We asked an AI for a 3-day Tokyo itinerary, then fact-checked all 14 stops

“Tokyo's oldest temple featuring the iconic red lantern and bustling shopping street. Arrive early to avoid crowds and catch the serene morning atmosphere at this must-see landmark.”
Claimed: 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM · Free

Checked: Senso-ji's Main Hall (Hondo) opens 6:00-17:00 only April-September; October-March it opens at 6:30, not 6:00 (close stays 17:00 year-round). The temple grounds (Kaminarimon, Nakamise, five-story pagoda exterior) are accessible 24/7, and admission is genuinely free. The AI's single year-round window is right 6 months of the year and 30 minutes off the other 6.

Senso-ji's own site states the main hall opens 6:00 (Apr-Sep) but 6:30 Oct-Mar - the AI flattened a seasonal 30-min difference into one number.

“Fresh sushi breakfast at family-run stalls. Sample authentic nigiri at Sushi Zanmai (¥3,500 for premium set) or grab tuna-mayo rice bowls for ¥1,200. The energy and quality are unmatched.”
Claimed: 5:00 AM - 2:00 PM · ¥2,000-¥5,000 per person

Checked: The Outer Market is still very much open in 2026 (only the wholesale inner market moved to Toyosu in Oct 2018, so calling it 'Tsukiji Outer Market' - as the AI did, not just 'Tsukiji' - is correctly disambiguated, not misleading). The official market calendar splits the day into 6:00-9:00 (professional buyers), 9:00-14:00 (public), 14:00+ (flexible/individual shop hours) rather than one flat 5:00-14:00 window, and per-shop hours vary widely. The AI's bigger omission: the market is closed every Sunday plus a handful of Wednesdays per year (Tokyo Central Wholesale Market holiday calendar) - a traveler following this itinerary on the wrong day would find it shut, and the claim mentions no closure days at all.

Official tsukiji.or.jp calendar shows tiered 6:00-9:00/9:00-14:00 hours plus a Sunday (and irregular Wednesday) closure schedule the AI never mentions.

“The world's busiest pedestrian crossing. Grab coffee at the Starbucks overlooking the intersection, watch the organized chaos, and browse youth fashion at the legendary 109 department store.”
Claimed: Crossing: 24/7 | Shopping: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM · Free to view crossing | Shopping varies

Checked: Shibuya109's shopping floors run 10:00-21:00 exactly as stated (cafes/restaurants inside run later, roughly 11:00-22:00, on a separate schedule); the building closes only on January 1st. The claim matches the current 2026 posted hours.

Tokyo's official tourism board (GO TOKYO) lists SHIBUYA109 shopping hours as 10:00-21:00, closed only New Year's Day - matching the AI's claim verbatim.

“Energetic izakaya in a converted warehouse. Yakitori skewers, kushikatsu fried sides, and craft sake. The lively atmosphere and reasonably priced dishes make it a local favorite.”
Claimed: 5:00 PM - 11:30 PM · ¥4,000-¥8,000 per person

Checked: Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu (the 'Kill Bill' restaurant) is open daily 11:30-27:30 (11:30 AM to 3:30 AM), including a full lunch service from 11:30 AM-3:00 PM (last food order 2:45 AM, drinks 3:00 AM) - it is still operating in 2026. The AI's '5:00 PM open' erases the entire lunch service, and its '11:30 PM close' cuts roughly 4 hours off the actual 3:30 AM closing. Price is closer to right: Tabelog reports average dinner spend of ¥6,000-7,999/person and lunch ¥2,000-2,999/person, so the AI's ¥4,000-8,000 band is a reasonable dinner-leaning estimate but undershoots the typical dinner floor.

Gonpachi's own site lists hours as 11:30-27:30 with a dedicated lunch service until 15:00 - the restaurant is open for lunch, not '5PM only' as claimed.

“360-degree Tokyo skyline from 230 meters up. Night views are spectacular; bring a light jacket as the observation deck can be breezy.”
Claimed: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM (last entry 9:15 PM) · ¥2,500

Checked: Shibuya Sky's actual 2026 hours are 10:00-22:30 (not 22:00 as claimed - a 30-min miss), with last admission 21:20 (9:20 PM) - that one detail the AI got exactly right. Pricing has moved to a tiered online/counter x time-of-day structure: online adult tickets are ¥2,700 (entry before 14:59) or ¥3,400 (15:00 onward); same-day counter tickets, when available, are ¥3,000/¥3,700 respectively. The AI's flat ¥2,500 undercuts every current tier and reflects an outdated flat-rate era (tickets were ~¥1,800-2,000 online circa 2019-2023 before the tiered pricing model was introduced).

