Minna saikou, arigato… K-k-k-kawaii!
First of all, I don’t speak Japanese and I only know the phrase thanks to Avril Lavigne with her song Hello Kitty. I’ve figured what that means, thanks to Google…
But then yes, thanks everyone who has contributed for this feature so far and the reason why I started this post with Japanese is as this time, Thais from World Trip Diaries will give us some insights about how to spend your $10 in one of the most expensive cities in the world: Tokyo.
Yup! I think this city is known with how high the living cost is there. I mean, as someone who has dated someone who lived in Tokyo, I’m quite familiar with it. Who would have though that you could actually do cheap travel in Japan?
So, how far could you get with $10 in the land of rising sun?
But anyway, over to you Thais! 😉
Some Alternative Activities You Can Do with $10, for Anime or Non-Anime Lover in Tokyo!
Even though Tokyo is always being ranked as one of the most expensive cities in the world, I’d have to disagree.
Well, accommodation, electricity, water, they are pricey. But as a tourist, you’d only have to worry about the first one. There are many activities and meals for less than $10 in Tokyo, and I’m gonna list a few below.
To start, visit the Ghibli Museum. Sitting at ¥1000 (around $9.5 USD), it’s the maximum, but it’s one great day out for anime lovers.
If you’re not into anime, well then, a visit to Shinjuku Gyoen costs ¥200 (around $1.8 USD) per adult. It’s an enormous park in Tokyo, and it’s stunning!
It’s full of cherry and plum trees – it’s absolutely gorgeous when they bloom! For ¥700 (around $6.5 USD), you can also try a wagashi (Japanese sweet) and a green tea in one of their tea houses, so that’s another day for less than $10!
Also, for ¥820 (around $7.8 USD), you can get a one day pass for the Yurikagome. Yurikagome is the driverless tram that goes from many places in Tokyo to many places in Odaiba.
You can then enjoy the day around the many sights in Odaiba, like the giant Gundam robot, the beach, the Statue of Liberty (yes, there IS one!!!). Odaiba is stunning and definitely deserves a day. 🙂
If you skip the Yurikagome, you could also go to Odaiba with the regular trains or the city bikes and visit Miraikan for less than $10. Miraikan is a pretty cool Technology Museum full of the things you’ll only find in Japan.
There’s always the option to walk around any neighborhood (yes, ANY!) to see Tokyo as it is and grabbing one of the delicious crepes or any of the other street food you find. They’re mostly good, I promise!
And then, if all else fails, you could just eat. It won’t go wrong!
In most restaurants, an adult can easily eat for less than $10. One of my favorite is the ramen shops (do try Ikkei Ramen behind Odakyuu in Shinjuku, they’re the best!), they’re often between ¥500 and ¥900 (around $6.5-8.5 USD). Hence, one delicious and cheap meal!
And for those wanting to try a Japanese homestyle meal, I highly recommend Ootoya. It’s so good, I could live there! 😛
Rice, soup, vegetable, pickles, a main dish, and even green tea. You could probably add a dessert there and it’d still be under $10. I hope you’ll enjoy your budget trip to Tokyo, because it’s absolutely doable! 😀
Contributor: Thais from World Trip Diaries
Thais is a mom of 4, traveling the world with her family for the last 2 years. Besides the family, she loves to eat, the beach, and to watch movies. Introvert by nature, travel lover, and wanna-be photographer on the free time. She can be found at World Trip Diaries.
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Also read: The Best Area to Stay in Tokyo
Interesting! I have never been to Tokyo but am fascinated by the culture and sites! I’m glad to hear how affordable it is. Thanks for sharing!
I love Japan. Tokyo is one of my favorite city. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Sounds like you can get quite a bit for only $10 there. I’m trying to think of the things I could by here for that much!
Great post, I’d love to visit Tokyo one day!
I’ve never been to Tokyo but would love to go… Sounds like you can get quite a lot for $10 there!
I lived in Japan for a little while and it was interesting what I could do with my money. Fun fact is that the convenience stores are so much better there, so you can get a quick meal for a nominal price if you wanted!
Convenience stores are definitely a go-to stop because they basically have everything. All hail 7-11! 😛
I loved Tokyo, unfortunately my visit was too short the first time, but since l want to go back l will definitely check this out, Tokyo seemed super expensive at first being used to korea, but you found so many great inexpensive options ^^ thank you for all the info ❤
hahaha. yes, as indonesian myself, i am still yet to actually plan out a trip to tokyo because of it being so expensive. but some of these options from thais are definitely something to look for if you ever set a trip around there. 🙂
I love parks and natural places. Shinjuku Gyoen looks like a wonderful place to explore on the budget. And I am amazed there are things in Tokyo doable for such low budget. I always thought of it as a very expensive city
Interesting read because Tokyo is on my bucket list this year. I’ll be sure to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ghibli Museum
I had no idea there was a tram that went around Odaiba. That would have saved me a lot of time and walking through the blazing hot Tokyo summer when I went. Personally, I don’t like ramen, but I know it’s a cheap and delicious eat for those who do. I also think that Tokyo is expensive having traveled there before. One way to save money would be to bring your own filtered water bottle.