Decisions to make before you travel
- Which airport, and which side of the city? Narita is the far airport: the Keisei Skyliner to Ueno costs ¥2,580 per adult with a paper ticket, and holders of non-Japanese passports can buy a ¥5,200 Narita Express round trip to Tokyo Station, Shinjuku or Shibuya. From Haneda, the monorail plus the JR Yamanote Line costs ¥720 to ¥870 per adult to the main Yamanote stations (operator pages, checked 12 October 2026). Hotels around Ueno and Asakusa suit Narita and Keisei; Tokyo Station, Shinjuku and Shibuya suit JR from Narita or the monorail from Haneda. See Narita and Haneda to central Tokyo.
- Suica, PASMO or your own bank card? Since 25 March 2026 a contactless Visa, Mastercard or similar card works on Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway and nine private railways, but not on JR East (including the Yamanote Line), Keisei or the Hokuso line, and only at the adult fare (Toei and Tokyo Metro, checked 12 October 2026). Most visitors therefore still need an IC card. Welcome Suica and TOURIST PASMO have no deposit, last 28 days and do not refund unused value. See Suica, PASMO and foreign cards.
- Which tickets are sold on a release day? Ghibli Museum tickets go on sale only through Lawson Ticket at 10:00 Japan time on the 10th of the month before, and the museum sells nothing at the door. Tokyo Disney Resort sells each date at 2:00 p.m. exactly two months ahead. Skytree advance tickets open 30 days before.
- Shopping before or after 1 November 2026? Goods bought up to 31 October are sold at the tax-exempt price at the till. From 1 November you pay the full price, including 10% consumption tax (8% on food and non-alcoholic drinks), and get the tax back only after customs confirms the goods at departure (Japan Tourism Agency and National Tax Agency, checked 12 October 2026). See tax-free shopping and the airport refund.
- Which day trip? Kamakura is about 60 minutes from Tokyo Station on the JR Yokosuka Line; Lake Kawaguchiko is about 1 hour 45 minutes by highway bus from Shinjuku.
Your planning order
Compare the timed tickets
| Sight | Adult price, checked 12 October 2026 | How it is sold |
|---|---|---|
| Ghibli Museum | ¥1,000 | Lawson Ticket only, from the 10th for the next month; closed Tuesdays |
| Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea | ¥10,900 weekdays, ¥11,900 Sundays, ¥12,400 Saturdays (October and December 2026 calendars) | Online at 2:00 p.m., two months ahead; date changes free, park cannot change |
| teamLab Planets or Borderless | ¥3,800 listed; from ¥3,600 on some dates | Timed slot; Planets online only; no refunds |
| Tokyo Skytree, Tembo Deck | ¥2,100 weekday, ¥2,300 weekend or holiday, in advance | From 30 days ahead; same-day from ¥2,400 on weekdays |
| Tokyo Skytree, combo with Galleria | ¥3,100 weekday, ¥3,400 weekend or holiday, in advance | Combo sales may stop on busy days |
| Tokyo National Museum, collection | ¥1,000; free under 18 and 70 and over | No slot; online tickets valid two months |
Borderless prices come from GO TOKYO, Tokyo's official tourism site, because teamLab's own Borderless pages do not show them; confirm the price for your date on the ticket site.
Day trips compared
| Day trip | Getting there, checked 12 October 2026 | Main costs |
|---|---|---|
| Kamakura | JR Yokosuka Line from Tokyo Station, about 60 min; or Odakyu Enoshima-Kamakura Freepass from Shinjuku, ¥1,640 | Great Buddha ¥300; Hasedera ¥400, last entry 16:30 from July to March |
| Lake Kawaguchiko | Highway bus from Busta Shinjuku, ¥2,200, about 1 h 45 min; Fuji Excursion train ¥4,200 | Bus seats on sale one month ahead; PASMO not accepted on Fujikyu highway buses |
We do not quote JR fares to Kamakura or to Kawaguchiko, because JR East's fare search could not be read; JR East revised its fares from 14 March 2026, so check the amount on the ticket machine.
If this is your situation
What to recheck on the day
- Tax refund from 1 November 2026: the scan at a tax-free terminal in the Narita or Haneda departure lobby must happen before you check in any bag, within 90 days of purchase. Neither airport's website showed where the terminals stand when checked on 12 October 2026.
- Ghibli Museum: on 6 October 2026 the museum posted a notice that its ticket purchase method is changing. Read it before you buy.
- Narita Express: JR East lists suspended services from 6 to 8 November 2026.
- Skytree hours: the ticket page gives last admission at 20:00 and the FAQ at 21:00, so plan to arrive by 20:00.
- teamLab Planets is closed on 5 November and 3 December 2026; Borderless has irregular closing days.
- Tokyo National Museum is closed on Tuesday 13 October and from 26 to 31 December 2026, and several galleries close in stages from late October.
- Kawaguchiko: Fujikyu warns of heavy traffic delays around the Fuji Five Lakes, and late buses are not refunded; at weekends the train is the safer choice for a fixed arrival time.
Each guide names the official page it follows and the date it was checked. Prices for Disney and teamLab change by date, so open the official calendar for your own date before you pay.
