Last updated on : August 19, 2026
Why a Stopover in Tokyo / Narita?
At first, Japan wasn’t really part of our itinerary.
When I started looking for flights for our trip to Vietnam, my original idea was to take advantage of the return journey and spend a one-day stopover in Seoul. But as often happens when shopping for flights, prices eventually changed. By the time I was ready to book our tickets, the options connecting through Seoul had become more expensive, and I eventually found an interesting return flight departing from Narita Airport, with the added bonus of a direct flight to Montreal with Air Canada.
So Japan became part of our trip almost by chance.
At first, I thought we would simply use the stopover to spend a day in Narita before our flight home. But as I started doing some research, reading travel blogs, and watching a few vlogs, another idea slowly began to take shape: what if we took the opportunity to go all the way to Tokyo?
After all, Tokyo is about an hour away from Narita Airport by train. Since we were already going to be in Japan, why not extend the experience a little?
Then I realized something that completely changed my plans: we would be in Japan during cherry blossom season – known as sakura in Japan – or at least very close to the end of peak bloom.
At that point, the decision became much easier.
Japan was already a country we were very interested in visiting, but we had always imagined it as a rather expensive destination and therefore something we would probably save for a future trip. We also knew that cherry blossom season only lasts a few weeks. Even if we returned to Japan someday, there was no guarantee that our next trip would coincide with such a special time of year.
So why let the opportunity pass us by?
We therefore decided to shorten our stay in Vietnam slightly to give ourselves more time in Japan. All I had left to figure out was how to plan everything.
While searching for flights between Hanoi and Japan, the most affordable option I found had us arriving at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. In the end, it worked out perfectly: we could begin our stay directly in Tokyo, spend our first nights there, and then move closer to Narita for our final night before flying back to Montreal.
What was originally supposed to be a simple one-day stopover therefore turned into three nights in Japan, divided between Tokyo and Narita.
Three nights is obviously very little time to discover a destination as enormous as Tokyo, let alone Japan as a whole. But it was enough to give us a first glimpse of the country, experience two completely different atmospheres, and most importantly, enjoy it all surrounded by cherry blossoms.
And to think that none of this had been planned in the first place.
🎥 On Video: Three Days Between Tokyo and Narita
Before telling you about our stopover in detail, I invite you to join us through our video and discover these three days between Tokyo and Narita.
From Tokyo’s lively neighborhoods to the temples and much quieter streets of Narita, not to mention the cherry blossoms that made this stopover even more special, this video gives you a glimpse of everything we actually managed to discover in just three days.
A stopover that was far too short… but one that definitely gave us a serious taste of Japan!
⚠️ The prices mentioned in this article reflect our visit in April 2026. They are listed in Canadian dollars (CAD), unless otherwise stated, and may vary over time.
In addition, some links in this article are affiliate links. This comes at no extra cost to you, but if you choose to book or purchase through them, you help support Âme & Aventure. Thank you so much for your support! 🌎🩵
How I Planned Our Tokyo / Narita Stopover
Once our return flight from Narita was booked, I still had one important part left to figure out: how could we get to Japan from Hanoi without blowing our budget?
And honestly, this was probably the part that gave me the biggest headache.
There were several flight options between Vietnam and Japan, but prices were often quite high. After a lot of searching, we ultimately chose a flight with Cathay Pacific that took us through Hong Kong before continuing to Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
It wasn’t the fastest option, since the journey took up a good part of the day, but our layover in Hong Kong was only a little over two hours, and the price was much more attractive.
So we made a choice: dedicate that day to transportation so we could then fully enjoy our three nights in Japan before taking a direct flight from Narita to Montreal to head back home.
Building an Itinerary for Just Three Days
Once the flights were sorted out, the real puzzle began: what could we realistically see in Tokyo and Narita in just three days?
As I often do when planning a trip, I started by reading a few travel blogs and watching several vlogs to identify the places that appealed to me most.
Obviously, the goal wasn’t to explore Tokyo in depth. With so little time, that would have been impossible. Instead, I wanted to use this first visit to experience a few different sides of the city, see some of its must-see attractions, and most importantly, get a first glimpse of what Tokyo had to offer.
I already knew that we wanted to visit a few temples, since these are places we particularly enjoy discovering when we travel. But there was also no way we could visit Tokyo without experiencing some of its incredibly urban and lively side.
And above all, there were the sakura.
Since our time in Japan coincided with the end of cherry blossom season, seeing them quickly became one of my priorities. So I researched the best places where we would still have a chance of seeing the cherry trees in bloom during our stay and built part of our itinerary around them.
Must-Sees… and a Few Hidden Gems
My research also led me to discover a few little gems that I probably never would have found otherwise, including some that were completely free.
That was exactly what I was looking for: experiences that would allow us to discover Tokyo from different perspectives without necessarily adding more and more paid activities.
I then used Google Maps and ChatGPT to help me organize all these ideas: calculating travel times between the different neighborhoods, figuring out what could realistically fit into the same day, and determining the most logical order in which to visit each place.
I had also prepared Plan B options and even a few Plan Cs. With only a few days there, I preferred having too many ideas rather than not enough, so we could adjust our plans depending on the weather, our energy levels, or simply what we felt like doing at the time.
Little by little, our itinerary took shape around three things we absolutely wanted to experience: a few temples, modern and lively Tokyo, and, of course, the cherry blossoms.
All that remained was to see how much of it we would actually manage to fit in once we got there.
Entry Requirements for Japan – For a Stopover
Good news: for Canadian travelers, the entry requirements for Japan are fairly straightforward for a short tourist stay.
At the time of our trip in April 2026, Canadian citizens did not need a visa for tourist stays of 90 days or less in Japan. You simply needed a Canadian passport valid for the entire duration of your planned stay.
Before our arrival, I had also entered my information on Visit Japan Web, the Japanese government’s official online service that allows travelers to register the information required for immigration and customs procedures in advance. Once the information is completed, a QR code is generated and can be presented upon arrival in Japan.
Japanese authorities may also ask travelers to provide proof of onward or return travel, confirmation of accommodation, and evidence that they have sufficient funds for their stay.
⚠️ Please note: Entry requirements can change at any time and may also vary depending on your nationality. Always check the latest requirements with the Japanese authorities before your departure.
My Tokyo / Narita Stopover Itinerary
With only three nights in Japan, it was obvious that we wouldn’t be able to see everything. Our goal was therefore to make the most of the time we had while discovering different sides of Tokyo before ending our stay in Narita.
Here’s what we actually managed to do, day by day, during our short stopover in Japan.
Day 1: From Hanoi to Tokyo, a Day of Travel
This first day was essentially dedicated to transportation.
We left Hanoi in the late morning with Cathay Pacific and headed toward Tokyo, with a layover of just over two hours in Hong Kong.
We had a fairly long travel day ahead of us, but after several trips over the past few years, we’re starting to get used to days spent between airplanes and airports. So we decided to take it easy: Netflix, some rest, a few hours of sleep… and no pressure.
After all, long travel days are also part of the journey, especially when traveling between Canada and Asia.
Our First Experience with a Tokyo Hotel Room
We had let our hotel know that we would be arriving late and received a very warm welcome despite the hour.
