Tokyo in 2 Days: Rooftop Onsen, Shimokitazawa Vintage and Ramen
Two days in Tokyo: where to stay in Shinjuku, getting around (and the Suica mistake I made), ramen, dessert and the best vintage shops in Shimokitazawa.
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The short answer
Stay in Shinjuku (Onsen Ryokan Yuen has a rooftop onsen), walk everywhere, use the GO taxi app and always tap out with your Suica, eat at Ramen Nagi in Golden Gai, and spend an afternoon thrifting in Shimokitazawa.
At one point on this trip, my Suica transit card stopped working because I forgot to tap out once, and I ended up explaining the whole thing to a transit worker through Google Translate. Japan’s transit is amazing, but it has rules, lol.
Tokyo was the first stop of our group trip with my college ski and snowboard club friends: two nights to explore, eat and shop before heading to the mountains. Here’s what we did and what I’d do with more time.
Where we stayed in Tokyo
Our first night in Tokyo we stayed at UNPLAN Shinjuku, then moved to Onsen Ryokan Yuen Shinjuku the next night. Yuen was pretty affordable and really nice, with a rooftop onsen (hot spring bath).
Where I stayed
Onsen Ryokan Yuen Shinjuku
Pretty affordable and really nice, with a rooftop onsen. A great way to soak off the travel.
Where I stayed
UNPLAN Shinjuku
Where we stayed our first night in Tokyo, close to a fun dessert spot and Shinjuku Station.
Getting around Tokyo
- Everyone walks everywhere. Bring comfy shoes.
- Shinjuku Station is the most confusing station ever. Prepare to get lost and not be able to figure your way out. I have no advice on how to do this better, lol. Eventually, somehow, you’ll get out.
- The “Uber” is the GO taxi app.
- Suica is the transit card. Make sure you tap out properly every single time. I didn’t once, and my card stopped working. I eventually had to find someone who worked for the transit system and use Google Translate to explain what happened so they could fix it. I had to pay cash until then. It was stressful.
Where to eat
- Sugoi Niboshi Ramen Nagi (Shinjuku Golden Gai): a tiny place up a set of red stairs, but the ramen was super good.
- Parfaiteria beL: a fun, really good dessert spot near UNPLAN in Shinjuku. The parfaits come in cocktail glasses.
Vintage shopping in Shimokitazawa
If you like thrifting, go to Shimokitazawa. It’s streets and streets of vintage shops. Here are the ones I’d go back to:
- X Vintage
- YURA Smile
- Rose Vintage
- New York Joe
- add (C) Vintage
- Focus
- Florida
- Frank Black
- An -react-
- 2nd Flamingo
When you need a break, Andrea Crepes is a good crepe spot close by.
Fun side quests
- Bic Camera. It’s fun to wander around, and they have tiny cameras you can buy that actually work. Just a fun side quest if you have time.
- The Burton store. Tokyo has a Burton store. I didn’t make it, but I wanted to.
- teamLab. I really wanted to go and didn’t make it, so make time for it if that’s something you’re into.
From Tokyo, we took the bullet train to Nagano and headed up to Hakuba.
Getting to and from Tokyo
- From Narita: the Narita Express into the city is about ¥3,000.
- From Haneda: the Keikyu line or the monorail is only a few hundred yen.
- Tokyo to Hakuba: bullet train to Nagano, then a bus, about 4.5–5.5 hours and about ¥9,500–12,500 ($65–85). There’s also one direct Azusa train a day from Shinjuku.
- Tokyo to Sapporo: about a 1.5-hour flight, roughly $70–200 one way.
For every leg of our trip, see traveling Japan with a snowboard.
Costs are rough, one-way, per person, and they change, so double-check before you book. Dollar amounts assume about ¥150 to $1.
Tokyo FAQ
Is 2 days in Tokyo enough?
It’s enough to get a taste: a neighborhood or two, great food and some shopping. We did two nights and I wish we’d had time for teamLab and the Burton store. If you can, add a day.
Where should you stay in Tokyo?
We stayed in Shinjuku, which is central and easy to get around from. Onsen Ryokan Yuen Shinjuku was pretty affordable and really nice, with a rooftop onsen. Just be ready for Shinjuku Station.
How do you get around Tokyo?
Walk a lot (bring comfy shoes), use the GO taxi app as your Uber, and use a Suica card for trains. You can add a Suica to Apple Wallet on an iPhone. Tap out properly every single time.
How do you get to Shimokitazawa?
It’s a quick train ride from Shinjuku on the Odakyu line, usually around 10 minutes. Go in the afternoon when most of the vintage shops are open.
Is Golden Gai worth visiting?
Yes. It’s a few tiny alleys packed with little bars and restaurants, like Ramen Nagi up the red stairs. Some bars have a cover charge and only fit a handful of people, so go in a small group.
Do you need to book teamLab in advance?
Yes. teamLab uses timed tickets that can sell out, so book online before your trip. I didn’t make it, so learn from me.
More from my Japan trip
This post is part of my three weeks snowboarding in Japan series. Start there for the full route, costs and what I’d do differently.
- Niseko guide: where to eat, drink and stay
- Backcountry snowboarding in Hokkaido
- Hakuba and the Cortina dam run
- Traveling Japan with a snowboard
- Kyoto in 2 days
- Japan culture differences and common Japanese phrases
- How much my Japan snowboard trip cost
- How to get to Niseko from Sapporo
- Ikon vs Epic Pass for Japan
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, I’m Lindsey. I learned to dirt bike in Virginia, have been snowboarding since the East Coast and surf whenever I can, and I write the trip guides I wish I’d had.
