Jr pass gets all the attention but most tokyo travel is on subway lines where jr pass doesn't work. Here's the math:

Tokyo metro 24-hour pass: ¥800

Tokyo metro + toei 48-hour pass: ¥1200

Jr tokyo wide pass (3 days): ¥10,180

For city-only travel, subway passes win. Jr pass only makes sense if you're doing day trips to nikko, kamakura, or mount fuji.

Most efficient: use ic card (suica/pasmo) and load ¥2000-3000. Daily subway costs rarely exceed ¥600-800 unless you're constantly moving between distant neighborhoods.