Tokyo

Where to stay

Asakusa and Ueno are the traditional budget-traveler hubs, both sitting on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line and JR lines, with Ameyoko market nearby for cheap eats and a high concentration of hostels around Senso-ji. Shinjuku's east exit area has more options if you want to be closer to nightlife, though prices there run noticeably higher.

Getting around

• Load a Suica or Pasmo IC card at any JR station machine the moment you arrive. It works on nearly every train, subway, and bus in Tokyo, and you can tap it at convenience stores too.
• The observation deck at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku is free and open most evenings. It gives you a full city panorama and skips the long lines and steep entry fees at Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower.
• Plan your meals around convenience stores. A FamilyMart or Lawson onigiri, some hot food from the counter, and a drink will cost you very cheaply, and the quality is genuinely good.

When to go

Hostels are cheapest in January, February, and the rainy weeks of June. They fill up fast during cherry blossom season (late March to early April) and Golden Week (late April to early May), so book well ahead for those windows.