***Photo taken at a random gas station in Tokyo before hitting the Wangan***
Time for a slight change of pace. Lets take a moment to talk about traveling. More specifically, lets talk about traveling around Tokyo. Japan is by far my favorite place to visit. It is also labeled as one of the most expensive places to travel, especially Tokyo. How can we afford to go year after year? Easy, check out my five basic tips for exploring Tokyo!
When is the best time to go to Tokyo?
I have noticed the best deals on flights tend to be between March-May and August-November. Being flexible on when you leave and jumping on good deals when you see them is crucial to scoring a cheap flight. What is a “cheap flight”? Well that depends, but generally speaking anything between $600 to $800 is pretty good. You can find even better deals if you live on the east coast or next to a major airline hub. For instance, I have seen rounds trip flights for $400-$500 out of Los Angeles (LAX)! Paying with points/miles is also another option but we will save that discussion for a later post…
In my opinion weather is always going to be a roll of the dice. That being said, April, May, September, and October are my favorites months to visit. You can walk around comfortably in the day with just jeans and a t-shirt. However, make sure you have a light jacket or sweater for when the sun sets. In the meantime jump on Google Flights and start looking for deals!
Where to stay?
If you are looking to save some cash then I have two word for you, capsule hotel. You can normally find them from $20-$35 a night. Word of warning, not all capsule hotels are lady friendly. So be sure to double check before booking. Some capsule hotels also include computer access, wifi, a manga library (Japanese comics), drinks, and even ice cream! You should check one out even if you don’t plan on staying there your entire trip. My personal favorite is Booth Net Café in Shinjuku.
Another option is Airbnb. I would definitely chose this option over most hotels unless I was using points. Hotel rooms in Tokyo can be pricey! You can normally find a pretty nice room for $50-$100 a night. It is also gives you a chance to live like a local. Be prepared though, rooms may be a tad small when compared to western standards. Here is what our room in Ikebukuro looked like for reference.
Either way, I highly recommend you choose a location next to a train station. Being within a five to ten minute walk to a station will make getting around much easier. This moves us to our next topic.
How to get around?
One word, train. The train system in Tokyo will get you to almost any place you need. From there, be prepared to walk. Don’t bother trying to drive around unless you have friend’s in Tokyo and they let you borrow their GTRs. Seriously though, driving can be a challenge and parking isn’t cheap.
The train system can be a tad confusing but I will teach you the basics. The main line is the Yamanote line and it is simply a giant loop around Tokyo. You can literally ride it all the way around and end up right where you started. Two other lines you should note are the Sobu and Chuo. These two lines essentially cut the circle in half. They allow you to get from one side of Tokyo to the other without having to ride the entire loop. The only major difference between the two is the number of stops. The Chuo line is faster as it has fewer stops.
Prices are based on how far your traveling. You should expect to pay $1.50-$5.00 per one way trip on any of the lines listed above. Tickets can be purchased at any station via a ticket machine. The JR Pass is another topic and can probably be avoided if you are staying solely in Tokyo. I would highly recommend it if you plan on exploring the rest of Japan though! Comment below if you have any specific questions about the JR Pass.
Where to eat?
Eat like a local. If you are surrounded by a bunch of other tourists then you are probably eating at the wrong place and spending way too much money. For example, a bowl of legit ramen can be had for $6-$8 USD!!!
Train stations are another great place to snag food. Most of the larger stations have shops, restaurants, and even grocery stores! In the grocery stores you can find prepackaged meals called “eki-ben”. They are super tasty and range anywhere from $3-$12 USD! Don’t let your lack of Japanese deter you. A simple smile, followed by pointing to what you want, can do wonders.
What to do?
My final piece of advice is to go exploring. Jump from station to station on the Yamanote line and simply walk around. The list of things to see and do is endless. Plus where is the fun in me telling you where are the cool stuff is? Finding it is part of the adventure!!!
Bonus points for anyone that tracks this place down!