The Girl In Tokyo

I believe that one of the best ways to experience a new country or city is by traveling by oneself rather than with a tour group. I tend to like having the freedom of stopping when I find something particularly interesting, and walking through roads not usually taken by tourists. I have compiled a a short but significant list of timestamps for you to have a full day in Kyoto's Center and Arashiyama from Tokyo, please feel free to amend it to your own liking as I am aware there is a tonne of more activities and places to see during your trip! One Day In Kyoto Without A Tour Guide: Let's get started!

Morning Rush

06:30am

Take a train from Tokyo Station directly to Kyoto Station on the Shikansen which will take around 3 hours approximately.

09:30am

Arrive at Kyoto Station in the heart of the center, and take a bus or underground train to Shijo Station. Once you arrive, walk to Shijo-Omiya Station.

09:40am

From Shijo-Omiya Station take a direct train to Arashiyama by the Keifuku Dentetsu-Arashiyama Line.

10:40am

Arrive in Arashiyama and grab a small bite to eat at the small shops in the station for some delicacies such as this gold leaf soft serve ice cream.

11:00am

Exit the station and take a left turn towards the Togetsukyo Bridge, followed by the entrance to Arashiyama mountains.

11:45am

Arrive at the Monkey Park after a nice hike to the top of the mountain.

Afternoon Break

12:15pm

Head back down the trail and after taking a few snaps of the bright red gate entrance, take a relaxing time-out on a rowing boat in the river for an hour.

13:30pm

You must be quite hungry by now, let's cross back over Togetsukyo Bridge and take the second left, followed by a right turning to enter a food court. Here you will find a wonderful Sushi restaurant for the perfect lunch called Sushi Bar Naritaya.

14:45pm

After a deliciously filling lunch, head back to the main road and on the right corner just before the main road, enter the Arashiyama Forest of Owls and Leopard Cats. Take some time playing with the gentle, playful bengal cats and 'moody' birds.

15:30pm

Time to walk again! Get back out onto the main road and past multiple shops (which you can enter or purchase from at your own liking) and past the station, following signs leading you to the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove - one of Kyoto's best-known sights.

15:55pm

By this time you should have reached the Bamboo Forest, take your photographs and walk peacefully among the tall, willowy trees, before heading back to the Arashiyama station to get on the same train you got on and stop at the last station, Shijo-Omiya Station.

Dinner à la Kyoto

17:50pm

Once you have arrived back to Shijo-Omiya Station, make your way out of the exit and head down the Shijo Dori street stopping at Donguri Restaurant for your dinner for 18:00pm.

19:30pm

After a big belly full of wonderful food once again, make your way to Shijo Station, taking the Karasuma line back to Kyoto Station and catch your 3 hour train back to Tokyo Station which should be aimed for around 20:30pm.

23:30pm

Arrive at Tokyo Station and make your way home at the end of this long day.


Voilà! One day in Kyoto without a tour guide. I believe to see all of what Kyoto has to offer, it would be best to stay in the city for a couple of days rather than just one. This way you could also see the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine and The Golden Pavilion and perhaps even visit the neighboring cities of Nara and Osaka. Have you gone on a one day trip to Kyoto yourself? What did you manage to see and do in the limited time you had?

Living in one of the most expensive cities in the world can take a toll on your wallet, however this doesn't mean that you need to sacrifice your happiness or your quality of life. While it can be easy to overspend, it is just as easy to save, making your experience not an expensive one in the slightest. A lot of the following recommendations are ones that have benefited my partner and I during our time in Tokyo and definitely helped us save money for a rainy day. Buckle up because this is going to be a long article - read on to get the best tips on saving money while living in Tokyo and feel free to use it as a checklist for living in Tokyo on a budget!

1. Cook, Don't Dine

Japan is known for providing spectacular customer service and Tokyo in particular is known as the capital of cuisine, home to the highest number of Michelin stars in the world, over 200 stars to be more precise. While it's lovely to wine and dine in the weekend at a fancy restaurant, one of the most important tips I can give is pretty much the same all over the world: try cooking your own food at home instead of dining out every day. You'll save a ton of cash while also knowing exactly what's going into your meals (if you're concerned about ingredients or have any allergies).

