The Perfect Tokyo Layover Stop
On our way to Thailand, we had a 8 hour layover in Tokyo, Japan. And us being us- we had to leave the airport and squeeze every minute out of the layover we could to explore Tokyo. Below are some tips and things we did during the 8 hour layover. We can’t wait to return and do a full tour of Japan!
Leaving the Airport
I highly recommend doing all the immigration forms online during flight or before departing your city of origin to speed up the immigration process. This took us a bit of time and ate up nearly an hour of our layover. There are restrooms and even public lounges with showers you can pay for at the airport if you want to freshen up before/after your layover adventures. There are also lockers you can rent to store your luggage during your layover so you’re not lugging it around the city.
Transportation
Taking an Uber from the airport into Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo isn’t advised. However, we didn’t have it in us to figure out the train system. Due to traffic, it took nearly an hour to get into Shibuya Crossing.
Exploring Shibuya
Shibuya is the most chaotic and overstimulating – in the best way- place I’ve ever been to. It is similar to Times Square Manhattan x3. Everything is in a Japanese, including Google Maps, so it made it difficult to find our way around at times.
Donté and I both decided we wanted sneakers as our souvenir from Tokyo so we went directly to the Oniktsaku Tiger and Bathing Ape Flagship stores. Both locations were busy and getting my hands on the metallic silver and Kill Bill Onitsuka sneakers were hard! They sell out quickly so it’s best to go to the stores early in the morning.
Admittedly, we underestimated our time in Tokyo and didn’t get to do much of anything besides shop and grab a quick bite before needing to head back to the airport. I did put a list of activities/things to do that I will share below.
Things to do in Tokyo
- 360 Degree view of Tokyo at Shibuya Sky at Shibuya Scramble Square
- Asakusa & Sensō-ji Temple (Tokyo’s most famous temple with Nakamise shopping street for souvenirs)
- Food at Tsujiki market
- Eat sushi at Sushi no Midori Ginza (famous sushi, quick but high quality)
- Shopping at Yanaka Ginza and Shinjuku
- Monkey Adventure Kart
- Shibuya Crossing & Hachikō Statue
- Conveyor-belt sushi in Shibuya or Ginza
- Ichiran Ramen (fast, solo booth ramen experience)
