Tokyo is one of the most desirable, most visited and most love cities in the world. It is not only the capital of Japan, a megalopolis, but also a unique fusion of the Eastern and Western cultures. Here you can experience the modern nightlife, the street fashion of Japan, as well as the traditional face of Japan. However, this comes with a downside: Tokyo is also one of the most expensive cities in the whole world. You might end up spending a fortune on just your transportation if you’re not careful. But then again, this is something very common in the 21st century world.
Luckily for all of us though, there are plenty of things that you can enjoy in Tokyo and spend not even a penny on doing so! Here in this article we will try to explore all of the most interesting possibilities that Tokyo offers you, and nonetheless free of charge!
Here’s 17 things you can do in Tokyo for FREE!
- The first thing that comes to mind is definitely Harajuku. To be more precise I’d say take a stroll through the famous Takeshita Street. This is very the modern youth fashion of Japan is concentrated. You will see many people who wear quite eccentric clothing, but that’s the beauty and charm of Harajuku.
- If you end up in Harajuku, you definitely have to walk to Omotesando next. As the Japanese would say this is one of the oshare (fashionable) places in Tokyo. You will get to see many stores of high fashion, interesting cafes that are hidden in the narrow alleyways.
- Go to the famous Shibuya crossing! This is the busiest crossing in the world and it is said that over a thousand people cross it during the peak hours. Besides you will get to see the statue of famous Hachiko. Just be prepared, this is probably the most crowded place you’ll ever be in your life!
- Depending on the season of your visit you might get the chance to see a couple of festivals, from sakura viewing to fireworks and red leaves viewing. If your feet take you to any of these you will also be able to buy some traditional Japanese food from the yatai – booths which will be all over the place!
- Visit shrines and temples. Most of these don’t have any entrance fees. Though keep in mind that in Buddhist temples you’re more likely to be asked to pay for entering the place, rather than not.
- Talking about shrines, you should definitely visit Meiji Jingu. This place is dedicated to the late emperor Meiji and his empress. The place is also in a walking distance from the above-mentioned Harajuku and Omotesando. The shrine is surrounded by a majestic garden which will make the whole experience quite mysterious.
- You should also visit Asakusa, probably one of the most famous temples in Japan that has a gigantic entrance to it. On the way to the temple you will walk through narrow streets which bare resemblance to medieval Japanese streets.
- A visit to Odaiba might be interesting. If you’re not scared of walking challenge yourself and walk over the Rainbow Bridge. You will get to see the beautiful sceneries of the Tokyo beaches.
- If you are into otaku culture definitely visit Akihabara! Here you will meet many other otakus and will realise that in reality you aren’t one (that’s what happened to me haha). Here you will get to see huge screens that will show anime or idols singing. You might even run into actual idols singing somewhere on the streets. If you go into the stores you will see a lot of anime merchandise like figurines or cosplay.
- You can take a stroll over Nihonbashi, a famous bridge which has been there since the 17th century. The district which grew around the bridge and bares the same name is the centre of business in Tokyo, in a way this is the Japanese Wall Street.
- Take a walk down the Ameyoko Shopping Street which is very close to the Ueno station. This one is different from the above-mentioned Takeshita street, but you will still get to see many interesting shops.
- You might also like to visit the Sunshine City, which is in Ikebukuro. It is a building complex consisting of 60 buildings, and even has an observatory! This place also often comes up in anime, so you might find the visit quite interesting!
- Definitely visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories in Shinjuku! You will get to see an amazing scenery spread out in front of you: Tokyo and its parks, the Meiji Jingu, etc.
- Visit Shimokitazawa. This is a small town in the Western parts of Tokyo, but it is very popular amongst the young people. Shimokitazawa is also famous for its many second hand shops, which sell very rare brand items.
- Definitely visit Yokohama. It’s a bit far from the central districts of Tokyo, but believe me it’s worth your visit. Yokohama is one of Tokyo’s suburbs and is famous for a couple of things, like its access to the sea, as well as its Chinatown (Yokohama Chukagai). It’s the largest Chinatown in Japan. Here you can find many colourful streets, Chinese stores and restaurants.
- While you’re visiting Yokohama, it might also be a great idea to visit Kamakura. Kamakura is famous for its large Buddha statue. Even though the entrance to the Buddhist temple will require you to pay a tiny amount of money, there is still a Shintoist shrine on the other side of the city, which is free of charge.
- Visit parks! Tokyo is famous for being a green city. And indeed there are many parks worth your time! A couple of famous ones are Yoyogi park, Hibiya Park, Roppongi West Park, but there are so many more!
As I have already mentioned above, Tokyo is an expensive city. One would expect this from a megapolis. But then again the city also offers you many cheap or even free alternatives of having fun and enjoying the Japanese culture. If you follow the list I gave you in this article, I assure you that you will not only have a full schedule on your hands, but also will get to see some of the most visited places in Tokyo. Fun doesn’t always have to cost you a fortune, now does it? 😉
