Tokyo for the Frugal Traveler
Is it expensive to tour Japan? Yes.
However, as I previously mentioned, if you are fascinated with the country and the culture, there are still ways to tighten that belt a little. You cannot expect it to be cheaper than, say, Bangkok but you do have options when it comes to the level of spending you will be doing during your visit.
In Tokyo, for example, you can save a lot of money when you…
Go Sightseeing by visiting places which are interesting and yet, cheap. Places like: The Tsujiki Fish Market, the Meiji Jingu Temple, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building where you can see the city from above for free or Kabuki-za to witness a Kabuki, Japan's traditional form of drama.
Eat at Japanese food chains and countertop restaurants. Try Sometaro (2-2-2 Nishi Asakusa, Taito-ku) where they let you cook you own okonomiyaki for $3.50 to $7. Or have lunch at the dining area on the 32nd floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building One (2-8-1 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku). Rice bowls and sushi plates run $3-$6.
Stay the Night in a Youth Hostel, a Minshuku or in Gaijin Houses.
To tour within your means (budget) even in notoriously expensive cities such as Tokyo is possible.
Tanoshinde!!!
source via Hotel Chatter