Tokyo on a Budget - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

txd · 08-22-2005, 12:27 AM

Hi all,

As I have mentioned previously I am heading to Tokyo / Kyoto for 2 weeks in the near future. Unfortunately it is proving to be quite costly even before getting there

Can anyone make any recommendations for sights to see / things to do on a budget or even free.

irateplatypus · 08-28-2005, 11:46 AM

tokyo eh? congratulations... you're going to have a great time.

the good news: there are plenty of things to see and do that are relatively inexpensive

the bad news: things that you see and do will be a small part of your total financial picture. food, lodging, and especially transportation will likely be your costliest expense-types.

things to do...
- spend time in ueno or yoyogi park, watch the people.
- go to a baseball game. tokyo swallow tickets are pretty cheap. i sat a few rows up on the first base line for close to 15 bucks.
- lots of shrines and gardens about
- find a few museums you are interested in, you can get a whole afternoon's entertainment for a modest ticket price
- walk around the big neon districts at night (ginza, ikebukuro, shibuya). the spectacle is amazing, and free
- visit the emperors palace grounds & garden
- the sony building (in shibuya, i think, hard to remember) has whole floors devoted to letting you try out their latest gadgets and games.
- japanese arcades are a cultural experience in themselves. even if you aren't a big vid-gamer $5-10 bucks goes a long way for entertainment.
- don't be afraid to spend a little time doing "normal" things (eat at mcdonald's, go the mall, see a movie). they don't have to be expensive, but it's sometimes surprising to see how those common things are a little different over there.
- use a guidebook to find internet cafes. this is a slice of the youth/pop-culture scene that can't be missed.

my advice: don't go there and be hamstrung by your budget. work a few more hours, borrow money from relatives, sell some stuff you'll never use again. these trips are wonderful experiences, and are often once-in-a-lifetime. if you're going to spend the enormous amount of resources to get there, you might as well take full advantage of the time you have.

money saving tips:

- stay in hostels, but make sure you get a good locaiton. time and money spent traveling to the things you want to see will easily outweigh the benefits of saving 10 bucks a night on a room.

- don't drink alcohol. if you do, find some fellow travelers/hostelers to hang out with and buy at a grocery store. paying 7 dollars for a beer ruins the taste.

- eat at noodle shops, or stop by the convenience stores to get boxed meals/rice balls. they are surprisingly fresh and nourishing.

- plan your bus/rail expenses ahead of time, see if a pass of any sort will help you out. some passes can out be bought out-of-country.

- never take a taxi

- i don't know if you're into this sort of thing... but "snack bars" are not what you thinnk that are... unless you think they're a swanky place to buy a $20 handful of sesame trail mix.

bundy · 08-28-2005, 09:04 PM

awesome advice from irateplatypus.

another thing... if you do want to go out for a night out, bare in mind that all trains stop running between 12-1am. so, if you want to avoid being caught out until 5-6am, make sure you double check the last train times and such.

also, the sony building is in ginza, short walk from yurakocho station. window shopping in ginza is on my must do list... and its free so enjoy. you could also get up at the crack of dawn and check out the fishmarkets at tsukiji. walking around is free (but they're talking about banning tourists there), and one of the most amazing sites if you like your seafood.

have fun.

oh, and i don't recommend capsule hotels. staying in one is like staying in prison. its a lonely and cramped experience with very little to offer apart from the temptation of introspection and sore neck muscles.

txd · 08-29-2005, 05:08 AM

Thanks to both of you for your suggestions. In reality I'm not too worried about over spending but it would be nice to have the options ;] As irateplatypus mentioned it has already cost us a pretty penny and we have yet to even leave.

kangaeru · 08-31-2005, 08:57 AM

I spent 900 dollars in one weekend here...so I'm not one to answer this...

All I can say is you will have a wild time if you go to the good bars in Shinjiku and Shibuya, enjoy.