We also knew before booking that our room would be small. Compact hotel rooms are quite common in Tokyo, and the photos had left no doubt about that.
But you still have to experience it for yourself the first time!
A small double bed for two, very little space around it, and a tiny bathroom – we were a long way from the spacious rooms and large beds we’re used to in North America.
And yet, once the initial surprise wears off, something quickly becomes obvious: everything is incredibly well designed.
Every little space seems to have a purpose. Even the bathroom, despite its small size, is arranged to make the most of every available centimeter.
It actually made me think: do we really need as much space as we’re used to having back home for something to be comfortable and functional?
For that first evening, we didn’t need anything more anyway. After such a long travel day, our only real plan was to settle in and get some sleep.
Because the next morning, our real discovery of Tokyo would begin.
Day 2: A Full Day Exploring Tokyo
After a good night’s sleep, we got up fairly early to make the most of our only full day in Tokyo.
Before heading out, we made a quick stop at the 7-Eleven right across from our hotel. We took the opportunity to withdraw some cash and pick up a few drinks and snacks to carry in our backpack for the day.
And from our very first steps through the streets, the same thing that had struck us the night before stood out once again: the quiet.
It was Sunday morning in Tokyo, yet the streets around our hotel were practically deserted. There were very few cars, hardly any noise, and only a handful of people here and there.
Then, as we got closer to Asakusa, the streets gradually began to come alive. But even there, something surprised us: we were seeing far more pedestrians than cars.
And then there were the pedestrian crossings.
After several weeks in Vietnam, where crossing a street through a sea of scooters had become an experience in itself, we had almost forgotten what it was like to simply wait for the light before crossing!
In Tokyo, pedestrian crossings are everywhere, and traffic rules are extremely well respected. When it’s time for pedestrians to cross, the cars wait. Simple as that.
It might sound like a small detail, but after several weeks in Southeast Asia – and even compared with what we’re used to back home – the contrast was quite striking.
And honestly, very pleasant.
Stop 1: Senso-ji Temple
Our first real destination of the day was one of Tokyo’s most famous landmarks: Senso-ji Temple in the Asakusa district.
The closer we got, the more the quiet atmosphere of the early morning began to disappear.
And when we finally arrived in front of the famous Kaminarimon Gate, with its enormous red lantern, we quickly understood why: it was incredibly crowded!
We probably could have avoided some of the crowds by taking the smaller side streets, but for a first visit to Senso-ji, there was no way I was going to skip the full experience.
So we walked through Kaminarimon and made our way along Nakamise-dori, the famous shopping street leading toward the temple.
Small shops and stalls line both sides of the street, while a seemingly endless stream of people slowly makes its way toward the temple in the middle. We took our time, browsed the shops, and followed the crowd to the second large gate, Hozomon, before finally reaching Senso-ji’s main hall.
And since this was our first major temple in Japan, we wanted to try some of the traditions I had learned about while doing my research.
We started with the hand purification ritual before approaching the temple. We also experienced the incense ritual, traditionally wafting the smoke toward ourselves, and then tried our luck with omikuji, the small paper fortunes you can draw at the temple.
And for once, luck was on our side: we both received good fortunes!
Before our visit, I had also learned that if you receive a bad fortune, you can fold the paper and tie it to one of the designated racks rather than taking the bad luck away with you. It was a little tradition I was glad to know about… although in the end, neither of us needed to use it!
We then took some time to explore the grounds at a relaxed pace and admire the different buildings before continuing our discovery of the neighborhood.
Even with all the crowds, I really enjoyed this first encounter with Japanese temples.
👉 For those interested, a guided tour is also available through GetYourGuide.
Stop 2: Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center and the Asakusa District
After Senso-ji, I had another activity on my list from my research: heading to the top of the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center to see the neighborhood from above.
It sounded simple enough. Except first, we had to find the right tourist information center!
I asked my husband to guide us with Google Maps and, true to some of our previous adventures in Vietnam, we somehow managed to end up… in completely the wrong place. 🤣🤣
So we wandered through the small streets of Asakusa until we reached another tourist information center, only to realize that it was absolutely not the one we were looking for. Back to Google Maps and time to turn around!
💡 A little tip: don’t make the same mistake we did. The Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center you’re looking for is located directly across from Kaminarimon Gate. It really couldn’t be much closer to Senso-ji!
You can take the elevator up to the observation terrace on the 8th floor completely free of charge, where you get a fantastic view overlooking Nakamise-dori and the Senso-ji complex.
It was actually only when I saw it from above that I realized just how long Nakamise-dori really is… and especially how crowded it was!
On the other side, you also get a great view of Tokyo Skytree, completely dominating the skyline.
There is also a café upstairs if you’d like to take a short break, as well as restrooms. And since this is first and foremost a tourist information center, it’s obviously a great place to get information about Asakusa and the surrounding area.
For a completely free activity, I think it’s definitely a stop worth adding to a first visit to Asakusa.
🚽 A Little Japanese Discovery: Even the Toilets Are High-Tech!
It’s impossible to talk about our first day in Tokyo without mentioning one little discovery that made me smile: Japanese toilets!
I already knew that Japan was famous for its high-tech toilets, and we had actually discovered the one in our hotel room as soon as we arrived. Heated seat, built-in bidet, adjustable temperature, and a whole series of buttons whose purpose isn’t necessarily obvious at first glance… it had everything!
What I hadn’t realized yet, however, was that this technology could also be found in some public restrooms.
So when I used the restroom at the Asakusa tourist information center, I once again found myself staring at an entire control panel… including a function that plays a sound to mask any potentially embarrassing noises and provide a little extra privacy.
Of course, I took a picture. 😂 Because we obviously had to document our first real encounter with the famous Japanese toilets!
Welcome to Japan, where even going to the restroom can become a little cultural experience.
Stop 3: Zojo-ji Temple and Tokyo Tower
After Asakusa, we took the subway to a completely different part of the city for our next stop: Zojo-ji Temple.
As soon as we arrived, we noticed the extensive renovation work taking place around the temple’s large gate.
This is Sangedatsumon, an impressive gate built in 1622 and designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. It is especially valuable because it is the only original structure from the Zojo-ji complex to have survived to the present day.
During our visit in April 2026, it was unfortunately completely hidden behind a massive temporary structure. Major conservation work began in 2025 and is expected to continue until 2032. So we’ll have to come back to see it!
Once past this area, the scenery changes completely, revealing one of Zojo-ji’s most iconic views: the temple with Tokyo Tower rising directly behind it.
The contrast is beautiful.
On one side, the traditional architecture of the temple; on the other, the enormous red-and-white tower dominating the Tokyo skyline. Add a few cherry trees that were still in bloom during our visit, and we had everything we needed for some beautiful photos.
A Ceremony We Discovered Completely by Chance
As we approached the temple, we began to hear music.
Curious, we followed the sound and discovered that some kind of traditional ceremony or performance was taking place. A man dressed in traditional clothing and wearing an impressive red mask was performing what appeared to be a ceremonial dance, accompanied by what seemed to be monks playing music.
Unfortunately, we arrived near the end, but still early enough to watch part of the performance.
This is exactly the kind of little moment I love when traveling: something we hadn’t planned at all and simply happened to stumble upon because we were in the right place at the right time.
