Extreme Budget Travel: Eating on $5 a Day in Tokyo, Japan

If you've never been to Tokyo, there's one thing you will discover soon after arriving - food is expensive. How expensive? In 2009, a pound of grapes cost $12USD, compared to $2 - $4 in the United States. Apples and oranges are often sold individually wrapped, and cost $1.05USD or more per piece. How are you supposed to travel in Tokyo, or even Japan in general, on a budget when food is so expensive?

Visit farmer's markets. Every morning during the summer, farmers will set up crates of freshly picked vegetables (sometimes still covered in dirt) and sell them for a fraction of the cost of grocery store produce. The location of these markets will vary depending on where you're staying, but can often be found near grocery stores - sometimes even in front of grocery stores.

Use cheap filler foods. Rice is a big deal in Japan, and not just because it's tasty. Rice is very inexpensive - it can be found for $1 a pound, sometimes even cheaper - and can be stored for a long duration without going bad. Rice can be used as a side dish, or mixed with sautéed vegetables and meat to add bulk without cost. Other cheap filler foods include pasta, farmer's market potatoes, and bread.

Chew gum. This might seem a little weird, but think about it. Sometimes you eat a meal, and you know it is enough to provide you with adequate nutrition and calories, but your mouth is still begging for more. Luckily, Japan is home to a rainbow of different gum flavors, including some really odd ones, like spicy gum or extreme peppermint (so cold it burns). The best part? It's cheap. Remember to dispose of your gum properly.

Check out the convenience stores. In the U.S., convenience stores are known for being more expensive than their grocery store counterparts. This isn't necessarily true in Japan. Stores such as 7/11, am/pm, and Lawson's offer tasty meals for $4 - $6. You can get tempura, chili, cheese and shrimp (all with rice), packaged sandwiches, yogurt, bags of chips or pretzels or fries for very little cost. Example: a wasabi egg sandwich, a bag of potato sticks, a single serving of fried rice, an ice cream bar and a bottle of Sprite can be had at a Tokyo 7/11 for little over $5.

Look for hostels with free meals. Some hostels toss in a free ramen breakfast if you rent a room for two or more nights. Don't be mistaken, however - this isn't ramen like you get in those little Styrofoam cups. True Japanese ramen is served in a bowl the size of your face, and is hearty and filling enough to make you feel like you've eaten three courses. Other hotels and hostels might offer free bagels and drinks, or discounts for local restaurants.