Business trip to Tokyo 2026 — Marunouchi, Shimbashi, Ginza expense playbook

A complete money and area guide for a Tokyo business trip. Tokyo is the world's largest business city, with constant inbound traffic. This page covers the Marunouchi / Otemachi (finance), Shimbashi / Yurakucho (legacy commercial), and Ginza (client entertainment) loop on ¥30,000-50,000 a day. It pulls receipts, corporate-card strategy, and client-dinner districts onto a single page.

TL;DR — Tokyo business trip

• Per-day budget: ¥25,000-50,000 (lodging + meals + taxi)
• Meals: lunch ¥3,000-8,000, dinner ¥10,000-30,000, Ginza client dinner ¥30,000-80,000
• Lodging: business hotel in Marunouchi / Shimbashi / Yurakucho, ¥13,000-18,000/night
• Receipts: konbini, taxis, and restaurants all issue them
• Recommended cards: corporate Amex as primary, Wise as backup
• Connectivity: Sakura Mobile voice SIM (when you need a Japanese phone number)

1. Tokyo's main business districts

Marunouchi / Otemachi (the financial district)

• Headquarters cluster for Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, etc.
• Shin-Marunouchi Building / Marunouchi Building: high-rise offices and upscale restaurants
• Imperial Palace Plaza: a solid morning walk
• Business hotels: next to the Imperial Hotel, ¥30,000-80,000/night

Shimbashi / Shiodome (legacy entertainment district)

• Offices for Dentsu, Panasonic Tokyo, etc.
• Old-school izakaya under the train tracks for client entertaining
• Business hotels: APA / Toyoko Inn, ¥10,000-18,000/night

Ginza (high-end client entertainment)

• For client dinners, Ginza is the default choice
• ¥30,000-80,000 per person at top-tier sushi and kappo
• Sleep next door in Yurakucho or Shimbashi — Ginza itself is too pricey to lodge

→ #147 Ginza money pillar

Roppongi (foreign-affiliated and international business)

• Foreign HQs in Hills / Midtown
• International clubs and high-end bars
• ¥40,000-100,000/night luxury hotels

→ #152 Roppongi money pillar

Shinjuku (mid-tier corporates and IT)

• West Shinjuku office towers: heavy on IT startups
• Business hotel battleground: APA / Keio Presso Inn / Odakyu Southern Tower
• Entertain at small dining bars near the west exit

→ #142 Shinjuku money pillar

2. Hotel strategy for business travel

Look for "station-connected + 24h konbini"

• APA Hotel: Marunouchi, Shinjuku, Shimbashi — usually right by a station
• Toyoko Inn: free breakfast, no frills
• Mitsui Garden Hotel / Resol: business amenities plus a bit of character
• Typical business hotel rate: ¥13,000-18,000/night

High-end options for inbound visitors

• Imperial Hotel: shinise (long-established), full concierge
• The Peninsula Tokyo: downtown luxury
• The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo: Roppongi
• Conrad Tokyo: Shiodome
• ¥50,000-150,000/night

Booking site comparison

• Rakuten Travel — Rakuten points, issues proper receipts
• Jalan — Recruit, lots of business plans
• JTB — corporate-account discounts available
• Agoda — for overseas companies, English support

→ #164 Business trip money pillar

3. Client dinner budgets

Ginza, high-end

Roppongi, international-leaning

• Robuchon: ¥35,000-80,000 per person
• Morimoto: ¥25,000-50,000 per person
• Add a club or bar: ¥15,000-50,000 per person

Shimbashi, traditional

• Shinise (long-established) izakaya: ¥6,000-12,000 per person (with all-you-can-drink)
• Small dining bars under the tracks: ¥5,000-10,000 per person

→ #159 Izakaya money pillar / #157 Sushi money pillar

4. Taxi strategy for the workday

Taxi apps

• GO: the dominant player, auto-settles
• S.RIDE: Sony-affiliated, English support
• DiDi: Chinese-owned, multilingual
• All accept corporate cards

Typical fares

• Tokyo Station → Ginza: ¥1,000-1,500
• Tokyo Station → Shinjuku: ¥3,500-4,500
• Haneda Airport → city center: ¥6,500-9,000
• 20% late-night surcharge after 22:00

Receipts

• Ask for "ryoshusho" (a receipt) when you get out
• Route, distance, time, and fare are all printed automatically
• GO issues a PDF receipt and emails it automatically

5. One day on a business trip

Standard timeline

• 07:30: hotel breakfast (¥1,500)
• 09:00: client visit (taxi ¥2,000)
• 12:00: lunch with client (¥3,000-5,000)
• 14:00: second client visit (taxi ¥1,500)
• 16:00: back to hotel (¥1,500)
• 17:00: prep proposal materials
• 19:00: client dinner (¥30,000-50,000 per person)
• 22:00: back to hotel (taxi ¥3,000)
• Total: ¥35,000-60,000/day

Tying into expense-management tools

• freee Expense: OCRs receipts automatically
• Money Forward Cloud Expense: integrates corporate cards
• Most company policies require date, vendor name, and amount to be visible

6. Booking the entertainment venue

When to reserve

• Friday night (weekday): 1-2 weeks ahead
• Saturday night: 3-4 weeks ahead
• Entertainment seasons (May, October, December): 1-2 months ahead
• Top-tier Ginza spots: 3-6 months ahead

Booking services for inbound visitors

• JTB concierge: corporate-facing
• Tabelog English: partial coverage
• Hotel concierge: best via shinise hotels

7. Using gap time on a business trip

Short experiences

• Walk the Imperial Palace outer gardens: 30 minutes in the morning (free)
• Pick up business gifts in Ginza: ¥3,000-15,000
• Tokyo Station Hotel lounge: ¥3,500-6,000

Souvenirs

• Tokyo Station ekiben (station bento): ¥1,500-3,000 (for staff or family)
• Ginza wagashi (Japanese sweets) at a shinise: ¥3,000-8,000 (higher unit price)
• Haneda Airport duty-free: pick up on the way home

FAQ

Q: What does a one-week business trip cost?

A: ¥250,000-400,000 (5 nights lodging + meals + transport + 2 client dinners). Depends on your company's policy.

Q: When do you pour drinks for the client?

A: Refill before their glass is empty — that's the Japanese convention. Hold the beer bottle with both hands.

Q: Thank-you email after client entertainment?

A: Send between 8 and 10 the next morning. Lead with "Thank you for taking the time last night despite your busy schedule."

Q: Can I just write "上様" (uesama, "valued customer") on the receipt?

A: Most company policies forbid it. Get the receipt issued to the full registered company name.

Q: Medical costs if you get sick on the trip?

A: Travel insurance is mandatory — either credit-card-bundled or standalone. Keep ¥30,000 in emergency cash in a separate pocket.

Related articles

By traveler type

• #164 Business trip money pillar
• #165 Couple / honeymoon money pillar
• #166 Senior / multi-generation money pillar

Tokyo areas

• #142 Shinjuku money pillar
• #143 Shibuya money pillar
• #147 Ginza money pillar
• #152 Roppongi money pillar

Meals & entertainment

• #157 Sushi money pillar
• #159 Izakaya money pillar

Cards & payment

• #15 Wise vs Revolut vs bank cards
• #137 Best card for Japan travel 2026

Last verified: 2026-05-21. Check live rates on the Yen Finder home page.