What to see in Tokyo in 1 day

Asakusa is the neighborhood to start with, the one that best preserves the atmosphere of pre-modern Tokyo.

Here stands Senso-ji, the oldest Buddhist temple in the city: you reach it by crossing the Kaminarimon, the gate with the large red lantern, and walking along Nakamise-dori, the covered street lined with stalls selling traditional sweets and souvenirs.

Not far away looms Tokyo Skytree, Japan's tallest telecommunications tower: from its observation decks you can see the entire urban expanse, a good way to get an idea of the city's proportions before moving on.

In the early afternoon, you can head toward Meiji Jingu, the Shinto shrine nestled in an artificial forest of over 100,000 trees donated from across Japan: the contrast with the metropolis's traffic you've just left behind is stark, and the long approach avenue between the torii gates is one of the quietest paths in the city center.

Leaving the shrine, you're already in Harajuku, the youth fashion neighborhood: the short and crowded Takeshita-dori concentrates streetwear shops and colorful dessert cafes, while the parallel Omotesando has a more elegant character, with big-brand boutiques.

From here, one metro stop takes you to Shibuya, home to the world's busiest pedestrian crossing: when the light turns green, hundreds of people cross it simultaneously from every direction—a spectacle you can watch from above through the windows of cafes overlooking the intersection.

For the evening, two nearby neighborhoods offer different atmospheres: Omoide Yokocho, a maze of very narrow alleys just steps from Shinjuku Station with small smoking yakitori joints and few seats, or the Golden Gai district, with its rows of tiny bars each seating just a handful of people, often with a theme.

Traveling Tokyo between Asakusa and Shibuya, passing through the forest of the Meiji Jingu and the streets of Harajuku, puts face to face the two most recognizable souls of the city, the historic and the contemporary one, then leaving the evening choice between Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai.

Quarters like Akihabara, with its concentration of electronics and otaku culture, and the entire Ginza area remain left out, more suited to those with a second day at their disposal. But it is enough to move from a Shinto shrine to a crowded neon intersection to understand the contrasts that make Tokyo so particular.