Tokyo may be one of the most exciting places you’ll ever visit, but that doesn’t mean it has to be the most expensive.
Despite its Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury hotels and designer shopping districts, Tokyo has way more to offer than a high-flying lifestyle and fortunately for those who want bang for their buck, a lot of the best things to see are and do are priced at less than AUD$50. So, stop stressing about how to pay rent and save for a holiday at the same time because we’ve got you covered with cheap eats in Tokyo, tips on where to stay and quirky Japanese experiences you don’t want to miss.
Here are our best things to do in Tokyo on a budget:
1. Super kawaii and super cheap!
Sanrio Puroland is a great place for kids and the young at heart – especially those who never grew out of their Hello Kitty obsession. This indoor theme park is small but jam-packed with tame rides, arcade games, live performances, Sanrio-themed food options and a kick-ass gift shop. It’s a full day’s entertainment in any weather.
For around AUD$30 you can buy your entry ticket and there’s not much more you’ll need to fork out your hard-earned dollars for once you’re inside. Except maybe a cake in the shape of Hello Kitty’s head.
2. Quirky cafés
Tokyo is known for its quirky, themed-cafés
Japan is famous for having some of the most bizarre cafés and restaurants in the world, with themes including animals, robots, vampires and prison, so, it wouldn’t be an authentic Tokyo trip without a visit to one of these kooky eateries.
At Maidreamin Café you will be swept away into a dream world and doted on by your waitress come dream girl as she serves you up desserts that are almost far too cute to eat. Almost. A visit starts at around $30AUD, and includes a drink.
If your idea of a dream scenario involves less humans and more hedgehogs, do I have the place for you!
Hedgehog Home and Café gives you the opportunity to play with sweet little hedgehogs for a whole hour as you enjoy unlimited tea and coffee. Don’t hedge your bets – at around $40AUD, this one’s a winner!
3. Authentically Japanese
Travellers can immerse themselves in Japanese culture
Part culture, part workout, part musical education, a Taiko drumming class will offer you a unique experience that couldn’t be achieved outside Japan. The Taiko drum is an ancient traditional instrument that is known for its bellowing sound and despite its age, is still used today and has even been adapted for modern performance.
In this class you will learn some basics that will make you feel like a master of the Taiko and have you working up a sweat. A fun way to get yourself hyped up before a night on the town.
Did you even go to Japan if you didn’t dress up in a kimono and carry out a photo shoot? No, you didn’t. Make the most of your sightseeing by doing it in authentic dress! You’ll feel like a prince or princess as you roam the local area and pose in front of traditional Japanese architecture and gardens to score some shots you’d never get back home.
A cheap and cheerful way to add some colour to your holiday with hire costing less than AUD$20.
An ancient Japanese pastime is soaking in an Onsen or hot spring and fortunately for those who like to unwind, this tradition is still just as popular in modern times.
Oedo Onsen Monogatari, in the centre of Tokyo, is perfect for those city-dwellers who want to escape the hustle and bustle of their fast-paced life and indulge in some ‘me’ time.
At Oedo Onsen Monogatari, you’ll be granted entry for just AUD$30, allowing you to try out the pools or pay a little extra for a special spa treatment if you desire. Robe and locker hire are also included in the price.
4. Seeing the sights
How can you see the entire city of Tokyo for less than AUD$30? By viewing it from 450 metres in the sky, of course!
Tokyo Skytree is the tallest building in Japan, standing at a dizzying 634m above the ground. With two viewing platforms, you can take in the whole cityscape and even catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji if it’s a clear day. Great for those who are time and cash poor.
5. The fast and the slow
Could there possibly be anything more fun than zipping around the streets of Tokyo on a go-kart? Yes, the actual streets, like, where the cars drive. And did I mention you’ll be dressed as a cartoon character while you do it?
If this sounds like it’s right up your alley, you can choose a whole day’s outing or just a one-hour taste but either way, prepare to be gawked at by fellow drivers as you speed past them mere centimetres from the ground. At less than $50, you’d be crazy not to!
