Top Spots in Tokyo to Eat for Free

Tokyo is a great place to eat out, with a bewildering choice of exciting restaurants and new, surprising flavours. One great way to try out many new flavours without splashing too much money away is to visit places that generously give out small samples to customers. It means you can try many types of food, and take your time to find the right snack or meal for you. It’s also useful for picky eaters, as it means there is less chance of ordering food that won’t get eaten!

With my new book, Super Cheap Japan: Budget Travel in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima and Surrounding Areas, I have made a guide to show exactly how you can travel on a budget in Japan. I have been all across Tokyo and collected a list of free sample spots, which I included in the book. Here are some of my top spots for free food!

Walking past the wide number of choices

Shinjuku is a good start to experience a bit of free food. The two main department stores, Isetan and Takashimaya, both have huge food courts on their basement floors. Isetan is a little more upmarket and seems to have an ever changing selection of stalls and shops, so it’s worth visiting more than once. Takashimaya, next to the tax-free Tokyu Hands variety megastore, has a good range of bakery goods and snacks to take home as souvenirs.

Head a few stops down on the Yamanote Line for more options in Shibuya. Tokyu Food Show has lower prices than the above department stores, and also has a few stalls offering free samples. There is also a good choice of western food, as well as Japanese twists on western favourites, such as cheese fondue and pasta dishes. Also located on the lower level, it can be accessed via Shibuya station.

Trying some Kimchi in Hikarie, Shibuya

Another awesome spot for free samples in Shibuya is Hikarie, also connected to the station. Only a few years old, the higher levels are full of fancy items, with prices more reasonable than most department stores. Downstairs there are two fabulous floors, full of many original snack creations, such as a macaron inside a taiyaki! The shops here are still eager to establish themselves, and are very generous with their free samples. You might not even need a proper meal after visiting here…..

Shopping in Isetan, Shinjuku

Outside of Tokyo, Chinatown in Yokohama has several stalls offering free samples to tourists on the main street, as well as to customers lining up. Favourites here are the Nikuman (meat bun) and Gyoza (Chinese dumplings). All the free samples are a great way to save money here, as the restaurants can be a little pricey.

Finally, remember to ask for tax-free shopping if you buy lots of items, as all the shops in this post have tax-free for tourists!

This post was written by Matthew Baxter, author of the new book Super Cheap Japan: Budget Travel in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima and Surrounding Areas. It's the ultimate budget travel guide to Japan, full of the most useful, up-to-date information for a cheap holiday in Japan. With extensive tax-free shopping, crazily discounted train passes and an unbelievable exchange rate, there has never been a better time to visit. The book shows you exactly how, where and when you can save money. Go shopping for $4 clothes in Tokyo, enjoy inexpensive hikes in Nikko, or visit Kyoto’s beautiful shrines and gardens on the cheap; all with this super helpful guide.

*** Competition Time ***

To celebrate the release of the new book Super Cheap Japan: Budget Travel in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima and Surrounding Areas, we want to know what your best money saving tip is for traveling in Japan. The top idea will get a free copy of this awesome new book! Know a great place to eat on the cheap? A super way to save on accommodation? An unbelievable travel hack to get something for free?

Just leave your tip in the comments and we will select the lucky winner from the responses. Good luck!

Entries close on Sunday, 8 October 2017

Sake Kit Kat in Japan

Hot on the heels of the news about a new Nestle factory opening up in Japan for flavoured Kit Kats comes news of a new premium sake Kit Kat in Japan.

Nestle is releasing a new type of high-class Kit Kat with the help of esteemed Toyama-based sake brewery, Masuizumi and former Japanese soccer star Hidetoshi Nakata, a passionate sake fan. The new premium sake Kit Kat will be made for refined tastes and has been a year in the making.

Masuizumi sake brewery based in Toyama Prefecture was chosen from over 100 sake breweries in Japan to provide the premium sake used in these new Kit Kat. Masuizumi has a history dating back to 1893, making a great choice for these premium Kit Kat. The white chocolate wafers of the Kit Kat combine perfectly with the crisp dry finish of Masuizumi’s sake, creating depth of flavour and a distinct sake aroma.