08-22-2005, 12:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
txd Addict	Tokyo on a Budget Hi all, As I have mentioned previously I am heading to Tokyo / Kyoto for 2 weeks in the near future. Unfortunately it is proving to be quite costly even before getting there Can anyone make any recommendations for sights to see / things to do on a budget or even free.

08-28-2005, 11:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
irateplatypus can't help but laugh Location: dar al-harb	tokyo eh? congratulations... you're going to have a great time. the good news: there are plenty of things to see and do that are relatively inexpensive the bad news: things that you see and do will be a small part of your total financial picture. food, lodging, and especially transportation will likely be your costliest expense-types. things to do... - spend time in ueno or yoyogi park, watch the people. - go to a baseball game. tokyo swallow tickets are pretty cheap. i sat a few rows up on the first base line for close to 15 bucks. - lots of shrines and gardens about - find a few museums you are interested in, you can get a whole afternoon's entertainment for a modest ticket price - walk around the big neon districts at night (ginza, ikebukuro, shibuya). the spectacle is amazing, and free - visit the emperors palace grounds & garden - the sony building (in shibuya, i think, hard to remember) has whole floors devoted to letting you try out their latest gadgets and games. - japanese arcades are a cultural experience in themselves. even if you aren't a big vid-gamer $5-10 bucks goes a long way for entertainment. - don't be afraid to spend a little time doing "normal" things (eat at mcdonald's, go the mall, see a movie). they don't have to be expensive, but it's sometimes surprising to see how those common things are a little different over there. - use a guidebook to find internet cafes. this is a slice of the youth/pop-culture scene that can't be missed. my advice: don't go there and be hamstrung by your budget. work a few more hours, borrow money from relatives, sell some stuff you'll never use again. these trips are wonderful experiences, and are often once-in-a-lifetime. if you're going to spend the enormous amount of resources to get there, you might as well take full advantage of the time you have. money saving tips: - stay in hostels, but make sure you get a good locaiton. time and money spent traveling to the things you want to see will easily outweigh the benefits of saving 10 bucks a night on a room. - don't drink alcohol. if you do, find some fellow travelers/hostelers to hang out with and buy at a grocery store. paying 7 dollars for a beer ruins the taste. - eat at noodle shops, or stop by the convenience stores to get boxed meals/rice balls. they are surprisingly fresh and nourishing. - plan your bus/rail expenses ahead of time, see if a pass of any sort will help you out. some passes can out be bought out-of-country. - never take a taxi - i don't know if you're into this sort of thing... but "snack bars" are not what you thinnk that are... unless you think they're a swanky place to buy a $20 handful of sesame trail mix. __________________ If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves. ~ Winston Churchill

08-28-2005, 09:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
bundy . Location: Tokyo	awesome advice from irateplatypus. another thing... if you do want to go out for a night out, bare in mind that all trains stop running between 12-1am. so, if you want to avoid being caught out until 5-6am, make sure you double check the last train times and such. also, the sony building is in ginza, short walk from yurakocho station. window shopping in ginza is on my must do list... and its free so enjoy. you could also get up at the crack of dawn and check out the fishmarkets at tsukiji. walking around is free (but they're talking about banning tourists there), and one of the most amazing sites if you like your seafood. have fun. oh, and i don't recommend capsule hotels. staying in one is like staying in prison. its a lonely and cramped experience with very little to offer apart from the temptation of introspection and sore neck muscles. __________________ Ohayo!!!

08-31-2005, 08:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
kangaeru Crazy Location: on the road to where I want to be...	I spent 900 dollars in one weekend here...so I'm not one to answer this... All I can say is you will have a wild time if you go to the good bars in Shinjiku and Shibuya, enjoy. __________________ Dont be afraid to change who you are for what you could become

08-29-2005, 05:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
txd Addict	Thanks to both of you for your suggestions. In reality I'm not too worried about over spending but it would be nice to have the options ;] As irateplatypus mentioned it has already cost us a pretty penny and we have yet to even leave.