When the performance ended, the crowd quickly dispersed, and several people headed inside the temple. Another ceremony seemed to be continuing there, but since we weren’t exactly sure what was taking place or whether visitors were allowed to attend, we preferred to remain outside.
So we continued exploring the grounds at a relaxed pace, enjoying the few cherry trees that were still in bloom and admiring the beautiful view of Tokyo Tower.
Tokyo Tower: A Little Touch of Paris in the Heart of Tokyo
It’s impossible to visit Zojo-ji without noticing Tokyo Tower rising just behind it.
With its red-and-white steel structure, it immediately brings the Eiffel Tower to mind—and that’s no coincidence, since its design was inspired by it.
Built in the late 1950s, Tokyo Tower stands 333 meters tall, making it slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower.
It is possible to visit the tower and go up to its observation decks, but with only one full day to explore Tokyo, we had decided not to spend more time there. In fact, we didn’t even walk all the way to the base of the tower.
And honestly? For this first visit, simply seeing it rising behind Zojo-ji was already beautiful.
That was exactly how we had intentionally planned this day: taking more time at a few places that really mattered to us, like Senso-ji, while getting just a taste of other sides of Tokyo so we could experience as much as possible in a single day.
Zojo-ji and Tokyo Tower may have been a short stop… but it was a very beautiful one.
Stop 4: Crossing the Famous Shibuya Crossing
After Zojo-ji, it was time for another complete change of scenery. We took the subway again and headed to one of Tokyo’s most iconic spots: Shibuya Crossing.
There was no way I could spend my first full day in Tokyo without seeing this famous intersection at least once, where, when the traffic lights turn red, pedestrians flood the crossing from every direction.
Our goal was actually very simple: see it, cross it, and experience it for ourselves!
I had read that it was possible to get an elevated view of the intersection from somewhere around Shibuya Station, and I was hoping we would find the viewpoint once we got off the subway. Between the construction work, the sheer size of the station, and our limited time, we never managed to find the spot I had in mind.
Of course, there are several other places where you can see Shibuya Crossing from above, including some paid viewpoints. But with an already packed day, we decided not to make things more complicated than they needed to be.
So, with my camera mounted on the end of my selfie stick, we waited for our light… and crossed!
Once in one direction, then a second time going back, simply to enjoy the moment and capture the experience of walking through the intersection surrounded by all those people crossing at the same time.
A few minutes later, mission accomplished. We could get back on the subway and say: we crossed Shibuya Crossing too!
It was a very quick stop, that’s true, but sometimes, when you only have one day to discover a city as enormous as Tokyo, you have to accept simply getting a taste of certain places rather than trying to explore everything in depth.
Stop 5: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building – Tokyo from Above
After Shibuya, we took the subway toward Shinjuku to discover another little gem I had found on a travel blog before our trip: the observation decks of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
And this one had a particularly appealing advantage: admission is completely free!
Both towers of the building have an observation deck on the 45th floor, approximately 202 meters above the ground. During our visit, only the North Observatory was open.
Once there, all we had to do was join the line for the elevators. We expected to wait quite a while, but in the end, the wait was surprisingly reasonable. A few moments later, we were standing on the 45th floor with Tokyo stretching out beneath us.
Large windows offer views in several directions and really give you a sense of just how enormous the city is.
And once again, something struck us: where are all the cars?
From that height, we could see the major roads below, and we were still surprised by how little car traffic seemed to be visible compared with many other large cities we had visited.
After Bangkok, Bali, and especially the thousands of scooters that had been part of our daily lives during our weeks in Vietnam, the contrast was striking.
Tokyo is enormous. Tokyo is home to millions of people. And yet, ever since we arrived, we had been constantly surprised by how orderly it felt and by this sense of calm that we had never expected to experience in a metropolis of this size.
And What About Mount Fuji?
On a clear enough day, it is apparently possible to see Mount Fuji from the observation deck.
Unfortunately for us, the sky was far too cloudy that day. We looked in its direction, searched for a while… nothing at all. So my husband and I came to the only possible conclusion: we would have to come back!
And that phrase would end up coming back quite often during our short stay in Japan.
We would also have loved to return to the observation deck in the evening to see Tokyo illuminated at night. However, with our already packed schedule, we decided to continue with our itinerary and save that experience for a future visit.
Yet another good reason to come back!
For a first visit to Tokyo, I still think the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is an excellent option for seeing the city from above for free and truly appreciating just how enormous it is.
Stop 6: Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku’s “Memory Lane”
After admiring Tokyo from the top of the Metropolitan Government Building, we continued exploring Shinjuku on foot.
Our first stop: Omoide Yokocho, also known as Memory Lane.
The contrast with Tokyo’s wide avenues is quite striking. Suddenly, you find yourself in a small maze of narrow alleyways lined with tiny restaurants and izakayas, some with room for only a handful of people seated at the counter.
We visited in the middle of the afternoon, when the area was still relatively quiet. It wasn’t mealtime for us either, so we simply wandered through the narrow alleys and took in the atmosphere.
I enjoyed discovering this little corner of Shinjuku, but I honestly think we missed out on a big part of its charm.
Omoide Yokocho must feel completely different after dark, when the lanterns light up, the tiny restaurants fill with customers, and the alleyways truly come to life.
One more thing to add to our list for next time!
Stop 7: Shinjuku – Godzilla, Giant Screens and the 3D Cat
We then continued walking toward the much livelier part of Shinjuku. And suddenly, the atmosphere changed completely!
Giant screens, illuminated signs, bustling streets, shops… this was probably the area where I most strongly felt that image of modern, high-tech Tokyo I had pictured before our trip.
Shibuya Crossing is often compared to Times Square in New York, but personally, it was while walking through certain parts of Shinjuku that I really got that feeling of being surrounded by screens, bright signs, and constant activity.
One of the places we wanted to see was the famous Godzilla Head, towering over the neighborhood from the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku building.
Godzilla comes to life at certain times throughout the day and, of course, we arrived just after one of the animations!
The next one was far enough away that we would have had to wait almost an hour. With everything we still wanted to see and our energy levels slowly starting to drop, we decided that seeing Godzilla standing still would be good enough this time.
Once again: we’ll have to come back!
We had much better luck a few streets away with another Shinjuku curiosity: the famous 3D cat at Cross Shinjuku Vision. This time, our timing was almost perfect.
We had barely spotted the screen when a countdown was already underway. A few moments later, the enormous cat appeared in front of us with an impressively realistic sense of depth. It’s completely playful and only takes a few minutes to experience, but I loved it!
During our walk, we also spotted other screens using similar effects, including one featuring a panda.
They may be tiny moments in a day spent exploring Tokyo, but they’re part of what creates that feeling of discovering a city where tradition and technology seem to constantly exist side by side.
End of the Day: The Famous 7-Eleven Egg Sandwich
After such a huge day of walking and exploring, our energy was seriously starting to run out.
We had arrived late the night before, gotten up early, and spent practically the entire day making our way across Tokyo. Rather than forcing ourselves to keep going simply because we were in Japan, we decided to slowly make our way back to our hotel.
There was just one important question left: what were we going to eat?