The new premium Kit Kat containing 0.4% alcohol is called Masuizumi Japan Sake Kit Kat and will be sold in distinctive red boxes containing nine individually packaged bars. The tagline for the product is “The elegant taste of sake, wrapped in the gentle sweetness of white chocolate. Enjoy the rich, satisfying flavour of sake”.

Masuizumi Japan Sake Kit Kat will go on sale at souvenir stores around Japan from mid-September and will retail for 700 yen ($USD6.50). Kanpai!

Kit Kat Japan Website  

Nestle Factory for Flavoured KitKats

Snacks and chocolate are big business in Japan with KitKat, the country’s top selling chocolate brand. The Japanese love the different seasonal and regional flavours of KitKat that can be found around the country, and with 300 different limited-edition varieties released so far, the choice seems endless.

Some of the more popular flavours of KitKat in Japan include Green Tea, Cherry Blossom and Yokohama Cheese Cake. On the other hand we have also been inflicted with weird and quirky flavours such as Wasabi, Soy Sauce and Okinawan Sweet Potato.

A selection of KitKat from Japan

KitKat was first introduced to Japan in 1973, and instantly become a hit with the name “KitKat” sounding like the Japanese “Kitto Katsu”, which means “You will surely win”, making the chocolate a popular choice for students hoping to pass exams. The different flavoured varieties have been a success due to the omiyage (souvenir) culture in Japan with travelers bringing back the regional specialties to their family and co-workers.

Japan has already seen the opening of fancy KitKat Chocolatory Boutiques around the country selling a “premium artisan” variety of KitKat created by renowned Japanese pastry chef Yasumasa Takagi. The limited edition flavours have been a big hit with KitKat aficionados with high-end flavours such as raspberry-infused dark chocolate and orange chocolate rum.

KitKat Chocolatory Boutique Store in Tokyo's Ikebukuro District

Now, we have news that Nestle, who make the popular wafer chocolate snack will build a factory in Japan dedicated to producing weird and wonderful flavours of KitKat. The new factory in Himeji City, famous for Himeji Castle will help satisfy the ever increasing demand for exotic local KitKat flavours both in Japan and overseas.

KitKat Japan Website

KitKat Purple Potato

New Tourist Train, the Royal Express in Japan

This July a new tourist train, the Royal Express started operations in Japan. The royal blue luxury train is Japan’s newest and biggest tourist train and is operated by Tokyu Corp and Izukyu Corporation.

The train aimed at tourists runs between JR Yokohama Station in Kanagawa Prefecture and Izukyu-Shimoda Station in Shizuoka Prefecture. The eight-car train with a capacity of 100 passengers will take in the spectacular scenery of the Izu Peninsula with the ride taking around three hours. The Izu Peninsula is a popular vacation destination with hot spring resorts and scenic coastal views of the Pacific Ocean. Izu is a stunning location with beautiful nature and this new train will bring further joy to the small communities located along the railroad where it’s running.

The Lost Coast of Izu Japan

The new train has been designed by Eiji Mitooka, who also designed the famed Seven Stars luxury express train for Kyushu Railway. It is easily recognizable by the gold line running along the side of its royal blue carriages. The train is decked out with a dining car as well as a multipurpose car designed for wedding ceremonies, exhibitions and small concerts. Sounds like a lot of fun!

Source: Japan Today

The tickets for this incredible new train are limited and are not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. You can find various travel packages using the irregularly operated train on offer now in Japan.

MUJI Hotel to Open in Ginza in 2019

MUJI one of Japan’s most popular brands will open its first hotel in Tokyo’s posh Ginza district in spring 2019 ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

MUJI is a Japanese retail company which sells a wide variety of household and consumer goods. Its natural and simple design has made its products popular with not only the Japanese but with people from all over the world. MUJI designs are distinguished by their minimalism with emphasis placed on recycling and the avoidance of waste in production and packaging. It maintains this minimalist approach with a no-logo, or no-brand policy.

