This is a sample itinerary for the Tokyo Budget tour

Day 1
Departure from US (or other originating point), usually scheduled for midday.

Day 2
Arrive Narita Airport, usually late in the afternoon; met by Steve as you exit Customs.  Train ride into Tokyo; check in to Hotel.

Day 3
Visit Honganji Temple, Tsukiji market, Hama Rikyu Garden, ride the Waterbus to Asakusa, see Nakamise-dori shopping street and Senso-ji Temple.  We’ll rest briefly at our Hotel.  Then we are off to the Ginza for a walking tour.

Day 4
We will have a relaxed morning before heading over to quaint Yanaka Ginza for some browsing.  Then it is time to examine “Electric City” – Akihabara.  A train ride across town brings us to legendary Shinjuku throbbing with its wide variety of modern Japanese energies.  From the observation deck of the Metropolitan Government Building through the neon jungle and pricey department stores to the tiny back alleys of Kabuki-cho, we will observe the gamut. 

Day 5
We will visit Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park, & Harajuku.  After a break for lunch we will continue exploring Omotesando-dori, including the Oriental Bazaar, and Aoyama-dori.  This will bring us to Shibuya, starting our walking tour at the famous statue of Hachiko, the loyal dog.

Day 6
We begin the day with views of the Imperial Palace grounds, including a walk through the East Garden.  Two shrines – Yasukuni and Yushima – will reveal their contrasting emphases before and after a lunch break.  Then we discover many facets of Ueno Park before entering the bustling mazes of Ameyoko marketplace.

Day 7
We will spend the morning steeped in history at Edo-Tokyo Museum and Tokyo Reconstruction Museum; then we head over to Ebisu Garden Place before riding the Yurikamome Line to explore the unique range of entertainment on Odaiba.

Day 8
A train takes us to ancient Kamakura where we see the Great Buddha, plus Hase-dera, with its unique nooks and crannies, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.  It’s not too far to Yokohama to visit Chinatown and the Moto-machi District.  Our Farewell Dinner will be back in Tokyo.

Day 9
Free morning; return to Narita Airport to catch a late afternoon flight back home.