Tokyo: 36-hour itinerary

Arrive on Saturday morning with as little luggage as possible and catch the Narita Express from the airport to Tokyo Station (about one hour, ¥3100). From there, take the famous Yamanote train line to Yurakucho, one stop away. Walk to Ginza and check out either the Wako department store, then head back to the train tracks, turn left and follow them until you find a clutch of of grimy hole-in-the-wall restaurants that serve yakitori. Next, jump on the train and head to electronics town Akihbara (try the massive Yodobashi Camera is the biggest) and the otaku (geek) mega-mart Mandrake. Then have a cup of tea at the very odd Cafe@home maid cafe.

Catch the Sobu line one stop to Ochanomizu station, then transfer to Chuo rapid line (same platform) and ride to Shinjuku for sensory overload. Check out the view from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, walk through red light district of Kabukicho and try a bar in the Golden Gai — Albatross is foreigner-friendly and has an edgy, mixed crowd.

Jump on the train to Shibuya and check in at the Granbell Hotel, where you've booked a tiny-but-hip single room for a mere ¥14,000 (or ¥21,000 for a more spacious double). Head to Ichikan (see Lost in translation tour), where you'll get some great sushi and a dose of movie nostalgia. The night is still young, so head just down the road to hip Daikanyama and find a good bar (try Frames). If you miss the last train to Shibuya, a taxi should cost about ¥700.

Check out of Granbell and head back into Shibuya, where you join the endless hordes passing through Hachiko Crossing. Take a walk past the fashion shops, game centres and electronics stores along Shibuya's centre gai. "This is one of Japan's youth centres, where an ever-changing array of subcultures and fashion trends give off an unforgettable pulsating energy."

Jump back on the Yamanote and head to Harajuku. Walk out of the south exit and turn right — "it's Sunday, so if you're lucky there will be a few bona-fide Harajuku girls dressed up in outlandish costumes nearby, although the popularity of this appears to be waning somewhat in recent years". Take a photo, then walk along the edge of the park, pausing to check out the famous Dancing Elvis rockabilly troupe (they're always out on Sunday) and hordes of wannabe J-pop stars. Then visit the serene Meiji-Jingu shrine, just 10 minutes walk away, and marvel at the contrast.

Leave the park and head to Takeshita Dori, just over the road from the station — check out the elaborate goth costumes at Takenoko (but don't get caught taking pictures). Then jump on the train again and go one stop past Shinjuku to Shin-Okubo, Tokyo's little Korea, and grab a spicy lunch.

After that, it's time to leave, so head back to Shinjuku, buy your Narita Express pass and say goodbye to Tokyo's bright neon lights.