The new hotel will be located in a beautiful tree-lined street just a short two-minute walk from the Tokyo Metro Ginza Station. The 10-story building will be home to MUJI’s new global flagship store with the store to occupy one basement floor up to part of the sixth floor. The rest of the building space will be dedicated to a hotel overseen by the company.

Source: The Yomiuri Shimbun

The tentatively named Muji Hotel will be the first of its kind in Japan and will be decked out with all that MUJI furniture and amenities we just love. There are also plans to open two hotels in China in the near future.

The building will be constructed by publisher The Yomiuri Shimbun and real estate developer Mitsui Fudosan Co., MUJI hopes the hotel will become “a place where customers can thoroughly experience MUJI product lineups.”

Official Website 

 

Sacred Island of Okinoshima

The sacred Japanese island of Okinoshima in south-west Japan received UNESCO World Heritage listing last week on July 9, 2017.

The island was submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List back in 2009.

The culturally important island chronicles the progression of traditional worship rituals from the 4th to 9th centuries, which were conducted to pray for safe sea voyages.

Okinoshima is part of Munakata City in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, and is situated midway between the south-western island of Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula.

Okinoshima is located between Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula

The entire island is considered a Shinto kami (god) with various religious sites and shrines dotted across it to appease the gods to protect the surrounding waters, which served as an important trade route in the region between China and Korea. The sacred island is off limits to women and male visitors must strip naked before going ashore. The island’s main shrine, Munakata Taisha Okitsu Shrine is carefully maintained by a single male employee.

Munakata Taisha Okitsu Shrine

The shrine located in the southwestern portion of Okinoshima was established in the mid-17th century as a sacred natural site. The shrine has gone through several repairs and rebuilding phases over the centuries with the current structure remaining in pretty much the same condition since the Showa Period (1926-1989).

The island covers an area of 97 ha (240 acres) with its highest peak reaching an elevation of 244 m (801 ft). Okinoshima is not currently open to the public and can only be viewed from a distance offshore.

The sacred island of Okinoshima from the sea

Official Website

Japan’s Amazing Bike Vaults

Tokyo is one of the world’s great cities offering a huge diversity of attractions and experiences with pretty much something for everyone. One thing that it does lack is space, with over 13 million people living in Tokyo, space is at a premium. Many people rely on public transportation to get around the city, but more and more people are taking to two-wheels to travel. The Japanese Transport Ministry estimates that around 14% of the commuting traffic in Tokyo is on bike. While on the surface biking around may seem like a good idea, it has led to the inconvenience of bicycle’s being parked on already crowded pavements further reducing the already rare and precious space in Tokyo.

Friday Night in Tokyo

One company has come up with an ingenuous solution to help solve this problem by creating high-tech underground bike parking that simply store the bikes 40 feet underground. Dubbed the Eco Cycle, the 23-foot diameter storage facility can house up to 204 bikes. The solution is a win-win for everyone with no more clutter of bikes up on the streets, and owners resting easy with the knowledge that their bikes are locked in a safe place, away from thieves and bad weather.

From street level, an Eco Cycle looks like a small kiosk. In reality, they are gateways to futuristic subterranean parking lots.

The underground storage systems work in a simple but effective way. Place your bike onto the runway, swipe your membership card onto the reader, push a button and stand back as the automated system takes care of the rest. In less than 8 seconds your bike is stored away in its slot, and can be retrieved in around the same time. Membership costs 2,600 yen (USD$25) a month.

Eco Cycle Underground Bicycle Parking

Another key point of the underground bike vaults apart from being a shelter from bad weather is that they are completely safe from earthquakes, a regular occurrence here in Japan.

Today, there are around 50 Eco Cycle Stations across Japan with plans to expand overseas in the near future.

What do you think about Japan’s high-tech bike vaults? Please leave your comments and feelings below in the comment section.