Visit Japan: 1-Day Tokyo Bus Tour

Our second full day in Japan was an exciting one! We had planned for this day for a while, as we had tickets booked for a 1-day Tokyo bus tour through the TripAdvisor website. The tour promised to give us a comprehensive look at some of the city’s most iconic spots in a single day. Here’s a recap of our jam-packed itinerary!

We caught a cab early in the morning to get to the meeting point in Ginza, the trendy shopping and entertainment district. We made sure to arrive before 7:30 am, the required time for check-in, and the streets were pretty empty due to it being a Saturday morning. The early morning hours in Tokyo always feel fresh, and Ginza was no exception, with quiet streets and shops preparing to open.

First up, we visited the peaceful Meiji Jingu Shrine, nestled in the heart of Tokyo. The serene atmosphere of the shrine, surrounded by lush greenery, was a great contrast to the busy streets we had just seen. 

We made a quick pass by the National Diet Building, the seat of Japan’s government. Then, we headed to one of Tokyo’s most iconic landmarks, the Imperial Palace. While we didn’t go inside, the views of the palace grounds and the surrounding gardens were beautiful, and it was easy to imagine the rich history that took place here.

The next part of the tour took us to Asakusa, a neighborhood famous for the magnificent Senso-ji Temple. This is one of Tokyo's most important Buddhist temples.

But before visiting the temple, we stopped at the Matcha Experience Store. The store offered us a unique opportunity to experience matcha in various forms. We each had the chance to choose from matcha tea, matcha beer, matcha gelato, or a matcha cream puff. It was hard to pick just one, but we opted to try the matcha gelato, tea, and cream puff. My sons weren't too excited with it, but I really liked the gelato and the tea. 

Right after our matcha experience, we took a short walk to the restaurant where we had lunch at (I didn’t catch the name of the restaurant since all of the signs were in Japanese).  When we arrived, our tables were already set, and we were invited to help ourselves to bowls of rice, miso soup, and drinks.  Soon after we sat down, the staff came around and served us five plump pieces of crispy chicken karaage on each plate. The chicken was perfectly cooked—crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with just the right amount of seasoning. The rice and miso soup complemented the dish perfectly, making it a comforting and satisfying lunch. 

After lunch, we were given about an hour to roam the streets independently before meeting at the designated meeting spot. We took advantage of the time to explore a bit more of Asakusa and enjoy the sights at our own pace. Along the way, we couldn’t resist picking up some Japanese sweets for dessert. 

The meeting place was the Senso-ji Temple, which was extremely crowded with tourists and locals alike, which made it hard to navigate through the crowd. Despite the hustle and bustle, the temple’s grand architecture and the energy of the people around us made it a memorable experience.

Our final two stops of the day were equally exciting. First, we visited Tokyo Skytree, the tallest structure in Japan. One of the big benefits of this tour is "skip-the-line" admission to the "Tembo Deck" which is 350m high. If we wanted to go to the "Tembo Galleria (450m)", we would have to pay for tickets separately.

On Floor 340, there is a glass floor that we had to stand in line for. Only a small portion of the floor is actually see-through, which is why there was a line to walk over it. 

Finally, we ventured over to Odaiba District, a futuristic waterfront area known for its shopping malls, entertainment complexes, located on a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. We had a 20-minute stop here, which gave us just enough time to snap a few photos of the city’s skyline. We then boarded the Tokyo Water Bus to return to Asakusa. 

After a long day, we were finally dropped off in Shinjiku to end the tour. We were exhausted but thrilled by everything we had seen. Tokyo is a city of contrasts, where modern skyscrapers meet traditional temples, and busy districts coexist with serene shrines.

If you're short on time but want to see the highlights of Tokyo, this 1-day bus tour is a perfect way to explore the city in a single day.  Highly recommend it if you'd like to explore the city in a structured way!