Your First 24 Hours in Tokyo: A Jet-Lagged Traveler's Guide

Updated October 15, 2026 | By Tokyo Paul

Your first day in Tokyo after a long flight is not the day for a packed itinerary, no matter how excited you are. The good news is that a gentle, well-planned first 24 hours sets up the rest of the trip beautifully. This guide walks through getting into the city, handling jet lag, choosing an easy first outing, and keeping meals simple, with details drawn from published sources. Fares, hours, and schedules change, so confirm current information before you travel.

Landing And Getting Into The City

Two airports serve Tokyo, Narita and Haneda, and GO TOKYO's Narita airport access page lists the main ways into the city. From Narita, the Keisei Skyliner reaches Ueno in about 45 minutes with all seats reserved, the JR Narita Express reaches Tokyo Station in about 60 minutes and Shinjuku in about 90 minutes, and limousine buses run to the Tokyo City Air Terminal in about 60 minutes. The TYO-NRT airport bus reaches Tokyo Station in about 68 minutes, and some central hotels run their own limousine buses to Narita. Bus operators use different stops and terminals, so check where yours drops you off.

From Haneda, the GO TOKYO Haneda page lists the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho Station in about 13 minutes, where you can transfer to the Yamanote Line, and the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa Station in about 11 to 20 minutes depending on the train. Limousine buses run to Tokyo Station and Shinjuku Station in about 55 minutes. Late-night and early-morning rides on the TYO-NRT bus from Narita are listed at a higher fare of 3,000 yen per ticket, so if you land very late, check current schedules and fares for your arrival time on each operator's page.

Get A Transit Card Early

Suica and PASMO are prepaid, rechargeable IC cards that you tap on the reader to pay for trains and buses, and GO TOKYO notes they can also be used at participating shops and vending machines. For short-term foreign visitors, Welcome Suica and Tourist PASMO have no deposit but expire after 28 days, and they work at electronic-money shops, taxis, and tourist facilities. The Welcome Suica Mobile app lets you create and charge a Suica on your phone without visiting a ticket office or machine, either before or after you enter Japan. Setting this up before you fly means fewer ticket machines to puzzle over while you are tired.

Beat Jet Lag The Gentle Way

Traveling east is usually the harder direction, and Weill Cornell Medicine estimates about one day of adjustment for each hour of time difference. Its guidance, which draws on CDC recommendations, includes getting morning sun before the trip, drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcohol on the plane, and sleeping on the flight when it is nighttime at your destination. After you arrive, it suggests following the local sleep schedule right away, staying in well-lit areas during the day, and taking a short nap of about 20 minutes if you need one. It also mentions melatonin as an option, and the CDC advises taking it as directed by your health care provider, so check with your own provider first.

The easiest way to apply all this is to keep your first day simple. Drop your bags, freshen up, get outside into daylight, and aim to go to bed at a normal local time.

An Easy First Outing: Asakusa

Senso-ji in Asakusa is a gentle, atmospheric first stop. Japan Guide notes that the temple's founding is traced to 628 and that it was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple. The Thunder Gate, Kaminarimon, is the outer gate, and a shopping street of more than 200 meters called Nakamise runs from there to the Hozomon, the second gate. It sells souvenirs and traditional snacks. Admission is free, the grounds are always open, and the main hall is open from 6:00 to 17:00, or from 6:30 between October and March. You can wander at your own pace, sample a snack, and head back when your energy fades.

Or Choose A Quiet Garden: Shinjuku Gyoen

If crowds sound like too much, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a peaceful alternative. Wikipedia describes French Formal and English Landscape gardens in the north and a traditional Japanese garden in the south, and the Ministry of the Environment highlights giant trees, seasonal flowers, and a greenhouse. The nearest stations include Shinjuku-gyoemmae on the Marunouchi Line and Sendagaya on the JR Chuo-Sobu Line, each a short walk away. The garden is closed on Mondays for most of the year, and its opening hours change by season, so check the official schedule before you head out. GO TOKYO adds that the garden has rules banning alcohol, smoking, sports equipment, and musical instruments.

Save The Big Sights For Day Two

Busy districts such as Shibuya and Harajuku, and anything that needs a reservation, are better once your energy returns. Giving yourself a calm first day usually pays off with a brighter, more enjoyable second and third day.

Easy Meals When You Are Too Tired To Decide

The Japan National Tourism Organization describes depachika as the food markets in the basements of Japan's top department stores. They stock ready-to-eat lunches, pre-made bento boxes, gourmet sweets, fresh ingredients, and more, and the page suggests shopping outside the lunch and dinner rushes and looking out for free samples. Because many are connected to train stations, they are convenient on rainy days. A bento from a depachika or a snack from a konbini is a lovely low-effort first meal. Konbini are open around the clock in major cities, so a late-night bite is easy to find.

A Sample First 24 Hours

Arrive, take a direct train or bus to your hotel, drop your bags, and freshen up. Step outside for daylight and an easy walk, either in Asakusa or in a garden. Pick up a bento for an early dinner, enjoy a quiet evening, and aim for a normal local bedtime. Tomorrow, with a bit of rest behind you, the city will feel wonderfully welcoming.