Is Tokyo really expensive or just Lost in Translation?

Many of you may have seen the film Lost in Translation, a somewhat arty film but enjoyable nonetheless as the breakout role for one Scarlett Johansson. What the film illustrated viscerally was the difficulty of communication in a city like Tokyo and I must say that it is a drawback and why doing tours is possibly the best idea if you only have a short amount of time.

The answer to the question of “is Tokyo expensive?” is, yes, it is and that is more to do with exchange rates than anything else but to someone going from the UK it would seem expensive for sure.

So that’s the reference point to the title of this blog, is it possible to do Tokyo on a budget? I would say undoubtedly yes as I went there without any great plan, ability to speak the language or definite intentions of what to get out the trip and managed just fine frankly in four days.

Language is an issue in Japan however as signposts are mostly not in English and English isn’t the first language or even the second so be prepared for some time spent navigating and asking for help. We found Japanese people the most courteous we’ve experienced in the world however and a far cry from their neighbours across the sea of Japan (China) so if you ask for help you will normally get it.

So like travelling anywhere but especially places where language is an issue expect to make mistakes along the way. We didn’t plan extensively to the nth degree but we did travel by public transport (underground) and we did economize by going to see things that didn’t have a high entrance price and we got on just fine, albeit taking a bit longer to do things than we would have done a: before kids and b: in a western country with at least the same alphabet!

For a start its far far cheaper to use the subway to get in from the airport, none-withstanding the ease of carrying suitcases which is of course a small hurdle to overcome. The cheaper transfers are usually by limousine bus, which sounds great but is really a form of coach transfer and they do stop at lots and lots of different hotels and sometimes not right outside the door. The other advantage of the subway is that you can get a whole heap of different day type passes enough to cover up to 72 hours (beware however as there are a couple of different subway lines and companies and these are definitely worth doing and almost the same cost as a limo/coach transfer in for a 3 day pass.

So what were the attractions we did in Tokyo that didnt break the bank?

Visit Senso Ji Buddhist shrine, which was conveniently about 100 metres from our hotel in Asakusa. This is the old part of Tokyo and you can still see geishas in

this area and take a touristy rickshaw around the streets. for a fair-few yen. Needless to say we walked around!

Go to the Shibuya crossing and get involved in the biggest pedestrian crossing in the world. People come from all angles on a busy day. It is a spectacle when busy, we somehow did it when it wasn’t that busy and with a baby. The shops and some of the cafes surrounding it are great as well! Such is the kindness of Japanese people we asked for directions to a particular shop just by this and the man walked with us 200 metres to help us find it!

Formerly I would have said visit the Toyota showpiece in Ikebukuro but that has closed since we went and been replaced by the Toyota mega web showroom in Tokyo Bay/Odaiba. This would be worth a trip out just for some of the gadgets, VR machines and concept cars on view if you are a car enthusiast and there are plenty of attractions out in the bay area of the city as well!

In the Ikebukuro area mentioned above there is still something quite cool to go and see. It is home to the highest aquarium in the world at the sunshine city complex, Sunshine Aquarium where you can see penguins, sea lions and a whole array of tropical fish and jellyfish. This complex also has a great observation deck and lots of shops and restaurants.

Head to electric town Akihabara at night. My son Sean got fawned over by various Otaku (fan girls, who were interestingly dressed up as french maids) in the street who had never seemingly seen a blonde haired blue eyed boy before. Alas at 9 months he wont remember the experience, mores the pity for him… Otherwise Akihabara is stunning at night and your eyes get blown away by a wall of neon in electric town and its somewhere you can just wander round, maybe head for a meal and drink and take it all in.

Ueno park is a wonderful place to go for a walk and is surrounded by attractions including multiple shrines, museums and even Ueno zoo! Its also easy to get to as Ueno station is one of the main metro hubs. We walked through the park up to the Tokyo national museum which is full of artifacts and antiquities from Japans past as well as some stunning art. It is also fairly inexpensive for entrance!

So of all the things to do in Tokyo it doesn’t have to be as expensive as all that and the above are all cheap and fairly easy things to do.

Either way Tokyo is an amazing city and I had some great experiences there. I would definitely go back as at the moment I’ve only scratched the surface of this huge city!