The discovery of the capital of Japan is a great shock. This city is exciting, bubbling, incredible and without equal in the world! Within the gigantic Tōkyō lie ultra-modern districts with skyscrapers competing in audacity and elegance and residential districts with traditional houses and Shinto temples, with small holy statues at a street crossing and a bicycle path along a canal... Here modernism meets tradition. We leave a five-storey store dedicated to cameras only to eat in a small restaurant in udon house. If high-tech is a religion here, so is citizenship, which police actions and all excesses. Not a hair protrudes! Nobody pushes you around on the subway. No one misses their train! Tōkyō is also the pleasure of eating Japanese delicacies on every street corner and making your bento to your liking, of finding a small shop selling second-hand kimonos, of discovering a craftsman who prepares, in the tradition, fresh tofu every day. Of course, you will visit the sanctuary shintō Meiji at the imposing gate and the surrounding woods and public gardens dominated by the Imperial Palace (Kōkyo), not to mention keeping time to discover the collections of the city's museums. For a great moment, treat yourself to a ryokan (traditional inn) or a bath in the hot springs of the surroundings. And it's better to plan it: you'll come back with Japanese dishes!

The must-see places in Tokyo

What to do in Tokyo ?

guide de voyage, Geisha. - © Jona SANPO Tokyo

Tokyo's Unavoidable

Every time has its history, but no history can continue as much as in Tokyo. Between ancestral temples and modern skyscrapers, the capital of Japan is in perfect balance between past and future. But this balance is not only architectural, it is also in myths. Place to love and loyalty with legendary dog Hachiko ╩, or switch into a world of vengeance and honor with the 47 ringins. In this vortex of opposites, contradictions, it is hard to ...

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Suggested addresses Tokyo

When to go to Tokyo?

As in all major capitals, stays in Tokyo can be planned throughout the year. However, spring and autumn are the high tourist seasons during which hotel rates are highest. Since accommodation is the most important budgetary expenditure in Japan, it may be interesting to go out of season. To avoid the highest crowds and pay less, the best period is late November-early December, late February-early March, or late May and June, the low tourist season in Japan. Note that if you go to Japan in the spring, you will have the pleasure of attending Hanami, the festival that celebrates cherry blossoms. The spectacle of this flowering will enchant you!

  • Weather forecast
  • Budget
  • Procedures
  • Health
  • Discovery
Weather at the moment
Weather all year round

Tokyo has a humid subtropical climate. The city enjoys relatively mild winters, with little or no snow (5/6°C in January and February). But summers are hot (often over 32°C) and especially very humid. Spring and autumn combine the best weather conditions with pleasant temperatures and are the tourist high season. The rest of the year corresponds globally to the low tourist season.

Budget

The currency is the yen, the exchange rate is easy, and we pay more often in cash. Credit cards are not always accepted. Most of the budget will be spent on accommodation, which is quite expensive, especially in Tokyo. But you can eat for a very decent price and transport is no more expensive than in France, especially if you are thinking of taking a Japan Rail Pass. Never tip Japan, it's a kind of insult!

Procedures

For Tokyo, no visa is required for a stay of 90 days or less. All you need is a valid passport for the duration of your stay, a return flight ticket and enough money to support yourself on site in case of an inspection. When passing through customs, foreigners over 16 years of age will be photographed and will have to leave their fingerprints digitized.

Health

In Tokyo, pollution and summer heat are to be taken into account for vulnerable people. There is no malaria in Japan, and no vaccine is required to enter the country. Vaccines against tetanus, diphtheria, polio (unless up-to-date) and hepatitis A (unless immunized) are recommended in Japan. Tokyo has a remarkable hospital structure (but it is necessary to check before departure that the insurance will cover medical expenses, which are high in this country). Embassies have their own doctors attached.

How to go to Tokyo? Our advice & tips

  • Organised trips
  • Going alone
  • Moving around

For Japan in general and Tokyo in particular, the offer is very wide. We will propose you the discovery of the triptych Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara in one week. Contrary to popular belief, smaller budgets will be able to find a one-month package in Tokyo at a fair price (with accommodation in a university residence).

Discover our selection of travel agencies for this destination

Travelling alone is no problem, as Japan is one of the safest countries in the world and the Japanese are always ready to help tourists. The only problem is the language because the Japanese hardly ever speak English, let alone French! Remember to bring a small dictionary or use Google translation!

The best way to get around the huge Tokyo is undoubtedly the metro. Simple and effective. The stations are written in English and advertised in the same way inside your train. Take a subscription card without which (and even with it!) you will ruin yourself while travelling. Taking a bus can be convenient. Cycling in the neighbourhoods is a good solution. To discover Kyoto or another city served, take the high-speed train (Shinkasen).

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Practical information
When to travel?

As in all major capitals, stays in Tokyo can be planned throughout the year. However, spring and autumn are the high...
Read more about it

Weather forecast

Tokyo has a humid subtropical climate. The city enjoys relatively mild winters, with little or no snow (5/6°C in Jan...
Read more about it

Budget

The currency is the yen, the exchange rate is easy, and we pay more often in cash. Credit cards are not always accept...
Read more about it

Formalities

For Tokyo, no visa is required for a stay of 90 days or less. All you need is a valid passport for the duration of yo...
Read more about it

Health

In Tokyo, pollution and summer heat are to be taken into account for vulnerable people. There is no malaria in Japan,...
Read more about it

How to travel by yourself?

Travelling alone is no problem, as Japan is one of the safest countries in the world and the Japanese are always read...
Read more about it

How to get organized?

For Japan in general and Tokyo in particular, the offer is very wide. We will propose you the discovery of the tripty...
Read more about it

Getting around

The best way to get around the huge Tokyo is undoubtedly the metro. Simple and effective. The stations are written in...
Read more about it

Featured articles Tokyo

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15 capitals to visit around the world

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Tōkyō, entre tradition et modernité

Tōkyō, between tradition and modernity

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