We had heard several times about the famous egg sandwiches sold in Japanese konbini, especially the ones from 7-Eleven.
So why not?
We bought a couple to take back to our room and had our very serious first Japanese culinary experience… in our pajamas, in our tiny hotel room!
And you know what? They were really good.
This definitely wasn’t going to be the trip where we could claim to have truly discovered Japanese cuisine. But between the exhaustion, a much-needed shower, and absolutely no desire to move again, that little improvised dinner was exactly what we needed.
We went to bed early that night, completely exhausted but really happy with everything we had managed to experience.
In just a few hours, we had gone from the traditional temples of Asakusa to Tokyo Tower, from Shibuya to the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, before ending the day surrounded by giant screens and 3D animations.
We had barely scratched the surface of Tokyo. But one thing was already becoming obvious: we wanted to come back.
Day 3: Nezu-jinja, Cherry Blossoms and Our Last Day in Tokyo
For our last day in Tokyo, we once again got up fairly early. We had to make our way to Narita later that day, but there were still a few places I absolutely wanted to discover before leaving the city.
A Much Earlier Check-Out Than Expected
One little detail surprised us when booking our hotels in Japan: check-out was at 10 a.m.
We were more accustomed to check-out times around 11 a.m. or noon during our travels, and when you still want to spend the day exploring, 10 a.m. comes around pretty quickly!
Fortunately, our hotel allowed us to leave our luggage at the front desk free of charge after checking out. Our backpacks were tagged with numbers and stored behind the reception desk in an area that other guests couldn’t access. We were simply given the corresponding numbers so we could collect them later.
So we kept only a small bag with everything we needed for the day and headed back out to explore Tokyo almost completely luggage-free.
It was a really convenient solution that saved us from having to carry all our bags around or pay for luggage storage somewhere else in the city.
Stop 1: Nezu-jinja and the Azalea Festival
Our first stop of the day took us to Nezu-jinja Shrine.
After mainly discovering Buddhist temples the day before, such as Senso-ji and Zojo-ji, this time we were visiting a Shinto shrine. And once again, our timing had a lovely surprise in store for us.
While preparing our itinerary a few days before arriving in Japan, I discovered that the Bunkyo Azalea Festival was taking place at Nezu-jinja during the month of April.
We were only at the beginning of the month, so the azaleas were just starting to bloom. The garden had not yet reached its full potential… but it was already beautiful. Hundreds of shrubs cover the small hillsides of the garden, gradually filling with pink, white, red, and purple flowers. As someone who loves everything related to nature and flowers, I was obviously in heaven!
Admission to the shrine itself is free, but there was a small additional fee to walk through the azalea garden. During our visit, we paid only ¥200 per person, just a few Canadian dollars. At that price, there wasn’t even a question!
And the azaleas aren’t the shrine’s only attraction. Nezu-jinja also features a beautiful pathway lined with a succession of small red torii gates that you can walk beneath.
Between the shrine’s architecture, the torii gates, and the azaleas just beginning to bloom, this visit ended up being one of my favorite surprises in Tokyo.
We had come to Japan hoping to see cherry blossoms, and as a bonus, we got azaleas too!
Stop 2: Ueno Park and the Cherry Blossoms
We then left Nezu-jinja and walked to Ueno Park. And this was a visit I had been looking forward to with so much excitement.
Ever since I realized that our stopover would coincide with sakura season, I had dreamed of experiencing that iconic image of Japan surrounded by cherry blossoms at least once.
We had already spotted a few blooming cherry trees since arriving, especially around the temples, but Ueno Park was meant to be our real encounter with the sakura.
As soon as we arrived near the lake, I immediately knew we had made the right decision to come.
The park itself was already beautiful. Visitors were gliding across the water in funny little swan-shaped pedal boats, and a little farther away, we could see a pathway lined with cherry trees.
Of course, that was exactly where we headed.
Beneath a Shower of Cherry Blossom Petals
This first pathway along the lake wasn’t particularly wide, and I think that’s exactly what made me love it so much.
The cherry trees truly surrounded us on both sides.
We were arriving toward the end of the blooming season, and the trees had already lost some of their blossoms. But there were still more than enough to create the scenery I had been dreaming of.
And with the gentle breeze blowing that day, the petals slowly began to drift from the branches and fall all around us. It was like a soft little snowfall of petals.
We may no longer have been there at the absolute peak of the blossoms, but in the end, arriving just a little later gave us the chance to experience something different: watching the petals fall all around us.
And it was absolutely beautiful.
Ueno Park’s Main Cherry Blossom Avenue
As we continued our walk through the park, we also passed through an area filled with small food stalls.
Fruit skewers, strawberries, chocolate-covered bananas, and all kinds of Japanese specialties lined the way. Some looked a little more familiar to us than others!
We didn’t necessarily try everything, but simply walking between the stalls, seeing what was being offered, and taking in all the different aromas was part of the experience.
We then reached the main cherry blossom avenue for which Ueno Park is particularly famous.
It is much wider than the path we had discovered near the lake, and pedestrian traffic is organized so that visitors can move in both directions.
By the time of our visit, cherry blossom season was slowly coming to an end, and some of the installations and decorations were already being taken down.
Personally, I ended up preferring our first walk near the lake.
Maybe because the trees felt closer to us, maybe because there were slightly fewer people, or simply because the whole experience felt much more immersive.
At peak bloom, however, with all the cherry trees covered in blossoms and the seasonal decorations still in place, the main avenue must be spectacular.
A Missed Date with the Tokyo National Museum
We continued our walk through Ueno Park toward the large fountain in front of the Tokyo National Museum.
I had really wanted to visit this museum. Its collections dedicated to Japanese art, history, and cultural heritage were exactly the kind of thing we enjoy discovering when we travel.
There was just one small problem. It was Monday. And contrary to what I had remembered while planning our trip, the Tokyo National Museum is normally closed on Mondays.
So we had made it all the way to the entrance… only to discover that we wouldn’t be able to go inside.
What a disappointment!
Still, rather than turning around right away, we decided to enjoy the moment. We sat down near the fountain, took some time to rest, and enjoyed the park for a little while longer before heading back.
And by now, you already know the phrase that was quickly becoming our motto in Japan: We’ll have to come back!
Stop 3: Goodbye Tokyo… Next Stop, Narita!
After this final walk, it was time to head back to our hotel and pick up the backpacks we had left at the front desk.
We then made our way to the station to catch the train to Narita. About an hour later, we were slowly leaving the immensity of Tokyo behind and heading toward an atmosphere that would turn out to be completely different.
Our Japanese stopover wasn’t over yet.
Next stop: Narita!
Arriving in Narita
We arrived in Narita in the early afternoon and started by making our way to our hotel, located just a few minutes’ walk from the train station.
This time, we had the opposite problem from earlier that day: we were too early to check in! But once again, it wasn’t a problem.
The hotel offered to store our backpacks free of charge behind the front desk until our room was ready. Just like in Tokyo, our luggage was tagged and kept in a staff-only area rather than simply being left in the lobby.
I have to say, we really appreciated this service during our time in Japan. Not only could we continue exploring without carrying our large backpacks, but we also didn’t have to pay for luggage storage elsewhere.
