How to Stay in Tokyo for Free: Part 1 – Introduction & Planning
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Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers. Emily: Have you always wanted to visit Japan? You can get there for a fraction of the cost with a few credit card sign-up bonuses!My boyfriend and I recently flew from Austin to Japan for ~$200 round trip in Business Class. And for 3 weeks of lodging (including some fancy hotels), I spent ~$450!
Japan is a beautiful country with LOTS to see and do, from high-rise skyscrapers to old temples to hot springs. I loved Tokyo for its energetic neighborhoods, shopping, and delicious restaurants.
Wherever you go, you’re sure to have an amazing time! In this series, I’ll go into detail about where I stayed in Tokyo, what to do, and some of my favorite restaurants, and show you how you can do it, too!
How to Stay in Tokyo for Free Trip Report Index:
- Part 1 – Introduction and Planning
- Part 2 – Our $200 Business Class Flights to Japan
- Part 3 – Grand Hyatt Tokyo Hotel Review
- Part 4 – What to Do in Tokyo
- Part 5 – Where to Shop in Tokyo
- Part 6 – Why Tokyo is the Culinary Capital of the World
- Part 7 – Day Trip From Tokyo – Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort & Spa Review
- Part 8 – Day Trip From Tokyo – What to Do in Hakone
- Part 9 – Day Trip From Tokyo – Where to Eat in Hakone
Introduction & Planning
Ever since I was a little girl I’ve always wanted to go to Japan. Back then, I was in love with Sanrio themed stationery and stickers. My boyfriend is half Japanese, and grew up in Okinawa, Japan, for the first 20 years of his life.
He left Japan when he was 20, and hadn’t been back since — in nearly 20 years! Because I love helping fulfill others’ travel dreams, I jumped at the opportunity to reunite family and see Japan for myself!
| Round-Trip Business Class Ticket From Austin to Tokyo | Room at Hyatt Hotels in the Tokyo Area | |
|---|---|---|
| Retail cost | ~$6,000 to ~$10,000 | ~$700 to ~$1,000+ per night |
| Our Cash Cost | $110 in taxes | $0 |
| Miles & Points Used | 95,000 American Airlines Miles | 25,000 to 30,000 Hyatt points per night, Free Night Stays |
| Source of Miles & Points | - Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard Current sign-up bonus of 60,000 American Airlines miles - Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard Current sign-up bonus of 50,000 American Airlines miles - Barclaycard American Airlines Aviator Red Current sign-up bonus of 50,000 American Airlines miles | - Chase Hyatt Current sign-up bonus of 2 free nights at any Hyatt after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of opening your account Note: On June 29, 2017, the sign-up bonus on the Chase Hyatt card is changing to 40,000 Hyatt points after meeting minimum spending requirements. Chase Ultimate Rewards: - Chase Sapphire Preferred Current sign-up bonus of 50,000 points |
| Alternatives | - Alaska Airlines - 50,000 miles one-way with certain airlines - United Airlines - 65,000 miles one-way - American Airlines - 35,000 miles one-way (32,000 between October 1 and April 30) | - Chase Sapphire Reserve Current sign-up bonus of 50,000 points - Chase Ink Preferred Current sign-up bonus of 80,000 points - Chase Ink Bold & Chase Ink Plus Not available to new applicants |
| Additional Information | - You can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United Airlines at a ratio of 1:1 - You can transfer Starwood points to Alaska Airlines at a ratio of 1:1 | - You can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt at a ratio of 1:1 |
Tokyo is a vibrant city, and I’d recommend giving yourself at least 7 days to explore. We were there 5 nights, and it went so fast!
There is really SO MUCH to see! There are expansive parks with old temples.
You can even have a Mario Kart experience through Shibuya, one of the busiest intersections in the world!
Whatever you like to do, you are sure to find it in Tokyo. And you’ll probably find some fun surprises along the way!
Flights
We took Cathay Pacific Business Class for our flights to Japan. And we flew Japan Airlines Business Class on our way back.
I used American Airline miles to book the trip for free!
Round-trip Business Class flights to Japan cost 95,000 American Airlines miles and ~$110 in taxes and fees.
For an even better flight experience, try to find a seat on Cathay Pacific or Japan Air Lines!
$700 a Night Hotel for Free Using Points
In Tokyo, we stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi Hills. This hotel regularly sells rooms for $700 per night. But I booked it for a combination of 25,000 Hyatt points per night and a free night stay!
