• HOME
  • START HERE
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT
    • About
    • Work With Me
  • RESOURCES
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Nomad Wallet

Travel More. You Can Afford It.

You are here: Home / Stuff Other Than Money / 27 Free Things to Do in Tokyo — Walking Tour Routes and Maps!

27 Free Things to Do in Tokyo — Walking Tour Routes and Maps!

January 15, 2016 by Deia 10 Comments

Tsukiji / Ginza

Walking tour through the free attractions in Tsukiji and Ginza, Tokyo

I love markets, so I was really excited to go to the (23) Tsukiji Fish Market. And it lived up to my expectations — I went there twice in five days to get my sushi breakfast. The market is closed every Sunday, some Wednesdays, and public holidays. Before you go, check whether the market is open on their website.

Tip: Daiwa Sushi and Sushidai are the most popular, line-up-for-three-hours sushi restaurants in the market. To avoid the crowds, I went to Sushisay Honten instead. It was highly recommended by my Tokyoite AirBnB host and I loved it.

If you come to the market super early (like 5 a.m.), you may be able to catch the live tuna auction. You have to register to view the auction floor — click here to find out how. If you want to attend the live tuna auction, I recommend that you choose accommodation nearby because public transport in Tokyo doesn’t run between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

A stone’s throw away from the market, you’ll find the (24) Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple (also often spelled Honganji Temple). It’s not as elaborate as some other temples in Tokyo, but what makes it special is its Indian architectural style.

On the way to Ginza, you’ll come across the (25) Kabukiza Theater in the neighborhood.You can watch a short kabuki act here for 800 yen. It’s an interesting building with shops in the basement.

The main street in Ginza, called (26) Chuo-dori, is lined with upscale retail shops. (On the map, I use the Ginza Wako building as the landmark to use to find Chuo-dori.)

Even if you’re not in the mood to shop, do visit Chuo-dori on a weekend afternoon when they close the street to traffic. Stores place tables and chairs in the middle of the road and street performers come out to play. You may even spot a few older Japanese ladies shopping in their kimonos. This event, called Ginza Hokoten (pedestrian paradise), began in 1970 and continues to be held every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. (extended to 6 p.m. from April to September).

There are plenty of retail shops here to wander into. The Sony store occupies a whole building if you’re into electronics. We visited the Leica store, where they had a small gallery, photography books, and a cozy seating area.

End your day at one of the izakayas at (27) Yurakucho Gado-shita. This is a charming restaurant district located underneath the train tracks on both sides of the Yurakucho Station.

Click here to compare prices for hotels in Tsukiji

Click here to compare prices for hotels in Ginza

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Like what you've just read?

Get the FREE 7-part You Can Afford to Travel Too email series
+ exclusive updates and travel deals
Affording Travel Interview With Jo: English Teacher and Copywriter
Affording Travel Interview With Sofie: Blogger and Freelance Writer

Comments

  1. Thais says

    September 20, 2016 at 7:41 AM

    Loved it! We’ll be in Tokyo next week, very handy! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Deia says

      September 20, 2016 at 10:58 AM

      You’re welcome! Have fun in Tokyo. :)

      Reply
  2. Megan Indoe says

    July 7, 2016 at 7:19 AM

    This is super helpful with ideas and maps! This is going to help us big time in how to spend our time in Tokyo! Thanks so much for putting this together!

    Reply
    • Deia says

      July 8, 2016 at 5:43 PM

      My pleasure, Megan! I did so much research for my own trip to Tokyo that it would’ve been a waste to not write it all down and share it. :)

      Reply
  3. Paulina says

    June 15, 2016 at 11:01 AM

    I absolutely love your guide and will follow it during my stay in Tokyo next August. All the best in the world for you :)

    Reply
    • Deia says

      June 15, 2016 at 1:58 PM

      Thank you, Paulina! Glad you like it! :)

      Reply
  4. Leanna says

    May 16, 2016 at 6:54 AM

    Hello, I love you blog. How many hours did it take to visit places in 1 neighborhood? For example, all the places you mentioned to visit in Shibuya. I am going to Japan next week for 4 days. Thank you :)

    Reply
    • Deia says

      May 19, 2016 at 2:35 PM

      Hi Leanna, I’m not sure if this will reach you in time, but it depends. The route in Shinjuku, for example, would take a whole day, especially if you go shopping or sit at a bar for a couple of hours. For me the other routes take maybe half a day, so I could do two neighborhoods if I spend the entire day exploring. It gets tiring though, so bring good walking shoes!

      Reply
  5. best area to stay in tokyo says

    May 13, 2016 at 6:53 AM

    Thank you for this guide !
    It will be very useful :)

    Reply
    • Deia says

      May 19, 2016 at 2:36 PM

      Glad to have helped! :)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get exclusive updates and the FREE ‘You Can Afford to Travel Too’ email series

How To…

Avoid Credit Card Fees

Avoid Foreign ATM Fees

Make Payments Abroad

Book Cheap Flights

Save Money to Travel

Get Discounts With Coupon Codes

Stay for Free: House-Sitting

Stay for Free: Home Exchange

Work While Traveling

Categories

thumbnail-afford-to-travel-the-world

thumbnail-travel-more-cheaply

thumbnail-book-cheap-hotels-rates

  • HOME
  • START HERE
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES

© 2022

Get exclusive updates, money-saving travel deals, and the FREE 7-part
You Can Afford to Travel Too! email series
Don't worry; I hate spam too! Your information will NEVER be shared or sold to a third party.