Written by TC Team
Tokyo Cheapo doesn’t just live in your browser. Over on YouTube, our team has built up a veritable library of videos on getting the most out of Tokyo, with a healthy crowd of subscribers.
If you’re new to the channel, start here. The seven picks below are the ones viewers have watched and loved the most over the past couple of years. Think of it as a pre-trip crash course, from neighborhood deep dives to the eternal Suica question. Our hosts do the queuing and taste-testing so you don’t have to.
1. Top 23 things to do in Shibuya
Our most-watched video of recent years. The big names are all present (Hachikō, Scramble Crossing, Shibuya Sky), but the money-savers are the real draw: free viewing spots, a skate park, and Patricia’s pick for the neighborhood’s best karaoke.
More content? Our article on the best things to do in Shibuya has you covered.
2. 15 top tips for Ueno
Ueno usually gets summed up as “the park with the museums.” This video makes the case for lingering.
Expect Ameyoko Street by day and after dark, cheap street food, shrine stops at Hanazono Inari Shrine and Ueno Tōshōgū, and a wander over to Kuramae and the old-Tokyo backstreets of Yanaka.
Pair it with our Ueno area guide when you’re planning the day.
3. Top 18 things to do in Ginza
Ginza is Tokyo’s glitziest shopping district, and you can still have a very good day there on a cheapo budget.
This one takes in the Ginza Six rooftop terrace, Ginza Sony Park, the stationery wonderland that is Itoya, a dose of Kabuki, and 300bar, a standing bar we’ve toasted before.
There’s more in our Ginza area guide.
4. Discover Kōenji, Tokyo’s hidden gem
Less than 10 minutes by train from Shinjuku, Kōenji is Tokyo at its most lived-in: a treasure trove of vintage shops, retro shopping streets, “live houses” (Japan’s small music venues), and an izakaya (Japanese pub) that serves free gyoza.
Sold? Our Kōenji area guide will help you plan a visit.
5. Kawagoe: a day trip to Little Edo
Kawagoe, in neighboring Saitama, has held onto its Edo-period (17th–19th century) streetscape — clay-walled merchant warehouses along Kurazukuri Street, the Toki no Kane bell tower, and Kashiya Yokochō, an alley devoted to old-fashioned candy.
The video also fits in shrine visits, chopstick-making, and a stop for tamagoyaki (rolled omelet).
Full details are in our Kawagoe day-tripping guide.
6. The ultimate Suica card guide
Suica, the rechargeable IC card, might be the single most useful thing in a visitor’s pocket — it covers trains, buses, vending machines, coin lockers, and convenience store runs.
This guide sorts out physical cards versus Mobile Suica and the Welcome Suica options, including the latest changes and what to do when you hit a snag.
The written version lives in our ultimate guide to Suica cards, which we keep updated.
7. Tokyo tourist traps, tried and tested
You’ve seen the reels: the fried sandwiches at Age.3, The Matcha Tokyo, the I’m donut? queues. The team lined up at five of Tokyo’s most viral spots to answer two questions — would you wait an hour for this, and is it worth the price?
Verdicts come with alternative suggestions, naturally. Viewers loved this one.
It’s in the same spirit as the time we spent 24 hours eating only 100-yen foods.
More where these came from
The channel posts new videos 2-3 times a month, and old favorites get refreshed as things change — Ueno, Shibuya, and Ginza have all had 2026 updates. Subscribe to Tokyo Cheapo on YouTube and the next one will find you when it lands.
