M&M Travel Journal · Japan
Tokyo travel guide
Big city lights. Tiny restaurants. A place we didn’t want to leave.
Tokyo was a city we had dreamed about for years. It still managed to surprise us. Our favorite memories stretch from playful rooms at teamLab to lantern-lit alleys where dinner turned into an evening of conversation.
Our Tokyo
Leave some room for the evening
We went to Tokyo with a long list of things we wanted to see. We came home thinking just as much about the little places between them: a restaurant with only a handful of seats, a conversation with another traveler, and one more street that Matt wanted to photograph.
This Tokyo travel guide brings together the ten favorites in our video, plus Shinbashi, which deserves a mention of its own. These aren’t ranked, and we wouldn’t try to squeeze them all into a single day. The biggest lesson from our trip? Tokyo deserves your energy after sunset, too.
When the lights come on
Shinjuku, and the alleys we kept coming back to
Shinjuku after dark
Shinjuku made a wonderful home base for us. We could walk into the action, then retreat somewhere quieter when we were ready to sleep. At night, the signs, reflections, and layers of light were irresistible to Matt. There was always another photograph around the corner.
Omoide Yokocho
This little pocket of Shinjuku became one of our favorite places in Tokyo. Lanterns hung over narrow lanes, smoke drifted out of tiny kitchens, and the smell of sizzling meat made it very difficult to keep walking.
We ate here several times. Some restaurants had room for only five or ten people, which made conversations feel almost inevitable. We traded travel stories with the people beside us, and a meal became much more than a stop for food. We had a hard time leaving.
Golden Gai
Golden Gai gave us another version of the small-space, big-personality side of Tokyo. Its little bars are part of the appeal, but the people made our evening. We met a photographer named Sandeep, and that conversation turned into time out photographing the streets together.
Those encounters are a good reason to leave an evening open. You can plan a neighborhood; you can’t plan who you’ll meet there.
A bonus: Shinbashi
Shinbashi felt different again. Around the railway tracks, the restaurants and after-work crowds gave us a glimpse of a more everyday Tokyo. It was a place we enjoyed wandering for dinner, rather than somewhere we went to tick off a major sight.
Picture menus helped when words didn’t. We didn’t need to understand every sign to have a good evening.
A different kind of energy
Our daytime discoveries
teamLab Planets in Toyosu
We loved teamLab Planets. Instead of standing back and looking at art, we found ourselves inside it: surrounded by light, reflections, and enormous glowing spheres. It was playful, strange, and wonderfully absorbing.
Even getting there added something to the day. We took the Yurikamome train and enjoyed the views over the water on the way. Make sure you’re booking teamLab Planets in Toyosu, the venue in our video, and read the current visitor guidance before you go.
Shibuya Crossing
There’s watching Shibuya Crossing in a video, and then there’s standing there as the streams of people start moving. We enjoyed seeing it from above at MAGNET by SHIBUYA109. A very persistent hornet also joined us, which made Michelle considerably less relaxed than the view deserved.
Shibuya also delivered Michelle’s favorite pork katsu of the trip. Our regret was leaving before seeing the neighborhood at night.
Planning note: The rooftop venue shown in our video now operates as CROSSING VIEW & ROOFTOP LOUNGE MAG8. Check its current admission details instead of following the old vending-machine instructions in the video.
Takeshita Street, Harajuku
Takeshita Street was fun for a completely different reason: fashion, colorful shops, cafés, and a crowd with its own youthful energy. We joked about finding an outfit for a birthday. We were happy just taking it all in.
It was busy when we visited. For us, the pleasure was the atmosphere and people-watching, rather than having a specific shopping mission.
Akihabara
Gaming, anime, electronics: Akihabara knows its audience, and Matt was delighted to be part of it. Yodobashi was a particular draw. Seeing adults excitedly lining up for a new video game was a reminder that this sort of enthusiasm doesn’t have an age limit.
Like Shibuya, this is somewhere we wished we had also explored after dark.
Asakusa and Sensō-ji
The huge red lanterns and temple grounds made Asakusa feel like another side of the city. The shopping approach was especially crowded, but the bustle was part of the experience. We enjoyed seeing the temple and spending time around the grounds, beyond the busiest stretch of shops.
Tsukiji Outer Market
Tsukiji was a place to arrive hungry. Sushi, sashimi, and wagyu were all part of the temptation. The wagyu was an expensive treat for us, rather than an everyday travel meal.
We’d make this a morning outing. Individual businesses keep their own hours and closing days, so use the official market guide and calendar when planning your visit.
Stay for the changing light
Tokyo from above
Our visit to Mori Tower was timed for sunset, and we were glad we stayed as daylight gave way to the city lights. Tokyo Tower glowed below us, and Mount Fuji appeared on the horizon. It was one of those evenings when putting the camera away felt almost impossible.
Comfort between adventures
Where we stayed in Tokyo
Our two hotel stays gave us quite different experiences of the city. One made it easy to walk into Shinjuku’s nightlife; the other made staying in and watching the skyline feel like part of the trip.
Daiwa Roynet, Nishi-Shinjuku
Our Shinjuku base was clean and comfortable, close enough to walk to the action but far enough away for quieter nights. That balance worked well for us. The hotel is currently listed as Daiwa Roynet Hotel Nishi-Shinjuku PREMIER.
Park Hotel Tokyo
At Park Hotel Tokyo, the view became an activity of its own. We could relax in the room while Matt’s camera captured a time lapse of the skyline. We also enjoyed exploring nearby Shinbashi for food and a different evening atmosphere.
Next time
What we’d do differently
Plan for day and night
We saw a lot, but we didn’t always have enough energy left for the evening. Next time we’d stay out later on some nights and let ourselves sleep in. Shibuya and Akihabara would be high on our after-dark list.
Leave time to stay put
Omoide Yokocho wasn’t just a place to photograph and move on from. Sitting down, ordering something, and talking to the people beside us created some of our best memories. We’d protect time for more of that.
For a starting point, open the map linked with our Tokyo video ↗. Group nearby places together, then leave space for whatever catches your eye.
Visitor links and the attraction changes above were checked in October 2026. Our video and photographs document our own earlier visit; opening hours, admission, and exhibits can change.
Come with us
Watch our Tokyo journey
Our 17-minute video brings together the ten places we enjoyed most, the streets between them, and the moments that made Tokyo feel so special to us.
Keep exploring
More from our travels
Places we love
More personal journals, photographs, and honest reflections.
Tokyo left us wanting more
The big views were wonderful. So were the little restaurants, unexpected conversations, and evenings that lasted longer than planned.
No luxury. No hostels. Real travel for real people.
Travel well. Make it count.