The full guide: a day-by-day plan, booking order, the points programs and transfer paths that fit, a dated costs section, backup plans and a printable list. You read it online and can download a watermarked PDF.

Travelers planning this trip for the first time who want the plan, the costs and the points options in one place, without reading twenty blog posts.

Does it cover points and miles?

Yes. It explains which programs and hotel brands reach this destination and in what order to book. It does not quote card offers.

Every price, fee, hour and rule is traced to an official source and stamped with the date we checked it. We re-check before peak season and list changes in the update notes.

Yes. Refunds are available within 14 days of purchase.

Tokyo on Points: Which Programs, Which Transfers, in What Order

Tokyo on Points: Which Programs, Which Transfers, in What Order: free sample chapter

Read the first chapter free. No email or account required.

The six-day plan, by neighborhood and time

This guide assumes a first visit, six days on the ground, and a goal of paying for as much of the flight and hotel as possible with points. It is written for a spring 2027 trip with the cherry-blossom season in mind, but the plan works in any month.

How to read the facts. Anything stamped "[verified date, URL]" was read on an official page the day we wrote this (2026-10-08). Where an official page did not expose a price or hours, we say so and name the page to check instead of guessing. Award prices are dynamic and never quoted here. Where official prices change often, treat a stamped price as a snapshot and recheck before you pay. We never quote card-offer amounts or points-earning amounts here.

The plan groups sights by area so you never cross the city twice in a day. It assumes you land and settle on day one, and that you leave on day six. Times are suggestions; the shape matters more than the minutes.

Day 1: Arrive, settle, and a gentle first evening (Shinjuku or your base)

Arrival. Clear immigration and customs, collect your IC card, and take the train to your hotel (Chapter 2 compares the routes).
3:00 pm. Check in. Many hotels allow luggage drop before check-in time.
4:30 pm. Walk your neighborhood for an hour. Find the nearest convenience store, a coin laundry, and the station entrance you will use every day.
6:30 pm. Early dinner close to the hotel. Ramen counters and set-meal restaurants (teishoku) are the best low-effort first meal.
8:30 pm. Bed by 9:30. The first day of jet lag is easier if you stay up until local evening.

Day 2: East side, temples and museums (Asakusa and Ueno, then Shibuya)

7:30 am. Breakfast at a convenience store and a neighborhood café.
9:00 am. Senso-ji in Asakusa, before the crowds. The main hall opens daily at 6:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm; the temple page lists 6:30 am as the opening time from October to March (checked Oct 8, 2026). The page did not state an admission fee for the main hall; the grounds are open to walk through, and the temple's official page is the place to check for any fee at the hall.
11:30 am. Walk or take the subway to Ueno.
1:00 pm. Lunch at a ramen counter.
3:00 pm. Tokyo National Museum or a walk in Ueno Park. Museum hours, weekly closed day and admission change by season and exhibition, so check the Tokyo National Museum's official site (tnm.jp) for your date.
5:30 pm. Subway to Shibuya for the crossing.
6:30 pm. Timed view from a rooftop observation deck. Shibuya Sky is the obvious choice. It sells timed tickets online; check the current price and hours and book ahead on its official site.
8:30 pm. Dinner in an izakaya.

Day 3: Art, immersion, and the waterfront (Toyosu and Odaiba side)

8:00 am. Start early; teamLab Planets opens at 8:00 am and runs until 10:00 pm, with last entry one hour before closing (checked Oct 8, 2026).
Tickets. Adults 3,800 yen (dynamic pricing applies, so the price you see may differ), junior high and high school 2,800 yen, ages 4 to 12 1,500 yen, 3 and under free. Tickets are sold through the official store only, not on site, and cannot be cancelled or refunded; web purchases can be changed up to three times, no later than two hours before admission (checked Oct 8, 2026). Buy as soon as you know your date, especially in blossom season.
Note. The page listed closures on Thursday, November 5 and Thursday, December 3 for the current year. Check the calendar for your own travel dates.
12:30 pm. Lunch in the area. The Tsukiji Outer Market's official hours are 6:00 to 9:00 for professional buyers and 9:00 to 14:00 for the public, and individual shops set their own closed days (checked Oct 9, 2026). Toyosu market hours and closed days follow the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's market calendar, so check the official Toyosu Market site for your date before going.
3:00 pm. Waterfront walk and an easy afternoon.
6:00 pm. Dinner back at your base.

Day 4: Day trip (Kamakura, Nikko or Hakone)

Choose one using Chapter 7. Leave by 8:00 am, return by dinner. Keep this day free of timed tickets in Tokyo so a delayed train does not cost you a reservation.

Day 5: West side, shopping and quiet green space (Harajuku, Shinjuku)

8:00 am. Breakfast at a local bakery.
9:30 am. Meiji Shrine and its forest approach. Opening hours vary by season; check the shrine's official site (meijijingu.or.jp) for hours and any fees on your date.
12:00 pm. Lunch in Harajuku.
2:00 pm. Walk to Shinjuku Gyoen or the department-store districts. Garden hours, closed days and admission are on the Ministry of the Environment's official Shinjuku Gyoen page; check it for your date.
5:00 pm. Early evening in Shinjuku: narrow bar alleys, big electronics stores, and yakitori.

Day 6: Ghibli or a flexible morning, then departure

Option. The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka admits visitors by advance reservation only, with no sales at the museum. Adults 19 and over pay 1,000 yen, ages 13 to 18 pay 700 yen, 7 to 12 pay 400 yen, 4 to 6 pay 100 yen, and 3 and under are free. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. JST on the 10th of each month for the following month, through Lawson Ticket (English) from overseas; they are valid only for the specified date and entry time, and the museum is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (checked Oct 9, 2026) Treat this as a plan-ahead item: if you want it, look up the sale date before you book the flight.
Otherwise. A relaxed breakfast, last-minute shopping, and leave for the airport with plenty of margin (Chapter 2).

A note on pacing

Six days leaves one day of buffer. If your award flight lands in the afternoon, shift Day 1 to a lighter evening and keep Day 2 as written. If you are traveling with children, remember that teamLab restricts some areas for younger ages; the Glass House is closed to children aged 12 and under (checked Oct 8, 2026).