Hello! I've done a lot of research and have put together the itinerary below for our 4 days in Tokyo, starting next Saturday! I tried to group activities by proximity. Please give me feedback on whether I overlooked anything important, the plausibility of our plans, and any general tips. I also had just a few questions embedded in as well. I super appreciate it, thanks!!

Sat 3/21
Arrive NRT at 3:30 PM, to hotel in Shinjuku, check out nightlife

Sun 3/22
Meiji Shrine, Takeshita-Dori, Jinju-Bashi, Omote-sando, Shopping (Harajuku)
Tokyo’s Champe de Elyse, Sony Building, Shopping (Ginza)
Shibuya nightlife

Mon 3/23
Tsukiji Fish Market, Sushi Breakfast [How early necessary to arrive to just see some action? How to choose a place to eat?]
Ghibli Museum (opens at 10)
Bubba Gumps, Tokyo Dome City’s La Qua
Akihabara [Better to go in the evening to see the lights?]

Tue 3/24
Imperial Palace East Garden
Ameyoko Arcade (Ueno)
Senso-ji Temple, Nakimise-dori (Asakusa)

Wed 3/25
Last morning in Tokyo...Open still
Depart for Hakone (85 minutes from Shinjuku), arrive between 2-6 PM

On 3/24 add a tour through Ueno Park(not to be missed at this time of year with over one thousand cherry blossom trees)since you will be so close(right around the corner)

Looks like a good plan, go with it and have a blast......you will!

Aloha!

konnichi wa! good grouping of sights.

are you going for cherry-blossom viewing? sakura forecast in tokyo is march 24. when you go to imperial palace east garden, one of the best places to view sakura is the chidorigafuchi koen on the other side of the palace.

in ueno, try to ueno park if you want to see how the japanese party under the sakura trees. if you have time near asakusa, the sumida river is lined with rows and rows of sakura trees. for a relaxed, long distance view, try the boat cruise.

best place to view the famous shibuya crossing is on starbucks 2nd floor in front. ask for a window seat. try to be there before dark for a better view .of course shibuya at night is a must-see. theres a nearby small okonomiyaki (japanese pizza/mix and cook it yourself on the table) place if you havent had this dish.

for a free top view of the city, go to top of metropolitan govt bldg at shinjuku. daytime.

100yen shops are great for the budget. big ones offer interesting and useful items.

enjoy!

p.s.

if you have time morning of your last day in shinjuku, you might want to take a walk in shinjuku gyoen (park) and see different types of sakura trees plus other sights. this one's very spacious.

Tsjuki fish market - we got their at around 5.30am and their was plenty of action going on around the market. It is massive so allow approx 2hours. Watch out for the forklift trucks zooming around (they make few concessions for half awake foreigners wandering around!). As for chosing a place for breakfst, there are loads to choose from and many have menus in English posted either inside above the counter or outside. There they tended towards a range of fixed price menu with maybe 4 types of tuna or mixed fish or of course, if feeling adventurous, a la carte. Although not particularly eco correct, we went for the tuna.

As always in these types of establishments, choose one of the busiest, preferably populated by locals. Probably my best ever breakfast and certainly my best ever sashimi. You will not be disapointed!

I second the vote for checking out Shinjuku. Tsukiji might be good for your first full day since you usually wake up very early naturally due to the time difference (4am or so depending on where you're coming from).

Your Monday plan is well...packed, you'll probably end up soo tired.

Honestly I never saw the attraction of the fish market and who wants to wake up at 4am(factor in time you have to get ready before getting out by 5am) and I think it's one of those really really over rated tourist places, but that's just my opinion. Not only after all that, you have to cut back across to western tokyo to visit the Studio Ghibli museum, then after that you have to go back again to the other side of Tokyo to visit Akihabara.

If possible, knock out your Ginza/sony building visit on Sunday and replace that with a visit to the Ghibli museum since you can get there easy from Shinjuku, yoygogi stations.

Move the Ginza visit to Tuesday because Ueno, Asakusa, and Ginza are all on the same train line and easy to get to each other from. Moving it to Monday works ok too because its close to the fish market and on the same line to Akihabara.

Also add in Odaiba in the evening if you have time (Monday?). The view from Odaiba at night over Tokyo Bay to Tokyo is fantastic.

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

tokyosubway: unfortunately, the only thing I can't move is the trip to the Ghibli Museum, our tickets are for Monday only. I tried rearranging other stuff, what do you think of my new plan below?

Also, I think I read that the Tsukiji Fish Market is closed on Sundays, so we wouldn't be able to go on our first full day in Tokyo. Is that right? And if we didn't want to get there in time for the actual auction, when do we have to be there by to still get a sashimi breakfast? I love sushi, are there other areas/places to get great fresh sushi?

thanks JoyInJapan for the sakura forecast! I didn't realize there was such a high possibility of us seeing the cherry blossoms! I thought it was normally in early April.

I also left Roppongi off the itinerary, but am thinking we might swing by in the evening for its nightlife. Is the nightlife best in Roppongi, Shinjuku or Shibuya?

Sat 3/21
Arrive NRT at 3:30 PM
Shinjuku, Shibuya

Sun 3/22
Meiji Shrine, Takeshita-Dori, Jinju-Bashi, Omote-sando, Shopping (Harajuku)
Imperial Palace East Garden?
Bubba Gumps, Tokyo Dome City’s La Qua
Akihabara

Mon 3/23
Ghibli Museum (opens at 10)
Shinjuku, Shibuya

Tue 3/24
Tsukiji Fish Market, Sushi Breakfast
Ameyoko Arcade, Ueno Park (Ueno)
Senso-ji Temple, Nakimise-dori (Asakusa)
Tokyo’s Champe de Elyse, Sony Building, Shopping (Ginza)

Wed 3/25
Shinjuku Gyoen
Depart for Hakone (85 minutes from Shinjuku), arrive between 2-6 PM

Thanks again!

knemo,
how'd your trip go? so sorry the sakuras were unexpectedly so delayed and off-forecast this year. last saturday to monday, i think, was the best time to see the sakuras in full bloom in tokyo. such a beautiful sight! i went to chidoriga fuchi on the 1st, and the trees were only half in bloom.

hope you enjoyed the other sights anyway. blessings!