Tokyo On The Cheap

Despite its reputation, Tokyo can be done on the cheap: the key is to know when to tighten your belt, and when to go baller. 

Cover Charges: They are unavoidable. Whether you’re at a fancy club or dining on yakitori at a yatai—an open-air food stall—cover charges, or table charges, are customary. And if you’re not careful, you could get hit hard with an unexpected charge. I was out with friends at a frills-free karaoke bar in the Roppongi district and we didn’t ask about the cover charge: BAM, JPY3,500 ($266) per person. Not a great surprise at the end of the night. 

 

Sushi: There’s a big difference between good sushi and amaaayzing sushi, and face it: you’re likely going to want to splurge on a fine dine at least once on your trip. Snag a reservation at esteemed Sukiyabashi Jiro (JPY25,000 ($1,904) for set menu, 4-2-15 Ginza, Chuo, (+81) 3-3535-3600), which you may know from “Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” or go with something a little more reasonable, like an early breakfast at Daiwa Sushi (Shop 6, Chuo Shijo Building, 5-2-1 Tsukiji,  (+81) 3-3547-6807) in the Tsukiji fish market (JPY3,000 ($228) for a set menu).