The idea of spending time in Tokyo usually doesn’t cross the minds of budget travelers because of Tokyo’s reputation for being the most expensive city in the world. After paying for a hotel and food for the duration of your stay, the funds you have left for recreation and sightseeing may be minimal. Fortunately, there are several free activities to enjoy in Japan’s notoriously pricey capital. The following list of free things to do in Tokyo proves that enjoying the mega metropolis doesn’t have to result in going broke.

1. Yoyogi Park on Sundays

Yoyogi Park, which is located near Harajuku station, is a gathering place for musicians, artists, and freaks on Sundays. From watching Japanese rockabilly dancers practice their moves to hearing up-and-coming rock-and-roll bands perform on the street with the hope of acquiring new fans, Yoyogi is the hang out for twenty and thirty-somethings in Tokyo. Whether you want to walk around and gawk at all the performers or relax on the grass and play Frisbee with your friends, Yoyogi Park offers the perfect escape from Tokyo’s sometimes maddening rat race.

2. Tsukiji Fish Market

Watch as huge tuna are auctioned off for thousands of dollars and meander through rows of stalls selling everything from sea urchin to caviar at Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji fish market. If you want to catch the action at Tsukiji’s tuna auction, be prepared to arrive at the market at 5am. Unfortunately, after being caught hugging, licking, and even riding tuna for the sake of a good photo op, tourists are now banned from observing Tsukiji’s tuna auctions at the busiest time of the year (which ran from December 10, 2009 to January 23, 2010 in 2009-2010). The Tokyo Metropolitan government has hired security guards and enforced a no flash photography policy in order to prevent the disruption of the daily tuna auctions.

3. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

There’s no need to pay money at the Tokyo Tower or Roppongi Hills to get a panoramic view of Tokyo from up above. Just visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku and head to the 45th floor for a free 360° view of Tokyo, Yokohama, and Mt. Fuji. The vista’s equally stunning, and there is a café and gift shop on the same floor.

4. The Sumo Wrestling Museum and the Kanto Earthquake Memorial Museum

Located alongside the Kokugikan Sumo Wrestling Stadium is Tokyo’s Sumo Wrestling Museum, a museum showcasing memorabilia and photos of some of Japan’s greatest sumo wrestlers. The museum’s artifacts give a historical overview of this national sport, and there is no charge for entrance on non-tournament days. Close by on the Tokyo Memorial Temple grounds is the Kanto Earthquake Memorial Museum, which chronicles the devastation of Tokyo’s 1923 earthquake, a temblor that destroyed 70 percent of the city. The adjacent temple serves as a memorial to the victims of the earthquake as well as those who died at war.

5. Sony Building

If you’re into futuristic gadgets, don’t miss a visit to Ginza’s Sony Building, where you’ll find a five-story showroom exhibiting the latest gadgets from Sony. Open every day from 10am to 8pm, the Sony Building’s showroom is free and offers visitors a glimpse into the future.

6. The Imperial Palace

Set in the middle of Tokyo, the majestic Imperial Palace is where the Emperor and Empress of Japan reside. The Outer Garden, East Garden, and Kita-no-maru-koen Park are open to the general public and free of charge. In the East Garden, there’s a museum that showcases Emperor Showa’s art collection, and entrance is free. The three mile walk around the Imperial Palace’s moat is particularly beautiful in the spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom. Lush, verdant, and peaceful, the palace grounds offer a welcome respite from the noise and bustle of the city.

7. Depachika

If you ever get hungry during your free tour of Tokyo, explore the basements of large Japanese department stores, known as depachika. The basements of department stores, like Matsuzayaka in Ginza and the Nakamise Shopping Arcade in Asakusa, typically offer shoppers free gourmet food samples. If you’re embarrassed about sampling foods without actually buying anything, use your depachika excursion as an opportunity to shop for souvenirs. Depachika are a great place to buy gifts for your foodie friends.

The Santa Barbara Car Free special is running now. Get 20% off the best available adult train fare on Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, San Joaquin and associated buses going to and from the following Santa Barbara County stations: Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Surf, Solvang, Santa Maria and Buellton. You must reserve at least three days in advance of travel to qualify for this discount.

Global Fare Sale on bmi from $161 (O/W)! U.K.-based bmi is slashing rates on airfare by as much as 50 percent! This impressive sale encompasses dozens of destinations worldwide including Europe from $161 each way, Africa from $374, Asia from $478, and more.

A New Package to Orlando Costs Only $449 for 5 nights at a three-star Disney-area resort. In addition to receiving round-trip air on this remarkable package to Orlando, you’ll be receiving continental breakfast each morning. You’ll be given an Orlando-area coupon booklet for dining and attraction discounts. And to top things off, you’ll receive a compact car for five days with unlimited mileage (but not including car rental tax, fuel, and optional insurance). Price is per-person based on two persons traveling together.

That’s not the only Orlando hotel deal out there though, how about $67-$100 a night at the Radisson Orlando Celebration Resort! With luxuries such as custom furniture imported from Italy and granite and marble bathrooms adding a special touch to the resort, this is truly a great place to unwind. The unparalleled pool facilities boast a huge free-formed pool with cascading waterfalls, two whirlpools, a children’s wading pool, heated mid-sized pool and a 40-foot waterslide that winds around a rocky hill. In addition, you will be close to all the sites that make Orlando, FL a vacation retreat.