So we kept only what we needed with us and immediately headed back out to explore Narita.
Stop 4: First Steps in Narita and Omotesando
The weather was rather gray, but since it wasn’t raining yet, we might as well make the most of it!
We started by slowly walking through Narita before reaching Narita Omotesando, the traditional shopping street connecting the station area to Naritasan Shinshoji Temple. And already, the atmosphere felt completely different from the one we had just left behind in Tokyo.
After the skyscrapers, giant screens, and lively neighborhoods of the capital, we were now discovering much quieter streets and an atmosphere that almost felt like a small town.
We followed Omotesando toward what would ultimately become one of the most beautiful surprises of our stopover.
Stop 5: Naritasan Shinshoji – Our Favorite
Originally, Narita was mainly supposed to be a convenient way to end our stay close to the airport.
So I certainly wasn’t expecting Naritasan Shinshoji to become our favorite temple from this short introduction to Japan.
And yet! From the moment we arrived, we loved the place.
We had obviously really enjoyed Senso-ji in Tokyo, but the experience here was completely different. There were far fewer people, and the atmosphere felt calmer, more peaceful, and somehow more authentic.
I especially loved some of the dark wooden buildings, which gave the complex so much character. Pagodas, gates, religious buildings… the farther we explored, the more little details we discovered.
And then, as if we hadn’t already been lucky enough with the flowers during this stopover, we came across a magnificent cherry tree still covered in blossoms.
But the real surprise was waiting for us behind the temple buildings.
Naritasan Park: A Little Haven of Tranquility
We decided to continue our visit through Naritasan Park, located just behind the temple complex. And what a beautiful place!
We took our time exploring a good part of the park, and this was probably where we found one of the most peaceful atmospheres of our entire stopover.
Walking trails, lush vegetation, ponds, and gardens unfold one after another in an incredibly calm setting.
After our packed day in Tokyo the day before and another busy morning between Nezu-jinja and Ueno Park, this walk felt especially good.
We had nothing to check off a list, no subway to catch to reach our next attraction, and absolutely no reason to hurry. We could simply walk and enjoy the surroundings.
And in the end, that’s probably what made us love Naritasan so much.
We had originally come to Narita mainly because our flight home was departing from there the next day. Yet that simple decision to spend the night near the airport allowed us to discover a place we probably would have completely overlooked otherwise.
Naritasan Shinshoji and its park turned out to be a true favorite.
Back Along Omotesando… and Still No Japanese Food!
After exploring the park, we slowly made our way back toward our hotel, this time walking along a longer section of Narita Omotesando.
The street is particularly pleasant to explore, with its shops, restaurants, and traditional-looking buildings lining the route leading to the temple.
And this is where we came across something that had already fascinated me in Tokyo: the famous fake food displays in the windows of Japanese restaurants. Known as shokuhin sampuru, these replicas represent the dishes on the menu in sometimes surprisingly realistic detail.
And I have to say, I found them absolutely fascinating!
You could literally look at a restaurant window and see exactly what the different dishes were supposed to look like before even stepping inside. Noodles, rice, meat, side dishes… everything was recreated and displayed as though they were real plates ready to be served. It’s definitely unusual the first time you see it.
However, as practical as the concept may be, it almost had the opposite effect on me: it didn’t particularly make me want to eat there! Obviously, I knew what I was looking at wasn’t real, but seeing all that food frozen behind a window felt so strange that I had a hard time ignoring the visual.
Let’s just say I found the concept much more fascinating… than appetizing!
Still, it was seriously becoming time to eat, so we stopped at a restaurant. After the famous 7-Eleven egg sandwiches the night before, maybe this would finally be our chance to discover Japanese cuisine?
Well… no. We had burgers at EG Diner! Rather expensive burgers, actually, but after another long day of walking, that was simply what we felt like eating at the time. Our introduction to authentic Japanese cuisine would therefore have to wait until our next trip too!
We then returned to our hotel, picked up our luggage, and checked into our room.
Once again, we found the now-familiar concept of the compact Japanese hotel room: a small double bed, very little extra space, and a tiny bathroom, but an extremely functional layout where everything seemed carefully designed to make the most of every available inch.
We were tired and didn’t really feel like heading back out again.
So we ended the evening quietly at the hotel after a day that had taken us from the azaleas of Nezu-jinja to the cherry blossoms of Ueno Park, and then from the immensity of Tokyo to the tranquility of Narita.
A perfect transition into our final night in Japan.
Day 4: One Last Morning in Narita Before Heading Home
Our flight back to Montreal wasn’t scheduled until later in the day, which left us a few more hours to enjoy Narita before heading to the airport.
We hadn’t included breakfast with our hotel reservation because we found the price rather high. So instead, we decided to head out and find something to eat in town.
The weather wasn’t nearly as nice as the day before. Light, intermittent rain followed us at times, but nothing heavy enough to keep us indoors. With our jackets and the rather cool temperature, we simply decided to make the best of it.
After all, we certainly didn’t want to spend our last morning in Japan sitting in our hotel room!
One Last Walk Through Narita
Since our check-out was once again fairly early, we left our backpacks at the hotel reception free of charge.
Because we had already discovered the main places we wanted to see in Narita the day before, we hadn’t planned a specific itinerary for our final morning.
Instead, we simply took the opportunity to wander around at a relaxed pace, buy a few souvenirs, and most importantly, return to our favorite discovery from the day before: Naritasan Shinshoji.
And I’m really glad we went back. There were far fewer visitors than the previous day, probably partly because of the weather, and the atmosphere felt even more peaceful.
We were able to take our time, retake a few photos, and especially explore different paths through the park to discover some new viewpoints.
A Few More Discoveries at Naritasan Shinshoji
This second visit also gave us the chance to pay closer attention to the different historic buildings throughout the complex. Several of them date back to the Edo period and are now designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
The more we explored the site, the more our impression from the day before was confirmed: we had truly fallen in love with this place.
And Naritasan Park was just as enjoyable as ever. This final walk beneath a gray sky, with very few people around us, ended up giving us exactly what we needed before beginning our long journey home: a little peace and quiet.
There was no need to rush after one last attraction simply to add something else to our list. We walked, enjoyed the gardens, admired the buildings, and simply savored our final moments in Japan.
Off to the Airport… and Back to Montreal
It was finally time to return to the hotel and pick up our luggage.
We made our way to the train station and took the train to Narita International Airport to begin the final leg of our journey. An approximately 12-hour flight now separated us from Montreal. And after all those weeks in Asia, we were obviously happy to be heading home.
If I Had More Time
Three days is a very short amount of time to discover Tokyo and Narita.
We knew that before we even arrived, and our goal was never to see everything. This stopover was simply meant to give us a first glimpse of Japan and, perhaps, confirm whether we would want to come back someday.
Mission accomplished!
Because by the time we left, our list of things we still wanted to see was probably even longer than when we arrived.
Visiting the Tokyo National Museum
If there’s one attraction I truly regret missing, it’s probably the Tokyo National Museum. We actually made it all the way to the museum during our walk through Ueno Park, only to discover that it was closed on Mondays.
