Japan is a country of contrasts, and Tokyo is no exception. From the glitz of Roppongi and Shibuya, where great restaurants, theme bars and karaoke clubs offer you a unique nighttime experience, to the tranquility of Buddhist temples and sleepy side streets, where antique shops and old cafes reside.
But if you ask people whether they would consider Japan as a holiday destination, the response you often hear is, “I would love to go, but it's too expensive.”
Indeed, many rule out the possibility of a holiday in Japan without even checking the facts. The myth of the hyper expensive country, where you are reputed to pay up to $200 for a melon, still pervades. A little investigation and inside information from those in the know, like Tokyo 's expatriate residents, shows that a trip to Japan doesn't have to be so expensive. In fact, it is surprising what you can do on a limited budget.
Members of the expatriate community are a mixed bunch with different reasons for being here and different interests. But one thing they all agree on is that life is never boring here; Japan has something for everyone, whatever your tastes or interests; and it is possible to have a good time relatively cheaply if you pick and choose.
Speaking to some of Tokyo 's expatriate residents is the best way to get a clear insight into what you can do without having to spend much. With their help we take a comprehensive look at what Tokyo has to offer.
Food and drink
Japan is a food paradise. Of that there is no question. From smoky yakitori stalls (Japanese-style chicken kebabs), where customers sit at makeshift tables, drinking ice-cold beer as the sun goes down on a hot summer's day, to high class restaurants, where kimono-clad waitresses serve the freshest sushi, the sheer variety and quality of the food in Japan is unmatched elsewhere.
Lunch menus
With many people in Tokyo leading busy lifestyles, eating out for lunch is becoming almost as popular as eating out for dinner. Traditionally, lunch would have been the home-made bento box, but now many restaurants are reinforcing the trend to eat out at midday by offering great lunch deals. This can mean set deals, including a starter, main course and dessert for less than 1000 yen.
This can include sushi sets, which one well reputed Akasaka restaurant, Umai-Sushikan, offers for a mere 840 yen, including miso soup and green tea. Seated by the counter, you can watch the chef in action, as the sushi is freshly cut and served on a bamboo leaf placed in front of you.
Umai Sushikan
Other great lunch set deals include tempura (deep-fried vegetables and seafood in batter), katsudon (a pork dish), and a host of cooked seasonal fish dishes. The choice doesn't end at Japanese restaurants. Japan, especially Tokyo, is a great place to sample other Asian cuisines, and lunch sets are on offer at the increasingly popular Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. Good Chinese and Korean food is likewise usually only a short walk away.
Lunch menu time generally lasts from noon to 2 or 2:30pm. Arrive just before 12 to avoid the rush from the offices, or go after 1pm when most office workers are heading back to their desks.
If you are not particularly keen on Asian food, there is no cause for concern as Tokyo offers some fine non-Asian alternatives, and lunch set menus are available at most of the Italian and French restaurants that you can find in Tokyo.
Western-style fast food chains like KFC and McDonald's are in plentiful supply should you feel the need for a fix of western food, with set meals ranging around 500 yen. There are also cheap, good-value, western-style family restaurants like Jonathan's and Denny's, offering meals for around 700 to 800 yen. _________________ Asia Expats Forum Expat Friends Dating
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