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Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass): How to Buy and Use, Price, and Benefits

The Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) is a cost-efficient 7-day, 14-day, or 21-day travel pass available exclusively for foreign visitors to Japan. Learn about the features of the JR Pass and how to buy it, along with restrictions and price information.

Japan Rail Pass: Cost-efficient Travel in Japan

Planning a trip to Japan? If you plan to explore more than one region, consider using the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) . The JR Pass is a convenient travel pass for foreign visitors on a tourist visa.

Available in 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day versions and valid only on lines operated by Japan Railways, the JR Pass helps visitors save on transportation costs.

Read to learn about the features of the JR Pass and how to buy it. Please note that the price of the JR Pass will increase from October 2023 . You can buy the JR Pass at the current price only until September 25, 2023.

Book the JR Pass for Whole Japan (7, 14, or 21 Days)

Japan Rail Pass: Features, Benefits, and Restrictions

1. JR Pass: General Features and Coverage Area 2. Who Can Use the JR Pass: Eligibility 3. Japan Rail Pass Prices and Types 4. The Benefits of Using the Japan Rail Pass 5. How to Buy the JR Pass Before Arriving in Japan 6. How to Buy the JR Pass in Japan 7. How to Use the JR Pass 8. Restrictions on the JR Pass

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JR Pass: General Features and Coverage Area

The Japan Rail Pass , or JR Pass, is a special railway ticket that allows holders to use railroads throughout Japan on the JR Hokkaido, JR East, JR Central, JR West, JR Shikoku, and JR Kyushu lines. With the pass, you can board trains and buses operated by Japan Railways (JR) for no additional fee.

The JR Pass offers unlimited travel on the railway network of the six JR Group companies. The JR is the largest railway network in Japan, which runs from Hokkaido in the north, down to Kyushu in the south. The railways connect all major cities, including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and more.

Check the official JR Pass website for additional information.

2. Who Can Use the JR Pass: Eligibility

The Japan Rail Pass is ideal for visitors to Japan planning on visiting multiple cities or areas such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, as well as smaller cities throughout the country. It is also for travelers who plan on using the bullet train , local trains, and public transportation to get around Japan. As public transportation in Japan is widespread and convenient, it is highly recommended to use trains and Shinkansen.

The following conditions must be met in order to use the JR Pass: 1. You are visiting Japan on a tourist visa and hold a non-Japanese passport. Your status in Japan is "temporary visitor." 2. You are a Japanese national living outside Japan and have been residing abroad for 10 years or more.

3. Japan Rail Pass Prices and Types

*For children aged 6 - 11, the JR Pass costs half the price of an adult pass. Children aged 12 and above require an adult JR Pass. *Infants under 6 do not require a JR Pass as long as they seat on the lap of their adult companion.

JR Passes come in different varieties (regular/ordinary and green car) and three different lengths: 7, 14, or 21 days.

The green car type refers to the green cars on Shinkansen and local trains. It is the equivalent of a first-class train seat, which is more spacious, with a footrest and power outlets for each seat. It is ideal for those looking to maximize comfort and convenience while traveling, or those looking to work while on the train.

↑ Return to the top of article.

4. The Benefits of Using the Japan Rail Pass

For those wondering if they should purchase the JR Pass or not, as stated above, it is an ideal pass when seeing multiple areas in Japan. In general, it will save money for those traveling to two or more places in Japan, using the Shinkansen.

Below is an example of how much money you can save with the Japan Rail Pass.

For example, if you travel from Tokyo to Kyoto and then to Hiroshima, then back to Tokyo using the Kodama bullet train with an unreserved seat ticket without the pass, your total will be:

Tokyo to Kyoto : 13,850 yen Kyoto to Hiroshima : 7,460 yen Hiroshima to Tokyo : 21,310 yen --> Round-trip total: 42,620 yen

Since the 7-day JR Pass costs 29,650, you can save at least 12,970 yen on bullet train travel alone. The JR Pass covers the cost of your tickets on JR trains and buses at your destination, too, allowing you to save even more.

5. How to Get the Japan Rail Pass from Abroad

Visitors to Japan are usually required to book the JR Pass in advance, before arriving to Japan. Below is a step-by-step guide to purchasing the pass.

1. Obtain an "Exchange Order" Before Your Departure to Japan

A paper called an "exchange order" is needed to obtain a JR Pass in Japan. This order can normally only be reserved and purchased when outside Japan. It is valid for up to three months after purchase; this means that you can activate and use your JR Pass only up to three months after the issue date of the exchange order.

You can get an exchange order through major travel Japanese agencies such as JTB, Kintetsu Travel, Nippon Travel Agency, and Tobu Top Tours, and their associated international offices. If your flight to Japan uses JAL and ANA airlines, you can also reserve the pass through them.

Alternatively, you can book your JR Pass on Klook , a ticket booking website.

2. Trade Your Exchange Order for a Japan Rail Pass in Japan

Once you arrive in Japan, bring your exchange order to a JR Travel Service Center . These centers are located at Japan's major airports and major JR stations. You will also be required to show your passport , so be sure to have it on hand. After the exchange, you will receive your actual JR Pass.

For more information on JR Travel Service Center locations, visit the official JR Pass website: https://japanrailpass.net/en/

6. How to Get the Japan Rail Pass in Japan

As a rule, the JR Pass should be booked beforehand at registered travel agencies located outside of Japan.

However, the JR Pass can also be purchased in Japan until March 31, 2024 at selected locations such as the train stations at the Narita Airport Terminals 1, 2, and 3, as well as the JR Tokyo Station, JR Shinjuku Station, and JR Osaka Station.

Please refer to the official website for a complete list of locations selling the JR Pass in Japan .

Please be aware that buying the JR Pass in Japan is slightly more expensive than purchasing it abroad: the regular JR Pass costs 33,610 yen for 7 days, 52,960 yen for 14 days, and 66,200 yen for 21 days. Please check official JR Pass website for details.

7. How to Use the Japan Rail Pass

Once you have the JR Pass in hand, you can use it freely to ride JR trains, the Shinkansen (bullet train), and other public transportation listed on the pass, such as the ferry to Miyajima in Hiroshima. However, there are certain restrictions and tricks to using the pass, as listed below.

To use the JR pass for the first time , enter the JR station through the entrance attended by station staff. When you show them your pass and passport, they will write the date on the pass. Your pass is valid from the start of the first time of use. This area will be located on one side of the ticket barriers.

Even after the first time you use the pass, continue to enter and exit JR stations through the ticket gate attended by station staff . Show your JR pass to the attendant and have your passport ready to show as well. You cannot use the automated gates at train stations.

8. Restrictions on the JR Pass

Some restrictions apply to the JR pass, so be sure to check the pass itself before using it.

Please note that only JR transportation is covered by the JR Pass. If you make a transfer to a different railway or transportation company a separate fee will be required.

Also, JR Pass holders cannot board the Nozomi and Mizuho bullet trains on the Shinkansen line. These are the fastest bullet trains. In order to use the, you will need to pay a separate fee. Long-distance JR highway buses are not covered by the JR Pass either.

Making a Shinkansen Reservation with the JR Pass

Shinkansen and rapid JR trains offer both reserved and unreserved seating. Without a reserved seat, you may have to end up standing in the unreserved seat car. This can occur during rush hours on weekdays, weekends, and public holidays in Japan. An advance seat booking is highly recommended for comfortable travel.

Seat reservations are free for Japan Rail pass holders . However, you must book your seat in advance at JR ticket offices. You can make a reservation just before your train departs, but if possible, visit the JR ticket offices called Midori no Madoguchi at least one day prior to your departure for smooth travel. They are located at major JR stations and will usually have English and multi-language support.

Use the Budget-Friendly Japan Rail Pass

The Japan Rail Pass provides significant savings on transportation. Especially if it is your first time seeing Japan, the Japan Rail Pass is a great value and fits well with a first-time travel itinerary.

With some preparation and familiarity with using the pass, your trip will be smooth and hassle-free!

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Japan Rail Pass

What is japan rail pass.

The Japan Rail Pass (also known as JR Pass) is a multi-use ticket that allows you to efficiently travel around Japan . It is valid for journeys on all major JR national trains including Shinkansen bullet trains and Narita Express trains. Passengers can select a pass which is valid for 7, 14 or 21 days and there is the option of Standard Pass or a Green Pass (first class).

Order your JR Pass online and you will receive an Exchange Order which you can swap for a JR Pass when you arrive in Japan.

Stay connected while in Japan

Jr pass exchange process.

Order online

Order your JR Pass online by following a few simple steps.

Receive your exchange order

You need to have a physical copy of the JR Pass voucher in order to exchange it in Japan.

Exchange order for the JR Pass

Go to any of the JR Exchange Offices in Japan. Exchange your order for the actual Japan Rail Pass.

Start your Japan experience!

Catch as many JR trains, buses, and transfers as you like with your multi-use JR Pass.

JR Green Pass

On-board service

First class comfort

Seat reservations

Separate train facilities

Larger seating and luggage space

Our clients feedback

Fast delivery and on time, I liked how easy it is to communicate with them, we were able to take full advantage of the days in Japan. Thank you very much jrailpass.com for making it possible for us to visit so many places.

This service is really good. The trains are very clean and quiet. Also their Pocket Wifi service is super good for long trips. We stayed in Japan 1 week and the 7 days pass was great for us. I highly recommend it!!!

The team at Jrailpass.com was incredibly responsive to my questions and concerns, making the entire experience stress-free. They were knowledgeable and helpful, guiding me through the process and ensuring that I had all the information that I needed.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Can i buy the japan rail pass in japan.

The Japan Rail Pass is available at a higher price at several stations and airports in Japan until October 1, 2023. After this date, it will no longer be possible to buy the JR Pass locally in Japan.

Is there a children's discount?

Yes, there is a children’s discount of 50% and kids between 6 and 11 are eligible. The discount applies to Standard and Green JR Passes.

Can I have my order sent to Japan?

Yes, all orders (JR Pass, Pocket WiFi, Data SIM Card) can be sent to wherever you stay in Japan. You can choose the delivery address, whether it be your home address or your place of stay. Please note that due to Airbnb policy, we cannot deliver to an Airbnb in Japan, but we can have the order sent to the nearest post office.

What is included in the Japan Rail Pass?

The Japan Rail Pass is valid on JR express, express and local trains on JR network lines, JR local buses, the JR Miyajima ferry, and airport transfer trains such as the Narita Express and Haruka Express. All Shinkansen high-speed trains are also included, including the Nozomi and Mizuho trains, with the purchase of a special ticket to complement the JR Pass (from October 2023).

Do the 7 / 14 / 21 days need to be consecutive?

Yes, the selected number of days need to be consecutive. Once activated, the validity period of each pass cannot be changed or extended.

Can I book a seat on the JR Trains?

Yes, all JR Pass holders can book a seat on any of the JR trains. Reservations need to be made in advance before boarding the train.

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Japan travel blog, jr pass vs jr regional passes: which should i choose, how to ride trains with a wheelchair in japan, tourist facilities benefits and discounts with the jr pass, big eye: the new inspection train by kyushu railway.

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• Transportation

JR Pass: Guide to Japan's Best Rail Pass

An in-depth look into Japan’s discounted travel ticket

If you are visiting Japan, chances are that you will need to ride more than just a train or two. Fortunately, with the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass), you can easily access a number of the country’s trains, buses, and ferries in a convenient and affordable manner.

Thanks to its flat-rate cost and widespread transportation coverage, the JR Pass is the most cost-effective option for long-distance travel within Japan, especially if you plan to cover as much of the country as possible.

Quick Facts:

• The JR Pass provides coverage on JR trains, buses, and ferries across Japan (restrictions apply)
• 7, 14, and 21-day JR Passes are available
• Only overseas visitors with temporary visitor visas are eligible to purchase the pass
• It is cheapest to purchase the pass outside of Japan through an online third-party vendor or at an overseas JR-designated sales office. You can also purchase the ticket online at JR’s official website or at a ticket office in Japan for a higher price.

The JR Pass is a multi-use, discounted rail ticket that gives passholders access to numerous JR trains, bus services, ferry services, and more. This pass is exclusively available to overseas visitors and can be purchased both online—via authorised retailers or JR’s own official website—as well as in person in Japan. Buying directly through JR’s website or at selected major stations/airports in Japan is about 10–13% more expensive than other channels, but can allow you to book seats immediately and only requires your passport for collection.

The JR Pass cannot be used for the Nozomi and Mizuho services-type Shinkansen bullet trains on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines, which are slightly faster than their Hikari and Sakura-type counterparts.

The pass comes in 7, 14, and 21-day versions, both for adults and children, as well as two class types: Standard Car and Green Car.

With Green Car seating, you can expect more space, a quieter atmosphere and less crowding—for a higher price. If you plan on traveling a lot, the extra comfort and peace may be worthwhile to you.

Please see the JR Pass's pricing below:

*Children between ages 6 to 11 years old are eligible for the children’s discount. Children under 6 ride free, but without seat reservation.

Who is eligible?

In order to be eligible for the JR Pass, you must have a temporary visitor visa upon entering Japan. If you hold any other visa status, you will not be able to obtain the pass but a variety of other passes are available to foreign residents.

The JR Pass is valid for the length of time that you purchase the pass: 7, 14, or 21 days. Staff will stamp your pass upon your first use, and the expiration date will be clearly marked inside the pass.

Do I need it?

In order to get the most value for your money, the JR Pass is best if you’re planning extensive travel within Japan. Those who plan to stay within one area during their stay do not usually choose to purchase the JR Pass as they are not likely to make their money’s worth. Therefore, before buying the JR Pass, plan ahead and make sure that it aligns with your trip.

In addition to reserving Shinkansen seats and unlimited travel on JR rails, buses, and ferries, you can also receive discounts when staying at JR Group hotels.

What's covered?

The JR Pass can be used for the following train rails, buses, and ferries.

All JR-operated lines, including local (普通 futsu ), rapid (快速 kaisoku ), limited express (特急 tokkyu ), and Shinkansen (except Nozomi and Mizuho on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen) are valid under the JR Pass.

The JR Pass can also be used on the following non-JR lines:

• Tokyo Monorail between Hamamatsuchō and Haneda Airport
• Yamanote Line (Tokyo Metro)
• Anywhere between Hachinohe and Aomori
• Anywhere between Aomori and Noheji
• Anywhere between Hachinohe and Noheji
• Note: travel is only covered if pass holders get off at Aomori, Noheji or Hachinohe
• Note: travel is only covered if pass holders board at Toyama and disembark at Takaoka, and vice versa
• Narita Express between Narita Airport and Tokyo
• Note: travel is only covered if pass holders board at Kanazawa and disembark at Tsubata, and vice versa

While not valid on JR Bus-operated express routes, the JR Pass can be used on local routes for the following bus lines:

• JR Hokkaido Bus
• JR Tohoku Bus
• JR Kanto Bus
• JR Tokai Bus
• West Japan JR Bus
• JR Chugoku Bus
• JR Shikoku Bus
• JR Kyushu Bus

The pass is valid for the JR West Ferry service between Miyajima and Hiroshima.

Purchase the JR Pass easily online (Photo: Ivan Kruk / Shutterstock.com)

Outside of japan.

There are a few ways you can purchase a JR Pass before arriving in Japan:

• Purchase the pass directly from the official Japan Rail Pass site . Once you arrive in Japan, you can pick up your JR Pass at a JR-designated ticket office. You will need to present your passport in order to obtain the pass.
• Purchase the JR Pass through an authorized third-party vendor. Upon successfully purchasing a pass, the vendor will send you an exchange order. To swap your exchange order for the JR Pass, visit a designated JR ticket office upon your arrival in Japan. You must show the physical copy of your exchange order and your passport to receive your pass. Electronic copies or photocopies of any of the two documents will not be accepted. Please also note that the exchange order must be exchanged for a JR Pass within 90 days of its issuance.
• You can also visit an international JR-designated sales office to purchase your pass, and will receive it on the same day.

Things to know

Soon you will be traveling like a local (photo: benoist / shutterstock.com).

The JR Group offers 7, 14, and 21-day JR Passes , and their validity periods always start and end at midnight. For example, if a visitor activates a 7-day pass for immediate use on July 1 at 12pm, then the pass will expire at midnight on July 7, as opposed to July 8 at 12pm.

Once you have your JR Pass, you can enter stations either via manned gates or automatic ticket gates that accept physical tickets. If you use an automatic ticket gate, be sure to retrieve your JR Pass from the machine after walking through the gantry.

During your journey, transport staff may ask you to present your passport with your JR Pass.

Reserve a Shinkansen seat

There are two methods to easily reserve Shinkansen seats:

• Visit a JR Ticket Office at any train station, a Travel Service Center, or a Travel Agency ticket sales office. Tell staff members your desired start point, destination, and departure time, and they will reserve a seat for you.
• You can also reserve seats at automated ticketing machines in any JR train station. First, select your preferred language at the top of the touch screen. Next, proceed to the QR code reading screen, scan the QR code found on your JR Pass, and input your passport number on the next screen. Input your start and end points and preferred departure time. Lastly, collect your reserved tickets.

Oversized luggage

Visitors traveling on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines with oversized luggage must make advanced seat reservations. Japan Rail defines oversized luggage as baggage with dimensions exceeding 160cm and/or weights over 60kg. These measures are put in place to ensure that you have a seat with enough storage space for your oversized luggage.

These reservations can be made with no additional cost. Bicycles, strollers, musical instruments, and other special carry-ons do not require this additional reservation.

Failure to reserve an oversized-baggage ticket will result in a 1,000 yen fine, and luggage will be moved to a designated oversized baggage area. More information can be found here .

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While other countries have tried to catch up, there's still nothing quite like Japan's rail network.

Since 1964, Japan's Shinkansen trains have zipped travelers between major cities — currently at speeds up to 200 mph. Add in regional and local trains, and you can get pretty much anywhere on Japan's main islands by rail.

If you're planning to visit more than one city, a Japan rail pass can make it cheaper and easier. But there's more than one rail pass: Travelers have dozens of options to choose from. Picking the right one is key to balancing cost and ease.

Here's what you need to know about getting a pass, Japan rail pass prices, and where to buy a Japan rail pass.

Types of rail passes in Japan

Japan's train companies offer foreign tourists dozens of rail pass options. Picking the right one for your trip depends on which part or parts of Japan you want to visit.

If you want the flexibility to go anywhere, you'll want to get the countrywide Japan Rail Pass — also referred to as the JR Pass. This pass is sold in increments of seven days (up to 21 days). It lets you access virtually any JR-operated train — as well as JR-operated buses and certain ferry boats — across Japan during the validity period.

However, don't overlook regional passes. These rail passes can be a cheaper option when you need unlimited travel within a particular area.

For instance, say you plan to visit the eastern part of Japan. JR EAST offers a half-dozen types of rail passes, each covering a different region from Tokyo.

Meanwhile, JR WEST offers nearly a dozen train passes in and around Osaka and Kyoto.

The Hokkaido Railway Company offers a variety of train pass options around the northern island of Hokkaido.

Japan rail pass prices

Japan rail pass prices vary drastically, starting around $17 for a one-day Kansai Area Pass to up to $644 for a three-week Japan countrywide pass in the first class Green Car. The cost depends on which Japan rail pass (or passes) is right for your trip.

Keep in mind that some passes are cheaper when purchased abroad. Usually, this is a modest savings. For example, you'll save around $7 when buying a five-day Hokkaido Rail Pass abroad. Still, it's worth considering as a way to reduce the cost of your trip.

If you plan on visiting Tokyo and Kyoto or Osaka on the same trip, you'll likely want to get a countrywide Japan rail pass. That's because Tokyo is part of the JR EAST region, and Kyoto and Osaka are part of the JR WEST region.

Cost of countrywide Japan rail pass

For ease and simplicity, most tourists consider getting the countrywide Japan Rail Pass. While you can wait until your arrival in Japan to purchase this pass, the cheapest way to get this Japan rail pass is through authorized sales offices online.