With its collections dedicated to Japanese art and cultural heritage, it was exactly the kind of place we would have enjoyed visiting. On our next trip to Tokyo, it will definitely be going back on the itinerary.
And this time, I’ll double-check the opening days!
Discovering Shinjuku After Dark
I would also have loved to spend an entire evening exploring Shinjuku.
We discovered Omoide Yokocho, the giant screens, Godzilla, and the famous 3D cat during the daytime. It was already interesting, but I’m convinced the atmosphere must be completely different once night falls and all the signs light up.
I would have especially loved to return to Omoide Yokocho in the evening, when the tiny restaurants come to life, and then head back up to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to see Tokyo illuminated from the 45th floor for free.
Spending both a day and an evening in the same neighborhood would probably have allowed us to experience two completely different sides of it.
Seeing Shibuya Crossing from Above
We crossed Shibuya Crossing and experienced it from street level, but I definitely feel like I’m still missing the view from above.
With more time, I would have loved to find a viewpoint where we could watch hundreds of pedestrians flood the intersection at the same time.
And why not head all the way up to SHIBUYA SKY for an even more impressive view over Tokyo?
Going Up One of Tokyo’s Famous Towers
During this short stopover, we intentionally chose the free observation deck at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
With a few extra days, however, I would have loved to go up one of Tokyo’s famous towers.
We admired Tokyo Tower from Zojo-ji and spotted the Tokyo Skytree from Asakusa, but we didn’t go up either one.
It would be another great way to appreciate just how enormous Tokyo really is—and perhaps, with a little more luck with the weather, finally catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji!
Discovering More of Traditional Japan
Despite the limited time we had, the temples and shrines were among my favorite places during this stopover.
With a few extra days, I definitely would have continued in that direction by discovering more temples, shrines, gardens, and traditional neighborhoods around Tokyo.
One place I had found during my research was the Kyu Asakura House, a former Japanese residence from the early 20th century surrounded by a traditional garden. It was one of the possibilities I had considered before our trip, but we ultimately weren’t able to fit it into our itinerary.
I had also found a museum dedicated to samurai and ninja in Asakusa, offering a much more immersive experience focused on their history and culture. Since we particularly enjoy historical places – and anything related to samurai was especially interesting to my husband – it’s an activity I could easily have added with a few more hours in Tokyo.
Since we were already in Asakusa to visit Senso-ji, it would also have been relatively easy to include in that day if our itinerary had been a little less packed.
And along the same lines, I had also discovered the city of Sakura, located just a few train stops from Narita. Among other things, you can visit former samurai residences dating back to the time when Sakura was an important castle town, as well as Hiyodorizaka, a picturesque pathway lined with bamboo.
We had considered this option for our final morning in Narita. But with our limited time and the rather gray weather, we ultimately preferred to return to Naritasan Shinshoji and enjoy it at a relaxed pace. With an extra day in Narita, Sakura would definitely have been part of our plans.
It’s exactly this kind of quieter, historical, and more traditional place that I would love to explore more deeply on a future trip.
And Most Importantly… Finally Discovering Japanese Cuisine!
Well… we have to talk about it.
We spent three days in Japan, and our culinary experience essentially revolved around 7-Eleven egg sandwiches and fast food like McDonald’s and EG Diner!
After several weeks in Vietnam, we had simply reached a point where we weren’t craving Asian food as much anymore, and with our very busy days, food clearly wasn’t our priority.
On a future trip, things would be completely different. I’d love to take the time to discover small local restaurants, try different Japanese specialties, and make food a real part of the travel experience.
A List That Could Have Been Much Longer…
And even then, everything I’ve just mentioned represents only a small part of what we could have added to our itinerary.
Tokyo is enormous, and in the end, we only discovered a handful of its neighborhoods. There are still so many others left to explore, not to mention the countless temples, shrines, museums, gardens, observation decks, and experiences the city has to offer.
There would easily be enough to fill several more days.
There’s even Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea near Tokyo! But with only three days in Japan, spending an entire day at a theme park would have meant giving up a large part of what we wanted to discover in the city during this first visit.
And that probably sums up our stopover better than anything: we constantly had to make choices.
With so little time, it was impossible to fit everything in. So we set our priorities based on what we most wanted to experience during this first encounter with Japan, knowing full well that we would be leaving plenty of things for another time.
In short, we certainly weren’t lacking ideas.
In fact, our problem was quite the opposite: the more we discovered Japan, the longer our list for a future trip became.
This stopover was simply meant to give us a little taste of the country. Instead, it mostly made us want to come back for much longer.
Getting Around Tokyo / Narita – During a Stopover
If there’s one thing that impressed us in Tokyo, it was definitely the efficiency of its public transportation system.
Tokyo is enormous, and the different neighborhoods we wanted to visit were sometimes quite far from one another. Yet we never felt the need to use a car or taxi.
Throughout our entire stopover, we essentially got around on foot, by subway, and by train.
And honestly, it works incredibly well.
The Welcome Suica: Our Best Travel Companion
To make getting around easier, we purchased a Welcome Suica, a rechargeable transportation card designed especially for international visitors staying in Japan for a short period of time.
The concept is extremely simple. You load money onto the card, then tap it on the reader when entering a station and again when exiting. The system automatically calculates the fare and deducts the corresponding amount from the card’s balance.
There’s no need to buy a new ticket every time you take the subway or train. And when the balance gets too low, you simply top it up.
The Welcome Suica can be used on a large number of trains, subways, and buses in the Tokyo area, and it is also compatible with many transportation networks elsewhere in Japan.
For a short stopover like ours, we found the system extremely convenient.
The Welcome Suica Can Also Be Used for Purchases
Another great advantage is that the Welcome Suica isn’t only useful for transportation.
It can also be used as a payment method at many shops, convenience stores, and vending machines that accept IC cards.
The Welcome Suica designed for short-term visitors is valid for 28 days, and any remaining balance is not refunded once the card expires.
Before leaving Japan, we still had a few yen left on our cards. So we simply used the remaining balance at 7-Eleven to buy drinks and a few snacks for our flight home.
A pretty efficient way to leave Japan with the card practically at zero!
Google Maps to Know Which Train to Take
I also have to give a special mention to Google Maps, which made getting around so much easier for us.
Tokyo’s rail network can seem intimidating when you first look at a map. There are countless lines, several different operators, and some absolutely enormous stations.
Yet once we were there, we found getting around much easier than expected.
We simply entered our destination into Google Maps, and the app showed us the different public transportation options, which lines to take, where to get off or transfer, and the approximate travel time.
Fares are also generally displayed, which gives you a good idea of how much each journey will cost.
Once you understand how it works, it becomes surprisingly easy.
And Between Tokyo and Narita?
We used exactly the same approach to travel from Tokyo to Narita.
Train, Welcome Suica, and Google Maps: nothing more complicated than that.
The journey took us a little over an hour and allowed us to reach Narita directly without having to worry about a car or private transfer.
Since we were traveling with backpacks only, it was especially easy.
Exploring Each Neighborhood on Foot
Even with such an efficient public transportation system, we still did a lot of walking.
Our favorite way to explore a city is often the same: use public transportation to reach a neighborhood, then continue on foot once we’re there.
That’s how we discovered Asakusa, Shinjuku, Ueno, the area around Nezu-jinja, and later, Narita.
