Greg has been been searching for a cheaper way of doing things in and around Tokyo for more than 12 years.
Greg's qualification for being a cheapo include walking up to an hour across Tokyo to save on the 160 yen subway fare and still having clothes in his dresser from 1998.
When not searching for the izakaya with the cheapest beer in Japan, he develops web sites.
Cona is part of a chain of 500yen pizza restaurants which also includes Voco (in Ebius) a similarly named branch in Dogenzaka and Ura-Cona in Maruyamacho. While the speciality is Roman Pizza, the exhortation of the menu for "High tension …
Over at Tokyo Big Sight there is a Hawaiian festival that costs 1,000 yen to get through the door just so you can spend more of your money. Get your Pacific island fix at the free Okinawa Festival in Yoyogi Park instead. The festival runs over …
Tokyo parks get crowded. On weekends (especially if you have more than one small child) your kids will run off and disappear like ninjas on a moonless night. Due to the crowds, there also tend to be queues of 6 kids or more waiting to use a …
From the 17th to the 19th another one of the "big three" festivals will be on - the Sanja Matsuri (link in Japanese). This is one of the rowdier festivals with 2 million spectators expected to watch rather energetic, often tattooed gentlemen …
The beauty of Brimmer Beer Box is its simplicity. They serve quality beer in a box for a good price. They don't sell pizzas, just locally brewed craft beer for 500yen a glass. While that's not as cheap as a Kirin in a can from your local …
One of Tokyo's three major festivals takes places over this weekend - the Kanda Matsuri. Based in and around Kanda Myojin Shrine near Ochanomizu Station, the Kanda Matsuri is a Shinto festival originally held to celebrate Shogun Ieyasu …
This is how every week/weekend should be - four days on, four days off, four days on. Sadly this kind of work life combo is all too rare. Although Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican celebration, this event to be held in the event square at Yoyogi Park …
Nan Station is a cheap and cosy Nepalese curry joint in Shimokitazawa which, as the name suggests, serves naan. The lunch menu starts at 500yen for a vegetable curry. A chicken curry will set you back 580yen, a keema curry 630yen and for 680yen …
To celebrate the launch of lots of expensive new shops at Tokyo Midtown and the 'opening' of the grass square area in Midtown Park, there will be free concerts from 3pm to 6pm from Saturday, April 27th through Monday, April 29th as part of …
Cona (previously Voco) Pizza is yet another pizzeria in Tokyo targeting the 500yen price point. While the pizza is good, the thing that sets Cona apart from the others is the huge range of pizzas on the menu and the casual bar style. The week …
While traditional horseback archery is rather a rare sight in these modern times, this weekend you will have the choice of two different locations at which to admire the amazing skill of these archers as they fire off their arrows while riding …
If you're a freelancer, a location independent entrepreneur or you just need a space where you can concentrate and get some work done, then the Open Source Cafe in Shimokitazawa is worth a look. While not as cheap as a coffee at Starbucks, the …
The Ozeki Supermarket branch in Shimokitazawa is not huge, but unlike the Peacock Supermarket on the other side of the station, it's always teeming with housewives and keen locals picking up their groceries. That's because it's simply cheaper …
Flower festivals are more or less continuous in Japan, so as soon as Hanami ends, another one comes along to take its place. The Bunkyo Azalea festival (link in Japanese) starts today (as I write this) and will likely be in full swing this …
One of the surprises when I first arrived in Tokyo was discovering the alternative universe of snacks, chocolate and sweets. In Japan, Mars is simply the fourth planet from the sun and Cadbury and Hersheys are considered to be exotic import …
If you've ever mistaken the Japanese terms for cherry blossom viewing (hanami) with fireworks (hanabi) then Adachi Ward in Tokyo's east has the event for you. While enjoying the remnants of the cherry blossoms at Toneri Koen, you can also see …
Please note: This was an April Fool's Post, Don't look for the sushi vending machine! Japan is deservedly well known for its vending machines. Along with the ubiquitous soft drink machines there are machines that vend everything from noodles, to …
Right now, the Tokyo Spring Festival - a collection of opera and classical music concerts - is on at venues throughout Tokyo. While some tickets might run you up to 9,000yen each, there is a free opera mini-concert on at the otherworldly …
Yoshi Soba is a standing soba noodle bar which also sometimes has seats. While they're not as ubiquitous as some of the other bigger noodle chains, their stores seem to be located in places where you can't help but stumble across them - which is …
UR Housing is a public corporation that offers rental housing and accommodation in Tokyo and in cities all over Japan. The 'UR' stands for 'Urban Renaissance'. While the cartel of real estate agents and property owners in Japan typically extort …
In our last podcast on Cheapo Hanami, recorded on the 9th of March, we predicted the weekends of the 30/31 of March and April 6/7 as the peak hanami weekend. Alas, the warm weather has made liars of us. This weekend and next look to be the …
Latest forecasts have the cherry blossoms starting this Sunday, but it won't really kick-off properly until the weekend of March 23/24. Meanwhile, save that hanami anticipation and enjoy some of what's on offer around Tokyo. The best free events …
You can see and perhaps even participate in fire walking at the Mt Takao Hiwatari Festival (link in Japanese) near Takaosan Yakuouin Temple this Sunday, March the 10th from 1pm. The sacred act of walking on hot coals and embers is regarded as …
For many people, a good butter chicken curry or murgh makani is the gateway drug for getting into Indian Cuisine. It's mild, sweet, creamy flavour have made this famed North Indian dish a big hit in Japan. So much so that many Indian …
