Free things to do in Tokyo?

My picks as a five-year Tokyo veteran are the Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji Fish Market (favorite spot), and the fascinating Harajuku neighborhood where you can experience some of the world's most extraordinary...

lots of free or cheap stuff to do in Tokyo. First get yourself a pasmo or suica card for travelling by trains-won't save money but will save time and frustration. Machines have an English option. Pick up the Tokyo Handy Guide and it will tell you of economical ticket offers. Yoyogi Park accessed from Harajuku Station-grab yourself a picnic from the station shops and people watch. Meiji Jingu Shrine is in Yoyogi Park and well worth a visit. In Harajuku walk down Takeshita Street in Harajuku for alternate fashion, quirky little shops and people watching. At Shibuya take the Hachiko exit, look at the statue and cross the busiest crossing in the world. Shinjuku -shopping,wander through Kabukicho at night-the "never sleep" entertainment area, and the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is lovely-small admission fee. In Sensoji Temple- waft the smoke over you for luck and health, pay 100 yen for your fortune. Walk along Nakamise Dori Shopping Arcade  to the temple and Denbouin street if you have time. Tokyo skytree will give you a view of Mt. Fuji on clear days. In Marunouchi, the Imperial Palace East Garden. Further out, Tama (Japan) is a lovely area to explore-hiking options there. Take a train to Kamakura-about 1 hour away-by the sea, has many shrines and temples, cheap eating places. Can also do a day trip to Mt Fuji.

Hi Andrea! Lucky you! Tokyo is awesome and the people are super nice and helpful. We went there in 2013 and were also on a budget, I just wrote a blog post on all the activities to do in the city and most of them are free! http://www.ooaworld.com/things-to-do-in-tokyo-on-a-budget/

In a nutshell, here are some of the highlights:

Tokyo Tower for a superb view of the city

Go to Harajuku on a Sunday so you can see all the young people dress up

Visit the Tsukiji Fish Market and the tuna auction super early in the morning - you can also eat sushi afterwards (though it is not budget pricing, it is worth the experience)

Akihabara a neighborhood called Electric City, the "Time Square" of Tokyo for electronics and mangas: a lot of fun at night when everything is illuminated.

Eat at izakayas (japanese bars: delicious food and ambiance) and go where the locals go, this is how we decided on places to eat at. It never disappoints and the prices are very reasonable. 

We didn't go Karaoke but I am sure it is a great experience!

There are many more things to do so I hope the article helps you out.

Have a great time!

Try Meiji Shrine (temple) at Harazuku. Its a nice stroll in the center of the city. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden area has a nice garden too. But the best bet is to take a one day trip to Hakone (good for mountain),Izu (good for ocean side), and Nikko (good for mountain) cities nearby Tokyo. You can also do white water rafting at Minakami. Hope you enjoy your trip.

If you interested in walking at the city, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Harajuku are better for you. These cities have interesting culture and good shops.

As Tokyo is a pricey city its best to explore the free options. 1. Tsukiji Fish Market, but go early to watch the bidding. Ueno Park is a beautiful park in the north of Tokyo to catch the blossoms and some shrines. Harajuku is just a fantastic place to people watch and explore some of the quirky shops in Tokyo. Akihabara is where you'll find a huge 6 floor pachinko parlour and the world's largest sex shop... finally, head to Asakusa for a beautiful shrine and also a large market area. 

Just as a side note, Shinjuku park costs 500yen.