The cost varies slightly by the sales office, so shop around for the cheapest price. At the time of writing, Japan-Rail-Pass.com sells countrywide Japan rail passes at the following prices.

Consider combining rail passes

Let's say that you're planning a 10-day trip to Japan. The simplest solution would be to buy a 14-day countrywide Japan Rail Pass for around $350. However, you may be able to save by combining a couple of rail passes instead.

(Photo by JT Genter)

If you're flying into Tokyo, the three-day JR TOKYO Wide Pass can be a steal at around $71.

To start, you can use the pass to travel to downtown Tokyo from either major airport. Then, use it to visit iconic Tokyo neighborhoods like Shinjuku and Akihabara, take a day trip to Lake Kawaguchiko to view Mt. Fuji or visit the UNESCO-recognized shrines and temples of Nikkō. During the winter, you can use this pass to ski or snowboard at Gala Yuzawa.

» Learn more: Best airlines to fly to Japan

The JR EAST website includes several other itineraries that are cheaper when you buy the JR TOKYO Wide Pass rather than buying individual train tickets.

When you're ready to visit another city, activate your seven-day Japan Rail Pass, which costs around $220. This will let you visit Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai and Hiroshima or Sapporo. Adding up the passes, you'll pay $293 vs. $350 for a two-week pass.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Where to buy a Japan rail pass

How to buy a rail pass depends on the type of pass you choose. Different passes have different purchase requirements. For some, the only option is to buy a rail pass in Japan. Others are best purchased before you depart.

Countrywide JR Pass

The countrywide Japan Rail Pass can be purchased in one of three ways:

Online from the Japan Railways Group.

In person at a JR ticket office in Japan.

Through an authorized sales agent.

Buying a Japan Rail Pass online or from a JR ticket office would intuitively be the cheapest option. But these are actually the most expensive options. Plus, you'll have to navigate limited business hours — even for the website.

That means the cheapest option is actually to buy through one of the dozens of authorized sales agent offices located around the world. While prices vary slightly between retailers, the process is generally the same. You'll receive a packet in the mail with a voucher that you'll need to exchange and activate once you arrive in Japan.

Regional Japan rail passes

Unlike the countrywide Japan Rail Pass, you'll generally want to buy regional rail passes directly from the JR company that sells them. The best way to do so will depend on the company and the type of pass.

For example, you can purchase JR TOKYO Wide Pass in advance online. However, the pass costs the same, and it may be simpler to wait to purchase it from a vending machine or ticket office in Tokyo.

However, consider purchasing JR Hokkaido train passes before leaving for Japan to get a discount of the price of the pass.

If you're considering getting a Japan rail pass

Getting a rail pass can be a great way of saving money on travel within Japan. However, don't simply default to the countrywide Japan Rail Pass. Instead, check to see if the cheaper regional train passes are a better fit for your trip.

If you plan to purchase a countrywide pass, shop around for the best option. Prices will vary between authorized sales agents, so take a few minutes to check the options.

For regional passes, check your purchasing options. You may be able to save by purchasing your pass in advance. If not, see how to purchase the pass once you arrive. It may not be worth it to purchase the pass online, especially as you'll likely need to visit a ticket office or kiosk to get it anyway.

How to maximize your rewards

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The Japan Rail Pass: Is It Worth The Cost? (Updated 2024)

Just as Europe has its famous Eurail Pass, so too does Japan have its own version: the Japan Rail (JR) Pass . Now, you don't need a pass in order to ride JR trains around Japan, but many foreigners enjoy the convenience of an all-you-can-ride pass to easily travel the country. But does the JR Pass  actually save you money when travelling Japan?

IMPORTANT: JR Pass prices will be significantly increasing starting October 2023 (as much as 77%!). You can still get the cheaper prices if you purchase your pass before September 30, 2023, physically exchange the pass in Japan by December 28, 2023, and activate it within the following 30 days. So if you're going to Japan soon, buy your pass ASAP !

Need a breakdown of all the JR passes available? Check out  Japan Rail (JR) Passes: The Ultimate Guide .

Will a Japan Rail Pass Save You Money?

A  JR pass must be used on consecutive days within its allotted timeframe . That means a 7-day pass must be used in 7 days – after that, it will no longer be valid .

Considering this, you should divide a JR pass cost by the # of travel days to get a daily average. A 7-day JR pass costs ¥29,110 (~$265 USD), or ~¥4,158 (~$37 USD) per day. Compare this against what you'd spend on transit per day in 7 days (there's lots of options!), and you will determine if the pass is cheaper to use. Hint : it's probably not. Here's why.

1. The JR pass only works on JR lines

A JR pass may get you from one city to the next, but will not work on anything else. Local buses, subways, and non-JR trains must be paid for out of pocket and you should factor in those additional costs. Trying to stick to just JR trains within a city will require a lot of co-ordination, and in some places like Osaka and Kyoto, the JR trains are limited. Meanwhile, there are other  ways to cover such costs and get around Japan – with and without JR trains – which leads me to my next point…

2. There are cheaper, more flexible tourist passes throughout the country

Throughout Japan, regional passes can be used on inter-city and public transit. This is the case for the Kansai area, arguably Japan's most popular region after Tokyo, as it includes Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Hyogo, Wakayama and Shiga. A multi-day Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass or a Kansai Thru Pass  (price breakdown below) can be used in and between  all of these cities – some of which are hours apart. Better yet, it includes unlimited use of inter-city trains, subways, and buses and  can be used on  non-consecutive days . Finally, you also get discounted entry to multiple attractions . How thrifty is that?!

Mt. Fuji, another popular area of Japan, has the Mt. Fuji Pass . Not only do you get unlimited bus and train access within the area, but it also gives you free or discounted access to many attractions. As most of the attractions here are only accessible by car or bus, a JR pass would only save you on the train trip to Fuji from Tokyo (about ¥2,770 / ~25.20 USD, still cheaper than the average daily cost of ~¥4,158 / ~$37 USD for a JR pass).

Going to Hakone? Check out the Hakone Free Pass . If you will only be spending time in a few areas, JR also has regional versions of their passes as well. We break these down in Japan Rail (JR) Passes: The Ultimate Guide .

Overall, regional passes tend to allow more flexible planning. Get an idea of where you want to go and start searching your city names on Klook.com , which sells most of the regional passes (and you'll get cashback points on each purchase). Unlike the JR pass, m any regional passes can also be purchased at Tourist Information Centres, which are common in airports and rail or bus stations. 

3. It’s often cheaper to buy train tickets as you go

Simple as it seems to flash a JR pass every time you board a train, it’s really not that hard nor is it expensive to buy train tickets as you go. This is especially true on short distance routes , including some of the most popular tourist destinations, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara. Kyoto to Osaka for example, costs just ¥410 (~$3.60 USD) and takes a little over an hour by regular train (JR takes just as long). Needless to say, the average ¥4,158 ($37 USD) daily cost of a 7-day JR pass would not pay itself off for that day's trip!

If you want t o work out whether buying tickets as you go will be cheaper, put in your desired destinations on Google Maps   and crunch the numbers. Put in your start and end destinations, hit search, select transit, and the options, costs, and time will be visible , including for JR and non-JR trains.

The JR pass truly shows its value over long distances . Nothing beats the speed and convenience of the Shinkansen bullet train. For example, the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka is currently  ¥14,250 (~$129.63 USD). This is just under half the price of a 7-day JR pass. However, if you need to return to Tokyo (e.g. for your flight home), or if you want to go another long distance such as Hiroshima, then buying individual bullet train tickets costs the same or more than a JR pass . Remember, you can also buy slower local train tickets for much cheaper, but your travel time will be much longer.

4. Budget buses are plentiful and efficient

While Japan is famous for its high speed bullet trains, sometimes routes by bus can take nearly the same amount of time, or less. Most of the time they're the cheapest method too!

Willer Express  is Japan's biggest budget bus company. It sells 3, 5, and 7-day Japan Bus Pass passes and offers 20+ routes around Japan. Best of all, the 3-7 days allotted in the passes can be used anytime, non-consecutively within 2 months . If you want to be  really thrifty, you can even use the bus pass on overnight routes to save on a night's accommodation.

A great example of its cost effectiveness is the fact that you could visit 5 major cities across the country (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima) with a 3-day or 5-day pass for one third to half the cost of the JR pass (see further below). Bus passes and reservations can be made on the  Willer Express  website. 

Even without a pass, individual buses are affordable and plentiful. An easy-to-use English website where you can browse for bus tickets is  Kosokubus.com . Many buses also allow you to simply display your ticket from your smartphone.

5. JR Trains are NOT everywhere

It’s easy to assume that the JR pass would take you to just about any city in Japan, however, this is not the case –  nor is it always the fastest or cheapest, either.

Most recently we discovered a lack of JR coverage when looking to do the Koyasan temple pilgrimage trail, a ~3-hour journey from Osaka. This would be included in the Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass or Kansai Thru Pass  via a train and bus combo, yet the JR trains do not even run there, rendering a JR pass useless in this scenario. B e sure to consider any journeys not covered by JR that you' d need to cover out of pocket, even within major cities like Tokyo and Osaka.

Japan Travel Options: A Quick Look

If you're still not sure whether the JR pass is right for you, consider these options and how they may work in your itinerary. Remember, you can always buy transit as you go, or do so in combination of that with any of these options.

JR 7-day Pass

• Standard pass: ¥29,610 ($223 USD) for 7 days , ¥47,250 ($356 USD) for 14 days , ¥60,450 ($456 USD) for 21 days
• Green pass (first class): ¥39,600 ($298 USD) for 7 days , ¥64,120 ($483 USD) for 14 days , ¥83,390 ($629 USD) for 21 days
• Benefits : Works nationwide. Grants unlimited access to the insanely fast bullet trains. Ideal for limited, fast-paced travel.
• Downfalls : Only works on JR lines – does not work on local transit or non-JR trains. Some destinations not reached by JR. Not the cheapest option.  Must be bought before arrival in Japan .
• Must be used consecutive days?   Yes – must use back-to-back within the 7 days of purchase for 7-day pass, 14 days for 14-day pass, etc.
• Where to buy : Online at Klook
• Must be purchased before arrival in Japan .

Willer Express 3, 5, or 7-day Pass

• Monday to Thursday pass: ¥10,200 (~$77 USD) for 3-day pass, ¥12,800 (~$97 USD) for 5-day pass, ¥15,300 for 7-day pass (~$116 USD)
• All day pass: ¥12,800 (~$97 USD) for 3-day pass, ¥15,300 (~$116 USD) for 5-day pass
• Benefits : The cheapest option, nationwide coverage, 20+ routes including most popularly visited cities. Overnight bus routes can save $ on accommodation. Can be bought on arrival in Japan. Can be used on any individual days you want across 2 months. Ideal for longer trips and strict budgets.
• Downfalls : Often slower, somewhat less comfort compared to train travel.
• Must be used consecutive days?  No. a 3-day or 5-day pass can be used any days in a 2-month window.
• Where to buy : Online on Willer Express website . There is no physical pass, you just make online bookings with your account.

Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass

• Cost : Only ¥15,000 (~$113 USD) on Klook  for 5 days. Regular price ¥16,000 purchased at a JR West Station
• Benefits : Affordably covers the popular Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Wakayama, Shiga, Hyogo). Works on JR trains and buses, including the insanely fast shinkansen bullet train – even the Hello Kitty train! Can be picked up on arrival in Japan using a pre-purchased e-ticket.
• Downfalls : Only works in Kansai region, and only on JR buses and trains, which aren't always the most convenient for every attraction.
• Must be used consecutive days? Yes.
• Where to buy : Buy online at Klook , then show your mobile or printed voucher in exchange for the pass at a participating train station. You can purchase in-person at a JR West station, but this is more expensive.

Kansai Thru-Pass

• Cost : ¥4380 (~$33 USD) for 2 days, ¥5400 (~$41 USD) for 3 days on Klook (Up to ¥200 cheaper than purchasing in Japan)
• Benefits : Affordably covers the popular Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Wakayama, Shiga, Hyogo). Works on public and intercity transit. Can be picked up on arrival in Japan, pre-purchased at Klook.com (earn points), or purchased in person.
• Downfalls : Only works in Kansai region.
• Must be used consecutive days? No.

Get $10 USD off your first Klook purchase with coupon code THRIFTY10 (minimum spend $120 USD, new users only)

Mt. Fuji Pass

• Cost : ¥5,346 (~$48 USD) for 1 day, ¥7,776 (~$70 USD) for 2 days, ¥9,720 (~88 USD) for 3 days. (These are discounted prices available at Klook.com )
• Benefits : Unlimited bus and train rides in the Mt. Fuji area. Free or discounted access to many attractions including amusement parks, museums, and cableways ( details here ). Pre-purchase at Klook.com  at a discount (and earn points) then picked up in Japan, or purchased in person (more expensive).
• Downfalls : Only works in Fuji area, only worth it if you are interested in the attractions.

Note : Japan's budget airlines  Vanilla Air ,  Peach Air , and Jetstar (Australian) offer competitive prices which at times can be cheaper than trains or buses, so is worth considering for long distances. However, arriving early and traveling to and from the airport will still take longer than a bullet train.

So, is the JR pass worth the cost?

• You are on a short trip (~7-10 days) and want to move as fast as possible.
• You are travelling long distances and/or many destinations. For example, Tokyo, Osaka/Kyoto, and Hiroshima are all spread apart, so a JR pass could save both money and time, especially if you also need a return trip (e.g. for your return flight home). Buses on these routes are still cheaper, but much slower.
• You aren't on a backpacker's budget (since buses are almost always cheaper, and overnight buses save on accommodation).

In these cases, the JR pass  might be the best solution for you. You'll need to purchase ahead of time , and the website with some of the best prices is Klook . They'll have your pass mailed to you with worldwide within 10 days.

The JR pass might  not be worth it if…

• You are backpacking or have a lot of time in Japan (10+ days), as the JR pass must be used on consecutive days. You can choose any 3 to 7 individual days within 2 whole months with a  Willer Express bus pass , or just buy individual tickets at Kosokubus.com .
• Your main areas of travel include only Tokyo, Fuji, and/or Osaka/Kyoto/Nara. Regional passes like the  Kansai Thru Pass  (Osaka/Kyoto/Nara) and the Mt. Fuji Pass give transit access as well as discounts on attractions at a much better value.

If you have time to see Japan more thoroughly, we find it cheaper to alternate between buying bus and train tickets as we go (including JR lines), and/or using regional passes (especially the Kansai Thru Pass  for the most popular areas around Osaka and Kyoto). The pay-as-you-go approach seems the best way to stretch travel dollars and explore at a reasonable pace!

More Thrifty Tips for Japan

• For a full guide to all the JR passes available, check out  Japan Rail (JR) Passes: The Ultimate Guide .
• Need some itinerary ideas? We have a guide on  Japan itineraries  for 7, 10, and 14 day trips.
• Find the cheapest accommodation in each city with HotelsCombined , which compares both hostels and hotels across many different booking sites. Don't forget to check Airbnb too.
• Find the cheapest flights into Japan and around the country with Skyscanner . Search by “entire month” to see the cheapest date to fly.
• Check out our other guides: “ 6 Tips to Travel Japan on the Cheap ” and “ How to be a Frugal Foodie in Japan “

Have you used the Japan Rail (JR) pass? Did you find it cheaper or convenient for your trip? Share your experience below!

Found this really helpful, thanks! Going to Japan in a week and wasn’t to sure about the pass

Thank You for this. Every detailed and helpful!

Thank you for the nice write-up! You mentioned Klook everywhere and that they ship worldwide. That is unofortunately incorrect, I’m in the EU and they don’t ship here (+ the website is geoblocked for EU).

Hey just want to say thanks for posting this (and updating for 2023)! Great info and just what I wanted to know for our upcoming trip.

I think you need to update this or you were not aware of it but the JRailpass doesn’t only cover shinkansen but a lot of local buses in different cities as well as regional trains

Thanks for a well thought out article. The easy answer so many give to this question is that yes, it is worth it. But it may not actually be worth it depending on your itinerary. I plan on a Japan trip soon but I know it won’t be worth it to buy in my case as I’m staying in Tokyo only. There’s no way I’d come close to the cost of a JR pass for a week just paying everyday on my own.

If I am travelling from Hiroshima to Tokyo and this may be the only time I use the JR Pass and spend 2 days in Tokyo before leaving for Korea. Is the JR Pass worth it? I am assuming no considering your article states it may not work for city travel. Can you provide some guidance please.

We arrive at Handel airport. I believe not too expensive in a taxi to Tokyo. Only in Tokyo for 4 nights. We want to visit Osaka or Kyoto(can’t decide which at the minute) for a day return on the bullet train. Not sure if a JR pass is worth it. The other 3 days will probably be spent in Tokyo sight seeing. Can you advise please which pass or just pay for the bullet train without a pass.

Thank you, this info was really helpful

Great info!!! However I am still very confused on what to select for our trip. We are doing 5 days Tokyo, 1 day Mt Fuji, 4 days Kyoto, 1 day Nara and 3 days Osaka. Long trip! Thinking of doing everything individually other than the city passes for multiple days in the big 3. What do you suggest??

Did you had the trip? Was is worth paying for the transport individually?

I am planning for a quite similar trip to yours and was wondering the same thing – if JR pass is worth it or not.

Thank you! Really helpful . So if I am staying in Tokyo for 3 days then going to Osaka/Kyoto for 3 days then back to Tokyo to fly out.. what kind of pass fo you recommend?

Thank you again!

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• Transportation

JR Pass: Guide to Japan's Best Rail Pass

An in-depth look into japan’s discounted travel ticket.

If you are visiting Japan, chances are that you will need to ride more than just a train or two. Fortunately, with the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass), you can easily access a number of the country’s trains, buses, and ferries in a convenient and affordable manner.

Thanks to its flat-rate cost and widespread transportation coverage, the JR Pass is the most cost-effective option for long-distance travel within Japan, especially if you plan to cover as much of the country as possible.

Quick Facts:

• The JR Pass provides coverage on JR trains, buses, and ferries across Japan (restrictions apply)
• 7, 14, and 21-day JR Passes are available
• Only overseas visitors with temporary visitor visas are eligible to purchase the pass
• It is cheapest to purchase the pass outside of Japan through an online third-party vendor or at an overseas JR-designated sales office. You can also purchase the ticket online at JR’s official website or at a ticket office in Japan for a higher price.

The JR Pass is a multi-use, discounted rail ticket that gives passholders access to numerous JR trains, bus services, ferry services, and more. This pass is exclusively available to overseas visitors and can be purchased both online—via authorised retailers or JR’s own official website—as well as in person in Japan. Buying directly through JR’s website or at selected major stations/airports in Japan is about 10–13% more expensive than other channels, but can allow you to book seats immediately and only requires your passport for collection.

The JR Pass cannot be used for the Nozomi and Mizuho services-type Shinkansen bullet trains on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines, which are slightly faster than their Hikari and Sakura-type counterparts.

The pass comes in 7, 14, and 21-day versions, both for adults and children, as well as two class types: Standard Car and Green Car.

With Green Car seating, you can expect more space, a quieter atmosphere and less crowding—for a higher price. If you plan on traveling a lot, the extra comfort and peace may be worthwhile to you.

Please see the JR Pass's pricing below:

*Children between ages 6 to 11 years old are eligible for the children’s discount. Children under 6 ride free, but without seat reservation.

Who is eligible?

In order to be eligible for the JR Pass, you must have a temporary visitor visa upon entering Japan. If you hold any other visa status, you will not be able to obtain the pass but a variety of other passes are available to foreign residents.

The JR Pass is valid for the length of time that you purchase the pass: 7, 14, or 21 days. Staff will stamp your pass upon your first use, and the expiration date will be clearly marked inside the pass.

Do I need it?

In order to get the most value for your money, the JR Pass is best if you’re planning extensive travel within Japan. Those who plan to stay within one area during their stay do not usually choose to purchase the JR Pass as they are not likely to make their money’s worth. Therefore, before buying the JR Pass, plan ahead and make sure that it aligns with your trip.

