Fernwayer’s Tours in Tokyo

Tokyo is vast and ever-changing. In a city where even locals can sometimes become confused navigating enormous and complicated train stations, Tokyo can feel overwhelming for visitors who are strangers to Japanese language and culture. Fernwayer is here to help. Offering you rare-access experiences focusing on unique aspects of Tokyo's culture, heritage, and attractions, you can dive deeply into the heart and soul of the city without fear of being lost in it.

Our secret sauce is our Experience Makers: locals insiders who bring a wealth of knowledge wrapped in intriguing storytelling, delivered with the warmth and hospitality you expect from the Japanese omotenashi spirit. A journalist -photographer guides you through ancient neighborhoods to shops and restaurants she has discovered that have been in business for centuries. A DJ/Musician takes you to his favorite hidden shops to purchase vintage vinyl. A kimono researcher invites you into her home to see and feel an immense collection of rare kimono and Japanese textiles. These are the real Tokyoites inviting you into seeing the fascinating culture of Tokyo and beyond the way they do.

But even if you are a first-time visitor to Tokyo aiming to see as much of the city as possible, Fernwayer offers experiences that include Tokyo's top attractions presented from a new perspective, led by Experience Makers who are invested in knowing the city at a deeper level.

A city as vast and diverse as Tokyo simply has too much to offer its visitors — which is why we curated a selection for you. A time travel tour to some of Tokyo's top attractions from the Edo Period to the modern age. A seat at a perennially award winning yakitori restaurant where who you know determines if you get in. A tour of Ginza's architectural modern art led by a photographer-journalist who will teach you to see buildings from a new perspective. Whether you're a first time visitor to Tokyo looking to get an overview or a repeat visitor who wants to dive deeper into the city's wonders, we have an experience that's a perfect fit for you.

Discover our essential Tokyo experiences or browse our entire Tokyo list here.

We Can Help

Prefer expert guidance? In a one-hour session, we'll design a tailored itinerary anchored in Fernwayer’s exclusive experiences, self-explore spots, and handpicked dining and hotel recommendations. While we don’t handle bookings, we’ll help you craft an unforgettable journey. Book a consult at info@fernwayer.com. Share where you want to go, how many days, interests, and group size.

Photography Tours

When it comes to photography tours, it takes more than pretty scenery to make a great image. Fernwayer's photography tours are led by experienced professionals who are not only well versed in the technical but also understand the context and history of Tokyo's multi-faceted neighborhoods. See Ginza as a larger-than-life art gallery of architecture and learn how to capture the best images of its contemporary buildings. Explore "Disappearing Tokyo" in a neighborhood undergoing a slow redevelopment that a photographer has been documenting for a decade. Learn how to capture the vitality of one the Sanja Matsuri, one of Tokyo's oldest and largest annual festivals.

Craft Experiences

Nothing draws you closer to a new culture than a hands-on experience with its crafts. Feel the texture of handwoven silk of the museum quality kimonos from the immense collection of a famous kimono expert. Visit a city near Tokyo making handcrafted dolls for centuries and make your own under the guidance of a master artisan. Enjoy a relaxing time of sashiko embroidery in a cozy shop in the Tokyo suburbs.

Local Life Experiences

Tokyo isn't a theme park that puts on an elaborate show for overseas visitors; it is the place 13 million Tokyoites call home. Fernwayer's local life experiences give you a glimpse into authentic Tokyo and Japanese culture. Raise a glass with the regulars frequenting a tiny Shinjuku yakitori shop or experience the rhythm of the shotengai shopping street in a quiet Tokyo neighborhood, the social center of Japanese neighborhoods from generations past.

Tokyo Neighborhood Guide

Shinjuku

The quintessential Tokyo neighborhood, Shinjuku has everything: thousands of restaurants, endless shopping, and access to the rest of the city and beyond via the busiest train station in the world. An extrovert's paradise and introvert's hell, Shinjuku is a polarizing place for first timers.

Shibuya

Once the playground for 20-somethings, Shibuya has grown up in the past decade, becoming the technology hub of the city. But the neighborhood still attracts millions to iconic Shibuya Crossing, the Hachiko statue, and alluring nightlife. Check out the new version of Miyashita Park with exclusive shops and a skate park and climbing wall on the roof.

Harajuku and Omotesando

No longer a hangout for teenaged cosplayers and fashionistas, but you'll still find a few among the throngs of visitors enjoying this dense shopping area. Harajuku is geared for the teenaged crowd with trendy snacks and shops selling blingy accessories while Omotesando is more sophisticated with brand name boutiques and upscale vintage shops.

Ueno

Home to sprawling Ueno Park with its zoo and world-class museums, Ueno is one of Tokyo's best examples of Western civilization's influence on Japan after the era of the samurai ended. Nearby Yanaka is one of Tokyo's best preserved districts from this era.

