Old Tokyo

One of the first stops for budget-minded travelers should be the sprawling Tsukiji fish market. You can spend hours roaming the market's corridors, ice troughs full of arm-sized fish, and chowing down on some of the freshest sushi on the planet. It's best visited early in the morning when the vendors are still well-stocked. The Meiji Shrine was constructed 90 years ago under Emperor Meiji, who led the way in opening Japan to the rest of the world. The gardens, lily ponds and temple grounds are a pleasant respite from noisy Tokyo. The Asakusa temple is an excellent budget shopping area, where the sprawl of small shops offers an abundance of inexpensive Japanese goods. Round out your tour of old Tokyo with a visit to the Imperial Palace in the city center.