Free Things to Do in Tokyo and Easy Ways to Save Money

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Practical guide

Tokyo has a reputation for being expensive, but many of its best experiences cost nothing at all. Here are free things to do and simple ways to save money on your trip.

Free views

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building: two free observation decks, 202 meters up, in Shinjuku. See our observatory guide.
• Shibuya Scramble Crossing: watch the crowds cross from street level. See our Shibuya Crossing guide.
• Odaiba Seaside Park: views of the Rainbow Bridge and the bay. See our Odaiba guide.

Free shrines, temples and gardens

• Senso-ji: Tokyo’s oldest temple, free to visit. See our Asakusa guide.
• Meiji Jingu: the shrine grounds and forest are free. See our Meiji Jingu guide.
• Imperial Palace East Gardens: free entry, closed on Mondays and Fridays. See our Ginza and Tokyo Station guide.
• Parks: Ueno Park, Yoyogi Park and Inokashira Park are free, and beautiful in cherry blossom season. See Tokyo parks and gardens.

Visiting a shrine or temple for the first time? Read our shrine and temple etiquette guide.

Free walks and experiences

• Ginza on weekends: the main street, Chuo-dori, becomes a pedestrian zone on Saturday, Sunday and holiday afternoons.
• Tsukiji Outer Market: walking around is free, and snacks are cheap. See our Tsukiji and Toyosu guide.
• Toyosu Market: watch the tuna auction from the visitor passage for free. See the Toyosu tuna auction.
• Sumo Museum: admission is normally free. During Tokyo tournaments you need a tournament ticket. See sumo in Tokyo.
• Winter illuminations: most are free. See winter in Tokyo.
• Department store food halls: fun to browse. See our depachika guide.

Hours and closed days at a glance

The official times when we checked. Check again before you go, because they change with the season and for events.

Place	Hours	Closed
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, South Observatory	9:30–21:30 (last entry)	1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, North Observatory	9:30–17:00	2nd and 4th Monday of the month
Imperial Palace East Gardens	November to February 9:00–16:00 (later in other seasons)	Mondays and Fridays (open on most national holidays), and December 28 to January 3
Ginza pedestrian zone	Weekends and holidays, noon–18:00 (April to September), noon–17:00 (October to March)	Can be canceled for weather or events
Toyosu tuna auction (visitor passage)	Early morning	Sundays, national holidays and some Wednesdays

Ways to save money

• Eat lunch sets: many restaurants offer good-value set lunches that cost much less than dinner.
• Use convenience stores for breakfast and snacks. See our convenience store guide and breakfast in Tokyo.
• Ramen, soba and beef bowl shops serve filling meals at low prices. See ramen in Tokyo.
• Compare transport passes if you plan to ride the subway a lot. See Tokyo transport passes.
• 100-yen shops sell snacks, souvenirs and travel items cheaply. Prices are usually shown before tax.
• Travel outside peak seasons, when hotels are cheaper. See Tokyo weather by month.
• Tap water in Tokyo is safe to drink. Refill a bottle instead of buying drinks. See tap water in Tokyo.
• Plan your daily spending with our Tokyo travel budget.

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