GO TOKYO's official listing confirms current adult pricing of ¥2,700/¥3,400 online (¥3,000/¥3,700 at the counter) - the flat ¥2,500 the AI cites matches none of the four current price points.

“Serene Shinto shrine nestled in a forested area honoring Emperor Meiji. The peaceful walk through the woods feels worlds away from Tokyo's buzz. Weekday mornings are quieter.”
Claimed: Sunrise to sunset (6:00 AM - 4:30 PM in winter) · Free

Checked: Meiji Jingu's gates genuinely track sunrise/sunset and the shrine republishes an exact monthly table on its own site; for July 2026 the real window is about 5:00 AM to 6:20 PM — roughly an hour earlier at opening and almost two hours later at closing than the itinerary's fixed '6:00 AM-4:30 PM'.

The shrine's own July schedule opens at 5:00 AM and closes at 6:20 PM — the itinerary's flat '4:30 PM' close would send travelers away nearly two hours before the gates actually shut.

“Tokyo's most famous youth fashion street packed with trend shops and crepe stands. Expect crowds and enjoy the kawaii (cute) culture. Grab a strawberry crepe for ¥800-¥1,200.”
Claimed: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM (shops vary) · Free to walk | Shopping ¥500-¥5,000+

Checked: Takeshita Street itself is a public street with no gates or fixed hours — it's accessible any time. Individual shops set their own schedules and, per Japan Guide, 'tend to be open daily from 11:00 to 20:00,' so most shops close around 8 PM, an hour later than the itinerary's stated 7:00 PM, and some open closer to 11 AM than 10 AM.

Japan Guide states shops 'tend to be open daily from 11:00 to 20:00,' and Tokyo's official GO TOKYO listing gives no fixed hours at all ('varies by floor/store') — the itinerary's 7:00 PM close undersells how late most shops actually stay open.

“The iconic red steel tower with views rivaling Skytree but with more retro charm. Daytime views show metropolitan sprawl; sunset is golden. The lower-deck arcade has vintage games.”
Claimed: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM (last entry 9:30 PM) · ¥2,100 (main deck) | ¥3,000 (both decks)

Checked: Tokyo Tower's official site (checked July 2026) lists Main Deck hours as 9:00-23:00, last admission 22:30, adult price ¥1,500 — not ¥2,100. The Top Deck Tour runs 9:00-22:45 (last tour 22:15) and costs ¥3,300 online / ¥3,500 at the counter — not a flat ¥3,000. Hours are also understated by about an hour on both decks.

Tokyo Tower's official site lists the Main Deck at ¥1,500 — the itinerary overquotes it by 40% (¥2,100) while lowballing the Top Deck Tour (real ¥3,300–3,500).

“Famous tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen chain. Individual booths ensure a focused eating experience. Rich, creamy broth with tender chashu pork. The ¥950 regular bowl is filling and authentic.”
Claimed: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM · ¥850-¥1,150

Checked: Ichiran's own Shibuya (Jinnan) store page lists the location as open 24 hours a day, not 11 AM-10 PM; a second nearby Shibuya branch (Spain-zaka/Udagawacho) runs roughly 10 AM-6 AM. Base tonkotsu ramen in Tokyo is ¥980-1,080 as of 2026, plus a 10%/~¥100 late-night surcharge from 22:00-6:00 (introduced April 2025) — the claimed range is close at the top end but the ¥850 floor is stale.

Ichiran's own shop listing for Shibuya reads 'Open 24 hours,' directly contradicting the itinerary's '11:00 AM - 10:00 PM' — missing exactly the late-night ramen run the Shibuya location is famous for.

