Entertainment isn’t hard to come by in Japan, but it isn’t always cheap, here are 8 free alternatives to check out.
1: Free entrance day. Some parks like Ritsurin or museums have a free admittance day every couple of months, so seeing a sight that might usually cost you a thousand yen can be free if you go on the right day.
2. Temples. Almost all temples are free to visit. So checking out a temple is always a fun free thing to do.
3. Free museums and parks. Most city parks are free and so are some public museums. For example, the children’s museum near the Takamatsu airport has free admittance.
4. Shopping centers. Shopping centers put on fashions shows and host other performances to draw crowds. I’ve seen dance performances, fashion shows, and even comedians at both indoor and outdoor shopping centers.
5. City Centers. Some city centers and libraries have free classes, lectures, and cultural performances that are open to the public.
6. International centers. International centers are great places to find things to do. They have lists of clubs that you can join, free lectures and cultural events, and lists of people wanting to do language exchanges.
7. Train stations and landmarks. On the weekends, young musicians and artists perform wherever they can. You can find a variety of different performers outside of train stations and around other famous buildings and landmarks. Nagoya station always has an interesting group of performers singing their hearts out on the weekends.
8. Festivals. Festivals have a wide variety of things to look at and do. It’s hard to find free festival games, but there is usually a performance, parade, event, or demonstration you can watch for free. What you can see depends on what kind and size of festival it is.
Photo: jessleecuizon