The hotel had a perfect location that was within ~30 minutes from the main sites via public transportation.
The Park Hyatt Tokyo, while we didn’t stay here, is also an excellent way to use Hyatt points. Rooms here frequently sell for $1,000+! But it costs 30,000 Hyatt points per night to stay at this hotel.
Both hotels have incredible locations, so it just depends on your preference. But I really liked the Grand Hyatt. The next time I’m in Tokyo, I’d love to stay at the Park Hyatt to compare!
What to Do in Tokyo
Because Tokyo is such a dynamic and spirited city, it would take years to appreciate all it has to offer. One of my favorite experiences was exploring the different neighborhoods with a couple of friends at night.
Christina is Alfy’s friend from a high school in Okinawa. She brought her husband, Cody, with her to show us around the city. They live in Tokyo so they had plenty of local favorites to show us.
You can tour the neighborhoods yourself and stop at the many convenience stores along the way to grab cheap alcoholic drinks like we did. And you can drink freely on the streets of Japan!
There was so much to take in, and we had a blast hanging out!
Yoyogi Park
Yoyogi Park is similar to New York’s Central Park.
In Yoyogi Park, you can find peaceful nature walks, captivating temples, breakdancers of all ages, and different kinds of street artists and musicians.
Tokyo Is a Shopper’s Paradise
Even if you don’t like to shop, you’ll find something in Tokyo. Trust me, my boyfriend hates shopping, but he ended up buying more clothes than I did! 🙂
There are thousands of shops for everyone, no matter your budget or taste.
I had a lot of fun seeking out kawaii (cute stuff), vintage clothing stores, and gift shops. I’ll go into a lot more detail on where to shop in an upcoming post, so stay tuned!
Sample Unique and Delicious Restaurants
1. Snack Bars
If you’re hungry and want to try a unique experience, head to a snack bar!
You can try out all the unique and delicious snacks (both sweet and savory) that you want! It’s a lot of fun trying out all of the Japanese flavors and textures!
2. Character Cafes and Animal Cafes
One type of cafe I really wanted to try while in Tokyo was the character cafes.
There’s an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant, a Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory for Studio Ghibli fans, and even a Pom Pom Purin Café!
Tokyo also has animal cafes, where you can enjoy a coffee and interact with cute animals like cats, bunnies, and owls! I went to a bunny cafe in Nagoya, and you can pay to do a mini photo shoot with a bunny where you dress it up in costumes and take pictures of it “on location.”
Afterwards, you can enjoy bunny-themed food and drinks!
If you do want to try one of these restaurants or cafes, get Marceline Smith’s guide Planning for Japan.
You Can Do It, Too!
1. Flights
Round-trip Business Class flights to Japan cost 95,000 American Airlines miles and ~$110 in taxes and fees.
For an even better flight experience, try to find a seat on Cathay Pacific or Japan Air Lines!
If you need more American Airlines miles, consider cards like:- Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard – 50,000 American Airlines miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard – 60,000 American Airlines miles after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening your account
- Barclaycard American Airlines Aviator Red – 50,000 American Airlines bonus miles after your first purchase and payment of annual fee within the first 90 days of account opening
2. Hotels
I stayed for free at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, which usually costs ~$700+ per night! I used my 2 free nights from the Chase Hyatt card sign-up bonus for part of my stay. And I transferred points to Hyatt from my Chase Sapphire Preferred, which is super easy to do.
Note: On June 29, 2017, the sign-up bonus on the Chase Hyatt card is changing to 40,000 Hyatt points after meeting minimum spending requirements.There are plenty of hotels where you can stay with points, so it doesn’t have to be Hyatt! Use Hotel Hustle or Award Mapper to find hotels you can book with points.
Hilton has hotels in Japan including the Hilton Tokyo and Hilton Osaka. Or you could use IHG points to stay at the InterContinental Tokyo Bay or InterContinental Osaka. There are lots of options!
Bottom Line
Tokyo is a traveler’s paradise with a lot to offer. It’s energetic, fun, and truly unique. Our flights to Japan in Business Class were just ~$200 total, and our 5-night hotel stay in Tokyo was completely free!
My only regret was that we only spent 5 nights in the city. It just wasn’t long enough! I can’t wait to return and stay longer.
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