Another great tip is that if you really do want to eat out, opt for lunch since in most cases it will be half the price than if you had to eat dinner at the exact same venue later on that same day, and always remember that tipping is not done in Japan.

2. Supermarkets VS Convenience Stores

Strangely enough, it took a while for me to figure this one out. I had first come to Tokyo February last year and remember going into a supermarket and finding that the food was quite expensive compared to the 7-Eleven that was a hell of a lot closer to our apartment. What I hadn't realized of course, was that I was in the equivalent of a Waitrose instead of an ASDA (the UK peeps will know what I'm on about!).

Finally, more than a year later, I have returned to Japan for the long-term and finally found a great supermarket just a 5 minute walk from our apartment that has extremely reasonable prices - Kasumi - which can be found at the Olinas Shopping Mall in Sumida. Everything is cheaper here than at a 7-Eleven, Family Mart or Lawson. In the long-run, you can save money substantially on purchasing your food items from a supermarket rather than at a convenience store, with the added benefit of fresh and organic produce as well as an incredible variety of items just for your choosing.

3. Apply for Membership Point Cards

On the same note, multiple supermarkets have membership loyalty cards that work on a point system, so whenever you make a purchase you get points added on your card. Once you have reached a certain threshold, you are able to get a discount on your next purchase, how great is that?! I've come across a multitude of shops that have these point cards in place and highly recommend that you ask for one if you have the opportunity to do so. Everyone loves a good discount. Don't miss your chance, especially if you're trying to save cash while living in Tokyo.

4. Travel using a Pasmo/Suica Card

Travel can be costly if you tend to purchase your tickets separately for each train ride. Investing in a Pasmo or Suica Card is highly recommended. They are simply pre-paid travel cards that can be used on the go with a cheaper fare when used compared to buying separate tickets, same as an Oyster card in London and a Metrocard in New York. A really savvy advantage of both the Pasmo and Suica card is that you can use them to purchase drinks at the (many) vending machines in the streets of the city, at convenience stores, selected supermarkets and even in some restaurants that have a contactless reader!

5. Cost-Effective Product Shopping

Second-Hand Stores

I first walked into an electronic second-hand store a couple of months ago and noticed how perfect the quality was. There were mobiles, laptops, PCs, televisions, WI-FI selfie sticks - anything and everything electronic and yet they looked brand new, and to top it off, the prices were mind-blowing. 200 Euro for a spotless IPhone X - YES, PLEASE!

Besides, if you are relocating to Japan and got yourself an unfurnished apartment, you are going to need to buy a couple of necessary bits and bobs such as a bed, fridge, drawers, washing machine, etc. Second-hand stores in Japan are not like in America and Europe, the majority of people wouldn't bother trying to sell their crap items when delivery is expensive, they would simply throw it away. Honestly, do yourself a massive favor and simply buy them second-hand, the quality is going to be great and you're only going to have to spend a fraction of what you would if you had to buy it brand new.

Another key tip to keep in mind is that since delivery costs are quite pricey, a lot of expats who are moving from old to new apartments within Tokyo do not bother transferring their items. Instead, they give their items away for free as long as you pick it up as soon as possible. Yes, this happens. Yes, it's amazing.

100 Yen Shops

100 Yen Shops are discount stores that sell all their products for 108 Yen (100 Yen + 8% consumption tax). Their products range from stationery to household appliances and tableware. A great option if you're in need of quality products and don't have a luxury budget in hand.

Don Quijote

Don Quijote is another one of those discount chain stores that I can remain in for hours on end. With multiple floors, covering any products you may need from a fridge to perfume to sex toys to food, you will most likely find what you are looking for and the prices are extremely reasonable. Definitely another one for the books.

6. Consider a Share-House

While I know that we would all like a modern or contemporary apartment that's highly furnished, sometimes the price is just not on par with what you can afford. The majority of rental apartments include in their initial fee: rent of the first month, 1 month's deposit, guarantor fee, utility fee, and a deposit which you never get back (kind of like a 'thank you' to them for letting you rent). This means that the initial cost can turn up to be 5-6 times the rent! When my partner and I were looking for an apartment, we literally filtered all our search results on property websites to not include any of the extra fees except for the first month's rent and 1 month's deposit (with utilities (water, gas, electricity) and WI-FI included) so that we could hold on to some cash.

