Is Tokyo Really Expensive?

saubryn

I might have a chance to go to Tokyo in a years time - the flights will likely get paid for, but I would have to pay my own accomodation. I priced hotels and they look reasonable, but when I mentioned it to a friend, instead of being happy for me, he was humming and harring and saying 'is that a good idea? Tokyo is really expensive' - is that true?

I am *not* a tourist. I don't care for tours, or museams, or monuments, or nightclubs. If I went, I would go to the conference in question, explore a few shops (without buying anything, I'm not into souveniers either) and eat at wherever I could find hygeinic, vegetarian food.

Is it really so bad for someone like that? If anyone has been before can they advise on the prices for living like a local? I could understand tourism being expensive, but the way my friend was going on you would think it was a tenner for a slice of toast on a morning!

Any advice appreciated! I know a year is a long way off, but the people doing the lists of interested attendees are getting ready well in advance, and I'd like to not mess them around.

rilak

saubryn wrote:

I
I am *not* a tourist. I don't care for tours, or museams, or monuments, or nightclubs. If I went, I would go to the conference in question, explore a few shops (without buying anything, I'm not into souveniers either) and eat at wherever I could find hygeinic, vegetarian food.

The short answer is that Japan isn't expensive.

The things that are expensive in Japan are: internal flights, long distance trains, fancy
hotels, fancy meals. If none of those are on the agenda you can expect to be paying
less than you would in the UK.

For trains and subways in tokyo you would be paying £1 to £3

For snacks:
Bottle of coke: 60p
Sandwich: £1.20
Cake: 60p
etc.

I would pay about £3.50 to £5 for an evening meal. £4 will get you a main meal, rice,
salad, soup and tea in some places. The only issue would be the vegetarian
meals. You will have to do some research on that, and it may be that some places
only have 1 option, if that.

http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/ is good for hotels. I have paid £25 for a hotel near
tokyo station, nice room, lcd tv etc. greeted by name as I was the only foreigner
booked that day

Or £14 quid if you want to slum it a little: http://www.newkoyo.com/

If looking round shops and not spending anything is your thing then tokyo
should suit you well, you could spend the rest of your life rummaging
around shibuya, harajuku, omotesando etc.

Hope that helps. Just working out when to take my next trip there

WelshWoofer

I'm a veggie that travels to Japan a couple of times a year with work (my head office is there) and I find it incredibly hard with food - if you're like me and don't eat fish as well as no meat then choice is extremely limted.

If you decide to go I would recommend getting on the train from Tokyo to Kyoto (the old capital of Japan) and having a look around - much more to see than in Tokyo, lots of temples, palaces etc, many are free to get into.
The train system is fine once you get orientated to everything being in japanese.

And try to fly Virgin to Tokyo from Heathrow as the service is the best I've encountered on this route yet.

Print_Screen

I came back from Tokyo in January.
It's about on par with London for a lot of prices. The metro is cheaper there though. Some things can be more expensive, such as loaves of bread, as it is as not as popular there. Other things like Sushi can be half the price of London. There are many free things to do and see.
For example instead of paying to go up Tokyo tower go to the government buildings open till 10 pm which are much taller and free!:T
Great views of Tokyo at night!
I stayed in a youth hostel for about £9 a night with free internet, tv etc.
A guide book is useful, such as the Lonely Planet one for Tokyo which is what I used.

cundall

Yeh left Japan only 2 weeks ago today and i already miss it, not its the same prices as here and food is cheaper. Its only if you travel along way. Travel in around citys are cheap, also most sites are free.

pin

I found Tokyo to be on par with London tourist prices.

Re veggie, I'm also a veggie. I was in Tokyo for about four days and managed fine. It is not the easiest though.

I used the Time Out Tokyo book, which was very useful and had quite a few suggestions for veggie food.

saubryn

Thanks everyone!

I'll check out that rakuten site for hotels, sounds good

The veggie issue is starting to get worrying - if I go, there will be one, possibly two people going with me that are both meat eaters, and the kind of people that just don't care - 'Oh come on, just choose something and eat...' - even when the place looks disgusting. Sounds like I'll end up being the irritating one on the trip Time to sling the Time Out Tokyo book on my Amazon list.

I can't choose the airline since it won't be me booking, but I'll certainly make suggestions

The prices sound fine too. I wonder what got it into my friends head that its so horrific?

dixie_dean_2

Its just a commonly held belief thats its expensive. Some things are, most aren't. Fresh fruit can be really, really expensive, so sorry, that aint gonna help your veggie !!!! You can pay a tenner for a melon, 4 quid for a mango, stuff like that!