Main rail gateway
Tokyo, Shinagawa and nearby Shin-Yokohama serve different trains and directions.
Arriving and getting into the city
Tokyo Station has two very different sides: Marunouchi faces the Imperial Palace area; Yaesu is convenient for many Tokaido Shinkansen entrances. Shinagawa is another useful Tokaido stop, particularly for south Tokyo. Check the station on your ticket before setting out from your hotel.
A practical first day
Start with the Marunouchi station frontage and the Imperial Palace outer gardens, then choose one area for the afternoon: Asakusa for the old-city atmosphere or Ueno for museums and parkland. Shibuya and Shinjuku are separate urban hubs; crossing the city repeatedly makes a short visit feel rushed.
Where to go next by train
Kyoto and Shin-Osaka lie on the Tokaido corridor. Kanazawa uses the Hokuriku Shinkansen, while Sendai uses the Tohoku Shinkansen. These services can leave from different parts of Tokyo Station, so follow the line name as well as the word Shinkansen.
Local planning tip
A flight arrival is not a reliable train departure time. Allow for immigration, baggage collection, airport transport and the walk to the correct Shinkansen platform.
Tickets, bags and your departure day
Check your date, exact station, train and passenger numbers before paying. A reserved seat is assigned during ticketing; a window or adjacent-seat request is not a confirmed seat. Keep your issued boarding instructions offline, arrive around 30 minutes early at an unfamiliar station, and check the departure display before joining a platform queue. Luggage storage and local transfers may need separate arrangements.