Tokyo is the megacity that other world capitals look up to. Nowhere else has quite the same mix of timeless history and future tech, strict tradition, bewildering crowds and moments of utter serenity. It’s the past and future wrapped up together into one thrilling package – and understandably, it’s one of the top tourist destinations on the planet.

Tokyo, Japan is not a quaint city. Unlike Vatican City, the smallest city in the world, Tokyo has a large urban and metropolitan area. With a population of 37.3 million people (37.7 million if all metro areas are counted), the city is bustling. In 2023, around 3.3 million international tourists visited Tokyo (which is significantly less than estimated numbers due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions) and 542.7 million domestic tourists visited. Why so many international and domestic visits? Well, everybody wants to visit the largest city in the world.

With the dense area and high amount of tourists fitting into 847 square miles, this may seem a daunting task; but read on for guidance in preparation for your trip to Tokyo, Japan