In addition to reserving Shinkansen seats and unlimited travel on JR rails, buses, and ferries, you can also receive discounts when staying at JR Group hotels.

What's covered?

The JR Pass can be used for the following train rails, buses, and ferries.

All JR-operated lines, including local (普通 futsu ), rapid (快速 kaisoku ), limited express (特急 tokkyu ), and Shinkansen (except Nozomi and Mizuho on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen) are valid under the JR Pass.

The JR Pass can also be used on the following non-JR lines:

• Tokyo Monorail between Hamamatsuchō and Haneda Airport
• Yamanote Line (Tokyo Metro)
• Anywhere between Hachinohe and Aomori
• Anywhere between Aomori and Noheji
• Anywhere between Hachinohe and Noheji
• Note: travel is only covered if pass holders get off at Aomori, Noheji or Hachinohe
• Note: travel is only covered if pass holders board at Toyama and disembark at Takaoka, and vice versa
• Narita Express between Narita Airport and Tokyo
• Note: travel is only covered if pass holders board at Kanazawa and disembark at Tsubata, and vice versa

While not valid on JR Bus-operated express routes, the JR Pass can be used on local routes for the following bus lines:

• JR Hokkaido Bus
• JR Tohoku Bus
• JR Kanto Bus
• JR Tokai Bus
• West Japan JR Bus
• JR Chugoku Bus
• JR Shikoku Bus
• JR Kyushu Bus

The pass is valid for the JR West Ferry service between Miyajima and Hiroshima.

Purchase the JR Pass easily online (Photo: Ivan Kruk / Shutterstock.com)

Outside of japan.

There are a few ways you can purchase a JR Pass before arriving in Japan:

• Purchase the pass directly from the official Japan Rail Pass site . Once you arrive in Japan, you can pick up your JR Pass at a JR-designated ticket office. You will need to present your passport in order to obtain the pass.
• Purchase the JR Pass through an authorized third-party vendor. Upon successfully purchasing a pass, the vendor will send you an exchange order. To swap your exchange order for the JR Pass, visit a designated JR ticket office upon your arrival in Japan. You must show the physical copy of your exchange order and your passport to receive your pass. Electronic copies or photocopies of any of the two documents will not be accepted. Please also note that the exchange order must be exchanged for a JR Pass within 90 days of its issuance.
• You can also visit an international JR-designated sales office to purchase your pass, and will receive it on the same day.

Things to know

Soon you will be traveling like a local (photo: benoist / shutterstock.com).

The JR Group offers 7, 14, and 21-day JR Passes , and their validity periods always start and end at midnight. For example, if a visitor activates a 7-day pass for immediate use on July 1 at 12pm, then the pass will expire at midnight on July 7, as opposed to July 8 at 12pm.

Once you have your JR Pass, you can enter stations either via manned gates or automatic ticket gates that accept physical tickets. If you use an automatic ticket gate, be sure to retrieve your JR Pass from the machine after walking through the gantry.

During your journey, transport staff may ask you to present your passport with your JR Pass.

Reserve a Shinkansen seat

There are two methods to easily reserve Shinkansen seats:

• Visit a JR Ticket Office at any train station, a Travel Service Center, or a Travel Agency ticket sales office. Tell staff members your desired start point, destination, and departure time, and they will reserve a seat for you.
• You can also reserve seats at automated ticketing machines in any JR train station. First, select your preferred language at the top of the touch screen. Next, proceed to the QR code reading screen, scan the QR code found on your JR Pass, and input your passport number on the next screen. Input your start and end points and preferred departure time. Lastly, collect your reserved tickets.

Oversized luggage

Visitors traveling on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines with oversized luggage must make advanced seat reservations. Japan Rail defines oversized luggage as baggage with dimensions exceeding 160cm and/or weights over 60kg. These measures are put in place to ensure that you have a seat with enough storage space for your oversized luggage.

These reservations can be made with no additional cost. Bicycles, strollers, musical instruments, and other special carry-ons do not require this additional reservation.

Failure to reserve an oversized-baggage ticket will result in a 1,000 yen fine, and luggage will be moved to a designated oversized baggage area. More information can be found here .

Japan Travel @japantravel.editorial

Keep up to the date with the latest posts by Japan Travel's editorial team.

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JAPAN RAIL PASS

Let’s travel around Japan by train!

JAPAN RAIL PASS is a ticket offered jointly by the six JR Group companies, and it is convenient and reasonably priced for traveling throughout Japan by train.

You can ride JR trains all over Japan as many times as you want! With a JAPAN RAIL PASS, enjoy your own railroad trip!

Reserved seats can be booked in advance only when purchased on the official website.

＼Purchase a ticket online now／

※Go to JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation

The length of JR train lines in Japan amount to a total of over 19,000 km! You can travel to beautiful tourist sites all over Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu. Trains in Japan are safe and punctual, making it easy to maintain your original travel plans.

With JAPAN RAIL PASS, you can ride Shinkansen bullet trains and limited express trains! You can also book reserved seats on your own, so there is no need to stand in line at a crowded ticket office. This makes it easy to create a travel plan.

Purchasers of a JAPAN RAIL PASS can also purchase a special ticket to use the fastest "NOZOMI" and "MIZUHO" trains on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen Lines! A maximum of 12 NOZOMI trains run between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka per hour, making your travel even more flexible!

Purchase now！

• Tokyo Cheapo (繁體中文)

Which Japan Rail Pass To Choose

A Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) gives you unlimited travel on bullet trains (Shinkansen) and regular Japan Rail trains. It can save you lots of time — and some money. There are a few different options, and which one you ultimately choose depends on how long you’re traveling and the level of comfort you want.

There are also various regional rail passes . So if your travel plan are limited to a particular region you should also consider those. Whatever your travel plans are, we’ve got you covered with everything you know to pick the right pass for your trip.

Pro tip: You can compare the JR Pass with one-way Shinkansen tickets on Klook or Rakuten Travel Experiences to see which will be cheaper for your trip.-->

• What is the Japan Rail Pass?

How much does the JR Pass cost?

• Standard class vs. Green Car class

Deciding between a 7-, 14-, or 21-day pass

• The JR Pass vs. regional rail passes
• Do I need a JR Pass?
• Summary: What to remember when choosing your JR Pass
• Where to buy the Japan Rail Pass
• Using your Japan Rail Pass
• Alternatives to the Japan Rail Pass: Using other transport

Quick summary : If you want to keep it simple, order the Japan Rail (JR) Pass online before your trip. 

Is the JR Pass worth it? If you’re traveling to four or five major cities within seven days, it’s likely you’ll be saving money. For example, from Tokyo travel to Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa and back.

Usually the easiest and cheapest options for ordering the JR Pass (both with free shipping) are Headout and KKday , but it’s also worth price checking on Klook .

The Japan Rail Pass: Everything you need to know

The Japan Rail Pass is the mother of all travel passes, allowing you unlimited rides on all JR trains from Kagoshima at the bottom end of Kyūshū right up to the northern tip of Hokkaidō . You can ride everything from the super-cool Shinkansen (that’s the bullet train) to local, rapid, and limited express JR trains; select JR buses; and even a ferry.

It’s the (nearly) unlimited access to the Shinkansen that gives the pass its true value. Japan’s Shinkansen network is comprehensive and growing! Read up on everything Shinkansen here .

Note: JR Pass holders are now able to ride on all types of Shinkansen, including the Nozomi and Mizuho services.

What does the JR Pass cover?

• All JR trains save for the fastest Shinkansen services on the Tōkaidō, Sanyō, and Kyūshū lines.
• Local JR buses routes, but NOT intercity JR bus routes. Local JR bus routes often connect a major JR train station with area attractions, like hot spring resorts and trailheads. However, not all local buses are run by JR. Even with a JR Pass, you might find yourself having to pay extra to ride a local bus to reach your final destination.
• The JR Miyajima Ferry between the pier at JR Miyajimaguchi Station and the pier on Miyajima , a popular attraction.
• Select non-JR lines, including: the Tokyo Monorail (from Haneda Airport); the Aomori Railway between Aomori and Hachinohe in Tōhoku (but only if disembarking at Aomori, Noheji, or Hachinohe stations); the IR Ishikawa Railway between Kanazawa and Tsubata (provided you do not disembark mid-way); the Ainokaze Toyama Railway between Toyama and Takaoka (provided you do not disembark mid-way).

What is NOT covered by the JR Pass?

All non-JR lines save for the few mentioned above. This becomes a little tricky when there are sections of private railway interrupting stretches of JR tracks. For example, getting from Tokyo to Mount Fuji by train requires travel along a length of tracks owned by Fujikyū Railway; as a result, pass holders must pay a small surcharge to cover passage through this section of tracks.

Nikkō and Shimoda (at the southern tip of the Izu Peninsula) are two other popular destinations where special rules and/or additional costs apply. See our guide to getting from Tokyo to Nikkō for advice on how to do this journey on a JR Pass without paying extra.

Who can purchase a JR Pass?

The All Japan Rail Pass can only be used by travelers entering Japan on a foreign passport with a “temporary visitor” visa (aka a tourist visa). Japanese nationals as well as foreign residents on any other kind of visa cannot buy one.

Not eligible? A handful of regional rail passes are available to long-term foreign residents of Japan (meaning you have a foreign passport but some other kind of visa, like a work visa). Another options is to get a Japan Bus Pass — these can be used by anyone with a foreign passport!

The cost of the pass depends on the duration of the pass, the class, and how you buy it. It is cheapest to buy the pass overseas; the prices quoted below are the prices for purchasing overseas.

*Prices were accurate as of October 1, 2023.

Important: The duration of each JR pass is the number of days from when it is first activated — including that day. The passes are valid for travel on consecutive days only. There is no option to split up travel — so once you activate your JR Pass, the clock starts. Choose carefully, because you won’t be able to change the pass — either the duration or the class — after you arrive.

Is there a JR Pass for children?

Yes, children aged 6–11 are eligible for a half-priced rail pass. Children must be no older than 11 on the day the pass is purchased.

JR Pass prices for children 6–11:

Children five and under ride for free on Japanese trains; however, they are not guaranteed a seat. Only pass holders can reserve seats, so if you want to guarantee a seat for your child/children under six, they will need their own (children’s) pass. Otherwise, they can sit in any unclaimed seats. If there aren’t any left, the child must ride on your lap.

For this reason, only one child under six per adult is allowed to ride for free on the Shinkansen. To ride for free, children should be under six on the day of travel (in case passports are checked).

Is a Green Car pass worth it?

JR’s “Green Car” is equivalent to business class. All Shinkansen lines and some commuter lines have Green Cars. Some newer model Shinkansen also have “Gran Class” cars, which would be equivalent to first class. There is no Gran Class JR Pass.

An upgrade gives you more space: Ordinary Shinkansen cars seat three on one side of the aisle and two on the other, whereas Green Cars seat two and two across the aisle. The seats and armrests are a little bigger, and each seat has its own power point for charging. There’s also more legroom, more space for reclining, and a foot rest.

For reasons not related to actual JR policy, the Green Car is usually quieter than the regular cars.

The big downside is that there are no unreserved seat Green Cars, which means you must have a reserved seat for every leg of your journey. This does not cost extra, but it means that you can’t just show up at the station and jump on whatever train pulls into the platform next.

Also most trains may have only one — or at most up to three — Green Cars, so there are just less seats in general to reserve. (Though of course reservations for ordinary cars tend to fill up faster anyway).

Services that MAY have no Green Cars include: Most Hikari and Kodama services on the Sanyō Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka to Hakata); some Sakura and Tsubame services on the Kyūshū Shinkansen (Hakata to Kagoshima); and all Kamome services on the Nishi Kyūshū Shinkansen.

Pro tip : Many of the bullet trains have power outlets available in front of or next to your seat, so that you can charge your phone and use your laptop; it just depends on whether the line you’re riding runs newer or older series trains. You can also connect to free Wi-Fi on an increasing number of Shinkansen, though connection can by spotty (think: frequent tunnels). Read more about getting Wi-Fi in Japan .

We envy anyone who even gets to consider a 21-day pass! Most travelers find themselves deciding between the 7-day and the 14-day pass. What you ultimately choose obviously depends on where you plan to go and how long you plan to be in Japan.

Cost breakdown per day by pass

The easiest way to stretch a 7-day JR Pass on a longer trip is to spend a few days at either the beginning or the end of your trip in Tokyo (and pay out of pocket for travel one-way to the airport). Then you could have a week to explore Kansai destinations like Kyoto and Osaka and travel onwards to Hiroshima and Miyajima via the castle town, Himeji . This is a classic first trip itinerary, returning to Tokyo on the last day of the pass.

On the other hand, with a couple more days and a 14-day pass, you could return to Tokyo via destinations such as Kanazawa , Nagano , or Takayama .

Keep in mind the difference in cost between a 7-day pass and a 14-day pass is ¥ 30,000 (or ¥ 40,000 , for a Green Car pass). So don’t get a 14-day pass just to cover transport to and/or from Tokyo and Narita Airport. But do get a 14-day pass if you plan to be traveling some distance from Tokyo for more than a week.

Pro tip: For ideas on where to go and what to do with your JR Pass, check out this 7-day DIY rail itinerary that takes you from Tokyo to Niigata and then down to Kansai. Also this Northern Explorer  option that sees you going deep into the heart of Tōhoku and Hokkaidō.

Can I stack JR passes?

Yes, this is possible. However the cost of two 7-day passes is the same as a 21-day pass ( ¥ 100,000 ).

You could also consider stacking regional rail passes , but this risks making things overly complicated. (With regional rail passes, you will need to disembark at the border of one region, cross to the next region, and then begin traveling on the next pass).

The countrywide JR Pass vs. regional rail passes

The classic Japan Rail Pass covers the whole JR rail network, offering maximum flexibility — you can literally travel from Tokyo to Hokkaidō to Kagoshima and back to Tokyo if you please. (A journey that, if you bought individual tickets for, would cost more than ¥ 100,000 .)

However, there are many other rail passes that cover travel within specific regions; for example, there are rail passes just for travel around Hokkaidō , Shikoku , or Kyūshū that are less expensive than the countrywide JR Pass. These passes don’t, however, cover the cost of getting to and from Tokyo. So you’d have to work out if, after factoring in that cost, you’d still be saving money.

The only regional rail passes that covers travel from Tokyo are those offered by JR East. If your travel plans are limited to Tokyo and anywhere north and east of the capital, namely Tōhoku and Hokkaidō — and not destinations to the west, like Kyoto — then a regional rail pass from JR East might be a better choice that saves you money.

Is the JR Pass still worth it?

If you are planning a couple of inter-city return trips from Tokyo to places like Kyoto and Sendai , or one really long trip across the country, then the main JR Pass is worth getting.

The regular price (reserved seat during non-peak travel) for return travel between Tokyo and Kyoto is ¥ 28,340 . Meanwhile, the regular round-trip price on the Shinkansen between Tokyo and  Hiroshima  alone is ¥ 38,880 . So taking two trips like that would make the JR Pass worthwhile, even after October 1. For just a single trip, however, it’s probably not worth it.

If you plan to spend all of your trip in and around Tokyo (or Kansai , for that matter), then you almost certainly don’t need a national JR Pass. You might want a regional JR Pass or a single-use Shinkansen ticket.

You could also look at the prices of Japan’s  low-cost airlines  (more on non-rail travel later).

Are the views from the Shinkansen worth it?

While the Shinkansen may provide a better view of the country than you would get from the middle aisle of an airplane, it’s worth noting that large parts of the bullet train network are either underground or have sound barriers beside the tracks — so you might spend most of the journey dozing. You’ll still get plenty of glimpses of everyday Japan, though, and it’s possible to see Mount Fuji as you hurtle between Tokyo and Kyoto or Osaka (they’ll announce it).

Summary: What you need to remember when choosing a JR Pass

If you plan on taking the Shinkansen a lot, it’s a good idea to buy a rail pass. As we mentioned, the regular price for a return ticket on the Shinkansen between Tokyo and Hiroshima is around ¥ 38,000 . Meanwhile, return journeys from Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto (Hakodate, in Hokkaidō) and Hakata (Fukuoka, in Kyūshū) cost the same: ¥ 46,860 , nearly as much as a regular 7-day pass (which costs ¥ 50,000 from October 1).

However, if you’re only making one long-distance trip, a one-way Shinkansen ticket may work out to be cheaper. Use our Shinkansen fare calculator to help you figure out the best option for your travel plans.

Here’s a quick recap of the main tips:

• DO buy a JR Pass if you’re planning a fair bit of inter-city travel. It’s best to plan your travels first, and then pick a pass accordingly.
• DON’T buy a Japan Rail Pass if you’re just traveling around the Tokyo/ Yokohama area. It’s cheaper to buy individual tickets or use a charged Pasmo/Suica card . And for exploring the greater Tokyo area, a Tokyo Wide Pass is likely better value.
• Similarly, if you’re exploring Osaka, Kyoto, and surrounds, a regional pass like the Kansai Area Pass is probably a better deal.
• To avoid any extra, unexpected travel costs, be sure to confirm the exact lines and services you can use, and read all the fine print.

Where can I buy the JR Pass?

There are currently two ways to buy a pass, both online:

• Online, from an authorized overseas travel partner (best price)
• Online through the dedicated JR Pass website

we recommend buying your pass from an overseas agent before coming to Japan. Up until 2017, the Japan Rail Pass could not be purchased in Japan -- you had to buy it either online or through an authorized travel agent before arriving. JR Passes are currently available for purchase in Japan, at select locations, until the end of March 2024.-->

Using your JR Pass

Whichever rail pass you choose, the process is the same: If you purchased it online, you will have to go in person to a JR Travel Service Center or select JR ticket counter to pick up and activate the actual pass. (Obviously if you’re buying it after arriving in Japan, you’re already there in person).

Here’s the full list of JR stations where you can activate your JR Pass . Note there’s sometimes a long queue for picking up rail passes at the the airport and Tokyo Station locations, other stations in Tokyo might have much less of a queue like Shibuya, Shinagawa, Ikebukuro, and Ueno.

After activation, to use your JR Pass, you simply insert the ticket into an automated ticket barrier at any JR station.

Activating your JR Pass

When you purchase a rail pass overseas online, you will receive an exchange order, which you need to take, together with your passport, in person, to a JR Travel Service Center or select JR ticket counter (see the link above). There, you will be given the actual pass. You will be asked when you would like to activate it. This can be the same day, so you can start your travels immediately, or a later date.

Exchange orders must be activated within three months (90 days) of purchase.

Pro tip: We recommend not exchanging your JR Pass at the airport, as the lines can get ridiculous.

Making seat reservations with a JR Pass

You can make seat reservations for Shinkansen and limited express trains at the same time that you activate your pass. Whether or not to make reservations is up to you; it’s free to do so.

Before Japan became a super-popular international destination, it was pretty common not to make reservations in advance. It was no problem to just show up and hop on the next train — grabbing a jiyūseki (unreserved seat). But nowadays, and definitely during peak travel seasons, the risk of winding up seatless is greater (you can almost always get on the train, you just might have to stand).

Peak travel season includes: Cherry blossom season (late March through early April); Golden Week (late April through early May); summer holidays (mid-July through August); and over the New Year (from late December through early January).

If you purchase the pass directly through the dedicated pass website, you unlock the ability to reserve seats up to one month prior to your first day of planned travel online. But then you lose the discount for purchasing overseas.

Once you have the physical pass, you can use the QR code on the ticket to reserve seats using the reserved seat ticket machines at certain stations.

Making seat reservations has also become more important since certain Shinkansen lines introduced new luggage restrictions in 2020.

Japan Rail Pass FAQs

Do i need to buy a japan rail pass before arriving in japan.

No, not anymore. It is possible this might change in the future, though. Still, considering they are cheaper when bought outside Japan, it makes sense purchase your JR Pass before arriving in Japan .

What happens if my JR Pass gets lost or stolen?

Don’t let this happen! It will not be replaced! If this does happen, head to the nearest JR station lost and found. Since passes can only be used by the person whose name is on the pass, someone might find it and turn it in.