Walking allows you to notice all those little things you might otherwise miss when simply moving from one attraction to the next. And Tokyo is particularly well suited for exploring this way.
Subway, Bus, Taxi, or Something Else?
Tokyo obviously offers several other ways to get around.
The bus network is extensive and can be especially useful for reaching areas that are less well served by trains. Taxis are also widely available throughout the city, but they are generally much more expensive than public transportation.
There are also hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses that allow visitors to discover several of Tokyo’s attractions, as well as various bicycle rental options.
We didn’t try any of these during our stopover.
With only three days and an itinerary spread across several neighborhoods, the combination of train + subway + walking suited us perfectly.
And after experiencing Tokyo’s transportation network, I understand much better how such an enormous city can function with what seemed to us like surprisingly little car traffic.
For a first visit, the network can look overwhelming on paper. Once we were there, however, our experience was completely different: we found it organized, efficient, and much easier to use than we had imagined.
And Once in Narita?
Once we arrived in Narita, we barely used public transportation at all.
Since our hotel was located just a few minutes’ walk from the train station, we simply dropped off our luggage and explored the city on foot.
Narita Omotesando, Naritasan Shinshoji, and its beautiful park were all within walking distance of our hotel. Even the next morning, we were able to return to the area for another walk without needing any other form of transportation.
For our departure, we simply took the train from Narita to the airport, using our Welcome Suica one last time.
For a short stopover like ours, Narita turned out to be particularly easy to explore without a car: one train to get there, our own two feet to explore, and another train to reach the airport!
Where to Stay in Tokyo and Narita
For our short stopover in Japan, we chose two different hotels: two nights in Tokyo, followed by one final night in Narita so we could be closer to the airport before our flight back to Montreal.
In both cases, our main priority was location. With only a few days to explore, we wanted easy access to public transportation and to avoid wasting unnecessary time getting from one place to another.
In Tokyo: APA Hotel Ueno Hirokoji
For our two nights in Tokyo, we stayed at APA Hotel Ueno Hirokoji. And for our needs, it was an excellent choice.
As I mentioned earlier, hotel rooms in Tokyo can feel surprisingly small when you’re used to North American standards. Ours was no exception: a double bed, very little space around it, and a compact bathroom. But everything was so well designed that, in the end, we didn’t feel like anything was missing.
The room was nice, clean, comfortable, and above all, extremely functional. Even sharing a double bed – which I was a little worried about at first – we ended up sleeping very well.
The location also suited us perfectly. We were close to public transportation, making it easy to reach the different areas we wanted to visit, while still being relatively close to Ueno Park for our final morning in Tokyo.
The area around the hotel was also very quiet, which really surprised us when we arrived late on Saturday evening.
Breakfast
Breakfast was included with our reservation and was served in a very small restaurant near the hotel lobby.
When we checked in, we were given coupons to present at the restaurant each morning. Rather than a large buffet, we had a few set menus to choose from. I opted for the American-style breakfast, while my husband tried the Asian-style option.
It wasn’t necessarily a spectacular breakfast, but it was perfectly fine and, most importantly, very convenient before heading out for our long days of sightseeing.
On the morning of our departure, the hotel also stored our backpacks free of charge after check-out, allowing us to continue exploring Tokyo without carrying all our luggage around.
A service we really appreciated.
The Pros
- Excellent location for using public transportation;
- Quiet neighborhood;
- Small but very functional room;
- Clean and comfortable room;
- Breakfast included with our reservation;
- Free luggage storage after check-out;
- Welcoming staff and excellent service.
Would I Stay There Again?
Yes, without hesitation. For a short stay in Tokyo where the main goal is to have a comfortable and well-located base for exploring the city, APA Hotel Ueno Hirokoji suited our needs perfectly.
💲 Rate in April 2026: approximately ¥60,798 (around $545 CAD) for 2 nights in a Standard Double Room, including breakfast and accommodation tax.
In Narita: Meet Inn Narita
For our final night in Japan, we chose Meet Inn Narita.
Once again, location played a major role in our decision. The hotel is just a few minutes’ walk from Narita’s train stations, which was especially convenient since we were arriving by train from Tokyo and needed to reach Narita Airport the following day.
The room was quite similar in concept to the one we had in Tokyo: small, with a double bed and a compact bathroom, but functional enough that we didn’t feel like anything was missing.
I found it a little more basic than our room at APA Hotel Ueno Hirokoji, but for just one night before our flight, we really didn’t need anything more.
The bed was comfortable, the room suited our needs perfectly, and the staff was very kind.
The hotel also did us a huge favor twice: when we arrived, since our room wasn’t ready yet, and again the next morning after check-out. Both times, we were able to leave our backpacks behind the front desk free of charge and continue exploring Narita without having to carry our luggage around.
Airport Shuttle
Meet Inn Narita also offered an airport shuttle included with our stay.
Unfortunately, the shuttle schedule didn’t really work with our flight time. The available departures were either too early or too late for us, so we simply took the train to the airport using our Welcome Suica.
However, if your flight schedule matches one of the shuttle departure times, this can definitely be a very convenient perk.
Et le petit-déjeuner?
Le petit-déjeuner n’était pas inclus dans notre réservation et il était possible de l’ajouter moyennant un supplément.
Sur le moment, nous avions trouvé le prix plutôt élevé et avons préféré nous dire que nous trouverions facilement quelque chose à manger ailleurs le lendemain matin.
Avec le recul… nous aurions peut-être dû le prendre! Nous avons finalement eu plus de difficulté que prévu à trouver un endroit où déjeuner tôt le matin à proximité.
The Pros
- Just a few minutes’ walk from Narita’s train stations;
- Convenient for getting to the airport;
- Airport shuttle available;
- Within walking distance of Narita Omotesando and Naritasan Shinshoji;
- Simple but comfortable and functional room;
- Free luggage storage;
- Very welcoming staff.
Would I Stay There Again?
Yes. For a night in Narita before or after a flight, Meet Inn Narita was exactly what we needed: simple, comfortable, well located, and convenient.
💲 Rate in April 2026: approximately ¥10,171 (around $91 CAD) for 1 night in a Smart Double Room, including accommodation tax.
Currency
The official currency of Japan is the Japanese yen (¥ / JPY).
During our stopover, we used a combination of cash, credit cards, and our Welcome Suica to make payments.
How Did We Get Our Yen?
We didn’t buy any yen before leaving home. Once we arrived in Japan, we simply withdrew cash directly from an ATM.
We used ATMs at 7-Eleven convenience stores, which are very easy to find throughout Japan.
As with any cash withdrawal abroad, fees may be charged by the ATM as well as by your own financial institution. Exchange rates can also fluctuate from one day to the next.
During our trip in April 2026, the exchange rate we received was approximately ¥112 for $1 CAD.
Credit Card, Cash, or Welcome Suica?
We were able to use our credit card for several expenses, including our hotels and some restaurants.
We still found it useful to keep a few yen in cash for smaller purchases and places where paying by card wasn’t necessarily an option.
Our Welcome Suica also made things much easier. In addition to paying for our train and subway journeys, we could use it at certain shops and convenience stores that accepted IC cards.