“Tokyo's newer, cleaner fish market replacing Tsukiji. Fresh sashimi and sushi at vendor counters. Try uni (sea urchin) donburi at Sushi Zanmai or grab fresh tuna at ¥4,200 for premium sets.”
Claimed: 5:45 AM - 3:15 PM (inner market) | 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM (outer shops) · ¥3,000-¥6,000 per person

Checked: Toyosu Market's official visitor hours are 5:00 AM-5:00 PM, and the market is closed Sundays, national holidays, and most Wednesdays (~116 closed days a year on an irregular published calendar) — a closure risk the itinerary never mentions. Close-up viewing from the tuna-auction observation deck requires an advance online lottery application submitted about a month ahead (roughly 100 slots/day); only the more distant public Visitors' Walkway view is genuinely walk-up, with no reservation.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government's own Toyosu page confirms observation-deck auction viewing is lottery-based ('participants will be chosen by lottery'), with a separate, farther-away walk-up walkway — so calling the auction 'walk-up' skips the step needed for the close view, and the stated 5:45 AM-3:15 PM hours match neither the real 5:00 AM-5:00 PM window nor the market's frequent Wednesday/Sunday closures.

“Modern shopping mall on reclaimed land with Tokyo Bay views. Nearby, immerse yourself in digital art installations at teamLab Borderless—a mind-bending experience of light, color, and interaction.”
Claimed: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM (mall) | 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM (teamLab) · Free to browse mall | teamLab ¥3,200

Checked: teamLab Borderless permanently closed its Odaiba venue on Aug 31, 2022, and reopened Feb 9, 2024 at Azabudai Hills in Minato-ku — a different district, not inside or near Decks Tokyo Beach. Current adult tickets are dynamically priced roughly ¥3,600–¥5,600 (not a flat ¥3,200), and Decks Tokyo Beach's own shops run about 11:00–20:00/21:00 (varies weekday/weekend/floor), not a blanket 10:00-22:00.

teamLab Borderless hasn't been in Odaiba since August 2022 — it relocated to Azabudai Hills, roughly 8km away, reopening February 9, 2024.

“Over-the-top dinner show featuring giant robots, neon dancers, and sensory overload. Kitsch Tokyo at its finest. Includes a bento box dinner. Chaotic, loud, but unforgettable—very Instagram-worthy.”
Claimed: Shows: 4:00 PM, 5:45 PM, 7:30 PM, 9:15 PM · ¥6,500-¥8,000

Checked: Robot Restaurant shut down permanently in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. A rumored 2023 revival at the same Kabukicho building was confirmed dead — 'closing, with no plans to reopen' — as of May 31, 2023. A separate show, Samurai Restaurant Time, now runs at that venue with different showtimes (~10:30am/1:30pm/4:00pm) and prices (~¥7,000–14,800), not the Robot Restaurant's cited 4:00/5:45/7:30pm slots or ¥6,500-8,000 pricing.

Robot Restaurant was confirmed permanently closed on May 31, 2023 — the showtimes and prices cited describe a venue that no longer exists.

“One of Tokyo's most celebrated sushi restaurants. Reserve weeks in advance. The chef selects the finest fish daily; expect 15-20 pieces of exquisite nigiri with minimal rice and perfect temperature control.”
Claimed: Lunch 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM | Dinner 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM (closed Sundays) · ¥15,000-¥25,000 (omakase only)

Checked: Sushi Saito has followed ichigensan okotowari (no first-time customers) since around 2018 and accepts no public reservations — access runs only through existing regulars, top hotel concierges (Aman Tokyo, Ritz-Carlton, etc.), or auctioned resale slots (opening bids over ¥100,000) on platforms like Shokuoku; it was voluntarily removed from the Michelin Guide in 2019 specifically because it is 'no longer open to the public.' Current dinner omakase runs roughly ¥60,000–70,000+, far above the claimed ¥15,000-25,000.

Sushi Saito has taken no public reservations since 2018 and was pulled from the Michelin Guide in 2019 for being unbookable — telling readers to 'book ahead' is actively wrong, and the real price is 3-4x the itinerary's quote.

“Sleek observation deck 52 floors up with panoramic city views. More upscale than Shibuya Sky; the evening light show across Tokyo's cityscape is magical. Cocktails available at the bar (¥2,000-¥3,500).”
Claimed: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM (last entry 9:15 PM) · ¥1,800

Checked: Tokyo City View is open and does run 10:00-22:00 (last admission 21:30) as claimed, but adult admission has been ¥2,400 (counter) / ¥2,200 (online) since a price revision effective June 20, 2025 — well above the claimed ¥1,800. (Separately, the outdoor Sky Deck rooftop has been closed to the public since April 2024, though that's not the indoor observation deck the claim names.)

Adult admission to Tokyo City View has been ¥2,200–2,400 since a June 2025 price revision — not the ¥1,800 the itinerary quotes.