Does the Japan Rail Pass cover all the trains in Japan?

No, the Japan Rail Pass only covers travel on Japan Rail (JR) train lines and select private lines. Fortunately, the JR network is the most comprehensive in the country, covering all of Japan save for Okinawa.

There are very few places other lines travel that JR Group trains don’t. One big exception is municipal transit: City-operated subway, tram, and bus networks won’t be covered by the pass. The pass is intended for travel between cities, not within them.

Does the Japan Rail Pass cover buses?

The JR Pass covers travel on local and regional JR buses. It does not cover inter-city JR buses or private bus operators.

Does the Japan Rail Pass cover ferries?

The only ferry covered by the Japan Rail Pass is the ferry to Miyajima .

Does the Japan Rail Pass cover the subway?

No. There are no JR subway lines, and the pass does not cover any private or municipal subway lines.

Can I use the Japan Rail Pass to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo?

You can use the Japan Rail Pass (or any JR East pass ) to ride JR’s fancy limited express airport shuttle, the Narita Express (N’EX) . You will need to secure a seat reservation, which you can do when you activate your pass. However, once you start using your pass the clock starts. So, don’t activate your pass just for the ride from the airport if you are going to be spending the next couple of days in Tokyo!

Can I use the Japan Rail Pass to get from Haneda Airport?

The Japan Rail Pass covers travel on the Tokyo Monorail from Haneda Airport to Hamamatsuchō, where you can transfer to the JR Yamanote line. But again, only use your pass to get from the airport if you are heading right to the nearest Shinkansen station; otherwise, it’s just not worth it.

Can I use the Japan Rail Pass to get from Kansai Airport?

The Japan Rail Pass covers travel on the JR limited express Haruka train from Kansai International Airport (KIX) to either Osaka or Kyoto. This is the fastest, most convenient, and (without the pass) most expensive public transport option from KIX. You will need to secure a seat reservation, which you can do when you activate your pass. But again, only use your pass for airport travel if you plan to start inter-city travel right away.

Can I use the Japan Rail Pass to get around Tokyo?

You can use the Japan Rail Pass to ride JR trains in Tokyo, including the JR Yamanote and JR Chūō-Sōbu lines. You cannot use the pass to ride any subway, bus, or private operator lines, with the exception of the Tokyo Monorail. But more importantly, you won’t get your money’s worth using the pass to get around Tokyo; save it for inter-city travel!

Can I use the Japan Rail Pass to get around Kyoto?

There is only one JR bus line in Kyoto. Kyoto municipal subway and bus lines — the main way to get around the city — are not covered by the JR Pass.

Alternatives to the Japan Rail Pass: Using non-rail transport

Seeing as the Japanese railway system is so on point, we’re sure you’ll be using its services at some time or another during your stay. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t have other travel options.

For road travel, we recommend reading about the Japan Bus Pass . take to the seas with a Japan Ferry Pass .-->

And for route information between Tokyo and major destinations, including details on air and bus travel, check out our transportation article series, which includes: 

• Tokyo to Kyoto
• Tokyo to Osaka
• Tokyo to Sapporo
• Tokyo to Hiroshima
• Tokyo to Okinawa

Also read: Our guide to the Tōhoku Shinkansen and guide to the Jōetsu Shinkansen .

While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. Post first published in September 2015. This guide was last updated in September 2023.

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Rail Passes

Besides the well known Japan Rail Pass , there exists a large variety of regional rail passes that provide unlimited travel in a certain area of the country. The interactive map below indicates which regions are covered by what passes (click on a pass to see its coverage area or click on a location on the map to see which passes are valid there). It is followed by a more detailed list of some of the best rail passes available in Japan:

See also our separate page about passes for the Kansai Region .

Questions? Ask in our forum .

Is Japan Expensive To Visit? Money Saving Tips For Your Next Trip

Written By: Sara Oprasic

Published On: April 25, 2024

Try to find out whether Japan is an expensive country to visit, and you’ll quickly find yourself in a rabbit hole without a definitive answer. There is a lot of conflicting information online about the travel costs in Japan; some swear it’s the priciest country they’ve been to, while others are raving about fantastic $5 meals. 

So, is Japan really as expensive as some people say? It’s both a yes and a no. Some things in the country, like transportation, are very expensive, and others are not. The balance is there, and a trip to Japan is possible on any budget.

We have visited Japan several times and have based this article on our experiences. Here’s what you need to know when budgeting for a trip to Japan! 

Is It Expensive To Visit Japan? 

Yes, Dave and Deb have visited Japan a few times, but for me, Japan is a country I’ve dreamed of visiting for years. I’ve planned my perfect itinerary to a T, and I’m just waiting for the right moment in life to take off and spend two weeks in this magnificent country. As I was planning the trip, I realized that Japan isn’t really an expensive country. Sure, it costs a lot of money to get there, especially if you’re from Europe, and the cost of getting around Japan isn’t negligible, but that’s the most expensive thing about it. 

Accommodation is available in every price range, and you can spend as little as $16 for a bed in a hostel or splurge $650 for a night in a five-star hotel. Eating out in Japan can be super cheap or wildly expensive, depending on whether you’re munching ramen on the go or splurging for Kobe beef. The country can cater to anyone, and no matter your travel style and personal preferences, you can have a good time there. 

The exchange rate is approximately 152 Yen to $1, so don’t be scared to see many zeros on price tags in Japan.  

Cost of Accommodation 

Accommodation in Japan is surprisingly affordable and there are hotels for everyone. Beds range from $16 per night in cheap hostels, up to $4,000 for a room in the best luxury hotels, with a myriad of options in between. 

Budget travelers will have plenty of options in Japan, but I have to mention capsule hotels as one of the best options for a cheap stay. The capsule hotel is a Japanese invention and a great alternative to hostel dormitories. Nine Hours Hamamatsucho is a good option for a Tokyo stay. 

Travelers with a mid-range budget will be spoiled for choice in Japan. Stay in three-star and four-star hotels in big cities or quaint ryokans in smaller towns , like the Ryokan Inakatei in Kyoto. Most mid-range hotels in Japan include breakfast in the nightly rate and offer private rooms with ensuite bathrooms. 

Luxury accommodations in Japan are abundant, ranging from high-end chain hotels, like the Ritz Carlton in Osaka, to fantastic luxury ryokans with private onsens. If you want to be pampered during your trip to Japan, you will have plenty of options for luxury stays. 

Keep in mind that you can get much better value for money if you stay outside the city center. A small hotel in Tokyo’s Shibuya can cost as much as a mid-range hotel in Itabashi. Stay outside the city center to get more bang for your buck, especially if you’ve decided to get the JR Pass for unlimited travel on local transportation. 

Budget: 

Hostels and capsule hotels are abundant in Japan, especially in the bigger cities. The nightly rate ranges from $16 to $50 per night per person for dorm-like rooms, while double rooms with private bathrooms have a nightly rate of $50 to $100. That’s a budget of just $100-300 for a week (6 nights), usually including breakfast. 

Mid-Range: 

Mid-range options will run you about $50-100 per night per person. Double rooms in four-star hotels in the center of Tokyo go for $120-200 per night, and many of them are business hotels with nice facilities. In Kyoto, you can book one room for two at a five-star hotel for $150-200, and the prices drop even more if you look at accommodations outside the tourist hotspots. That’s a budget of just $300-600, usually on the lower end, for a week trip. 

Luxury hotels start at roughly $150 per person for a nightly stay in the cheaper cities. In Tokyo, five-star hotels are pricier, with double rooms starting at $350 per night. That’s the lower end for five-star hotels in the capital, and there are plenty of hotels where you can spend more than $1,000 for just one night. 

Cost of Transportation

Japan is such a fascinating country that it’s an absolute shame to travel there and stay in only one place. You should visit at least two or three cities when you’re there, and the more destinations you can squeeze into your itinerary, the better. 

I reckon everyone knows that trains are the best way of getting around Japan. The high-speed bullet trains that reach speeds of more than 300 km/h have become world famous, and are excellent for quickly traveling from one city to another. The only downside is the cost, as they are very expensive. 

I was actually surprised at the cost of high-speed trains in Japan, especially since the inner-city trains and buses are relatively inexpensive. It’s even possible you’ll spend more on transportation than you would on accommodation, which is insane to me. But it would be absolutely worth it because you’d get to discover a good chunk of this fabulous country. 

The best way to save money on train travel in Japan is to get the Japan Rail Pass . The starting cost of the pass for adults is: 

• 7 days for $341
• 14 days for $554 
• 21 days for $692 

A children’s pass is cheaper, but there’s also a first-class pass that’s even more expensive. The JR Pass includes local trains, express trains, some bus lines, and shinkansen, and even partially covers the Nozomi and Mizuho lines. It’s a lot of money, and I wasn’t joking when I said that it could be more expensive than accommodation; two weeks in a hostel or a capsule hotel can be booked for as little as $300, which is nearly half of the cost of the two-week pass. 

The ride from Tokyo to Kyoto is roughly two and a half hours by regular Shinkansen (not the Nozomi line) and costs around $88 one way. That’s almost $180 just on transportation for a day trip. If you also want to visit Nara, Hiroshima, Kobe, Osaka, and Nagoya, you can see just how much the pass is worth getting. 

Cost of Food

Eating out is generally very cheap in Japan, and you can get by with a $25 budget per day, even if you eat out every single day. There are plenty of street food stalls and family-owned hole-in-the-wall restaurants where you can get a surprisingly good meal for as little as $5, which is mindblowing to me. 

On the other end of the spectrum, there are just as many fine-dining establishments where you can splurge for delicious sushi or indulge in Kobe beef. Whether you’re able to spend $15 or $150 per day on food in Japan , you won’t be hungry during your trip. 

One important thing to note is that grocery shopping and preparing meals at the accommodation are not really cheap in Japan. The cuisine in Japan is very different from that in Europe and the United States and uses a lot of ingredients that aren’t common elsewhere. If you don’t know how to cook these foods, you’ll be forced to buy imported foods, which are generally quite pricey. So, grocery shopping can sometimes be more expensive than eating out – it’s counterintuitive, I know, but I’d just run with it and eat noodles three times a day. 

You can eat out every day in Japan, three times a day, with a low budget of $150 per week. I would say that it would be much easier to find cheap but good restaurants in bigger cities like Tokyo because they offer a wider variety of such establishments. 

One thing I will note is that it’s best to avoid restaurants that have huge signs in English to attract visitors. These are usually tourist traps that are twice as expensive as the really good local restaurants, but the food won’t be anywhere near as good. 

For a mid-range budget, expect to spend up to $20 per meal, not including breakfast, which is cheaper. So, roughly $50 per day for a weekly budget of $350, but keep in mind that you’d likely pay less than $20 for most meals. 

Even the high-end restaurants are not that expensive compared to those in the US, as you can eat some of the most decadent food for under $100. You can eat a hearty Galbi Gukbap at one of the best-rated restaurants in Tokyo for just $10. Kobe beef is really the most expensive thing to eat in Japan, and unless you’re having it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can splurge on fancier eateries with a budget of $500 per week. 

Is it worth it to splurge on Kobe beef? You might be wondering. I think it is, and I’m absolutely planning to do it when I get the chance. If you like eating steak, there’s nothing like it; it’s a delicacy, and even if you are able to eat it elsewhere in the world, it will never taste as good as it does in Kobe, Japan. 

Cost of Activities

Things to do in Japan are abundant and surprisingly affordable. Just walking around the cities is a wonderful experience and a fun thing to do for free. A guided tour of Tokyo will cost you $60-120, but it’s important to note that you can explore the city on your own if you want. Sit at a cafe and watch people at the Shibuya crossing, visit all the famous Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, and check out all the quirky shops in Harajuku – none of those things cost a dime. 

Even just walking around the train stations in Tokyo will be a new experience that can easily kill an afternoon. They’re enormous, for one, and it will take a while to figure out where you need to go if you want to catch a train. But with countless restaurants and a different convenience store every couple of steps, it’s like exploring a tiny city within a much bigger one. 

You can climb Mount Fuji for less than $15, and spend an entire day at Disneyland Tokyo or Universal Studios in Osaka for $65 at most. Then head to a train station and board a bullet train to visit Nara to watch the deer roam around the vast public park full of cherry blossom trees. 

Head to Hiroshima to visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum – the park is free to visit, and the entrance fee for the museum is 200 Yen, which is about $1.3. Even the fantastic Nijo Castle costs less than $10 to tour, while the historic Osaka Castle is just $4. You can even tour the massive Toyota museum in Nagoya for just under $7, and you’ll get to see everything from old-timer cars to robots. 

For budget travelers, anywhere from $20-40 per day is enough for activities, not including shopping. With so many free things to do throughout Japan, you can do one or two cheap paid activities per day, and stick to free ones for the rest. 

Allocated a budget of $40-80, and you’ll be able to do pretty much whatever you want in Japan, plus have some leftover cash for shopping. And if you can spend $80+ per day, it’s plenty of money for sightseeing, tours, and shopping. 

A Budget for 1 Week in Japan 

A general budget for one week in Japan is about $2,000, so around $285 per day for flights, accommodation, transportation, and activities. I’ll break it down for you, but I want to note that that’s what a mid-range budget for a week in Japan would be for one person. Also, keep in mind that, if you’re traveling with someone else, you’ll spend less money on accommodation as it’s cheaper to split the cost of a double room. 

• $700-1000 for return flights
• $300-600 for mid-range hotels (six nights with breakfast) 
• $250 for food ($35 per day)
• $341 for the JRl Pass

On the lower end, that’s just under $1,600, leaving $400 for a week’s worth of fun in Japan. With a budget of roughly $60 per day, you can explore loads – do a couple of cheap attractions in one day, and you’ll have plenty left over the next day for something more expensive like Universal Studios or Disneyland. 

On the higher end, that’s around $2,200 without activities, so around $2,500 for a week trip. And that’s if you splurge on good food every day, and stay at a four-star or even five-star hotel in central Tokyo every night. 

It’s possible to do Japan in a week for about $1,500. Find a cheap ho(s)tel for about $150 and cut the budget for food to $150, leaving another $150 for activities. You can explore a lot with that amount of money, but you likely won’t be able to visit the most expensive tourist attractions. 

Also, you can save some money on flights if you look for deals and travel in the off-season; I’ve seen return flights from London and San Francisco for roughly $600, so it all depends on where you’re traveling from. 

A Budget for 2 Weeks in Japan 

Two weeks in Japan is my dream scenario, and I’ve figured out that it can easily be done for $3,000. That’s roughly $200 per day, including flights, transportation, accommodation, food, activities, and some light shopping! 

A Detailed Breakdown: 

• $554 for the train pass
• Around $450 for budget hotels in big cities and mid-range hotels in smaller towns (this three-star Tokyo hotel is really cheap)
• Roughly $750 for a round-trip flight from Rome to Tokyo 
• $350 for food, which is a budget of $25 per day (breakfast is included in the hotel stay)

That leaves $900 for shopping and sightseeing activities, which is $65 daily. That’s plenty of money to have heaps of fun in Japan; it’s the exact amount you need for the most expensive ticket to Disneyland Tokyo, which will keep you busy the entire day. Or enough money to spend an afternoon in an onsen, explore a museum, and buy a few souvenirs. 

That’s my take on a budget version of two weeks in Japan. If you can find cheaper flights and you don’t mind staying in hostels with shared bathrooms, you can save about $150 on accommodation and cut the entertainment budget in half. Overall, it is possible to do two weeks in Japan for roughly $2,500, but you’d have to watch every cent you spend. 

Anywhere from $3,000 to 5,000 per person is a mid-range budget with better hotels and meals at fancier restaurants, while a budget over $5,000 for two weeks ($350+ per day) per person is enough for a luxury trip to Japan. Of course, you could book a hotel that’s $1,000 per night and easily spend more than $15,000 on the entire trip, but it’s worth noting that you can experience some luxury in Japan for a lot less. 

Is Japan Expensive? FAQs

Is Japan An Expensive Country To Visit? 

Japan has a reputation for being expensive to visit. But, in truth, the short answer is no; Japan is not really an expensive country to visit. It’s expensive to get there, and local transportation is pricey, but everything else is very affordable. 

How Much Would A Meal Cost In Japan? 

The average cost for a meal in Japan is $10-15. You can find cheap street food for as low as $5 as easily as you can spend $200+ for a premium cut of Kobe beef.

Is Japan Expensive To Americans? 

The cost of living in Japan is significantly lower than in the US, so It is generally not expensive for Americans. Eating out and activities are also significantly cheaper in Japan.

Is Food Cheaper in Japan Than the USA?

Yes, food is cheaper in Japan than in the US. There are some exceptions, but it is generally much more affordable to eat out in Japan than in the United States. 

Plan Your Next Trip To Japan with These Helpful Articles

• 22 Best Things To Do In Osaka, Japan

The 20 Best Things to Do in Kyoto, Japan

9 Amazing Day Trips from Tokyo, Japan

• The Best Things to Do in Tokyo, Japan
• 14 Best Cities in Japan To Visit This Year

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Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner

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About Sara Oprasic

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The Cost of Travel in Japan: My 2024 Budget Breakdown

It took me six years to get to Japan.

I didn’t think I could afford it.

Every time I seriously looked into visiting, I would wince at the high cost of the train passes, read about how the hotels were super-expensive, and then fly to Vietnam instead. Or Taiwan. Or even Australia. Japan was simply too expensive for a budget traveller, so I decided to save it for when I was rich.

With that not happening any time soon, I decided to blow my money anyway, because I wanted to go and the gushing blog posts from travel writer friends had convinced me it would be worth the splurge.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I discovered that it really wasn’t that expensive.

I arrived in Japan fully expecting it to be the priciest country I’ve ever been to, but I discovered it’s more on a par with Western Europe or North America, and cheaper than Australia. It was way more affordable than Namibia , where my daily expenses came to $132, and way, way, way more affordable than the Democratic Republic of the Congo , where I averaged, um, $550 a day.

Anyway!  This is about the cost of travel in Japan rather than my poor financial decisions, so let’s get started!

My 16-Day Japan Itinerary

Here’s a brief rundown of where I visited over my 16 days in the country — I think I managed to put together the perfect itinerary for first-time travellers to Japan .

Tokyo:  4 nights Hakone: 1 night Yudanaka: 1 night Kanazawa: 2 nights Takayama: 1 night Kyoto: 3 nights Hiroshima: 1 night Osaka: 3 nights

What’s Included in this Post

This budget breakdown covers how much I spent on accommodation, transportation, activities, food, and whichever miscellaneous items popped up while I was in country.

I’ve not included my flights into and out of Japan because this is going to vary significantly based on where you’ll be arriving from. In case you’re interested, though, I paid $320  for a return flight from Rome to Tokyo, which I scored through browsing my favourite site for flight bargains,  Secret Flying . 

The amounts in this guide are listed in Japanese Yen and U.S. dollars, simply because the vast majority of my readers are from the U.S. And finally, these are the three rules I always abide by on this site:

• I do not accept sponsored trips, so everything listed in this post is something I personally paid for with my own money
• I travel anonymously to ensure my experiences accurately reflect what yours will be. I don’t want special treatment!
• Every single word of this article was written by me, based on all of my own experiences. I strictly do not use AI to compose my guides.

Okay — let’s get started with my expenses.

The Cheapest Accommodation Options in Japan

Like practically every country in the world, prices in Japan have increased post-pandemic.

In 2024, you’ll be paying a little more for everything than you would have done a few years ago — in fact, prices almost doubled between my first trip in 2017 and today! — however costs are still on a par with most Western countries. Travel in Japan shouldn’t be too devastating to your travel budget.

I’ll start on the lower end of the spectrum. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, it’s possible to avoid paying for accommodation entirely.

Couchsurfing  exists in Japan and allows you to stay with a local for free , usually sleeping on their sofa and enjoying a local’s insight into life in their country. Yeah, it’s not the most comfortable of living situations, but if your budget’s tight, it’s worth sending out a few requests to hosts to see if anything comes of it. You can browse through the 300,000+ Japanese hosts on  the Couchsurfing site — just be sure to read the references of anybody you choose to stay with.