Marunouchi

Tokyo's original financial district retains the elegance of its late 19th century roots with brick buildings exemplified by the western face of Tokyo Station. Nearby Nihonbashi was the heart of Tokyo when it was still called Edo and preserves much of its cultural heritage. Recommended experience: The Shinise of Old Tokyo

Ginza and Tsukiji

One of the world's most iconic shopping districts hasn't lost its shine in well over a century with its architecturally stunning flagship stores of world famous fashion brands gracing its high-class streets. Recommended experience: Ginza's Architectural Icons

Roppongi and Azabu

The once-seedy Roppongi district cleaned up its act in the past few decades, and now seems a rightful sibling to neighboring Azabu, both home to new luxury hotels, high-end shopping centers, and contemporary art museums.

Greater Tokyo and Beyond

Even from the observation deck of Tokyo Sky Tree, the city stretches beyond the horizon in every direction. Tokyo still has pockets of traditional neighborhoods outside of the central city, and day trips to places that feel like other world's are only an hour or two away.

Where should I stay in Tokyo?

Choosing a home base accommodation in Tokyo depends very much on your travel style and personality type. Based on your priorities for accommodations, here are some simple guidelines for selecting a location.

Luxury first. The Marunouchi area around Tokyo Station has a high concentration of luxury hotels and resorts and a quiet, relaxed atmosphere after dark. It's also close the the glitzy Ginza shopping district with its many fine dining establishments. The Roppongi / Azabu area has several new five-star hotels geared more for a younger audience as Roppongi has a famous, and formerly infamous, nightlife. Shinjuku has a handful of luxury hotels which are for the most part quite a distance from where the action is.

I want to play all night. Shinjuku and Shibuya are the Tokyo that never sleeps. There are plenty of mid-range hotels in these areas, although demand keeps the pricing higher than other parts of the city. Still, if your plan includes all-night karaoke and clubbing or bar and izakaya hopping into the wee hours, these are the neighborhoods you'll want to stay in.

I'm traveling with family. Tokyo hotel rooms are notoriously small and finding places that are family-sized has not always been easy. Recently, however, you'll find more accommodations for families popping up around the city. The highest concentration of family-sized units is around Ueno and Asakusa which also usually include small kitchens for those who want to eat in occasionally. You'll also find family accommodations around the Tokyo Disney Resort area (Maihama and Shin-Urayasu stations), although those are a little far from the central city.

I'm looking for a good value. Mid-range 3 and 4 star hotels are plentiful throughout Tokyo and the standard of quality is generally quite high. Prices vary mainly by demand, so choosing a location that is lesser known is the best way to get a good deal. Non-touristy stations on the Yamanote train line like Shinagawa, Takadanobaba, and Hamamatsucho have less expensive mid-range hotels that still provide convenient access to the rest of the city. For the ultimate in good value, however, consider staying in nearby Yokohama, less than an hour from Tokyo, with room rates at a steep discount from comparable hotels in the central city.

What's the best way to get around Tokyo?

Tokyo, and Japan in general, boasts one of the best public transportation systems in the world. With hundreds of train and subway stations around the city, you are never more than a few minutes' walk from a train, and using the train system in Tokyo has never been easier, with most lines providing multilingual signage. There are many bus lines criss-crossing the city as well, but bus service is a little more challenging to use for overseas visitors. IC transit cards like Suica and PASMO work on trains, subways, and buses, however, so payment is easy. Download the Japan Transit Planner app for your smartphone to help make getting around much easier.

For the more adventurous, several services offer rental bicycles, e-bikes, and electric kick scooters which are available at stations all over the city. You'll need to download the specific apps for each service, but once you do, you'll be able to use these types of vehicles to explore the streets of Tokyo.

How do I get to my Tokyo hotel from the airport?

Most visitors to Tokyo fly into one of its two international airports, Narita or Haneda, now officially named Tokyo International Airport. Narita is a bit farther from the city, but there are many public transportation options including express trains and bus service that can get you to central Tokyo in about an hour.

Haneda is relatively close to the city and trains or bus service can take you to the central city in 30-45 minutes, depending on your destination. Taxi service is also much more affordable, with a normal taxi ride costing about ¥8,000-10,000.

Private transport options are also available through a number of providers, with airport-to-hotel direct service provided by professional, English-speaking drivers. You can book most online before your trip and several offer same-day bookings by phone in English. Prices average ¥22,000 from Haneda and ¥34,000 from Narita.

When is the best time to visit Tokyo?

Common advice is to visit Tokyo during cherry blossom season, which is late March and early April. You might take this advice with a grain of salt, however, as peak season for cherry blossoms is short and difficult to predict in advance, and the throngs of visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of this spectacle drives up prices and makes Tokyo feel, well, touristy.

Spring and Autumn offer the best weather in Tokyo, not too hot or cold and with a scattering of rainy days among many fine weather days. Schedule your trip in the Spring after cherry blossom season for the best weather or before cherry blossom season for less crowds. Winter is also a wild card season for trips to Tokyo; there are much fewer tourists, few rainy days, and incredible seasonal events like winter illuminations of attractions or entire neighborhoods.

