72 Hours in Tokyo On A Family Budget

A place that had been on our bucket list for so long and now we had the chance to go due to it being the cheapest stopover (3 days) on the way to Europe. We were so glad we got the opportunity to do it.

Most people will have you believe that Tokyo is expensive and yes it can be, however, we managed to do it on a budget and didn’t feel like we missed out on anything.

Before we left New Zealand we made sure we were prepared researching how to see Toyko on a budget and we managed to find a range of activities to keep the family entertained, learn the history and immerse ourselves within the culture. And most importantly we didn’t overspend. 

 

Transportation

Tokyo’s transport system is amazing if a little confusing for a first-time visitor. We purchased Pasmo travel cards at Narita airport. There are machines around the station where you can buy these.

Purchasing the adult passes is easy however the child’s pass was more challenging, we needed to locate someone who worked at the station. We just asked at the information booth and they pointed us in the right direction.

The process does take a little bit of time but in the end, we had 5000 yen on the adult cards and 2500 on Lukas’ card. Sawyer, being 5 months, didn’t require a pass (free travel for babies). These passes are a life-saver, just touch and go. Plus you get a digit update on the turnstiles letting you know how much you have left on the pass. If you ever run out just top up at one of the stations’ machines.

Our flight left from Haneda Airport, once we arrived at that station we handed over our passes and we were refunded the amount owing on the card. Happy days.

For more information, you can check out the pasmo website

Eating

There are restaurants aplenty, just take your pick. We mainly ate around, in Shin Okubo, our area and the prices were very reasonable. Check out the restaurants where you order your food via a vending machine (Lukas loved this), just put your money in and tickets pop up, hand these over to a chef and in no time at all delicious food is served.

All for around $25-$30. I did a little research on restaurants in the area and this certainly helped, however, our favourite happened to be one we just walked into.

A must do are the sushi train restaurants, we checked out Genki Sushi in Shibuya. Lukas loved this restaurant, nothing entertains a 7-year-old when you can order from your own touch screen and then watch your meal arrive on a food train. He ate a lot of food that night. And the food was pretty good too.

You have to get there early, we waited around 45 minutes but it was worth it

If you need a chocolate fix, check out Max Brenner cafe at Tokyo Skytree (there are a few of these around Tokyo). Lukas loved his treat and it was a great way to finish of the day.

 

Things To Do On A Budget

 

Ueno Zoo

Hmmm, now I’m not the biggest fan of zoos and most of the time I wouldn’t step foot in one however we were catching up with friends and they suggested we take the kids there. Well, to be honest, if you are an animal lover or just have any compassion towards animals then give it a miss.

Animals in small spaces are not appealing. Some animals looked depressed, I really felt for them.

We spent around 3 hours here, I just tried not to look at the animals, until finally the heavens opened up and the rain fell. Time to go!

Shibuya Crossing (FREE)

Supposedly one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the world and it is pretty hectic for a first time crosser. We used this crossing in order to get to Genki Sushi. It is pretty impressive as 100’s of people weave in and out as they cross in different directions.

There are a couple of places to eat/drink and grab a great view of this in action. Starbucks on the 2nd floor has great views.

 

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Observation Tower, 45th floor – FREE)

This is a must do, the views from here a breathtaking and you get a chance to see just how big Tokyo really is. Lukas loved running from window to window pointing out new places, areas as he saw them. This was made easier as there was hardly anyone else there.

There are information boards as you move around, really helps understand what you are looking at. On a clear day you can even see Mt Fuji, sadly on our day, it wasn’t clear enough.

This is definitely one of the best things to do for FREE in Tokyo.

Tokyo Skytree 

This is a pretty impressive tower standing 634m around 2,080 ft. It has a restaurant, cafe and an observation tower. There are 2 different parts you can go to, the first at 350m and the second 450m.

Unfortunately for us, it was raining and we were told it wasn’t worth going up to see nothing. So we stood at the bottom and looked up. I’m sure on a clear day the vistas would be mind-blowing. 

 

Senso-Ji Temple (FREE)

This ancient Buddhist temple is the oldest in Tokyo and well worth the visit. Leading up to the temple is a long walkway called ‘Nakamise-dori’.

It’s lined with amazing souvenir shops where you can purchase anything from chopsticks to traditional Japanese candy and treats even Kimonos and sandals if you are keen. You could buy all your gifts for those people back home in one easy hit.

After passing through Hozomon Gate you’ll enter into a big square. In the centre is a huge incense pot, in front of the main hall, where you will notice people covering themselves in smoke. We were told it’s to make you beautiful and smarter. Or get your fortune read. Simply shake the container full of sticks and then pick one. Match up the number of your stick with a little shelf and finally read your fortune (English and Japanese).  

Yoyogi Park (FREE) 

After a busy morning of sightseeing, this is the place to come and relax. Load up the baby stroller with snacks and drinks, find a quiet spot and spend the next couple of hours watching the world pass by.

If you are looking for action, Sunday is the day to come as there is entertainment galore. We just loved the chance to relax and people watch, you will certainly see some interesting sights. 

There are plenty of other things to see however we just loved walking around and soaking up the Japanese culture. 

 

Accommodation

We booked an Airbnb apartment in Shin Okubo (aka Korean town). This station is only 1 stop from the tourist area of Shinjuku however there are many, many exits. Shin Okubo only had one exit, no way that I could get lost. After a long flight with very little sleep, the last thing you want is the stress of not been able to find your way.

The host directions from the station helped too, ours were detailed right to the last step. We made sure to get a 2 bedroom apartment and this still worked out cheaper than booking a hotel. We had a 7/11 around the corner so could buy extra water, snacks for the day ahead.

Final Thoughts 

Overall we loved our time in Tokyo. We also realised that there are many more family activities to place to visit however we were on a budget and looked to keep our spending to a minimum. Next time we visit Tokyo we might even look to include a couple of day trips from the city to see others parts of the country.

That’s that great thing about this city, you can do it on a budget and still have a great time involving yourself in the Japanese culture and visit many historical sites. We all agreed though that we wouldn’t return to Ueno Zoo.

 As we boarded the flight we discussed the possibility of returning very soon. This is certainly one of the friendly cities we have ever been too.