Budget Tips on Tokyo

Check out Tokyo’s oldest temple:

Senso-ji is the oldest temple you’ll find in Tokyo and is well worth a look. This temple, which is also known as AsakusaKannon, was founded way back in the 7th century. It’s believed that the smoke from the huge incense urn in front of the temple has healing powers, so when you visit you’ll probably see people rubbing the smoke all over their bodies. There’s plenty to explore in the streets surrounding the temple too, with many street vendors selling snacks such as rice crackers and sweet bean cakes, and also more modern treats like black sesame ice-cream.

Location: 2-3-1 Asakusa. 
Opening hours: Main hall open daily 6.30am-5pm.

Pay your respects at Meiji Shrine

Meiji is a huge Shinto shrine dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. It was established in 1920 and is set in a large green oasis in the centre of Tokyo which covers around 178 acres. There are a number of ways to show respect at this shrine, including bowing when entering through and leaving from a 'Torii' or shrine archway.

Location: 1-1 Yoyogi-Kamizono-cho. 
Opening times: Daily from sunrise to sunset.

 Enjoy one of Tokyo’s many festivals

Festivals are a very important part of Japanese culture and take place regularly throughout the year. The focus of these festivals can be incredibly varied and can include flowers, fertility, longevity, the dead, the moon, children, stars and plenty more. During these festivals you’re likely to see processions, food stalls and live entertainment.

 VisitTsukijiFishMarket:

One of the largest fish markets in the world, Tsukiji Fish Market is a very popular spot with early-rising visitors to Tokyo. The market, which begins in the wee hours of the morning, sells every kind of sea creature imaginable from top of the line caviar to cheap yet tasty sardines. Free to enter, this market is definitely worth a visit as you’ll discover when you wander around and witness all the fish-related deals taking place!

Location: 5-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 5am-11am, closed Sundays and some Wednesdays.

 Play with the gadgets in the Sony Showroom

Taking up floors one to four of the impressive 11-storey Sony Building, the Sony Showroom gives you the chance to get your hands on the latest Sony products. On a visit to the showroom, you can fiddle with high-tech gizmos to your heart’s content, many of which aren’t even on general sale yet. You can even try out the latest PlayStation software on a giant, high-quality monitor. Throughout Tokyo you’ll find a number of other showrooms which are free to visit including the Nissan Gallery, the Panasonic Centre, Honda Welcome Plaza and Toyota's MEGA WEB.

Location: 5-3-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku. 
Opening hours: Daily 11am-7pm.

  

Visit a photo gallery

During your stay in Tokyo you’ll find plenty of sights that’ll make you reach for your camera and get snap happy. However, if you fancy a break from taking pictures, why not check out some of the city’s top photo galleries operated by some of the major names in photography. Fuji, Canon, Nikon and Kodak all have photo exhibition showrooms in Ginza while Konica, Minolta and Pentax have showrooms in Shinjuku. At these galleries you’ll see frequently changing amateur and professional exhibitions and some of the galleries also contain small camera museums.

 

Go on a free guided tour with a local

Tokyo boasts a plethora of sights for you to enjoy and what better way to see these sights than by taking a free guided tour with one of the city’s locals to show you the way. The Systematized Goodwill Guide Groups are comprised mostly of students, housewives and retirees, and operate throughout the city. Tours depart from a variety of locations at different times throughout the day and cover attractions like Ueno Park, the Imperial Palace and plenty more. The tours themselves are free and you are only expected to pay for the guide’s travel expenses and any admissions to attractions. You’ll find more information about arranging a Goodwill Guide tour of Tokyo

Check out some of Tokyo’s beautiful gardens and parks

Bonsai trees, stone lanterns, Zen rock gardens and colourful carp! You’ll find all this and more on a stroll through some of the Japanese gardens found throughout Tokyo. And what's more, many of these gardens are free to enter. There’s the Higashi Gyoen Garden which is part of the Imperial Palace, the Nezu-jinja Shrine Garden, famous for its blooming azaleas in May, and the Shin Edogawa Garden, a classical Japanese garden complete with carp and stone lanterns. Tokyo’s Ueno Park is famous for its beautiful cherry blossoms in April and also hosts a selection of museums and more 

 See stunning views of Tokyo

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, or Tokyo City Hall as it’s also known, soars up for 243 meters above the ground. Designed by KenzoTange, the building’s twin towers cover 48 floors. Up on the 45th floor is where you’ll find the public observation decks, which can be reached by elevator in a speedy 55-second trip. Once you step onto the observation deck you’ll be faced with stunning views of the Tokyo, especially on clear days when you’ll get brilliant views of Yokohama to the southwest and Mount Fuji to the west.

Location: 2-8-1 Nishi Shinjuku. 
Opening hours: Daily 9.30am-11pm.

Check out some of the city’s many free museums

Tokyo has an incredibly wide variety of museums for you to check out. If you’re on a strict budget, don’t worry because many of the city’s museums won’t cost you a single yen to visit. These free museums include the following: Sumo Museum, Parasite Museum, Advertising Museum, Beer Museum Yebisu, Eyeglass Museum, Japan Stationary Museum, Fire Museum, Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum and the Currency Museum. So from sumo to specs, you’ll be able to see them all entirely free of charge.