10 Things to do on a Budget in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan’s modern capital is one of the most exciting places on the planet, but this doesn’t mean a holiday to this amazing destination has to break the bank. Like most places in the world, a trip to Tokyo can be done either in luxury or on a shoestring budget. I’ve been lucky to have been able to travel around most of Japan in my ten years of living there and overall I have found Japan to be an incredibly affordable holiday destination.

If you are planning a trip to the land of the rising sun, be sure to check out these things to do in Tokyo, for people travelling on a budget!

Tokyo Japan

Tokyo is the perfect short-stay destination for a kick of adrenalin. You can spend a lifetime exploring Tokyo and never run out of new things to do and discover. It`s best not to think of Tokyo as one city but as a collection of separate smaller cities all connected by rail as it makes it much easier to explore the city. Each of these smaller cities has its own distinct character and attraction.

The highlights of Tokyo include, The Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine; Asakusa district famous for Sensoji temple and Nakamise shopping street with cheap, antique kimonos, geisha bags and beautiful paper products, Sensoji temple, and the Kappabashi kitchen street for those plastic replicas of food seen in restaurant windows. Ueno for its park and museums, Akihabara for electronics, Shinjuku for its shopping with its huge Takashimaya department store and food hall, Tokyu Hands eight level craft store and Uniqlo store for really cheap, high quality, basic clothing, Harajuku for cheap shopping and Japanese street fashion, and Shiodome for entertainment.

Other places of interest include Shibuya for its famous intersection where the style tribes gather and Shibuya 109 the 10 level fashion emporium. Roppongi traditionally known for its nightclubs and bars, but now for its numerous upscale boutiques, smart cafes and Roppongi Hills with the 52 storey Mori building and Tokyo City View a walkway that wraps around the building offering 360 degree views stretching as far as Mt Fuji. Ginza for Matsuya department store and food hall.

At night time Tokyo really comes alive with mazes of blazing neon lights, tiny street stalls, bars complete with karaoke boxes, and the amazing pub food of yakitori and izakaya.