After landing at Haneda Airport or Narita Airport, allow roughly 1–2 hours for immigration, baggage claim, and customs—longer if several international flights arrive together. Keep passports and your Visit Japan Web QR code ready; the airport flow is well signposted, so simply follow the signs and the crowd toward immigration, then customs. Once through, activate your eSIM and confirm your Suica works before leaving the terminal. At the airport 7-Eleven, withdraw or exchange a modest amount of yen—¥10,000–¥20,000 total is plenty to start—and pick up water and snacks. Exchange rates at convenience stores are not always the best, so use it for convenience rather than a large cash conversion.
Before heading into Tokyo, find Yamato Transport—look for the black-cat logo—or JAL ABC in the arrivals area. Show your hotel reservation and address, and ask them to forward the larger bags. The service generally takes 20–30 minutes and costs approximately ¥2,000–¥3,500 per suitcase depending on size and route; keep passports, medication, electronics, and one change of clothes in your carry-on. From Haneda, the train into central Tokyo is usually 30–45 minutes; from Narita, expect about 60–90 minutes depending on the hotel’s neighborhood and whether you take the Narita Express or Keisei Skyliner. Airport staff can help match the route to your hotel, and it is worth avoiding a complicated transfer while jet-lagged.
At your Tokyo hotel, check in, shower, and take a proper rest for 1–2 hours rather than trying to force a major sightseeing stop. Japanese hotel rooms often become available around 3:00 p.m.; if you arrive early, the front desk can usually store luggage even if the room is not ready. For dinner, stay close to the hotel and choose the first appealing ramen, izakaya, or teishoku restaurant you see—budget about ¥1,500–¥4,000 per person. Small neighborhood restaurants may have limited English, but ticket machines, food models, and simple pointing make the process easy; cash is still useful, especially at independent spots.
Finish with a gentle 30–45-minute walk around the hotel neighborhood, stopping at a convenience store for breakfast supplies and checking the nearest station entrance for tomorrow. Keep the evening unstructured: Tokyo is especially atmospheric after dark, but jet lag catches up quickly. Aim to be back in the room early, with phones charging and the next day’s Akihabara route saved offline.
Start around Akihabara Electric Town at about 10:00, when most shops have opened. Walk along Chuo-dori and let yourselves drift into the arcades, anime and manga stores, electronics shops, and character-goods floors rather than trying to cover everything. Radio Kaikan is an especially efficient first stop for collectibles, while Mandarake Complex is better for used manga, figures, and rarer finds. Plan on roughly two hours; September can still be hot and humid, so duck indoors often and carry water. Expect small purchases to be cash-friendly, though major stores generally accept cards.
Take a light lunch at a maid or themed café in Akihabara—the experience is as much the point as the food. Budget approximately ¥1,500–¥3,500 per person, and check the entrance fee, table charge, and photo rules before sitting down; some cafés also have a time limit. Afterward, go to Hunters Bar for your reserved experience, arriving no earlier than 15 minutes before the booking as requested. Allow up to 90 minutes and keep the reservation confirmation handy. Akihabara is compact, so both transitions should be manageable on foot, but leave a little buffer for queues and finding the correct building entrance.
From Akihabara, walk north toward Ueno Park in about 20–25 minutes, or take the short JR Yamanote Line ride from Akihabara Station to Ueno Station if you would rather save your legs. Wander through the park’s ponds and shrine paths before heading to the National Museum of Nature and Science. Allow 1½–2 hours for the dinosaur, wildlife, and Japanese science galleries; general admission is around ¥630, with possible changes for special exhibitions. The museum is typically open 9:00–17:00 and closed Mondays, so September 7 should be checked carefully against the official calendar before relying on it—if it is closed, enjoy a longer park walk and continue to the evening market instead. The Pokémon manhole cover is nearby, but treat it as a quick photo stop rather than a separate destination.
Finish at Ameyoko Shopping Street, just south of Ueno Station, where the atmosphere becomes liveliest later in the day. Browse the market stalls for snacks, dried seafood, fruit, cosmetics, and inexpensive souvenirs, then choose a casual dinner from the small restaurants and izakaya around the railway tracks. Budget roughly ¥1,500–¥4,000 per person. Many individual stalls close around 19:00–20:00, while restaurants may stay open later, so arrive before the market quiets down. This is a good place to keep the evening flexible: stop for takoyaki or grilled seafood, browse at your own pace, and head back from Ueno Station whenever Emily’s energy runs out.