The times you want to avoid visiting Tokyo are around the major national holiday periods when you have to contend with huge numbers of domestic travelers as well as ones from abroad. These are New Years (Dec 29-Jan 3), Golden Week (dates vary in early May) and Obon Week (around the second week of August). In recent years, summer weather in Tokyo has become increasingly unbearable as well, particularly in July and August when temperatures can regularly exceed 32 degrees C (90 degrees F) with high humidity.

What attractions should I book in advance?

With a bounty of things to do in Tokyo, there are relatively few attractions that require you to book in advance. However, if there are specific dates and times you want to visit an attraction, it can be useful to make reservations or purchase tickets in advance.

The perpetually popular Ghibli Museum is a favorite attraction of film and anime lovers, and the opening of the larger Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture has done little to sate the demand for tickets, which go on sale online once a month on the 10th of the month before and are sold out in minutes. If you must visit this museum, be prepared to pay inflated prices for package deals.

Tokyo Disney Resorts is sometimes, but not always fully booked, especially around special events or holidays, so it's best to buy tickets in advance. This also saves you an extra wait at the park entrance when you could be heading to the popular rides before the rest of the crowd.

Traditional events and performances like sumo tournaments or kabuki theater plays should be booked in advance as tickets are generally limited.

Although popular, it is rarely necessary to purchase tickets more than a day in advance for attactions like TeamLab Borderless or Planets or for observation decks at Tokyo Sky Tree or Shibuya Sky, unless you have a specific date and time you need to visit.

How far ahead should I book restaurants?

Because Tokyo is full of great restaurants, it is rarely necessary to book even a fine dining establishment more than a few days before you wish to dine there. If you can be flexible, you can get a reservation at most restaurants, even with Michelin stars, although the ultra-famous Sukibayashi Jiro in Ginza is now nearly inaccessible to anyone who doesn't have an inside connection (and in our opinion, not worth the effort considering the plethora of fine sushi restaurants that are far easier to book).

Keep in mind, however, that many of Tokyo's best restaurants are tiny establishments that don't even accept reservations. For these places, you'll have to line up early and get lucky, or find a local connection who can get you in, like Fernwayer's exclusive dining experience in a diminutive award-winning yakitori shop.

What are Tokyo's best day trip destinations?

Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing, and a little escape from Tokyo during a week-long stay is one way to recharge your batteries in places with a totally different vibe. Fortunately, there are many destinations within an hour or two of Tokyo accessible by public transportation which are very different from the capital.

Nature lovers can enjoy trips to the Mt. Fuji Five Lakes area, the most popular of which is Lake Kawaguchiko, with splendid views of the iconic volcano on clear days. Keep in mind that you can't actually hike Mt. Fuji in a single day and there are many days a year when the view is less than optimal, even from close up. From December to April are your best chances for a perfect view of the mountain, even from observation decks in Tokyo.

For a mix of nature and history, there are two popular destinations within 2 hours of Tokyo. Kamakura is the former capital of Japan from 700 years ago, filled with historic temples and shrines and a view of Mt. Fuji across Sagami Bay. Nikko is the mountainous site of the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the Shogun who united Japan in the early 17th century and ushered in 270 years of relative peace and prosperity. The gold-leaf covered structures with exquisitely detailed carvings sit among misty mountains and near roiling rivers and waterfalls.

If you'd like to escape the city by visiting another city, nearby Yokohama offers a more relaxed atmosphere than Tokyo with an international port city flair and plenty of attractions and shopping to keep you busy for more than a day. Kawagoe is another nearby city, known by its nickname "Little Edo" for its preserved historical buildings that did not survive natural and man-made disasters in Tokyo itself.

What are the best ways to avoid Tokyo's tourist crowds?

As Japan has topped the list of tourist destinations in recent years, it's become harder to avoid the crowds of tourists that swarm the city's most popular attractions. One strategy is to travel during off-season and shoulder seasons, generally late September to mid November and January to early March. You may even be fortunate to enjoy some fine weather during those times.

The most important bit of advice, however, is to understand that even during peak season, not every place in Tokyo is full of tourists. Some areas like Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Asakusa are constantly full of tourists and simply cannot be avoided if you want to see attractions in those areas. But by minimizing your overlap with the majority of tourists, you can enjoy the city without worrying about the crowds. Fernwayer offers many opportunities to try something different, from photo walks focused on disappearing Tokyo to learning a traditional craft like sashiko embroidery to discovering the underground music scene with a DJ / musical artist, you can experience a different side of Tokyo any time of the year. We also offer unique tours to some of Tokyo's top attractions that allow you to enjoy them with or without the crowds.

What is the best under-the-radar activity in Tokyo?

One of the most overlooked aspects of Tokyo is that the entire city is accessible to tourists. As one of the world's safest cities, you can simply take a stroll around the city and see glimpses of a culture that is completely different from your own. Walking around Tokyo is one of the most enjoyable things you can do, either by wandering on your own or on a guided tour with a purpose. Fernwayer offers many walking tours of Tokyo with unique themes and expert guides who can introduce you to the Tokyo few people get to see. Check out our tours of Ginza's masterpieces of modern architecture or restaurants and businesses that have been in existence for centuries.