You will also come across many properties for rent in Tokyo that are within your budget, until you learn that no gaijin (foreigners) are allowed or else that you require a work visa/residency as part of your documents before signing a contract. I'm aware that a lot of us do not have them in place yet, and because of this, apartment hunting is definitely not a stroll in the park.

A share-house is a good option for those of us who are still waiting on a work visa or just in the city for the short-term and want to save on rent, this is what my partner and I have done in our case. Share-houses usually have a private room that serves as a bedroom (ours includes a bed, private fridge, clothes rack, a wooden drawer cabinet and a large window with plenty of natural light), followed by a communal kitchen/toilet/shower. Luckily for us, the rest of the residents in our apartment don't cook so we pretty much have the kitchen to ourselves. It almost reminds me of student dorms which I had back in the U.K., and living with Japanese people is never a problem: they are very quiet, polite and clean, therefore you do not have to worry about anyone intruding on you nor disrupting your personal space.

Although I would not like to bring this up, I think it's quite important for the people that do not already know: There are some apartments that look amazing and at relatively low prices however these could be Jikobukken - an apartment in which a death accident would have happened including but not limited to a murder, suicide, gas leak, or even a ghost-citing for example. Unless you feel comfortable enough living in an apartment with that specific reputation, I wouldn't recommend it in the slightest, simply because of your own health, safety and most importantly, your life.

7. Low-Cost, High-Quality Entertainment

Tokyo is an astounding entertainment hub with something for everyone. We've all heard of the Robot Restaurant which I have never attended but have been advised many times not to go to by the locals because it is a rip off and more like trying to have dinner at an electronic disco, so we can skip over this one.

Moving on, there are a few ways that you can save money on entertainment in Tokyo:

- Karaoke is the top most enjoyed activity in Tokyo with friends. Branches such as Karoake-Kan and Big Echo have great deals on certain days and between certain times so do check those out before you go!
- Cinemas are mostly quite pricey however they do have special discounts on certain days (similar to a Children's Cinema Day in Malta but for the simple reason of giving a discount).
- Catch a live jazz band or comedy show at a local bar, you are usually only required to buy a drink to enjoy this.
- Visit a free observation deck to see Tokyo from above
- Wander enchanted temples all over the city including the Meiji Shrine in Yoyogi Park, Sensoji Temple in Asakusa (including Nakamise Dori which is a market street that goes way back to when it first started in the 18th century - it is full of vendors, famous for selling all kinds of souvenirs), The Imperial Palace in Chiyoda, amongst many others!
- Head over to one of the many parks in the city and have a picnic in the green grass, I particularly like Ueno Park and Yoyogi Park for this one.
- Visit Odaiba Beach for a warm afternoon in the sun and sand. Just lay out a towel underneath you and have a cold, refreshing beer while playing a board game (or drinking game, whichever suits you).

I'll be making another post soon with a lot more things that you can do in Tokyo on a budget.

8. Sports and Exercising

Thinking about how to exercise in Tokyo while on a budget? A few gyms such as the Toshimaku Ikebukuro Sports Center is known to have relatively low rates, at just 400 Yen for a 2 hour entrance. If you aren't a fan of going to the gym or don't have the extra cash, then you can find parks all over the city which allow you to take a walk surrounded by nature, some parks even have outside gyms (handle bar kinds).

It is also quite common to see a few people doing yoga in the grass, with a group or by themselves. In fact, meetup.com has multiple meet ups for foreigners and locals alike. Free classes are held at certain times of the week/month at various locations across Tokyo depending on the organizer of the event. Click here for a few of the Sports and Fitness Meetups in Tokyo currently available to all.

9. Drinking Alcohol in Tokyo

Sometimes it's nice to let loose, and this is for the people that do like to drink alcohol every now and then. Alcoholic drinks can be quite pricey in Tokyo bars, so for the most part there are two options that I recommend for this:

All-You-Can-Drink Bars

Also known as Nomihodai (飲み放題) in Japanese, the all-you-can-drink options in bars could be a great way to save money, sometimes only costing 1,000 Yen for two hours. The average price for an alcoholic beverage in a regular bar would cost between 400 and 700 Yen, meaning it is well worth the price if you like drinking more than 1 drink an hour.