$76-$109 a night for New Orleans’ Bourbon Orleans Hotel, which features a rich history and French styling reminiscent of the early 1800s. As it is just steps away from the famed St. Louis Cathedral, it means you’re never far from the best the city has to offer-from upscale shopping on Royal Street, to the performers of Jackson Square, to all of the restaurants, galleries and nightlife in between.

$42 a night for a 4-Star Hotel Near The Strip, in Las Vegas, where South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa has slashed rates to 40% off. This special is valid for travel Sunday-Thursday through April.

Jicaro Island Ecolodge is a brand-new ecolodge in the Granada Isletas bringing ecotourism to Nicaragua. As an opening special, the property is offering a third night free for stays through April 2010. A three-night stay is usually $1,311 (double occupancy, including tax); with this deal it’s just $874, averaging $291/night and all meals are included as well in the package price.

Colorado River White-Water Rafting Trip from $965, which is $285 off the standard rack rate for Wilderness River Adventures’ Be a Kid Again package for select dates from April 16 through August 20. In addition to the 88-mile trek down the mighty Colorado River, the deal includes all meals (primarily home-style and barbeque), drinks, and all the essential camping equipment (sleeping bags, a foam pad, ground tarp, tent, etc.). Adrenaline junkies will also have ample opportunities to explore hidden cascading waterfalls and crevices during their trip.

Mardi Gras season began Wednesday with the Feast of Epiphany and continues through Mardi Gras itself, or Fat Tuesday (Feb. 16). Celebrations of the festive season, previously occurring mainly in and near New Orleans, have spread widely in Louisiana, Texas and other states. We’ll cover more Mardi Gras deals as members vote them up over the coming weeks.

New and luxury hotels are opening in London, Tokyo and other major destinations this year and 2010 promises to be a huge year for these new hotels. The New York Times has a handy guide to all of them, and you’ll want to visit each one!  Speaking of new hotels, be sure to add any new deals you may come across, and if you aren’t yet a member, it’s easy to sign up and start voting on the best travel deals!

$375 & up to Ski & Stay at 5-Star Montreal Westin, and this price includes BONUS 3rd night free & $300 air credit per person. With easy access to the nearby pedestrian village and skiing areas of Tremblant, this 5-star resort features a luxurious lobby and fine Japanese and Sushi dining.

$335 & up for 3 Nights at a 4-Star Ottawa Hotel, and this price includes BONUS 3rd night free & $300 air credit per person. The tasteful rooms and suites have air-conditioning, a city or courtyard view, windows that open to the outside, a television with the On Command system, a coffee maker with complimentary coffee and tea, a refreshment center, a clock radio, bathrobes, an iron and an ironing board, and a hairdryer.

This could be the year you tour Asia! With the 2010 All Asia Pass from Cathay Pacific Airlines you could visit magnificent Hong Kong, tropical Bali, culturally-rich Bangkok, ultra-modern Singapore and legendary Tokyo, plus many other destinations all for just $1,599.

A couple other great airfare deals just in, $446 to fly to Shanghai or Beijing from San Francisco, $515 to fly to Sydney from New York, and $399 & up to fly to Shanghai or Beijing from Boston, each way.

Occidental Hotels and Resorts, whose all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, Costa Rica, and Mexico, include dining, drinks (alcohol included), use of the Kids’ Club, and a myriad of both water and land activities in its rates, is offering a Winter Special sale on its 13 resorts in Aruba, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, with savings ranging from 20% to 50% for stays from January 4 through April 30, 2010.

$699 for this New Riviera Maya *Dreams* Getaway w/Air: Save $450 on vacations at the Caribbean’s coast of Mexico, with blinding white strands of sand embracing clear turquoise waters, shores that curve into calm lagoons, and are beloved by scuba divers, snorkelers, bird watchers, and beach combers. The Pacific coast contains some of Mexico’s principle beach resorts as well as other lesser-known, beautiful spots and small coastal villages, backed by sweeping jungles that reach down to the clear blue waters of the Pacific.

$129-$139 a night for this Westin in Jersey City, just minutes from Manhattan. With spectacular views of Manhattan, The Westin Jersey City Newport Hotel is providing guests with a significant reduction on normal rates for Friday-Sunday nights through January and February. Rates for this property are regularly $230.

$90 a night for the newly renovated Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel St. Louis on Friday and Saturday nights through March 28. The same room is regularly $190 on weekdays.

$109 a night for a top-rated Cleveland hotel. The Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center is rated the #1 hotel in Cleveland on Tripadvisor and is conveniently located within walking distance from the city’s downtown attractions. Guest rooms are newly renovated and feature plush bedding, marble bathrooms and spectacular Lake Erie views, and this deal is 40% OFF the regular rates.

$71 a night for a Junior Villa at Palm Springs Resort. This offer is for Sunday-Thursday stays and is 30% off regular rates. Weekends are $16 more per night. Bonus: Guests looking to extend their stay will receive their fourth night free, as well as an upgrade to an 800 square foot, one-bedroom villa. Each spacious one-bedroom villa features a full kitchen and private balcony.