Before leaving Japan, we still had a small balance left on our Welcome Suica cards. Since the remaining balance wasn’t refundable, we simply used it at 7-Eleven to buy a few snacks before our flight.
A pretty convenient way to use up our last few yen!
Stopover Budget & Costs
Here are the expenses we incurred during our 3-day stopover in Japan. Please note that this only includes our expenses while in Japan. Flight-related costs are detailed in the budget section of the Vietnam portion of our trip. All prices below are for 2 people.
- 🚂 Welcome Suica (public transportation and a few purchases at 7-Eleven): ¥8,000, with ¥4,000 loaded onto each card (approximately $72 CAD for 2)
- 🍔 Food: ¥12,151 (approximately $109 CAD)
- 🎟️ Activities: ¥400 (approximately $4 CAD)
👉 Total: $185 CAD for 2 people in April 2026.
Quick Tips for a Successful Tokyo/Narita Stopover
For all my advice on planning a stopover – including how much time to allow at the airport, luggage, entry requirements, calculating how much time you actually have available, and leaving yourself a safe buffer – I’ve put together a complete guide:
👉 [Making the Most of a Layover: My Practical Tips for Using Your Time Wisely]
Tokyo and Narita do have a few particularities that stood out from our experience:
- Don’t underestimate the distances in Tokyo. The city is enormous. It’s better to group your visits by area and use the train or subway to travel between neighborhoods rather than trying to do everything on foot.
- Use an IC card such as the Welcome Suica. It made getting around so much easier for us and saved us from having to figure out and purchase a different ticket for every journey.
- Google Maps is your best friend. Despite the sheer size of Tokyo’s transportation network, we found getting around surprisingly easy thanks to the real-time routes suggested by the app.
- Check attraction opening days. I learned this the hard way with the Tokyo National Museum, which was closed on Monday when I really wanted to visit. When you only have a few days, finding an attraction closed can quickly disrupt your itinerary.
- Carry some cash. Even though electronic payments are widely accepted, having a few yen on hand is still useful for certain smaller expenses.
- If your flight departs from Narita, consider spending your final night there. It was probably one of the best decisions we made. Not only were we already close to the airport for our flight the next day, but we also discovered Naritasan Shinshoji, its beautiful park, and Omotesando. Narita became a real part of our trip rather than simply an airport.
- Travel light if you can. Between trains, stations, and walking, traveling with backpacks made our lives much easier. And whenever we didn’t want to carry them, our hotels were happy to store them free of charge before check-in or after check-out.
In the end, the best advice I could give for a first stopover in Tokyo is probably not to try to see everything. Even with three days, Tokyo is simply far too big for that.
Choose a few neighborhoods and experiences that genuinely appeal to you, and consider everything else an excellent reason to come back!
Conclusion
In the end, our stopover in Tokyo and Narita turned out to be one of the most wonderful surprises of our entire trip. And yet, I have to admit that I didn’t necessarily arrive with the best mindset.
After several weeks in Vietnam and a much more intense end to our trip in Hanoi, the fatigue was seriously starting to catch up with us. And since I’m not particularly drawn to very large cities in the first place, I knew I was about to arrive in one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the world.
So I had a few concerns. Did I really still have enough energy for Tokyo?
It only took us a few hours to realize that we probably had nothing to worry about.
A Big City… Completely Different from What I Had Imagined
What probably struck me the most about Tokyo wasn’t any particular attraction. It was the atmosphere.
Of course, we encountered crowds. You only have to think of Senso-ji or Shibuya Crossing to understand that Tokyo certainly isn’t a quiet little city!
But despite all those people, I never experienced that sense of chaos that can sometimes exhaust me in large cities. Everything seemed so organized.
Public transportation was efficient. The streets were incredibly clean. Pedestrian crossings were respected. People generally seemed mindful of not disturbing others. And above all, despite the millions of people around us, noise never seemed constantly present.
For me, the contrast was enormous.
We had arrived directly from Hanoi, a city I had enjoyed but whose intensity had demanded a lot from me toward the end of our trip. And suddenly, we were in Tokyo, an even larger city, without experiencing that same sense of overload.
I was discovering that a huge city could also feel surprisingly calm, orderly, and even peaceful at times. And I loved that.
Of course, three days as visitors certainly aren’t enough to understand all the realities of Japanese society. We also hear a lot about its rules, social codes, and a structure that can seem much more rigid than what we’re used to.
But as a traveler, I really appreciated that consideration for shared spaces. That simple idea that our freedom and our actions shouldn’t constantly interfere with those of others.
Three Days That Mostly Made Us Want to Come Back
The funniest part of all this?
We had barely arrived before we were already saying: “We’ll have to come back.” And that phrase followed us throughout practically our entire stopover.
No Mount Fuji from the observation deck? We’ll have to come back. Tokyo National Museum closed? We’ll have to come back. Omoide Yokocho during the day instead of at night? We’ll have to come back.
Not enough time to discover more of Tokyo? You already know the answer. We’ll have to come back!
Because three days allowed us to experience so much, but more than anything, they made us realize just how much we didn’t have time to see.
And now, it isn’t even just Tokyo that draws us back. This tiny introduction to Japan made us want to discover the country itself.
Its cities, of course, but also its temples, villages, landscapes, mountains, traditions, and all those places we only caught a glimpse of during this short stopover.
Japan was already one of the countries we were interested in visiting. Now, I know we’ll be back.
What If Japan Wasn’t as Unaffordable as I Thought?
There’s one last surprise I took away from this stopover: it cost us much less once we were there than I had expected.
For a long time, I had associated Japan with being a very expensive destination, and because of that, I assumed that a proper trip to Japan would probably remain out of our reach for quite some time.
Accommodation in Tokyo was indeed more expensive than what we had become used to paying in Vietnam or Bali.
But once we were there, I was surprised by just how many things we could experience for free.
Senso-ji, Zojo-ji, and Nezu-jinja were all free to visit. We enjoyed a beautiful view from the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center without spending a single yen. The observation deck at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building was also free. Ueno Park, Shibuya Crossing, Shinjuku, Omoide Yokocho, Naritasan Shinshoji, and its huge park didn’t cost us anything either.
Even our walk through the azalea garden at Nezu-jinja cost only a very small amount.
In the end, aside from accommodation, food, and public transportation, we spent very little on all the experiences we enjoyed during those three days.
Did I do my homework while planning our itinerary? Probably! But more than anything, this experience made me realize that a trip to Japan might be much more affordable than I had imagined, especially when you take the time to look for the many free or inexpensive experiences available.
A Stopover That Didn’t Really Feel Like One Anymore
At first, Japan was simply meant to be a convenient stopover on our way home.
Then we discovered that we would be arriving during cherry blossom season.
One day became three nights.
Tokyo was added to Narita.
And that simple stopover slowly turned into a real little destination within our journey.
We walked beneath blooming cherry trees, discovered our first Japanese temples and shrines, crossed Shibuya Crossing, admired Tokyo from above, experienced the incredible tranquility of Naritasan, and even found ourselves beneath a gentle shower of sakura petals.
Three days were far too short.
But they were long enough to leave us with one certainty: this definitely wasn’t going to be our last trip to Japan.