For something more chilled, you can’t look past an afternoon cruise around Tokyo Bay. On this hour-long sojourn you will enjoy afternoon tea as you sail past some of Tokyo’s most iconic places, including Tokyo Tower and the Rainbow Bridge. The best bit? This absolutely blissful outing will only cost you around AUD$35.
6. Food and drink
Sake is readily available in Tokyo
Like most Asian cities, some of the best and most authentic food you can eat comes from the markets. Not only will it be tasty and fresh, it will also usually be ridiculously cheap.
For street food, try Ginza Fukuyoshi or Memory Lane. If it’s seafood you love, check out the Tsukiji fish market, or if you really want to eat at a Michelin-starred establishment but don’t want to part with hundreds of dollars to do so, check out some of the cheapest (but by no means lesser quality) top restaurants including Nakiryu, Kagawa Ippuku or Kien, where you can dine for less than AUD$20. Yes, seriously.
You’ll need to wash all that food down with something, so how about a little sake? The Japanese love their sake, and like other wines, there is an enormous range to suit every taste and budget. If you can’t choose just one, try an all-you-can-drink sake party, where you’ll be free to try unlimited amounts of sake for around AUD$50. Bottom’s up!
7. Art and about
Being on a budget doesn’t mean you miss out on cool stuff and teamLab Planets is about as out of this world as they come.
A culmination of efforts from light and graphic designers, engineers, architects and more brilliant minds, Planets brings together light, water, mirrors and a clever use of space to whisk visitors away into a world where they become one with the art.
This truly has to be seen to be believed and even if you’re not an art lover, the photos you’ll score should be drawcard enough.
Entry will set you back around AUD$50, but honestly, they could be charging so much more, it’s that good.
8. Getting around
Luckily for budget travellers, Tokyo’s public transport is actually the preferred mode of getting around the city. It is reliable, efficient, clean and safe and as a bonus, it’s inexpensive to boot. You can pre-purchase your train ticket from Narita airport into the heart of the city and combine it with a Tokyo Subway pass for the duration of your trip with prices starting from only AUD$40.
9. The essentials
Imagine saving all this money and then coming home to a whopping big phone bill because you ate up all your data and then some? *gulp* No thanks.
With a 4G SIM card you don’t have to worry about finding a free Wi-Fi spot and you are able to snap and tik tok as you please! You can pre-buy your sim and pick it up at the airport, too. How easy is that?
10. Sleep on the cheap
Photo Credit: Resol Poshtel Tokyo Asakusa
Japan’s living standards are incredibly high and unlike some countries where cheap accommodation translates to a ‘you get what you paid for (or worse)’ kind of situation, hostels and budget stays are genuinely very clean, quiet, comfortable and safe facilities in Tokyo.
Depending on the location, time of year and your personal needs, you can expect to pay upwards of AUD$20 a night for a stay at a hostel or less than $80 a night for a three-star hotel.
For something a bit different, you could also try a capsule hotel - which start from about AUD$30 a night.
Money saving hacks for booking hotels in Tokyo
- Book your hotels at least 3 months in advance if you are visiting between March to April and the last weeks of November. These are the super peak seasons due to the cherry blossom and Autumn seasons.
- Expect to pay 30% more if you are travelling on a Saturday or during the peak season. Even locals from other parts of Japan love to visit Tokyo and Osaka over the weekends, hence the surge in Saturday room prices.
- Taxi fares can cost an arm and a leg hence we strongly recommend staying near a train station where you can hop onto the subway or JR line easily.
Prepaying for your essentials and activities in Tokyo will help you keep track of exactly how much you’ve spent, meaning you can enjoy the trip without worrying about a dwindling bank account!
![[Updated] Complete List Of Official Nationwide MCO SOP 2021](https://res.klook.com/image/upload/fl_lossy.progressive,q_85/c_fill,w_160,h_104/v1633858858/blog/iso56uzsphmdguixkvzh.jpg)
![[Updated] Complete List Of Official Nationwide MCO SOP 2021](https://res.klook.com/image/upload/fl_lossy.progressive,q_85/c_fill,w_410,h_264/v1633858858/blog/iso56uzsphmdguixkvzh.jpg)