Housesitting  is a more upmarket option, aimed at mid-range and luxury travellers. Housesitting involves taking care of somebody’s house for free while they’re away, often (but not always) looking after their pets, too. It’s best for long-term travellers or retirees, as you can’t pick and choose dates and destinations, so you’ll need to have a lot of flexibility as to where you go and at what time of year. If you  do  have that freedom, though, it’s a wonderful way to cut down your travel expenses, soak up some home comforts, and live like a local for a while.  Trusted Housesitters  is the main site for getting started with housesitting, as they have the highest number of listings.

Finally, when it comes to free accommodation, you could take a look at  WorldPackers in Japan , where you’ll be able to volunteer for locals in exchange for food and board. There are some seriously cool options available on the site right now, from helping harvest honey for a bee farm in the countryside to lending a hand in the garden of a Buddhist temple. Readers of this site get a $10 discount for WorldPackers with the promo code  neverendingfootsteps .

If you’re not looking to travel for free and just want a clean and comfortable room to sleep in, there are plenty of great budget options, too.

And then we have  hostels . In Japan, you’ll come across hostels all over the country, finding them on tiny islands, large cities, and even within the national parks. They’re one of your best options for saving money.

Hostels in Japan  are on a par with the rest of major cities in East Asia, and you can expect to spend  $25 a night for a dorm bed  for a well-reviewed hostel, with the price increasing slightly to around  $45 a night  for the absolute best of the best.

When it comes to private rooms in hostels, you’ll be looking at  $50 a night  for a clean, basic room in a good location, so if you’re travelling with friends or with your partner, you may find it cheaper to grab some privacy over settling for two beds in a dorm room.  $90 a night  will get you an exceptionally well-reviewed private room in a hostel.

I use  HostelWorld  to find the cheapest hostels, as they tend to have the greatest number of listings at the lowest prices.

And then there are hotels, which I’m going to jump into next.

The Cost of Accommodation in Japan

There are so many different types of accommodation in Japan! I attempted to experience as many as possible while I was in the country.

I stayed in a capsule hotel, prioritised hunting down a ryokan, slept on a tatami mat floor, stayed in family-run guesthouses, and checked out some pretty cool hostels. While I did attempt to save money by staying in some cheaper places, I was also happy to splurge on extremely well-rated rooms, too.

As always with these budget breakdowns, I like to share the prices of where I personally stayed, along with a description of the property and whether I’d recommend choosing it, too — hopefully this helps make your trip planning easier!

I visited Japan with my partner, Dave, and we travelled on a mid-range budget; searching out good value accommodation that was highly-rated and in a central location. We prioritised locally-run properties that weren’t too flashy or fancy; for us, a cosy vibe, unique furnishings, and welcoming staff are far more important than the generic decor of a hotel chain.

(Oh and just a quick note: hotels do charge different prices across a range of dates, depending on how busy a certain travel period is going to be. Because of this, it’s hard to be super accurate in the costs that I list. To get to the quoted prices below, though, I looked at the rates across the next six months and took the average: it could be slightly cheaper or more expensive, depending on when you’re visiting.)

Tokyo: $135 a night Odds are, you’re probably going to kick off your Japan adventures in Tokyo, and if so, it only makes sense to really throw yourself into the local experience. That’s why we decided to stay at this lovely onsen-ryokan in Shinjuku. (Whenever readers ask me which neighbourhood to choose in Tokyo, I always recommend Shinjuku or Shibuya.) The reason why I loved this specific property, though, is because it’s a ryokan (traditional Japanese Inn) that also has an onsen (hot pool). It’s a great way to jump immediately into all things Japanese.

And it was wonderful; my favourite hotel in the country. The rooms were small and cosy and felt super-traditional and calming. The views over Tokyo at night from the window were incredible. And the rooftop onsen? With free popsicles afterwards? So good. It’s located in a quieter neighbourhood, but still only a 10-minute walk to the subway. I really recommend this one!

Hakone: $80 a night In Hakone, we opted for a private room in a lovely guesthouse , with a tatami mat floor to sleep on and a private onsen on-site. The photo of the tatami mat room above is of our room here. It ended up being another one of our favourite stays in Japan! The staff were lovely and there was a restaurant/bar that served up fantastic pizzas. It had a cosy and chilled-out atmosphere, with great food and wine, and lots of blankets to snuggle up with as we ate. It was also worth staying here just to experience the private onsen — we got to go in as a couple!

Yudanaka: $105 per night In Yudanaka, we opted for a stay in a wonderful little ryokan ; this one was even more traditional than the one in Tokyo! Often, ryokans can be super-expensive in Japan — as much as $500 a night for the experience — so I was thrilled to have stumbled across a more budget option in Yudanaka. It was run by an adorable Japanese couple and their house came with a private onsen, return transport to see  the snow monkeys , and one of the most extravagant meals of my life. A kaiseki is a multi-course (like, 20 courses) meal that will see you eating roughly a week’s worth of food in a single night, sampling fresh, local-to-the-region Japanese cuisine. It was phenomenal, and I loved having no idea what anything was. It even included homemade plum wine, which was so good! I highly recommend the experience (although strongly advise you not to add breakfast to your booking — we were still so full that we couldn’t eat any of it!)

Kanazawa: $65 per night Kanazawa is home to some seriously cool accommodation! We had a hard time choosing where to stay because every property looked so cosy and inviting. In the end, we settled on this minimalist, modern set-up — it was great value for money relative to most other places we stayed in Japan, especially when you consider it’s only been open a year. It’s in a great location, right outside Omicho Market, where you’ll sample the best sushi of your life. Also within walking distance is Kanazawa Castle and Kenroku-en Garden, so you’re really staying in the heart of it all. I recommend signing up for the traditional Japanese breakfast, as you’ll likely not have had anything else like it before! There’s also an onsen and laundry facilities (always appreciated mid-trip!), and the staff were so sweet and kind.

Takayama: $76 per night In Takayama, we stayed in a small, locally-run guesthouse  in the centre of town. It felt like particularly good value for Japan, as it was one of the few places we stayed that you could describe as spacious! It even had a kitchen and washing machine. The beds were comfortable and the hotel was within walking distance of everywhere, including the train station. It was quiet, the staff were lovely, and overall, it made for a comfortable stay!

Kyoto: $84 a night In Kyoto, we stayed in a cosy hotel in the heart of town — we loved this place so much in 2017 that when we returned to Japan this year, we knew we’d have to stay there again! The property was in a fantastic location for exploring Kyoto and the bathrooms were nicer than anywhere else we stayed. It’s one of the top-rated guesthouses in the city — while also being one of the cheapest — so when you take that into consideration, I’m convinced you won’t find anywhere better to stay in Kyoto.

Hiroshima: $40 per bed In Hiroshima, we opted for a capsule-style hostel because I didn’t want to leave the country without trying one — you can see a photo of the “capsule” at the top of this section. Fortunately, we found ourselves in a room with only two other people staying there, so our capsule room with 20-odd beds was light on snorers. The owner of this place was ridiculously lovely and it was within walking distance of all of the monuments and activities. Really great bathrooms, a fun common area, and a cheap price: surprisingly, I would have stayed another night!

Osaka: $108 a night I rounded off my time in Japan with a little bit of a treat, opting for this four-star hotel that offered a ton of freebies. It’s all about the onsen here — it’s open all day and is simply beautiful. After you’ve finished your daily bathe, there’s free ice cream to eat, free comics to read, massage chairs to relax in, and even free ramen to slurp on. Yes, really! It was in a great location for Osaka — just a couple of blocks from the nearest metro station. The decor was calming and traditional; the perfect way to say goodbye to Japan.

In total, I spent an average of $97 per day on accommodation over my 16 days in Japan.

The Cost of Transportation in Japan

Okay, so let’s talk about transportation now. And specifically transportation post-2024.

It used to be the case that practically every visitor to Japan would invest in a JR pass (a train pass that grants you unlimited rides over a certain time period). After all, the best way to explore this country is by train, and by buying said rail pass, you’d be saving a significant amount of money on your trip — especially if you were taking a similar route to my one. A JR Pass pre-October 2023 would have saved me a whopping $175 over buying individual train tickets.

Seems like a no brainer, right?

In October 2023, the Japan Rail Pass skyrocketed in price. No exaggeration here: prices increased by an incredible 70% .

What a baffling decision.

What that means is that it’s not such a clear-cut decision anymore. The Japan Rail Pass still holds some benefits: If you’re a first-time visitor to Japan and don’t feel too confident about buying multiple single-journey train tickets, the pass will make it a lot easier: you just show it at any station and get on a train. You won’t need to worry about any extra charges and will have the flexibility to take train-based day trips whenever you want.

For most travellers, however, the value proposition is simply no longer there. For example, my recent 16-day itinerary (Tokyo – Hakone – Tokyo – Nagano – Kanazawa – Takayama – Kyoto – Nara – Kyoto – Hiroshima – Osaka) cost me 50,000 Yen ( $350 ) with single tickets. However, a 14 day rail pass is priced at 80,000 Yen ( $530 )!

Alas, the Japan Rail Pass is no longer something I recommend — unless you’re going to be taking enormous, lengthy rail journeys (like across the whole country) in a short period of time. Alternatively, if you do want that added sense of security and ease by not having to juggle a dozen train ticket bookings, you may find the extra price worth it.

So with all that being said: you’re most likely going to be using the JR West website to book your single train tickets online. This covers the entirety of Japan that’s west of Tokyo (all of the places I visited were west) and allows you to book your train tickets all in one place — and then you can reserve a seat on said train one month before its departure date. Honestly, it’s pretty easy to use, book, and reserve — and being able to do it all online means you can get everything sorted before you step foot in the country.

Let’s take a look at the some of the prices that a typical train journey in Japan costs — in this case I’ll use my itinerary mentioned above to plot out the costs:

Tokyo – Hakone: 2,500 Yen ( $17 ) Hakone – Tokyo: 2,500 Yen ( $17 ) Tokyo – Nagano: 7,500 Yen ( $50 ) Nagano – Kanazawa: 8,500 Yen ( $57 ) Kanazawa – Takayama: 5,000 Yen ( $33 ) Takayama – Kyoto: 9,000 Yen ( $60 ) Kyoto – Nara: 700 Yen ( $5 ) Nara – Kyoto: 700 Yen ( $5 ) Kyoto – Hiroshima: 10,500 Yen ( $70 ) Hiroshima – Osaka: 10,000 Yen ( $67 )

So if you were to replicate my Japan route exactly, you would end up spending $381 on rail tickets. It sounds like a lot of money but I do want to stress that the trains in Japan are some of the best in the world. They’re spotless, comfortable, modern, and lightning-fast. You will feel like you’re travelling in luxury.

If you’re not down to spend hundreds of dollars on trains, then the buses are going to be your best option. They’re cheaper, slower, less comfortable, often run overnight, and are complicated to book. The best sites I’ve found for booking long-distance buses is Willer Express and Japan Bus Online — but even they don’t run buses for several of the routes I took on my trip.

I thought it would be a good idea to share the cost of buses for the trip I took, so that you can compare them to the train and see how much money you could save.

Tokyo – Hakone: 2,250 Yen ( $15 ) Hakone – Tokyo: 1,800 Yen ( $12 ) Tokyo – Nagano: 2,200 Yen ( $15 ) Nagano – Kanazawa: No bus for this route Kanazawa – Takayama: 3,300 Yen ( $22 ) Takayama – Kyoto: 3,800 Yen ( $25 ) Kyoto – Nara: No bus for this route Nara – Kyoto: No bus for this route Kyoto – Hiroshima: 4,300 Yen ( $29 ) Hiroshima – Osaka: 4,000 Yen ( $27 )

As you can, see prices are generally around half what they are for the trains. You’d be looking at paying $212 in total for taking the bus, with three trains replacing the routes where I couldn’t find any existing buses.

We’ve covered the main ways to get in between the destinations, so now it’s time to take a look at how much you could spend on transportation within the cities.

Fortunately, this was where I found Japan to be really affordable. I love to explore cities on foot and I found many of the places I visited to be surprisingly walkable. In total, I spent $6 on the metro in Tokyo, $7 on the metro in Osaka, and $2 on the metro in Kyoto! Everywhere else, I just walked.

A reasonably big expense was our Hakone Free Pass (spoiler: not free), although this was more of a combined transportation and activity cost. At a cost of 6,100 Yen, or $41 , It provides you with unlimited transport around Hakone (where you’ll find Mount Fuji), and discounted entrance to all the attractions in town. If you’re going to Hakone, this will save you money because it covers everything you’ll definitely do there.

The Cost of Food in Japan

If you love Japanese food but have yet to travel to its homeland, you have such a treat in store for you. The food in this country is phenomenal; packed full of flavour and surprisingly inexpensive. It’s true: eating out is the easiest way for you to cut costs in Japan.

In fact, the vast majority of my meals in this country came to less than ¥1000 ($6.50) .

I’ll start first by breaking down the typical costs that you can expect to spend on the most well-known of Japanese dishes. Then, I’ll cover what you’ll be likely to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with the costs associated with each of these meals. Finally, I’ll round out the section off by sharing some of my favourite food experiences in the country and describe which options are worth a splurge and which ones you can happily skip.

You can’t think of Japan without picturing sushi, so that feels like the most logical place to start. If you eat fish, this is going to be such a revelation for you! The sushi and sashimi in Japan is better than any I’ve had in the world and it was here that I finally understood how raw fish could ever be described as buttery.

To combine your sushi/sashimi-eating with a cultural experience, head to Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo or Omicho Market in Kanazawa. For a bowl filled with a selection of sashimi, like in my photo above, you’ll pay between ¥1,800 and ¥4,000 , depending on the size and quality of the fish. That’s the equivalent of $12-$25 .

Slurping on a steaming bowl of ramen is my personal definition of a true travel joy, so I opted for this cheap and cheerful dish most evenings as a way to save money. Note: the ramen in Japan is incredible , so don’t interpret my frugality as a hardship. Once you’ve tried the ramen here, I’d be surprised if you didn’t immediately start planning a return visit.

One of my favourite aspects of ordering ramen in Japan is how you’re given the option to customise the dish to your own tastes. It’s not uncommon to be handed a small slip of paper where you’ll get to mark down all of your preferences. Do you want your broth to be rich or light? Your noodles to be firm or soft? Added spiciness or none at all? Extra spring onion? A hard- or soft-boiled egg? Most options come out to ¥1000 ($6.50) for a bowl of pork ramen.

Speaking of cheap and delicious food options, I highly recommend sampling a couple of versions of okonomiyaki while you’re in town. This savoury pancake dish is so delicious, extremely filling, and inexpensive at just ¥1000 ($6.50) – ¥1500 ($10) . The cities of Osaka and Hiroshima each offer up their very own version of okonomiyaki and strong opinions are held by many over which is best! If you’ll be heading to both destinations, make sure you try one of each and let me know which is your favourite.

A dish that I tried for the first time while I was in Japan was Japanese curry and what a wonderful experience that turned out to be! In comparison to Indian curries, I found the Japanese version to be richer, sweeter, and less creamy, with plenty of umami vibes. Once more, you can expect to pay ¥1000 ($6.50) for a plate of katsu (pork cutlet) curry.

One of the most delightful aspects of my Japanese eating experiences was sampling all of the different snacks in the country.

Street snacks like takoyaki were  ¥500 ($4.50) . We splurged on our kaiseki experience at our guesthouse in Yudanaka and paid ¥4000 ($36) for our food extravaganza. It’s a budget option compared to many other kaisekis, which can easily come to $100 for the experience, but still our most expensive meal. Another splurge was on sushi in Kanazawa, which I paid  ¥2000 ($18) for.

Whether you’re on a budget or ready to splurge, it’s essentially impossible to eat badly in Japan. If you’re on a really tight budget, you can even get surprisingly decent food from 7-Eleven !

My total cost of food in Japan averaged out to $23.20 per day.

The Cost of Activities and Entrance Fees in Japan

Activities and entrance fees in Japan were very reasonably priced, and I never found myself outraged over the cost of anything. You’ll typically pay less than $5 to enter most temples, museums, and gardens.

Here’s how I spread my cash around:

Entrance fee for the hedgehog cafe in Tokyo: $13/1400¥ Entrance to the Snow Monkey Park : $7/800¥ Entrance to Kenroku-en gardens in Kanazawa: $3/310¥ Entry to the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto: $3/300¥ Entry to Ryoan-ji zen garden in Kyoto: $5/500¥ Ticket for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial: $2/200¥

My total cost of activities in Japan averaged out to $2 a day.

Miscellaneous Expenses in Japan

A local SIM card: $14

I mentioned above that I was able to buy a local SIM card when I purchased my rail pass. If you aren’t going to be using a rail pass in Japan, I recommend taking a look at Airalo instead. Airalo is a company that sells local e-SIM cards for travellers. What that means is that you can buy a virtual SIM card online before you arrive in Japan, and then as soon as you land in the country, can switch on your data and start using it.

It’s worked flawlessly for me and I’ll never go back to physical SIM cards. It’s just so easy! You’ll pay  $6 for 1 GB of data  or $14 for 3 GB for Japan and can also top-up through the Airalo app.

If you’re going down the Airalo route, just make sure your phone is e-SIM compatible first (all recent iPhones and many Androids are).

Insight Guides guidebook to Japan: $10 

My sister bought me  this guidebook as a gift before I left for Japan and at first I was like, Insight Guides? Meh. I wish she’d got me the Lonely Planet instead. Then when I opened it up and started reading, I swiftly discovered that Insight Guides are my new favourite guidebook company. It was so, so useful!

What I love about Insight is that their books focus heavily on the history and culture of Japan, with big, beautiful pictures, tons of information about local customs, food, and how to travel responsibly and respectfully. I recommend picking up a copy before your trip to Japan, but not taking it to the country with you — they’re big and heavy, so this is one for inspiration, planning, and education. 

Luggage storage at Snow Monkey Park near Yudanaka: ¥500 ($4.50)

We had our backpacks with us when we visited the snow monkeys, so utilised the on-site storage facility while we hiked up the mountain in the snow. You can also hire snow shoes and winter gear if you’re unprepared for the climb, but I was fine in my totally impractical sneakers. 

Travel insurance for 16 days in Japan: $60

If you’ve read any other posts on Never Ending Footsteps, you’ll know that I’m a great believer in travelling with travel insurance. I’ve seen far too many Go Fund Me campaigns from destitute backpackers that are unexpectedly stranded in a foreign country after a scooter accident/being attacked/breaking a leg with no way of getting home or paying for their healthcare. These costs can quickly land you with a six-figure bill to pay at the end of it.

In short, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.

Travel insurance  will cover you if your flight is cancelled and you need to book a new one, if your luggage gets lost and you need to replace your belongings, if you suddenly get struck down by appendicitis and have to be hospitalised, or discover a family member has died and you need to get home immediately. If you fall seriously ill, your insurance will cover the costs to fly you home to receive medical treatment.

I use  SafetyWing  as my travel insurance provider, and recommend them for trips to the Japan. Firstly, they’re one of the few companies out there who will actually cover you if you contract COVID-19. On top of that, they provide worldwide coverage, don’t require you to have a return ticket, and even allow you to buy coverage after you’ve left home. If you’re on a long-term trip, you can pay monthly instead of up-front, and can cancel at any time. Finally, they’re more affordable than the competition, and have a clear, easy-to-understand pricing structure, which is always appreciated.

With SafetyWing, you’ll pay  $1.50 a day  for travel insurance.

How I Track My Expenses While I Travel

Every time I share my expenses, you guys always want to know how on earth I manage to keep track of so many details from my travels!

Because Never Ending Footsteps is my company, the vast majority of my travel expenses are business expenses. I therefore studiously record everything I spend everywhere I go. I take photos of every receipt I receive and use Xero accounting software to record these expenses. In cases where I can’t get a receipt, I’ll take a photo of the price list and my ticket or food, or something as evidence.

Once a week, I then sit down and spend an hour or so uploading my receipts to Xero and making note of every penny I spent in each country I visit. It makes writing these posts super easy!

