tokyo Archives - I Wander

Autumn is a magical time in Japan. The leaves start to wither, earlier in the countryside and in northern Japan, and at about late-November to early-December in Tokyo’s open areas like Showa Kinen Park. Called koyo, Japan’s parks and forests turn into a sea of red, yellow and brown especially when seen with a backdrop of maple and gingko trees. Autumn is widely considered to be the favorite season of most Japanese, and it was with much luck that my visit to Tokyo last week fell right smack in this season.

Editor’s Note: Here are more autumn leaves viewing spots in Tokyo.

With very little time, I shortlisted a few nice autumn viewing spots. Places such as Hibiya Park in central Tokyo, the Rikugien in Bunkyo Ward as well as Shinjuku’s Gyoen are considered to be some of the best autumn viewing spots in Tokyo. Since I only had time to visit one or two places, I eventually decided on Gingko Avenue or Icho Namiki in Aoyama and Showa Memorial Park (Showa Kinen Koen) in Tachikawa in western Tokyo.

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Although Tokyo no longer ranks as the world’s most expensive city, the stereotype is somehow hard to shake off. The thought of $250 airport to city taxi rides alone is enough to turn off the budget-conscious traveler. The good news is that Tokyo is no longer the ultra expensive city that it once was. Economic stagnation coupled with the weaker Yen have made this city a much more reasonable place for travelers. When I visited last year and again this year, I found Tokyo to be at par, if not more reasonably priced than the capitals of other developed countries. Save for the hefty taxi costs, I found Tokyo to be cheaper than other notable cities in Asia such as Singapore.

It’s possible to get by cheaply in Tokyo without compromising comfort if you know where to look. Here are some ideas on cheap things to do in Tokyo:

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Brilliant Autumn Colors in Tokyo’s Showa Kinen Park

How to Do Tokyo Comfortably For Just $35 a Day