Tips to Save Big on a Trip to Tokyo

Travellers who live to eat should spring for at least one high-end meal. Alder’s top picks are Sushi Bar Yasuda for sushi and GO, located in the Palace Hotel, for teppanyaki. Save big on the rest of your dining costs by checking out the city’s many inexpensive fast casual restaurants (for names, ask your hotel’s concierge, TripAdvisor or Time Out Tokyo), where you can experience Japanese cuisine without emptying your wallet.

Alder’s go-to dining destination in the city is Tokyo Station, which is full of many inexpensive restaurants. “The food quality is incredible, and you can get a great meal with a beer for under $25 (R315) a person,” he said. how much you’ll travel, look into local and regional rail passes before your trip, which can save you a ton of money.

Take Advantage of Free and Affordable Sights: Many of Tokyo’s top attractions are either free or inexpensive to visit. Ueno is a district with a picturesque park that’s open to anyone (and home to some very approachable deer) and National Museums that have entry fees that are less than $10. In the Minato City area, the Nezu museum is a must for its spectacular Japanese gardens and costs less than $13.

The Imperial Palace is free, but travellers need to book their visit in advance, which you can do online on the first day of the month before your trip (for a November visit, for example, you should book on October 1). free at many stores. “There’s no refund later,” Alder says. “You’re just not charged.” And stick to buying Japanese brands, which are less expensive than foreign luxury labels. – New York Times

Picture: Lars Leetaru/The New York Times Tokyo travellers can save big by going during winter and staying in the heart of the city.