How Much Does it Cost to Travel in Japan?

It’s time to tally up all of my expenses to see my total travel costs!

Accommodation:  $97 per day Transportation:  $27 per day Food:  $23 per day Activities/Entrance Fees:  $2 per day Miscellaneous:  $2 per day

Average amount spent in Japan: $151 a day!

I don’t know about you, but given Japan’s pricey reputation, I’m fairly impressed with the amount I spent in the country, especially as I included quite a few splurges in there.

How about you? How expensive were you expecting a trip to Japan to be?

Related Articles on Japan 🇯🇵 What’s it Like to Travel in Japan? 🏯 How to Spend Two Weeks in Japan: An Itinerary for First-Time Visitors 🍣 15 Weird and Wonderful Things to Eat in Japan 🎌 23 Incredible Things to Do in Osaka, Japan 🗼 21 Spectacular Things to Do in Tokyo, Japan 😎 Hipster Harajuku: The Coolest Neighbourhood in Tokyo 🦔 Should You Go to a Hedgehog Cafe? My Experience in Japan 🐒 Why Seeing the Snow Monkeys in Japan Sucked

Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is a published author and travel expert who founded Never Ending Footsteps in 2011. She has spent over 12 years travelling the world, sharing in-depth advice from more than 100 countries across six continents. Lauren's travel advice has been featured in publications like the BBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan, and her work is read by 200,000 readers each month. Her travel memoir can be found in bookstores across the planet.

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106 comments.

Wow! that’s amazing. I especially got fascinated seeing the capsule hotel…must have been a unique experience.

It was surprisingly cosy! I would totally stay in one again.

Thank you so much for your information. We will go to Japan in October 2023 for 1 month. Have paid fully for 16 days. Using your guides to budget the remaining 2 weeks. Thanks again.

This is great! Do you think it would be much more expensive in summer or any of the peak holiday seasons? I’m going over July this year and wondering if the prices change much with the seasons.

Wow! That’s quite an eye-opener! I’ve wanted to visit Japan for years, and this has certainly nudged me a little closer, as I assumed it was expensive too. The costs seem much better than I found in Amsterdam this spring! (my boyfriend still gets a thousand-yard stare when I mention how much we paid for drinks in one bar.)

Yay! Yeah, it really did feel about the same price as Western Europe, if not cheaper. The transportation is more expensive, but the food was cheaper in Japan.

This is super awesome! I, too, was under the impression that Japan was a super expensive place to visit! Good to know that you can save so much on accommodation and activities! Are you going to be posting about food in Japan? My knowledge of what to eat there is very minimal…

Yes! I published a guide to my favourite things to eat in the country last week: https://www.neverendingfootsteps.com/best-food-japan/

Ditto for here in New Zealand Lauren. All said it would be expensive. But we house sat – rent-free – and saw that food and travel are on par or cheaper than New Jersey. We also saw that virtually all things are cheaper than folks said. Methinks many labeling Japan and NZ as expensive as can be are used to paying $1 for lunch in Chiang Mai LOL. Budget folks see all Western lands as expensive. Granted I am from NJ; living by NYC makes for a high cost of living. But not bad at all, living in these lands.

Yeah, definitely true. I know that when I wrote off Japan as being too expensive, it was in the early days of my travels, when I could only afford to live in Southeast Asia!

Loving the posts about Japan so far. Do you have many more articles planned? I’ve a trip booked in November and this has been the most useful of the blogs so far for help in planning – thank you. Although I’ve had to cut the hedgehog cafe off my plans after reading your article as I hadn’t quite considered the ethics enough!

Yes! So many. I’ll probably post another half a dozen or more over the next few weeks :-)

I always assumed Japan to be very expensive. Thanks to your blog I don’t anymore. Cheers!

This is all very useful info! I’m impressed with your budgeting skills. Awesome, Thanks for sharing this!

Ha! Thank you :-) It comes naturally (finally) after seven years of doing this.

Great article. I’m planning a visit for early 2025 to go with my grandson … was the budget breakdown for one person or a couple … because you mentioned going with your partner?

The accommodation prices are the total cost of the room (rather than just my share), while the transportation, food, and activities are all my share of the costs.

Fantastic article. Love your budget posts because you never leave anything out.

I try not to! Thanks so much :-)

Beautiful photos, Japan look amazing and thank you for sharing your budget tips as well. :)

No problem! :-)

Thank you so much for this! I’m going to Japan in September and I’ve been worrying about my budget. This has definitely put my mind at rest!

Yay! Happy to hear that :-)

I’m so happy that you have posted so much lately, you’re my favourite travel blog and I check this page a lot more often now that the pace of the posts has increased :)

Thank you! :-) I’m aiming to stick to a three-times-a-week posting schedule now that I have a base and more time to dedicate to writing.

This is so much cheaper than I expected. Do you have any idea about prices for solo travellers though? Would I have to pay for a double room most of the time (apart from dorm beds of course)?

No, lots of hotels and guesthouses have single rooms, so you wouldn’t need to pay out for two people very often, if at all.

Thanks, that’s good to know!

Very useful breakdown that would be very helpful for first-timers to Japan.

Just to share, one of my own major expenditure in JP is … vending machine contribution! I simply can’t resist them and can end up buying seven times a day. “P

Yes! I couldn’t believe how many vending machines there were in the country, as well as the variety of things you could buy from them.

Hello! This is a very timely article for me to read as I’m actually going to visit Japan for a week on September. I really love Japan’s culture and their people. There are a lot of places that I want to visit and a lot of things I want to do but I am on a strict budget. Hopefully, your article would be able to help me fix my budgeting for my trip to Japan.

I hope so! I really didn’t find it horrendously expensive, so I think you’ll be surprised by how much you can do there for free.

I love your budget posts because they give me such a good idea of how much I can expect to spend in places around the world. Are you thinking of doing them for everywhere you visit?

That’s my plan! I’m slowly working my way through my records and adding more and more to the site.

Hey, thanks so much! :-)

I’ve planed to visit Japan next year, Thank you for sharing your budget, I’ll try to not exceed 100$/day, following your information on this post.

Have a fantastic trip, Ingrid! :-)

Which month you visited Japan? I am thinking for Cherry blossom (April 2019) and everything is coming up too expensive. Are those above for cherry blossom season you visited?

Ah yeah, unfortunately, the cherry blossom season is the most expensive time of year to visit Japan. I was there in December, so prices will be higher than the ones mentioned in this post. I’ll add that detail to my post now!

I was under the impression that Japan was a super expensive place to visit! Good to know that you can save so much on accommodation and activities! This article includes all the places you can visit in Japan and their expenses. It is very educative and it can be improved by providing expenses in INR. Thank you for posting this useful information.

Thank you! I usually just price these articles in the local currency and USD, which is where the vast majority of my readers are located. If I started including currencies for everyone, the post would quickly get ridiculous :-)

Seems a dumb question, but I’m assuming all the values are in USD, is it correct?

Yep! I write at the start of the post: “The amounts in this guide are listed in Japanese Yen and U.S. dollars, simply because the vast majority of my readers are from the U.S.”

That is a very good breakdown cost analysis there. i am planning to go to japan as well with my wife. and planning to stay for 10 days only. 4 in tokyo 3 in kyoto and 3 in osaka. i like to idea of 100 aud / day it’s a good target to keep but i guess the expense on buying cloths and souvenir would be uncontrollable though i heard things in japanese is not that dear if you know where to shop and avoid tourist trap. i didn’t see you mention buying internet data in advance ? or i missed it somewhere. i guess the expense for a couple will be double up. but i guess 3000 aud for 2 people is unavoidable.

amazing detailed guide

You’re welcome!

I’m so glad I found your website! I love the detail and photos. I just booked a trip to Japan with my boyfriend for this upcoming October, and your site will be very helpful. Question: do most hostels and accommodations that you experienced have you sleeping solo? I’m wondering if I should expect to sleep in a separate area than my partner for most of the trip…

Hi Lauren, Thanks for such a detailed description of your time in Japan! I’m going to Japan October this year with my wife and my major concern is how you managed to book sleeping pods for you and your boyfriend as almost all accommodations are either “male only” or “female only” from the options I’ve seen so far. Did you have to get separate beds for those nights?

Yeah, the capsule hotel-style accommodation is all single beds. You can see in my photo in this post that there’s not much room for anybody else!

My wife and I are heading to Japan in mid May and I plan to use your itinerary.

Would it be possible for you to write something about the travel logistics if you can remember them – ie to get from Tokyo to Mt Fuji we booked the following train, leaving at…from the following platform which took X hours and arrived at Mt Fuji at. We then bought our day pass from….and ……..

This would be really helpful to me and other independent travellers – from where did you buy your JR pass and how did you book your individual train rides?

Cheers Paul

Oh, man. That would take me hours and hours to put together and I’m sure times and platforms change so it would be impossible for me to keep the information up-to-date and accurate.

I recommend downloading the mobile app Hyperdia — you can plan your train travel out using that. Just enter in your destinations and it will tell you which train to take and from which platform. Super easy to use! :-)

The site I used to buy the JR Pass is this one . I booked the other train tickets in person at the stations when I arrived — there weren’t many that weren’t covered by the rail pass. Just the small regional ones to get to and from Yudanaka, I think.

Hello Lauren, I love the details in your blog. Your expenses were for 1 or 2 people?

I cover that at the start of the blog post: “And finally, these are the expenses I paid while travelling with my boyfriend. That means that accommodation prices (with the exception of the dorm bed in Hiroshima) have been halved to indicate my share.”

Great super helpful article. THANK YOU!

Hi Lauren, Thanks so much for this article, it is so helpful!!! on which dates did you fly to japan? what dates are you recommending on?

I spent the first two weeks of December in Japan. I’d recommend looking at May or September as the best months to travel there.

Hi Lauren I’d love your advice. I’m traveling with my 22yr old daughter to celebrate her graduation and my birthday. I booked the first two nights a hotel in Tokyo and then figured we would VRBO or Airbnb but after reading your post it looks like things have changed. I love the idea of the capsule hotels and the standard tatami mat rooms look enchanting. So how do I search for either? We’d like to experience both for the trip. oh by the way, I’m a traveler too, let me know where in the world are you now. Perhaps we can meet up and collaborate, I do video production, just got back from Colorado and am going to Cancun in June.looking forward to hearing back from you, Peace and Love always, “L” oh let’s connect on IG

Just book them through Booking.com — no need to go to any specific site. I’m in Bristol, in the UK. I actually don’t have an Instagram account — it wasn’t doing good things for my mental health, so I deleted it :-)

G’day Lauren,

Loved your detailed description of your travels through Japan. However; I’m not so brave as you travelling around on my own, especially with the language problem. I am a single traveler from Bangalore, India and would love to spend 7-8 days in Japan, with my journey starting and ending in Tokyo, reasonably priced hotels or local hostels, but preferably single accommodation, if possible. (willing to pay extra).

I love train travel and Japan is one of the best places to do that..your take on that would be appreciated. If you feel, I meet your requirements, would love to get an itinerary and costing for my 7-8 day stay in Japan.

Hello! I am really curious on how you got a 14 days pass JR for only 420$, from where I am from (Canada) it is 567!

If you click the link in the post, you can buy it through there. It’s currently listed for 414 USD.

$95/day seems cheaper than what I had expected – is that a tight budget? What can you do more with $150/day? I’d prefer to spend that extra on living in nice hotels + do more activities. Does that seem possible with $150/day?

No, not really. It was a mid-range budget and all of the hotels we stayed in were nice — I made zero effort to stick to a tight budget.

Hope you’re well. I’m wondering if you still advise from not booking Airbnb for Tokyo? Thanks.

Until moments ago, I had always assumed Japan to be too expensive to even consider. Never thought the cost of activities and entrance fees would be so cheap. This is an encouraging article, thanks, Lauren!

Really remarkable post, Lauren. Extremely thorough and helpful. I’m looking to plan a trip to Japan soon and stumbled across your blog. As you clearly hoped from city-to-city, (this may be a silly question) what did you do with your luggage on a day-to-day basis?

Thanks for any insight.

Oh, just left it in my hotels. If I spent less than a full day somewhere, it was visited as a day trip, so I didn’t take my luggage with me. And then whenever I arrived somewhere, I’d time my arrival with the check-in time of the hotel, drop my bags first, then head out exploring.

great article! As I have said in the past you always put out great stuff that’s very valuable information.

I just came across your website when searching for trips for Japan for my son. I have to say I am really so happy and want to thank you so much for the information. My eldest son has been taking Japan as a language course for the last 3 years and was looking forward to trying to get into the high school Japan trip in end of july beginning of August 2020. He also wanted to go to TUJ(Temple University Japan).

However, because of the olympics the high school Japan trip has been canceled for 2020. Unfortunately, he will be a senior next year so the 2021 high school program will not be available for him. Plus going to olympics are so expensive. If you can give me any advice, I would greatly appreciate. Thank you so much in advance for your time!!!

What advice do you need? About what?

Hi Lauren, I really liked you post and I think is really helpful. When exactly did you go in Japan? We have to change our plans for next February (previous planned for Philippines but to risky for my wife pregnancy) and we consider to go in Japan instead. So, do you think it is good idea travelling in Japan in February? Thank you and advance.

I went during the first half of December. As long as you keep in mind that it’ll be pretty cold (5-10 celsius), I think it’s a great time of year, as it won’t be as crowded as peak season.

is it favorable to use credit card or cash is much preferred? thanks

Hi. Thank you for the information! I am so inspired to go to Japan now. My mom who was from Japan, always told me it’s too expensive to go back and visit. I am now 56 and it has been my lifelong dream to go. My husband and I will go with backpacks like we did when we were younger and before having kids. Is October a good time to go? I read September can be humid. I want to follow your itinerary for the most part. My mom lived in Kanazawa. My heart is full right now and my eyes are misty. Thank you for making my dream a little bit closer.

Hey Lauren!

Thank you so much for the information. I actually got invited on a delegation to go to Japan this evening and am trying to get the average cost to travel in the country. Obviously, your trip was on a very impressive budget. I have two questions, 1. Based on the $95/day over the course of your 16-day trip, would it be right to say that (flight included) you only paid ~$1,600 for your entire trip? 2. Would you say for a trip including cultural experiences, transportation and stays in nice hotels for a week, a grand total of $3,700 is reasonable?

In advance, I appreciate your advice on this!

Hi Lauren, Are you able to name all the accomodations you stayed with? I would like to visit Japan next year on a very tight budget. Thanks.

Yes, they’re already linked in the post along with the reviews of them under the accommodation section.

Hi Lauren. I’m debating spending 5 nights in Osaka and doing day trips to kyoto, nara and himeji castle. (I have hotel points where i can stay at osaka). Based on your experience – is that ok? or is better to stay 2 nights in Osaka and 3 nights in kyoto. There is a lot of different opinions online, thought id ask you if you think i’d be missing out on anything if staying in osaka. The one plus is i can save some money if using points and also staying in 1 location for 5 nights vs packing and moving to another location. Thanks so much for your posts!

Hey i found this really helpful but I’ve been planning to visit japan for a while and have hopes of going after i graduate high school. With some research i found that the JR pass isn’t needed if you’re just staying in one city. How much do you think i would spend on transportation for 2 weeks in Tokyo? Will it come out to more than what you spent or less?

Definitely less! You can walk to a lot of places, but otherwise the metro won’t cost much at all — a dollar or two per trip.

Would you be able to give recommendations for food places in Kyoto that are affordable.

Hi Lauren. Came across your site on a Google search for budget travel. It convinced e that a trip to Japan is affordable. Never have done international travel and would like your advice on a couple of things. 1. What is the best way to pack? Do I have to just use a back pack? 2. Can I use a credit card or should cash be used? 3. Can I get cell phone coverage in Japan.

Thanks, you site is great!

1) I prefer to travel with a backpack, but you’ll do okay with a suitcase, too. I personally find backpacks easier for navigating train stations, as you don’t have to drag it up and down stairs, etc. It doesn’t really matter either way, though. Depending on how long you’ll be staying there, I usually pack for a week no matter how long my trip is, then do laundry once a week.

2) Japan is mostly cash-based, so plan for lots of trips to the ATM. I didn’t find many places that accepted cards, although I also wasn’t looking very hard either.

3) Yep, you can pick up a local SIM card at the airport when you arrive. I bought mine through the rail pass company I link to in this blog post, but you can also just buy one when you arrive. Super easy to do and they’ll get it set up for you in the shop, too.

Love your posts! have been browsing but when I stumbled upon your page found it really helpful! Planning for Japan and Singapore so finding both blogs is perfect timing :) We are still not sure if the JRpass will help us- when we did calculation for the main routes we are going it resulted not worth it, however then not sure if we will require any additional rails/trains in between these. Tokyo>Hakone>Kyoto> Osaka without returning back… your input will be appreciated :) P.S. Feel free to visit the island of Malta, my home country

Wooow !! This is amazing , My wife and I have been planning to visit japan and we always had a misconception that Japan is expensive to visit .. This is a great blog .. So the overall cost including your flight tickets and local travel in japan would cost around 2500 $ per person ?

This was so incredibly helpful! Normally I don’t find myself reading entire articles but yours was so informational and in depth. Thank you so much for helping me get an idea of how much I would roughly spend!

Ah, no problem! Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you found it useful :-)

I super love this article Lauren! I thoroughly enjoyed it. When all is well and my country allows us to travel again, this is going to be on my top 3 places to visit (the 1st 2 will be diving spots as I’m a freediver). I made sure to bookmark this page for reference. Again, thank you for writing this. One question though, when you say $ do you mean USD?

Yep, USD! “The amounts in this guide are listed in Japanese Yen and U.S. dollars, simply because the vast majority of my readers are from the U.S.”

How much did you spend on transportation in Tokyo? I mean if you hadn’t had the JR Pass? How much did you save in Tokyo by having the pass?

Oh, I didn’t activate the pass when I was in Tokyo — I activated it on the day I left — so that was my total expenses without using it.

Hi Lauren! I just read your post. My boyfriend and I are backpackers and we are planning our next trip to Japan. I wanted to ask you when did you go there? (what time of the year). Because we can only take time off during winter time (dec-jan) and I don’t know if that’s a good time of year to go. We are from Denver and snow doesn’t bother us but we also want to enjoy it.

Thanks in advance! Love your blog

I was there in December! There’s fewer crowds then, which makes it a great time to go! As an added bonus you get to enjoy all of the cosy onsens in the snow :-)

Even in these unprecedented times, I feel as if I have already traveled to Japan! I loved every minute of the information you gave me. This place is definitely next on my list, of course! It can be months or a year from now.

It appears you’re still getting traffic in the comments here (excellent) so I thought I would ask a broad question. Wife and I are thinking to take our 6 and 9 year old to Japan for about 11 days. Any destinations you might leave off your itinerary given a bit less time and traveling with kids?

Fantastic! I’ve never seen any article about travelling to japan so specific and detailed before!! It sure will help me prepare for my own first&solo trip! thank you so much

Great post, but the prices are wildly outdated now. Your $30/night hotels in 2018 are going for around $220/night in 2023. Insane!

Hi CS, what time of year are you looking to visit? I’ve had a quick check and every hotel I link to still displays roughly the correct prices (a couple were out by about $10-20 a night, but nothing like $190!). If you’re looking at going in May, for example, Hakone Tent prices their rooms at $176 a night, but then offers rooms at a price of $73 a night a month later in June, so the time of year can affect the pricing. I’ll make a note to mention this in a future update to the post.

I visited in the low season, in December, so the prices I paid were lower than they might be at a more popular time of year.

This is amazing on every level. Thank you! only issue is prices for accomodations double during sakura season so what can I do

Thank you Lauren, for this insightful and complete post.

Out of curiosity, do you know what was the average USD/YEN exchange rate when this trip took place?

Kind Regards,

I update the prices in this article every two months so the exchange rate used in the post is recent

How recent was your travel to Japan and what exact dates were you there? I’m planning to take my family of 4 there in 2025 and would like to schedule it during cherry blossom season. I heard prices usually go up during this time so I was wondering if your trip happened during peak or off-peak season.

