Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Budget love hotel
Center
Nezu Jinja Shrine
Right
Live band playing at Yoyogi Park
Tokyo on a Budget
!
Bargain
parks
,
have interesting
cultural features including
Japanese gardens and
temples. The Imperial
Palace East Gardens
(see
p67)
has historical ruins.
pieces, such as Tokyo
International Forum
(see
p74)
, are open to the
public free of charge.
Some first-rate
museums, such as the
ADMT Advertising
Museum
(see p74)
, Tokyo
Metropolitan Museum
of Photography
(see
p35)
, and many Ginza
galleries are free.
Accommodations
It is quite possible to find
reasonable hotel rooms
near train or subway
stations in the range
of ¥8,000 to ¥10,000.
Organizations such as
Japan Minshuku Center
and Welcome Inn offer
a list of cheaper stay
options.
d
Japan Minshuku
Center: 3683 3396
• Welcome Inn: 3252 1717
%
Free Days Out
There are many
options for cheap days
out, with only a subway
ticket and convenience
store lunch to pay for.
Consider walking tours
to take in open-air sights,
such as the Imperial
Palace
(see pp6-7);
a
day people-watching in
one of the fashion towns,
such as Harajuku; or a
half-day in a big street
market, such as Ameyoko
(see p50)
.
^
Nights Out
*
Temples and
Shrines
Religious sites rarely
charge admission. There
are literally thousands of
temples and shrines in
Tokyo. Among the city's
liveliest and architec-
turally more interesting
are Senso-ji Temple
(see
pp10-11)
and the Meiji
Shrine
(see pp24-5)
.
(
Free Events
@
Public
Transportation
There are a number of
good-value travel choices.
With a combination of
Suica and Passnet, you
can take any regular train,
subway, or overground
line in Tokyo, an economic
option for a busy explo-
ration of the city.
Tokyo prides itself on
the beauty of its night-
time illuminations.
Besides the colorful
neon-covered buildings
in Ginza, Shibuya, and
Ikebukuro, many Sumida
River bridges
(see pp12-
13)
are lit up. Several
bars in Roppongi and
Shinjuku districts have
happy hours before the
night gets into full swing.
£
Cheap Eats
Tokyo's rich calendar
of cultural events
includes festivals, cere-
monies, rituals exhibi-
tions, and performances
of everything from horse-
back archery to open-air
tea ceremonies and
cosplay
events. See the
free weekly
Metropolis
magazine for listings of
upcoming events.
)
Discounts
Fierce competition in
catering means Tokyo is
full of cheap eateries.
Lunch sets can be real
bargains - chains, such
as Yoshinoya, offer lunch
and dinner sets for around
¥450. Convenience
stores, train stations, and
department stores have
tasty
bento
boxes. Stand-
alone restaurants and
bars are cheap, convivial,
and easy to spot.
&
Free Buildings,
Museums,
and Galleries
For a great city view, the
free 45th-floor observa-
tion deck at the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government
Building
(see p104)
is
hard to beat. Historic
buildings, including the
Bank of Japan
(see p68)
,
and modern master-
Many places have
discounted, and some-
times free, admission
to certain categories of
people, particularly
students and seniors.
To qualify, you will
need some proof of
age, such as a passport
or student card.
$
Free Parks and
Gardens
Tokyo has over 25,000
parks and gardens, from
large open expanses to
pocket parks. Free spots,
such as Hibiya
(see p74)
and Ueno
(see pp16-17)
122