Buy Drinks from the Convenient Store

While buying food products from the convenience store does not benefit you in the long-run, alcoholic beverages may be quite a convenient purchase from them (pun intended). The prices are relatively similar and you have quite a choice with bottles of wine, whisky, sake, and many flavored Shochu (焼酎) canned drinks (similar to vodka).

My boyfriend, James, tends to go for the 9% alcoholic ones, while I opt for the 5% ones because they're less strong and I'm a bit of a wuss. For the large cans it's as little as 200 Yen, and 150 Yen for the small cans. We recently tasted new flavors of the Shochu drinks: Mango, Sakura, and Cherry, and we can confirm that all three taste amazing. Feel free to go and chill at the nearest park with your chosen alcoholic beverage as there is a no open container policy, allowing anyone to drink in public. Remember to be responsible and not cause any disturbances! Tokyo, and Japan in general, is very mindful of others and society as a whole.

10. Common sense

Lastly, common sense will take you far. If you see two bottles of water and one is cheaper, just go for the cheaper version because the quality is not going to be that different, the only reason for the price difference would be the brand. This is the same with most other products or situations you will come across, there is always a more cost-effective option available - you just have to look, find and ask for it :)



What do you think of my recommended tips? Do you have any questions? Are there other ways that you have saved money while living in Tokyo? Share your Tokyo Budget Travel experiences by commenting below!


Photos by Joseph Albanese, Victoriano Izquierdo and Benjamin Hung on Unsplash .

What is Marine Day?

Marine Day (also known as Umi No Hi in Japanese, meaning day of the sea) is a National Holiday in Japan commemorated to thank and celebrate the ocean and its blessings. It is celebrated annually on the third Monday of July. On this special holiday, I visited the lantern festival on the beach of Odaiba Seaside Park.

My Sunday Night at the Lantern Festival in Odaiba

The Lantern Festival in Odaiba was held yesterday on the 15th of July, and will also be held today, the 16th of July, from 6.30pm to 10pm. Yesterday, I arrived in Odaiba at 6.30pm promptly from the Shimbashi station and made my way down a multi-colored staircase (which is part of a visual art installation) before being in full view of the festival. Thousands upon thousands of paper lanterns were already placed in perfect patterns to reveal images from an aerial view above, and once the clock hit 7pm, each lantern was lit with a candle.







James and I decided to relax by the edge of the water with a cherry soda in hand, listening to lively music in the distance and the giggles of children playing happily in the sand.


Odaiba Beach with over 50,000 paper lanterns lit up as an act of gratitude for the ocean.




Of course no festival is complete without food stalls selling delicious street food, vendors selling Japanese souvenirs and performances by local singers and dancers! James and I also met an adorable 15 year old chihuahua that was sitting peacefully in her little basket with her owner. Bless!

While Tokyo can be seen on ground-level with its enchanted streets filled with Japanese Pine trees (called Matsu), temples and shrines, skyscrapers, and neon lights, one of the other ways to experience this city is from the sky. The best skylines and city views can be seen from tall skyscraper buildings above the city with observation decks. Here are the top 5 observation decks you should visit to view Tokyo from above!

1. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

NISHI-SHINJUKU, SHINJUKU

This is the most recommended observation deck to visit as it is free of charge, and has a full 360 degree view of Tokyo that can reach as far out as Mount Fuji on a clear day. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is situated in Shinjuku and is 243m high, with two buildings - the North and South-facing buildings, with each their own observatory. Both decks feature a cafe to relax in with amazing views during the day and night, with sunset being highly-recommended.

Important to keep in mind is that the North Observation Deck is closed on the second and fourth Monday of each month, while the South Observation Deck is closed on the first and third Tuesday of each month.


Opening Hours: North Observation Deck 09:30 - 23:00, South Observation Deck 09:30 - 17:30
Admission: Free
Voyagin

Last but not least, a surprising adventure may await you if you decide to see Tokyo from the sky - literally. While an observation deck may be the most sought-after way of seeing a city from above, a private helicopter tour with a 600m panoramic view is another way for adrenaline junkies or folks with a bit more cash, to spend on an experience of a lifetime. See the sights of Odaiba, the Rainbow Bridge, the city of Ginza, Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree all underneath you, lit up by neon lights in the country of the rising sun.