I was there in December. Prices do increase a lot during cherry blossom season, unfortunately — that’s the most expensive time to visit.

very good post for budget travellers. thanks for sharing.

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Meet Lauren Juliff

A Complete Guide to the JR West Kansai Area Pass

Learn all about the JR West Kansai Area Pass, including the different types of passes available and which destinations it allows you to visit. (Main image: Klook)

Types of Passes & Prices

Why choose the jr west kansai area pass, what are the main sights to see with the jr west kansai area pass, practical information about the jr west kansai area pass, alternatives to the jr west kansai area pass, conclusion - save money on train travel with the jr west kansai area pass.

A great way to explore Kansai is with the JR West Kansai Area Pass. Located in the center of Japan’s main island of Honshu, the Kansai region is home to several major cities, including Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe . Rich in history and culture, Kansai is also where you’ll find popular attractions like Nara Park and Himeji Castle . Kansai is also blessed with beautiful natural scenery, including Lake Biwa, the largest freshwater lake in Japan, and ancient forests lined with historic pilgrimage trails. This part of Japan is also famous for its incredible food, from Kobe beef to the culinary delights of Osaka, which is known as Japan’s kitchen. With the JR West Kansai Area Pass, you can enjoy unlimited travel on certain train lines within Kansai to reach many of the region’s most popular cities and attractions.

The JR West Kansai Area Pass is available as a 1-Day, 2-Day, 3-Day or 4-Day pass that allows you to take unlimited journeys on 23 train lines operated by Japan Railways (JR) throughout the Kansai region. As well as these JR lines, the JR West Kansai Area Pass also includes the use of 1-Day passes on the Kyoto City Subway, the Hankyu Railway and the Keihan Railway. However, the JR West Kansai Area Pass can’t be used on any Shinkansen services, or any Limited Express trains with the exception of the HARUKA Limited Express train to and from Kansai International Airport . The full list of JR lines that the JR West Kansai Area Pass can be used on is the Ako Line, the Biwako Line, the Gakkentoshi Line, the Hanwa Line, the Hokuriku Line, the Kakogawa Line, the Kansai Line, the Kansai Airport Line, the Kobe Line, the Kosei Line, the Kusatsu Line, the Kyoto Line, the Manyo-Mahoroba Line, the Nara Line, the Osaka-Higashi Line, the Osaka Loop Line, the Sagano Line, the Sanyo Line, the Takarazuka Line, the Tozai Line, the Wakayama Line, the Yamatoji Line and the Yumesaki Line. A full map of the area covered by the JR West Kansai Area Pass can be found on the official website (PDF) . This pass also allows you to use all local buses operated by West Japan JR Bus Company, though travel on long-distance expressway buses is not included. With the JR West Kansai Area Pass you can also use JR’s bike hire service, Ekirin, free of charge where available within the region covered by the pass. A list of locations where this service can be used can be found on the official website here . Please note that the 1-Day passes for the Kyoto City Subway, the Hankyu Railway and Keihan Railway will need to be redeemed separately at ticket offices for each train line. Information on where to redeem each of these passes can be found on the JR West website here . The 1-Day Passes for the Kyoto City Subway, Keihan Railway, and Hankyu Railway lines have to be collected and used within the validity period of the JR West Kansai Area Pass. However, these passes can be used on any of the days that your JR West Kansai Area Pass is valid. For example, if you buy the 4-Day JR West Kansai Area Pass and activate it on a Monday, you could collect and use the 1-Day pass for the Kyoto City Subway on Tuesday, the Hankyu Railway Pass on Wednesday and the Keihan Railway pass on Thursday.

Comparing the Cost of the Different Types of JR West Kansai Area Pass

• 1-Day JR West Kansai Area Pass - Adults: 2,800 yen / Children: 1,400 yen
• 2-Day JR West Kansai Area Pass - Adults: 4,800 yen / Children: 2,400 yen
• 3-Day JR West Kansai Area Pass - Adults: 5,800 yen / Children: 2,900 yen
• 4 -day JR West Kansai Area Pass - Adults: 7,000 yen / Children: 3,500 yen

Adults are classified as those aged 12 years and over, while child rates apply to those aged between 6-11 years old. Up to two infants aged 5 or under can travel for free with adults using a JR West Kansai Area Pass.

Who Might Benefit the Most from the JR West Kansai Area Pass?

The JR West Kansai Area Pass would be ideal for anyone who plans to travel around the region and visit several of the area’s most popular destinations. The 3-Day and 4-Day options of the pass offer the most value for money, as the more extensively you travel, the more you can potentially save on train fares. If you plan on taking a series of day trips whilst based in a major city, such as Kyoto or Osaka, or if you intend to move around Kansai while staying in a different location each night, then the JR West Kansai Area Pass will almost certainly save you money.

Where to Buy the JR West Kansai Area Pass

The JR West Kansai Area Pass can be bought from online travel agents such as Klook.

Save Money on Train Travel in Kansai

If you want to keep costs down while visiting Kansai, then the JR West Kansai Area Pass will save you money on train fares while traveling in the region. As already mentioned, the 3-Day and 4-Day passes offer the most value, especially when the additional 1-Day passes for the Kyoto City Subway, the Hankyu Railway and the Keihan Railway are also taken into account.

A Great Option for Visiting the Most Popular Destinations in Kansai

The JR West Kansai Area Pass is very useful if you’re looking to visit many of the region’s most popular destinations, such as Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe , Nara and Himeji . Besides these, the pass can also be used to travel to many of Kansai’s lesser-known destinations and hidden gems, many of which we’ve listed below.

Multi-Day Options Offers Good Flexibility

As the JR West Kansai Area Pass is available in several different formats it means that there will almost certainly be a pass that’s suitable for you depending on how long you plan to stay in Kansai. For example, the 1-Day or 2-Day pass is a great option if you’re only staying for a weekend, while the 3-Day or 4-Day passes are ideal if you’re staying for a little longer and want to explore Kansai over a series of days.

1-Day Passes for 3 Other Train Lines a Big Bonus

A major perk of the JR West Kansai Area Pass is that it includes 1-Day passes for the Kyoto City Subway, the Hankyu Railway and the Keihan Railway. These are especially useful for traveling within Kyoto as well as to areas around the city. Access to the Kyoto City Subway means that you have even more options for getting around the city, while the Hankyu Line offers another way to get between Kyoto and Osaka. The Keihan Line also lets you travel right into the center of the historic city of Uji .

Save Time With Just One Ticket

With the JR West Kansai Area Pass, you'll only need one ticket to travel on so many train lines. You’ll save plenty of valuable time by not needing to queue up to buy multiple tickets for every train journey that you need to take. Instead, with just one ticket, you can hop on and off any number of JR train lines and enjoy more of your holiday in Kansai.

Potential Drawbacks of the JR West Kansai Area Pass

Expensive Compared to Similar Passes by Other Train Companies The JR West Kansai Area Pass is not the cheapest travel pass available for the Kansai region. For example, both the 3-Day and 5-Day versions of the JR West Kansai Area Pass are more expensive than the 5-Day Kintetsu Rail Pass, which allows unlimited travel on trains operated by Kintetsu in Kansai. Can’t Be Used on the Shinkansen and Most Limited Express Trains One major downside of the JR West Kansai Area Pass is that it cannot be used on any Shinkansen trains in the region. The pass can also only be used on one Limited Express service, the Haruka Limited Express between Osaka and Kansai International Airport . If you do want to travel by Shinkansen or on Limited Express trains you would have to buy extra tickets to use these. Not Ideal for Visiting Mie Prefecture If you want to visit the major sights in Mie Prefecture during your trip to Kansai, then this is not the pass for you. Aside from a very small section of the Kansai Line, the JR West Kansai Area Pass does not include travel on any other services to or from Mie. If you wish to see more of Mie, you might want to consider looking into the 5-Day JR Kansai WIDE Area Pass instead.

Here are some of the destinations you can visit using the JR West Kansai Area Pass. Kyoto - Historic Kyoto is home to some of the most popular sights in Japan. These include the 10,000 vermilion torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine , Kinkakuji temple ’s Golden Pavilion, and the Kyoto Imperial Palace , the former home of Japan’s Imperial Family. You can spot geisha walking through the atmospheric neighborhood of Gion or stroll along the paths that cut through the beautiful Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Osaka - Osaka is an eclectic and full-throttle city full of bright neon and some of the best food in Japan. Alongside the city’s famous landmarks , such as Osaka Castle , the Tsūtenkaku Tower and Dotonbori ’s Glico Man, Osaka is famous as the best place to eat classic dishes such as okonomiyaki , takoyaki and kushikatsu . The JR West Kansai Area Pass can also be used to travel to Universal City Station for Universal Studios Japan. Kobe - The port city of Kobe is famous for its cosmopolitan vibe. The picturesque Kitano -cho neighborhood is still home to dozens of historic houses built by merchants from overseas who settled in Kobe in the late 19th century. Nankinmachi is Kobe ’s Chinatown where you’ll find plenty of excellent places to eat, while nearby is Ikuta Shrine , one of oldest Shinto shrines in Japan, dating from the 3rd century. For breathtaking views of Kobe , take the Nunobiki Ropeway to the observation deck that overlooks the city. Himeji - The city of Himeji is a popular day trip destination as it is home to possibly the most beautiful castle in Japan. Built in the early 17th century, Himeji Castle has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Treasure of Japan. The ​​grounds of Himeji Castle are beautiful all year round, particularly in spring during the cherry blossom season . The nearby Kokoen Garden is also spectacular, featuring a typical Japanese garden with traditional tea houses and ponds full of colorful koi carp. Nara - Within easy reach of both Kyoto and Osaka, Nara is easily one of the most popular day trip destinations in Japan. This is mostly due to the roughly 1,000 free-roaming deer who wander Nara Park and are officially designated as natural treasures. You can buy special crackers to feed the deer, while elsewhere in Nara Park are Todaiji Temple , whose main hall houses a giant seated Buddha statue, and Kasuga Taisha, famous for its hundreds of hanging bronze lanterns. Uji - Located between Kyoto and Nara , the city of Uji rose to prominence when Kyoto was the capital of Japan. Green tea was cultivated in Uji as early as the 13th century and thanks to its proximity to Kyoto, Uji became famous for producing green tea of the highest quality. Uji is still famous in Japan for its green tea which can be enjoyed in the city’s many tea houses. Uji is also famous for its many important temples and shrines , including Byodoin Temple and its stunning Phoenix Hall. Wakayama - The city of Wakayama is around 1 hour 30 minutes from Osaka by train. The city’s main attraction is Wakayama Castle , a faithful reconstruction of the original castle that was first built in the 17th century but rebuilt after the Second World War. The castle ’s stone walls and moat are both original, and today its grounds include the beautiful Momijidani Teien Garden as well as over 600 cherry blossom trees. Opposite the castle is Wakayama ’s Museum of Modern Art, featuring works by a variety of famous Japanese and international artists. In the south of the city is Kimii-dera temple , founded in 770 and famous for its early-blooming cherry blossoms, and stunning views over Wakayama Bay. Tsuruga - Tsuruga is a port city located in Fukui Prefecture and around 1 hour 30 minutes by train from Kyoto. At the entrance to Tsuruga’s 8th-century Kehi Jingu Shrine stands one of the tallest wooden torii gates in Japan. The city’s former industrial port now features several cultural highlights, including the Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse, which houses an impressive diorama of the city as it looked in the early 20th century. The fascinating Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum documents the role the city played in rescuing thousands of refugees fleeing persecution in the Second World War. Iga Ueno - The mountain town of Iga Ueno was famous during Japan’s feudal era for the many schools that taught ninjutsu, the skills required to be a ninja. Today, you can learn all about the ancient art of ninjutsu at the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum , located in the grounds of Iga Ueno Castle . The Iga-ryu Ninja Museum offers demonstrations of the traditional skills used by ninja. Iga Ueno Castle is a beautiful and faithful reconstruction of the town’s original castle that was built in the 17th century. Nagahama - Nagahama is one of many historic and picturesque towns dotted around Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture . There are spectacular views across Lake Biwa from Nagahama Castle , while the heart of the town is Kurokabe Square, whose pretty streets are lined with traditional shops and houses that date from the Edo Period. Nagahama is famous for its glass, and there are several shops near Kurokabe Square that sell decorative artworks made by artisanal glassmakers. The town is also famous for the Nagahama Hikiyama Festival which takes place in April. First held over 400 years ago, the highlight of the festival is the kabuki shows performed by children on elaborate floats that are paraded through the town.

Who can buy the JR West Kansai Area Pass?

The JR West Kansai Area Pass is only available to overseas tourists in Japan who hold a Temporary Visitor visa.

How do I activate the JR West Kansai Area Pass?

After ordering the pass online you will be sent an e-ticket that confirms your order. When you arrive in Japan you will need to exchange this e-ticket for the actual JR West Kansai Area Pass. You can do this at a number of major stations in Kansai, including Kyoto Station , Shin- Osaka Station , and Kansai International Airport . You can find a full list of stations where you can exchange the e-ticket for the pass here . As mentioned above, the additional 1-Day passes for the Kyoto City Subway, Hankyu Line and the Keihan Line that are included with the JR West Kansai Area Pass will also each need to be redeemed at the relevant ticket offices.

How long is the JR West Kansai Area Pass valid for?

The JR West Kansai Area Pass is available to buy all year round. Once you’ve ordered the pass, you will need to exchange the e-ticket for the actual JR West Kansai Area Pass within 90 days of purchase. After redeeming the pass, you will then need to activate it within 30 days.

Does the JR West Kansai Area Pass have to be used on consecutive days?

Yes - Once activated, the JR West Kansai Area Pass must be used on consecutive days.

Here are a few alternative rail passes that might also be of interest for those looking to travel within the Kansai region. Kansai Rail Pass - The Kansai Railway Pass covers unlimited rail travel on twenty private railway lines within the Kansai region. Available as either a two-day or three-day pass, with the Kansai Rail Pass you can travel to many of the region’s most popular destinations, such as Kyoto, Osaka, Himeji , Nara and Kobe . Kintetsu Rail Pass - The Kintetsu Rail Pass is available as a 1, 2, or 5-Day pass and gives you unlimited travel on a number of train lines operated by Kintetsu within Kansai as well as some regional bus services. JR Kansai WIDE Area Pass - The 5-Day JR Kansai WIDE Area Pass is more expensive than the JR West Kansai Pass but offers unlimited travel on JR trains to more destinations in Kansai. With this pass you can also use some Shinkansen services and also travel to areas outside of Kansai, including Okayama , Takamatsu and Tottori .

With the JR West Kansai Area Pass you can save money on train journeys while traveling to many of the region’s most popular destinations. Available in a range of formats lasting from one to four days and including additional day passes on three non-JR lines, the JR West Kansai Area Pass is an excellent option for those looking to explore the Kansai region. Further details about the JR West Kansai Area Pass can be found on the official website .

Written by:

James Davies

Originally from Cardiff in the UK, James has been working as a freelance writer since moving to Japan in 2020. Having first visited Japan in 2013, James has been to each of the country’s 47 prefectures. A lover of sushi, sumo and sake, when not writing, he is either exploring Tokyo or planning a trip to a new corner of Japan. On Instagram: @_jamesdavies

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35+ Helpful Japan Travel Tips To Know BEFORE You Go

J apan is a remarkable country filled with so much history, natural beauty and modern touches. I’ve just returned from my second trip to Japan and was reminded of so many things I had forgotten about the country! Traveling in Japan is an amazing and enriching experience, however it is also a country filled with traditions and unique ways of operating that visitors may not be used to. Below I share the best Japan travel tips to help you make the most of your trip.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Top Japan Travel Tips to Know BEFORE You Go

Before you head off to Japan, there are a few things you will need to know in advance and to plan for. While most things on this list can be figured out while in country, a few MUST be done before you leave your home. Whether you opt for the classic tourist circuit Japan itinerary or get off the beaten path , these tips will go a long way to help you enjoy your trip to the fullest.

Get A Japan Rail Pass in ADVANCE

If you want a Japan Rail Pass , it is only available to purchase for overseas tourists BEFORE they enter the country. Once you are in country, you can no longer purchase a JR Pass, so if you plan to use the bullet train between destinations quite a bit, this is a must do before you leave. You must also give yourself plenty of advance notice as well as the pass is still mailed to a physical address. 

However, I will say that sometimes it’s not actually cheaper to get a JR Pass. Research the Shinkansen trains here and which trains you plan to take to budget accordingly. Often you can take a train that is just a bit slower, for a lot cheaper.

Regardless, the most important piece of advice for the JR Pass is once it is activated you CANNOT lose it. If you lose it, it is gone. You will not be able to print a new pass. You will not be given a refund. You cannot buy another pass until it is expired as it is connected to your passport. A fellow traveler on my recent trip had this experience, and it was not pleasant to lose a $600 pass on day 1 of his trip!

Keep Your Train Tickets With You

Along with the JR Pass information above, another thing to know when traveling on the trains in Japan is to keep your train ticket with you at all times. One, you will often be asked to show it on many longer distance train journeys and you will need it to exit the stations. Even better is to get a transportation card mentioned below for city travel as it is a little less easy to lose. Trust me, these tiny slips of paper are easy to misplace!

Get an IC Transport Card

There is nothing worse than arriving to Japan, transferring through the airports and needing a drink but unable to get one! Japan’s vending machines and many shops do not take US or foreign credit cards. What do you do when you only have a vending machine as an option in the airport? The best way to deal with this is to download and preload an IC card BEFORE your arrival.  Not only does a Suica card or Pasmo card provide easy access to public transportation, it can also be used at vending machines and for small purchases at convenience stores.

Insider Japan Travel Tips You MUST know: If you have an iPhone, you can go to your wallet, click the plus sign, then click Transit Card. Now you can search “Japan” to see the Suica option. Now you can select the amount to add to your card and go through the payment portal. BAM. You are ready to roll upon hitting the ground in Japan.

If you cannot load it on your phone, you can purchase Suica Cards at most train stations. You can also order Suica Cards online and have them mailed to your house abroad prior to your trip to be sure you will have access when in the country.

Learn Basic Japanese Words

While you might find some level of English in the big cities or top tourist spots, much of Japan still exists without much English. I always find this interesting, but again, how cool that they have managed to keep their language and Japanese culture so true to themselves! That said, if you plan to get off the beaten path at all, make sure you know a few phrases and have your Google Translate handy! 

The top phrases I found useful while in country include:

Hello – Konichiwa

Thank you – Arigato

Thank you very much – Arigato Gozai mas

Delicious – Oishi

Cute – Kawaii

Cheers – Kanpai

Sorry, Excuse me, Pardon me – Sumi masen

Download Google Translate 

One of the most important travel tips I can provide is to download the Google Translate app and Japanese packet as you will often need it. As mentioned above, there is often still quite a bit of a language barrier in Japan, especially in smaller towns or off the beaten path at all. Having Google translate will help you when you want to say something to someone but can’t communicate. The translate will provide it in text for the other person to read which is super helpful. Additionally, you can actually just turn on your microphone and let a person speak into your app and get the translation quickly. This is a great help throughout Japan!

Cash is King

Tipping is not customary.

Contrary to the West, tipping is not customary here and in some cases can be considered rude. To be honest as an American who is asked for a tip at every turn, this was a welcome change. I was so happy to not have to worry about tipping at restaurants, bus drivers or our guides. If you are unsure you can ask, but in general it is not done!

Don’t Expect a Western Breakfast

One of the things I most remembered from my first trip to Japan was the very different, for me, breakfast options. While I am all for trying things and diving into the local culture, sometimes you want a little something that is reminiscent of home. For me that is often breakfast. At most restaurants and hotels, you can expect to see very little western offerings for breakfast. If you want something you are used to (coffee even) you will need to seek out western establishments. I don’t often go to McDonalds at home or abroad, but I sure do like that sausage egg mcmuffin after a week in Japan!

