Tokyo Insider

Ginza streets glowing at night

Tokyo, from someone who works here

Honest Tokyo guides,
written from inside the city

Where to stay, how to get around, and what is actually worth booking. No recycled lists, only what I know first-hand.

Start with where to stay
About Ayako

Start here

Pick the question you are trying to answer.

A woman walking alone on a quiet Tokyo street

Where to Stay

Which neighborhood actually suits your trip, and the hotels I would book.

Travelers on a Shinkansen platform in Japan

Getting Around

Airports, trains, passes and eSIMs, without wasting time or money.

Mt Fuji seen from Lake Kawaguchiko

Day Trips & Experiences

The day trips and bookings that are worth your limited days.

Strawberry kakigori shaved ice at a Ginza cafe

Ginza Like a Local

The district I work in every day, hour by hour.

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Ayako

Who writes this

I’m Ayako, a female entrepreneur running two beauty salons in Ginza. I walk these streets every day, so I write about what I actually know first-hand, and I say so when something is not worth your money. More about me.

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