Tokyo rewards the organised traveller. Travel blog Two Wandering Soles has laid out a five-day plan for first-timers, and it follows a smart logic: three days of the classics, then two days of quirkier, less-visited neighbourhoods.

Day one starts at Tsukiji, often called Japan's kitchen — a cluster of around 65 vendors, some over a century old. The advice is to arrive early and bring cash, since crowds swell by 10am and plenty of stalls don't take cards. Standouts include Maguroya Kurogin for tuna belly (the fattier, the pricier) and 24-hour Sushizanmai. After a sushi breakfast, the plan books a noon or 1pm slot at teamLab Borderless, the immersive digital art museum that regularly sells out — reserve well ahead and allow three to four hours. Prefer an alternative? teamLab Planets is the Instagram-favourite sibling, though the writers rate Borderless as the better of the two. The day wraps with a free view of Tokyo Tower from Azabudai Hills.

Day two is the big-hitter circuit: Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park in the morning — weekends may catch a traditional wedding — then Harajuku's Takeshita Street with rainbow cotton candy and crepes, and on to Shibuya Crossing and the Hachiko statue. For views, the choice is between free-ish rooftop Parco Terrace at sunset and Shibuya Sky on the 46th floor, which needs a timed reservation. Evening means izakaya: a guided hopping tour runs about $100 for 3.5 hours with four drinks and dinner included, or you can DIY it in Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai.

Day three offers a pick-your-own morning — a sumo stable tour to watch wrestlers train, a costumed go-kart ride (you'll need an international driving permit and be 18-plus), or the Warner Bros. Harry Potter studio tour, which needs advance booking and a 3-4 hour window. Afternoons bring Akihabara's arcades and anime shops, then Asakusa: the 200-metre Nakamise shopping street, Senso-ji Temple, and a free observation deck on the 8th floor of the Asakusa Cultural Center that most tourists miss.

Days four and five head off the beaten path — Shimokitazawa, the lucky-cat Gōtokuji Temple, a local food tour, and Tokyo's old town — though the source's detail thins out there. The overall advice is sound: five days is the sweet spot for a well-rounded city stay, though three can work if the countryside is calling. Practically, the recurring themes are booking ahead (teamLab, Shibuya Sky, Harry Potter), carrying cash for markets, and adjusting to jet lag with early nights.

For anyone planning a first Japan trip, this itinerary is a useful skeleton — swap in your own interests, but the structure of classic sights first, character neighbourhoods second, is a dependable one.