
A clean Toei Oedo Line platform at Wakamatsu-kawada Station in Tokyo, with signs for platform 2 toward Iidabashi and platform 1 toward Shinjuku-nishiguchi and route maps on the pillars. Plan

Tokyo Metro 101: How to Ride the Subway in Tokyo

How to use the Tokyo Metro, step by step. Paying with Suica, picking the right platform, counting station numbers, and finding the right exit.
Empty ticket gates at a Tokyo subway station, with green pillars and a pink ticket machine on the left. Plan

How to Get Around Tokyo (and Is It Walkable?)

How to get around Tokyo after a month living in Shinjuku. Trains, Suica on your phone, picking the right exit, taxis, and how walkable Tokyo is.
A quiet stone path lined with trees and lanterns leading to a red torii gate at a small shrine in Tokyo. Plan

Dos and Don'ts in Japan: How to Be a Respectful Tourist

Dos and don'ts in Japan from a month living in Tokyo. Trains, escalators, restaurants, trash, shrines, and onsens, plus the rules you can relax about.
A yellow sign on a restaurant kiosk in Tokyo reading "Only cash and transportation ICs can be used" in Japanese and English, with a crossed-out credit card. Plan

Cash or Card in Japan? How We Paid, and Whether to Tip

Cash or card in Japan? How a month in Tokyo went on card and Suica, when you still need yen, 7-Eleven ATMs, tax on price tags, and tipping.
Glass skyscrapers rising above a wide crosswalk in Shibuya, Tokyo, under a blue sky with scattered clouds. Plan

The Best Apps for Tokyo: The 11 on Our Phones for a Month

The best apps for Tokyo from a month living in Shinjuku. Apple Maps, Suica, Google Translate, Tabelog, Uber, and the rest, plus useful apps for your trip.