how to find out restaurant prices

hello,

We'll be travelling to Tokyo and Kyoto next month. We can only afford budget or reasonably-priced restaurants. Rather than plan restaurants in advance, we would like to go into restaurants wherever we find ourselves during sightseeing, but is there a way to find out what the meals will cost before we sit down? I understand that some restaurants will have menus out front, but what if they don't?

Should we assume they are the more expensive restaurants and not go in?

Is it very very rude to ask to see a restaurant's menu before we sit down? (in the United States I would definitely do this, but I am asking about customs in Japan).

Thank you!

A lot of restaurants have menus out front. If one does not, I recommend to go for another restaurant that has a menu out front. Depending on the restaurant it could be okay to ask for a menu at the entrance (in case of cheapish, informal restaurants) or it could be rather awkward (in case of more formal restaurants).

You will find that there are lots of restaurants near rail stations, in shopping malls (including underground ones) and on the upper floors of all department stores. Quite a few have window displays showing various dishes and their prices.

then there are small places serving one type of food only like bowls of noodles or bowls of rice, both with meat or not etc. also places serving curry dishes only. They all have signs with prices and are cheap anyway

Your responses are much appreciated.