Help with Last Minute Trip to Tokyo

I've stayed in Shibuya and Shinjuku and these are really busy city areas so not so much of the quirky shops. They make a good base though as it's easy enough to get around on the train. Harajuku is between these two suburbs and definitely worth a look if you like quirky!

I recommend getting a guide book (I'm old school) and reading it to get a bit of a sense of what you want to see. We loved Tokyo Tower and the fish market for example. I also don't eat seafood and didn't have too much trouble getting food. There's heaps of Italian restaurants everywhere and even Japanese places will serve stuff other than seafood e.g. ramen, katsu etc. MacDonalds is everywhere and also Starbucks.

The people are lovely and polite but often shy and don't always speak much English. The department stores are worth a visit - they have an opening ceremony each morning - often around 10am. And there are always food courts in their basements which have great snack foods.

Have fun! No advice from me, I'm enjoying your title. Last Minute Trip to Tokyo sounds like a 1980 New Wave band.

Hi, thanks for tagging me @dottyscrapper I'd be happy to help.
terri - if you let me know where in the city you'll be staying I can give you very detailed info about where to go and how to get there. There are lots of beautiful places to go in Tokyo that aren't crazy crowded. If you let me know your dates, I would be happy to meet you and act as tour guide. The city can be overwhelming for a first timer on their own.

You're right there are many amazing things to do and see here.
But, I've lived here for 4 years only speaking a handful of Japanese words and not able to read anything without any significant problems. Tokyo is pretty tourist friendly and they cater to English speakers. The train system in in English and many restaurants have English menus.
Part of traveling to new places is to try new things. There are lots of interesting and delicious Japanese snacks here, I think it would be a shame not to try some of them. They also sell regular flavor KitKats - it's the wasabi ones that leave me confused!!

And bonito flakes.

I like staying in the Shinjuku area because it has a lot of shops and eating places. It is home to one of the larger train stations in Tokyo, so there are a lot of connections to other areas of Tokyo. The downside is that it is almost the farthest point from Narita airport so it takes awhile to get there. I've also stayed in the Ikebukuro area. There are a lot of cool shops in that area too. Actually, there are a lot of shops and restaurants near most of the big train stations. I would like to stay one time near Tokyo Station, but hotels there are a bit pricier.

One thing that is hard to find is American style breakfast. For one, lot of places don't open up until around 10AM. Jet lag usually has me up and ready to go by 6AM. And the places that are open usually only have like breads/pastries to buy. Too much carbs for me. We end up eating at McDonalds a lot for breakfast. Don't laugh! They have eggs and sausage. Plus, they open early. We also found a Denny's near our hotel last time. They open early too and have American breakfasts. The other option is hotel buffets, but they are on the expensive side. And don't get me wrong, I love Japanese food, but I wait to have it for lunch and dinner. LOL!

Have fun!!

ETA - You should definitely check out the basement floors of the department stores.  The food courts there are amazing.  I've noticed some of them are trendier and serve lots of western style foods (baked chicken, healthy soups, salads, etc.). 

I'm not sure if your husband will have two consecutive days off work, but if he does, I would definitely recommend an overnight trip to Kyoto - it's one of the most beautiful cities in the world and well worth the trip. It's not close to Tokyo so you would need to take the Shinkansen (bullet train).

If you would like to PM me your email address I would be happy to answer any questions and send you some links.