Walk on the Left Side of the Street

Without even noticing it, I found myself crossing over a path of people in the underground to get on the “right” side of the walking path. You will see that people traffic flows very smoothing in Japan and most of that is because of how the Japanese walk on the correct side. Watch the flow of food traffic and you will quickly see where you need to be! When I was in Sapporo, there was an entire city of underground walkways. I quickly realized that everyone was sectioned off in the direction of their travel. It made it very easy to get through even with large end of day crowds. But beware of those very useful, but pesky bumps for sight impaired. They are everywhere and are not really an indicator of which side of the street you should be on!

Get Ready to Take Off Your Shoes

While it isn’t as common to remove your shoes in Japan as it is for say India, you will need to remove your shoes for more traditional establishments including restaurants. We had to remove our shoes at the front door to one of our hotels even and couldn’t put them back on until we were leaving! I love not wearing shoes indoors, but it was not always easy especially when I was wearing my Blundstones that are so difficult to get on/off!

Take Your Passport Shopping

If you would like to take advantage of tax-free shopping, make sure to take your passport with you when you go shopping. Some shops like UNIQLO will automatically give you the tax free savings right away once they see your passport,  helping you to avoid doing it at the airport. Other shops will require you get a refund at the airport. If you plan to do any shopping, just take it with you!

Respect the Japanese Traditions

One of the most amazing parts of traveling to Japan is how it is SO different than what many of us are used to. Historically, Japan has been a closed off society. Most of the country is Japanese origin with little Western influence. It is one of the many things that makes it so unique. That said, the most important thing is that you recognize and respect their traditions even if it’s very foreign to you. Take time to learn and ask about the traditions and practice them during your visit. It’s a great way to show respect and fully immerse yourself in the country. 

Prepare Yourself for A Japanese Onsen

One of the most beautiful parts of Japanese society is the public bathing system of the onsen. These hot springs are located throughout the country in stunning locations. It is definitely a big part of life here and something tourists should try at least once. I will warn you though, that unless you are having a private onsen, they are completely nude and can be mixed gender as well. I could write an entire article on how to visit an onsen as there are customs and rules to know, but in general you will need to fully shower and bathe with soap before entering the pools, they are totally nude and many do not allow people to enter with visible tattoos. If you are staying in a ryokan with no private shower facility in your room, make sure the staff are aware of any tattoos in advance so they can make arrangements for you. 

Transportation Etiquette

Don’t be afraid of shopping at convenience stores.

In Japan, convenience stores are everything. And EVERYWHERE! There are so many varieties from 7-11 to Lawson’s to Family Mart or more local shops like SeicoMart in Hokkaido that you can never be very far from one. Here you can literally get anything you want including breakfast or dinner! You can find ready made meals like fried chicken in Hokkaido to udon noodles, tempura, sandwiches and more. They also have chargers if you happen to have soaked your phone and need a cordless charger. They have candy and sweets, beer, iced coffee and so more more.

Get Ready to Carry Your Trash Around

One thing that is always a surprise to me when I’m in Japan is the lack of trash cans in public spaces. They are not on the roadsides or even that frequently found in shops. You will carry a lot of trash in your pockets all day long! Carry a small plastic bag for your trash to make life easier, but do remember to say no to plastic bags at most places as they are given very freely still or a minimal extra cost.

Separate Your Trash

Japan is not super up on the “use less plastic” concept, but they are very strict about separating their garbage. Hopefully this means they have a much better track record of recycling than we do in the US! If you are not used to separating your trash, educate yourself a bit on what is compostable, what is recyclable and what is landfill trash. At big festivals or events you will find very trash cans (as mentioned above), but when you do, they will expect you to seperate it all into the correct containers.

Eating, Drinking & Smoking in Public

While I am not 100% if there are rules on this, but in general you will notice that the Japanese people do NOT eat, drink or smoke while walking. There are of course designated areas for smoking, which is not allowed all over the place. But for drinking your morning coffee on the way to the train station? Nope, you won’t see Japanese people do this. Is it an unspoken rule or just a custom I am not certain, but I tried to follow suit as much as I could. 

Throughout history, Japan has been a closed off society. Would you believe that almost 99% of the country is Japanese? The result is a unique culture with little Western influence and little English. So don’t be surprised if you ask questions or try to converse with people, but don’t receive much of a response. It’s not because they are rude, they simply know they can’t speak your language, and you likely can’t speak Japanese

Japanese Toilets Will Spoil You

Ok, one of the BEST things about Japan has to be their toilets. From the airport to public restrooms, you will find some really great toilets to literally write home about! My absolute favorite that I didn’t realize until I got back home was the heated seats. It really does feel so nice to sit down on a toasty toilet in the middle of the night. There are also several bidet options, drying options and of course also “privacy” sounds/music for many public toilets. Make sure to have your phone handy though as you may need to translate some of the buttons if they aren’t obvious. I have found myself stuff with the water on, not knowing how to turn it off! All of that said, you will also still find squat toilet options in most public bathrooms. They typically have a sign on the door indicating what type of toilet you can expect. 

Get an e-SIM For Your Phone

If you haven’t tried an e-SIM yet, you need to get on the wagon. They are SO easy to use, super affordable and available all over the world. For my recently 2 week trip, I used a 10 GB e-SIM card which allowed me to have data access wherever I went. While there is often free Wi-Fi around major cities, often the log-in screen is only in Japanese which makes it challenging to login quickly. Get $3 off your first purchase at AIRLO using my code: KARILY0402

Stay at Ryokan At Least Once

One of the coolest Japanese cultural experiences I can recommend is to stay in a ryokan. A ryokan is basically traditional Japanese inns. While they come in many forms these days including a super traditional ryokan where you sleep on the tatami mats, you can also opt for ones that do have more “western” beds. I have stayed in all various forms and personally I love being able to plop down in an actual bed, but for a one night experience I would recommend trying the super traditional way as well. 

As part of the experience, you might find that you have a traditional kaiseki meal for dinner or breakfast, you might also have no private shower in your room or  have to take your shoes off at the hotel entrance. It is so fun and cool to see Japanese locals having their dinner or breakfast in the provided yukata (robe in the room) and wearing the slippers. I find this to be one of the most immersive cultural experiences you can have in Japan and well worth the price tag. (Shockingly they are usually quite a bit more expensive than western style hotels).

Japan is Not THAT Expensive

Japan has a reputation of being an excessively expensive country. While it is definitely more expensive than it’s other Asian counterparts, it is also not as pricey as some places in Europe! There are ways to reduce your expenses quite easily. One recommendation to mix up accomodation options – stay in a traditional ryokan, but also stay in chain hotels like Tokyu Stay. We had a great room at Tokyu Stay with a washer/dryer in our room for less than $80 a night. There are plenty of small shops for meals that will run you $5-10 a meal, while more traditional kaiseki meals will cost more. The biggest expense tends to be transport between cities, so that is why it is important to price it out in advance and check for internal flights and getting the JR Pass.

Do NOT Lose (or Keep) Your Hotel Key Card

Traditional hotels still use actual keys, so those are much easier to keep track of and not loose. If you are worried about losing one, you can drop it off with reception before you go out for the day. 

Japan Trains Run VERY Timely

While I can’t say that Japanese trains run on time always because I have experienced delays with them, overwhelmingly they do run on a very tight schedule with very little disturbances. This is great as long as you are early, but it’s tough when you are running late! Always plan for delays in the train station and arrive with plenty of time.

Check for Seasonal Festivals

Regardless of when you visit Japan, there is sure to be some type of festival happening. These are often the best places to fully immerse yourself into the culture. For example, the cherry blossoms in the spring often have many festivals that accompany it, which can be quite fun. In Sapporo, there is an Autumn Festival in September that brings in tons of amazing food options every day for visitors to sample. 

Bring Snacks With You

Whether it is a bus or train journey, do not plan on food being available. There are no dining cars on trains regardless how many hours they are. We found out the hard way that we needed to always have water and snacks with us because options were not always available. Shockingly though, you can eat and drink on the long distance trains, just make sure to take all of your trash with you.

Tap Water is Safe to Drink

One of the best things about travelling in Japan is that the tap water is safe to drink. I loved not having to purchase water bottles all the time or worry about water being bad quality. I even drank from a mountain spring in Rishiri Island that was crisp and cold and so delicious. Bring you recyclable water bottle and fill up in the hotels every day instead of buying more plastic. 

Public Space & Japanese Etiquette

Japan has a concept called “ma” or personal space. Respect it, especially in crowded places with lots of people. Many of these etiquette rules are unspoken, but if you take time to look around you, you will notice that the Japanese people strictly adhere to them. Again, one of the best Japan travel tips I can provide is to look around you and follow what the locals are doing! 

Wear Your Bag In Front on Crowded Trains

In places like Paris or New York, you might see people wearing their backpacks on their front on busy trains, but in Japan this is not for safety as much as it is a respect for fellow passengers. When you wear your bag on the front you are making sure that you are not accidentally hitting other people. This culture is one that is very fond of respect for others and I just love this example!

Safety in Japan

Overall I feel VERY safe in Japan at all hours of the day and night. Trains can get super crowded and you will see people wearing their bags in front like I mentioned above, however that is not necessarily for safety as it might be in other cities. All of that said, I would still be aware of your belongings when in crowded public places and wear your mobile on a strap like this one to make sure it isn’t snatched!

Use Google Maps for Train Travel

If you don’t already use Google Maps, one of my top Japan travel tips is to download it now! One of the coolest features of Google maps is that it will tell you how to walk to a train station, which train to get on and even which exit to look for when you arrive to the destination train stations! However it is important to note that oftentimes your internet may not work in the subway stations, so it is a good idea to have it all loaded before you get underground. 

Expect Lines at Restaurants

Dietary restrictions are challenging.

In Tokyo you can often manage with dietary restrictions more easily, but once you leave the big city, it can often be quite challenging to deal with dietary restrictions. I personally am allergic to MSG, which meant asking everywhere if I could eat the food prepared. For the most part, most chef’s knew instantly whether they used it or not. In the more rural parts of Japan in the far north of Hokkaido, I ran into a few more challenges. If you are a strict vegetarian, it is also a bit cumbersome to find food that does not include any fish sauce as it seems to be included in a ton. Just take your time and ask around as there are often places that can cater to your needs. 

An International Drivers License is Required in Japan

If you plan to hire a car and self drive during your visit to Japan, make sure you acquire an International Driver’s license before you leave home. If you are in the US, this is easily obtained at AAA for around $20 in one day. This is just an additional piece of paper that says that yes, your license is for driving and you are able to drive outside of your home country. 

Japanese Wait for the Walking Sign

Just like in Germany, for the most part Japanese people do not jaywalk or cross until the walking sign is illuminated. I have seen a few people here and there cut across the road or go before the walk sign is lit up, but by far the general rule is that you wait patiently on the sidewalk!

Try All the Drinks, But Don’t Expect Much More than Coke

In Japan you will quickly notice that the only western drink you can purchase by and large is Coca Cola and not even diet, just regular coke. I was so surprised when our Japanese exchange student had never had a Sprite, but after my recent visit I was reminded why – it’s tough to come by! Only occasionally did I see a Sprite in a convenience store and almost never in a vending machine. Overall, you will be presented with a ton of drinks that are only Japanese!

Also, I found out after much sampling and discussion with our Japanese hosts – you will never find sweetened tea in the vending machines unless it is Chinese or American. They do not put sugar in their green tea at all. I purchased MANY tea varieties looking for a sweet option, with absolutely no luck!

Buy From ALL the Vending Machines

One of my top Japan travel tips includes buying stuff from the vending machines. I just love the vending machines in Japan. And I love that you can purchase almost anything in the world from them. At one of my onsen visits, they had a vending machine with underwear (new!), razors, earbuds and more. We saw a vending machine selling frozen ramen which would be the perfect take out food if you lived there. You will of course find drinks machines everywhere you go as well. My favorite one of the entire country has to be the “cake in a can” vending machine in Sapporo. The cake was amazing as is the concept. It was pricey, but worth it at least once. 

Another great one to look out for and try is a coffee vending machine. You can usually adjust how strong you want the coffee, how much sugar and how much milk. It is so fun to just pay 100 yen and have a hot coffee. Additionally, on most regular machines you can look for the signs that say hot/cold as some machines dispense BOTH hot and cold drinks. You want a hot tea, but your friend wants a cold drink. You got it. Seriously, these machines are the best and one of my favorite things to check out while wandering around towns!

Japan is a country with a rich culture and history, so embracing its traditions and customs can really enhance your travel experience.

There really is no “best time” to visit. There are distinct seasons, each offering unique experiences, so you do not have to only go during the high season of summer (or during the cherry blossom season in spring!). The colorful foliage in fall is worth a trip as is seeing the country blanketed in snow! Wherever you go, have fun and enjoy all the differences that you are sure to find!

MORE TRAVEL AROUND JAPAN

We hope you enjoyed these Japan travel tips! For more travel around Japan, see the links below:

• 3 week Classic Japan Itinerary in Photos: Tokyo, Kyoto, Snow Monkeys & More
• Get off the Beaten Path in Hokkaido: Rishiri & Rebun Islands
• The Best Food in Japan That You MUST Try!

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The post 35+ Helpful Japan Travel Tips To Know BEFORE You Go appeared first on No Back Home .

How Much Does a Trip to Japan Cost? Breaking Down Your Japan Travel Budget

As someone who has traveled to Japan multiple times, I’m here to give you the inside scoop on what it really costs to travel to this amazing country.

Whether you’re dreaming of cherry blossoms in Tokyo, exploring historic temples in Kyoto, or chowing down on street food in Osaka, Japan is a bucket list destination for many. But before you start packing your bags, it’s important to understand the  japan trip cost  so you can budget appropriately.

In this post, I’ll break down all the major expenses you can expect on a trip to Japan, including:

• Accommodations
• Transportation
• Activities and attractions

By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of how much to budget for your dream trip to Japan. Let’s dive in!

Flights to Japan

Unless you live in Asia, flights will likely be your biggest upfront expense. Prices can vary significantly depending on your departure city, time of year, and how far in advance you book.

Here are some sample round-trip flight prices to Tokyo from major cities:

• New York City to Tokyo: $800-$1500
• Los Angeles to Tokyo: $700-$1300
• London to Tokyo: £600-£1200
• Sydney to Tokyo: $700-$1100

To get the best deal, I recommend starting your flight search early and using tools like Google Flights or Skyscanner to compare prices and set up alerts. Avoid peak travel times like Cherry Blossom season and the summer months if possible. Shoulder season (March to May and September to November) can be a great time to score cheaper flights.

Accommodations in Japan

After flights, accommodations will be your next biggest expense in Japan. Hotel prices can be quite high, especially in big cities like Tokyo. Hostels and capsule hotels offer budget-friendly options, while mid-range hotels will run you $100-300 per night.

Here’s a rough breakdown of accommodation prices:

• Budget hostel/capsule: $20-50/night
• Mid-range hotel: $100-300/night
• High-end hotel: $300+/night

To save money, consider:

• Staying in less central neighborhoods
• Booking accommodations with kitchens so you can cook some meals
• Using hotel points if you have them

Airbnb can also be a good option in Japan, especially for larger groups or those who want a more local experience. Just be sure to book well in advance as the best places fill up quickly.

Transportation in Japan

Japan has one of the world’s most efficient and comprehensive transportation systems. The iconic Shinkansen (bullet train) can zip you between cities at speeds of up to 200 mph. Within cities, subways and buses make it easy to get around without a car.

However, all this convenience comes at a price. Here are some common transportation costs to budget for:

• 7-day JR Pass (for foreigners only): $250-300
• One-way Shinkansen ticket (Tokyo to Kyoto): $120-150
• Single subway/bus ride: $2-3

If you plan on visiting several cities, a JR Pass can be a good value as it allows unlimited rides on most JR trains, including the Shinkansen. However, it must be purchased before arriving in Japan.

For getting around cities, I recommend getting an IC card like Suica or Pasmo. These reloadable cards can be used on most subways and buses and will save you the hassle of buying individual tickets.

Food Costs in Japan

One of the best parts of traveling to Japan is experiencing the incredible food. From sushi and ramen to yakitori and okonomiyaki, there’s no shortage of delicious things to eat.

Food costs can vary widely depending on your tastes and budget. Here’s a general idea of what to expect:

• Street food/convenience store meal: $5-10
• Cheap restaurant meal: $8-15
• Mid-range restaurant meal: $15-30
• High-end sushi or kaiseki meal: $100+

To save money on food:

• Eat at convenience stores and supermarkets – the quality is very high!
• Have a few picnics with food from grocery stores
• Look for lunch specials at restaurants
• Splurge on a few nice meals but balance it out with cheaper eats

Activities & Attractions in Japan

Japan is packed with amazing things to see and do.  What to do in Japan  depends on your interests, but some popular options include:

• Visit historic temples and shrines in Kyoto
• See the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine
• Take a trip to Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea
• Explore the quirky shops and cafes of Harajuku
• Hike or take a cable car up Mount Fuji
• Experience the craziness of the Shibuya Crossing
• Visit one of Japan’s many excellent museums
• Attend a sumo wrestling match or kabuki performance

Most temples and shrines have admission fees of $3-8. Theme parks and other big attractions can cost $50-80 for a day pass. Museums are usually $5-15.

To save money, take advantage of free activities like wandering neighborhoods, visiting parks, and window shopping. Check the events calendar for free festivals as well.

Mobile Data & eSIM in Japan

Staying connected is essential these days, especially when traveling in a foreign country. While you can usually find free wifi in hotels, cafes and some public spaces in Japan, having your own mobile data can make things a lot easier.

One convenient and affordable option is to get a Japan eSIM for your trip. An eSIM is a digital SIM that allows you to get mobile data without having to physically swap out your regular SIM card.

Several companies offer eSIM data plans for Japan, including:

• Airalo Japan eSIM: from $4.50 for 1GB, 7 days
• Ubigi Japan Travel eSIM: from $8 for 1GB, 8 days
• GigSky Japan Data eSIM: from $10 for 500MB, 15 days

You can easily buy and activate these eSIMs online before your trip. Then once you arrive in Japan, your phone will automatically connect to the local network and you’ll have data to use for maps, translation apps, and staying in touch with folks back home.

Prices start around $5 for a few GBs of data, which can be a lot cheaper than paying for international roaming from your home carrier. Just be sure your phone is unlocked and eSIM-compatible before buying.

Example Trip Budget

To help you put it all together, here’s an example budget breakdown for a 10-day trip to Japan for one person:

• Flights from Los Angeles: $1000
• Accommodations (mix of hostels & mid-range hotels): $1000
• 7-day JR Pass: $300
• IC card with $100 preloaded: $100
• Food (mix of cheap eats & a few nice meals): $500
• Activities (4 big attractions + several smaller ones): $300
• Shopping & souvenirs: $200
• Travel insurance: $100

TOTAL: $3500

Of course, your  japan trip cost  will depend on your specific itinerary and travel style. You could easily spend less by staying in hostels and eating on the cheap, or much more by staying in nice hotels and splurging on meals and activities.

The key is to make a budget ahead of time so you know what to expect. Don’t forget to factor in things like travel insurance, shopping, and any pre-trip expenses like gear or vaccinations.

Final Tips for Saving on Your Japan Trip

To recap, here are my top tips for saving money on your trip to Japan:

• Travel during shoulder season for cheaper flights and hotels
• Stay in budget accommodations like hostels or capsule hotels
• Get a JR Pass if you plan on taking several train trips
• Eat cheap meals at convenience stores and grocery stores
• Take advantage of free activities and attractions
• Set a budget ahead of time and stick to it

With some careful planning and budgeting, a trip to Japan can be surprisingly affordable. By using the information and tips in this post, you’ll be well on your way to making your Japan travel dreams a reality without breaking the bank.

The  japan trip cost  can seem intimidating at first, but don’t let that hold you back from experiencing all the incredible things this country has to offer. Start saving, do your research, and get ready for the trip of a lifetime! You won’t regret it.

Let me know if you have any other questions as you plan your trip. I’m always happy to help fellow Japan travelers. Safe travels!

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