TOKYO, Japan -- When many service members visit Tokyo for the first time they are probably told by a peer to bring lots of money.
Although hotels, shopping and mostly the nightlife can diminish the funds in a traveler's bank account, one of the best ways to see this humongous city is the cheap way.
For a little more than 700 yen, a visitor can purchase an all-day subway ticket that will allow them to ride on most of the major rails throughout the city.
One of the first destinations sightseers can visit is the train station itself. The Tokyo Station is the main launching point for the city's Shinkasen bullet trains, subway lines and the Narita Express line that leads to the Narita Airport. In addition to the various transportation lines, the station also includes underground shopping malls, a department store, two hotels and an art gallery.
Only a short walk from the station is the Imperial Palace and East Gardens. According to the Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau Web site, the palace was originally built in 1888, and after being destroyed by allied bombing in World War II, was rebuilt in 1968.
Although the palace is not open to the public, the East Gardens are open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and offer visitors various sightseeing opportunities of the central fortress of the Edo Castle and a museum of collectables from art pieces to telegraph machines. The various areas and buildings within the garden present visitors with excellent photo opportunities.
"The sprawling landscape of the garden was beautiful and immaculately maintained,? said Lance Cpl. Richard Bagley, Station weather observer. "To some extent the East Garden reminded me of Central Park with its location being right in the middle of the city."
A short subway ride away from the East Gardens will bring visitors to the Sensoji Temple. According to the TCVB Web site, the main hall was built in 645 A.D. to house a tiny gold statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, that had been caught by two brothers fishing in the Sumida River.
Although the temple has undergone changes through the years it is still a very spiritual place for the hundreds of people who go there every day to pray, buy fortunes and take pictures.
Before the gates to the temple there is an open market that sells everything from fresh fish to clothing. The back streets around the temple also offer visitors a taste of old Japan, with eel and sushi shops.
Even though tasting the food that is sold at the market and bringing back souvenirs will cost some money, a few packed snacks, a camera and an all-day ticket are the only items a traveler needs to experience Tokyo the cheap way.
"Visiting the train station, the gardens and the temples was a cheap and exciting way to spend a day in Tokyo," said Bagley. "Sometimes the best way to see Japan is just hopping on a train or subway and checking out the things that make Japan unique, and those places usually don?t have any cover charges."