Many foreign visitors mistakenly believe that it is very expensive in Tokyo but this is not entirely true. Like many popular tourist spots, Tokyo can be an expensive place to visit if you don’t plan ahead. There is a wide variety of budget accommodation options, transportation passes and sightseeing discounts, which help to make Tokyo an affordable destination for even the most budget conscious traveler. It is worthwhile to take the time and decide which options will best suit your stay and your budget.

TRANSPORTATION

Public transportation is available in both cities and suburbs. Visitors who expect to change trains many times per day should purchase a one-day ticket or other discount tickets. Discount passes prices often only cost about 500-1500 yen. These discount passes are typically valid within a year from the date of purchase, so if you’re going to be staying in Japan for a few days it’s better to buy not just one ticket. With the Japan Rail Pass, foreign visitors to Japan can enjoy discounted travel on nearly all services of the extensive JR Transportation Network, including the Shinkansen or the bullet train. There are also numerous other rail passes, which also offer discounts on rail travel in Japan. Long distance buses and local train services are other low-cost transport options.

Taxi rides in Japan are expensive, so long taxi rides are best avoided. Fortunately Japan’s efficient and affordable local transportation networks mean that taxis are very rarely required.

DINING

Dining out in Tokyo doesn’t have to be expensive. Restaurant dining in Tokyo for example is certainly no more expensive than in most other world capitals and is often better value for money. Restaurants in popular tourist areas will always cost more wherever you may travel. An important thing to note is to ask around. Ask the locals where is the place with the best value for less the cost. Better yet, follow the locals and you will generally find both lower prices and more authentic Japanese cuisine. Avoid restaurants that don’t list their prices outside the door. The people who can afford to eat in these places don’t need to know how much they will have to pay. Budget dining can usually be enjoyed at more casual establishments such as an Izakaya (Japanese pubs), Shokudo (general eating places, often with set meals), and Okonomiyaki restaurants (Japanese pancake restaurants). Other cheap eating establishments are at tachigui-soba shops (stand-up noodle shops), usually found around railway station terminals whose prices often range from 260 to 500 yen; gyudon (beef bowl) restaurants with prices ranging from 300 to 500 yen; and kaitenzushi places (conveyor belt sushi restaurants) whose prices range from 105 yen a plate to 500 yen a plate.

ACCOMODATIONS

The cost and quality of accommodation in Tokyo is comparable with that most cities and there is something to suit every taste and wallet. From youth hostels, capsule inns to hotels, everyone’s accommodation needs can be sated. Youth hostels offer reasonably priced accommodations at around 3,000 yen without meals, or 4,500 yen with two meals for the members with an additional charge for non-members. Western-style rooms with double-deck beds and Japanese-style rooms with tatami mats may be available. The only downside is that these rooms are shared with 4-8 persons of the same gender. Guests must make their own beds, and set and clean their own tables, but it is also a great experience sharing and communicating with their roommates. A capsule inn is a type of hotel where the sleeping quarters is called a capsule. These capsules are furnished blocks of plastic and fiberglass roughly 2 meters by 1 meter by 1 meter in size. The obvious advantage of these capsules is convenience and price, which ranges from 2000 to 4000 yen. There are various hotels in Tokyo but some hotels that come highly recommended are the Horidome Villa Hotel the Sky Court Koiwa Hotel, and the Oak Hotel Tokyo. With prices ranging from 6000 yen to 17000 yen a night depending on the type of room, these are great value hotels for your money.

These are low cost tips that will make a trip to Tokyo an affordable one. Enjoy!

Posted in Japan

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 13th, 2008 at 12:01 pm and is filed under Japan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.