japan low budget trip

Japan on a budget: 17 ways to get more for your yen

Mar 28, 2024 • 7 min read

These top tips to low-cost living can help you stretch your budget on a trip to Japan © Monzenmachi/Getty Images

Japan has a reputation as an expensive place to travel, but it’s an image that doesn’t hold up on the ground.

With a little strategy, a visit can be very reasonable – budget-friendly, even. Many of the country’s major sights, for example, cost nothing, and free festivals take place year-round.

With these top tips on finding the best-value places to stay, the right transportation tickets and places to eat that suit all tastes and wallets, you can make your yen go further on a visit to Japan .

A guide to daily costs in Japan

• Capsule hotel room: ¥4,000 (US$30) 
• Basic room for two: ¥8,000 (US$60)
• Self-catering apartment: (including Airbnb) ¥6,000 (US$45)
• Coffee:  ¥400 (US$3.50)
• Sandwich: ¥300 (US$2.20)
• Beer/pint at the bar: ¥600 (US$4.50)
• Dinner for two: ¥5,000 (US$38)
• Hour of karaoke for two:  ¥2,000 (US$15)

1. Consider staying in a business hotel

These economical (and, to be honest, rather utilitarian) hotels offer the best prices for private rooms with en suite facilities.

It’s possible to find double rooms for as low as ¥8,000 (and single rooms for as low as ¥6,000), though these will be a little more expensive in cities like Tokyo , Kyoto and Osaka .

Look for places that include a free breakfast buffet – they can be substantial enough to keep you going for hours. 

2. Book direct at a guesthouse or hostel 

Japan has fantastic guesthouses and hostels all over; not only are they generally clean and well-maintained, but friendly English-speaking staff are usually on hand to offer near concierge-level service.

A double or single room is comparable to a business hotel (but usually has shared facilities); dorm beds cost around ¥3,000.

Some places do charge extra for towel rentals, so you can save a few yen by bringing your own. Note that rates are often slightly cheaper if you book directly rather than through a booking site.

3. Sleep in a capsule hotel in the cities

Capsule hotels, which offer small rooms with enough space for just a bed, provide a budget-friendly place to spend the night.

A capsule berth costs slightly more than a dorm bed in a hostel (¥4,000 per night), but you get more privacy.

You probably wouldn’t want to stay every night in a capsule, but they’re good for saving money in cities where hotels are pricier. 

4. Go camping in the summer months

If you really want to do Japan on the cheap, you can rely on its network of well-maintained campsites in rural or resort areas; prices range from ¥500 to ¥1,000 per person or tent. Note that many sites are only open in the summer. 

5. Swap a night in a hotel for an overnight bus ride 

Long-distance buses, like those operated by Willer Express , are the cheapest way to get around, and longer routes have night buses, which saves a night on accommodation. There are also bus passes, which can make this an even cheaper option. 

6. The Japan Rail Pass is a great travel bargain

Like the famous Eurail Pass, the JR Pass is one of the world’s great travel bargains and is the best way to see a lot of Japan on a budget.

It allows unlimited travel on Japan’s brilliant nationwide rail system, including the lightning-fast shinkansen (bullet train).

There are also more regionally specific train passes that are cheaper, so examine your itinerary carefully before deciding. Purchase a pass online or from a travel agent like JTB in your home country.

7. Ride local trains for less with the Seishun 18 Ticket

The Seishun 18 is another great deal, but with very specific conditions: for ¥12,050, you get five one-day tickets good for travel on any regular Japan Railways train (meaning not the shinkansen or any high-speed limited express trains) during a limited period of a few weeks.

The Seishun 18 Ticket is only available at certain times during the year – during school holidays (the ticket is designed for students, but there’s no age cap) – and can only be purchased from JR ticket windows in Japan.

If the timing works, and you’re a fan of slow travel, this is a unique, ultra-cheap way to get around in Japan .

8. Consider renting a car to go beyond the cities 

Highway tolls and petrol in Japan are expensive; however, renting a car can be economical if you’re traveling as a group or family, or are plotting an itinerary that takes you away from major rail hubs. 

9. Take domestic flights with low-cost airlines

Japan has several budget carriers, like Peach , Jetstar and Air Do , that offer bus-like pricing on some routes – just be sure to factor in the time – and cost – of going to/from the airport. 

10. Japan’s shrines and temples are free to visit

The vast majority of Shintō shrines in Japan cost nothing to enter. Likewise, the grounds of many temples can be toured for free (often, you only have to pay to enter the halls or a walled garden). 

11. Eat cheap food and meet locals at a traditional festival

Throughout the year , festivals take place at shrines and temples and through city streets. They’re free, an excellent way to see traditional culture come alive, and are well attended by cheap food vendors.

12. Opt for hikes and walking tours

Going on a hike or a trek is free and can be the most rewarding part of your trip: explore an up-and-coming city neighborhood , walk  old pilgrimage trails or rural lanes, or get up into the mountains in one of Japan’s national parks . 

Japan’s cities, especially Tokyo, have some fantastic buildings designed by many of the big names in Japanese architecture. With a little bit of planning, you could chart your own architecture tour. Ask at a tourist information center or your accommodation for suggestions.

13. Spend time relaxing in the city parks 

Urban parks are generally free to enter (and some gardens are, too) and are popular with locals on weekends; pack a picnic and settle in for an afternoon of people-watching. If you time your visit right, you could be bathing in the beauty of Japan's cherry blossoms . 

14. Shop for cheaper goods at a local market 

Many seaside towns have fish markets, some rural spots have morning markets, and some cities still have their old-fashioned open-air markets. Visits here are a great way to connect with local culture and are often a source of cheap, fresh food. 

15. Choose the right dish in the right place to save money

You can get a good, filling meal in shokudō , Japan's answer to the greasy spoon, for under ¥1,000. A steaming bowl of tasty ramen can be picked up in many places for as little as ¥600.  

Tachigui (stand-and-eat counter joints) sell soba (buckwheat noodles) and udon (thick white wheat noodles) for even less – starting as low as ¥350 per bowl.

Many upscale restaurants in Japan offer a smaller course at lunchtime for significantly less than they charge at dinner, so for a bargain deal have your larger meal then. In all restaurants in Japan, tea and water are complimentary, and tipping is not required. 

16. Bentō are a budget alternative to a meal out

These "boxed meals," which include a variety of dishes, can be picked up for under ¥1,000 at supermarkets. Department store food halls sell gourmet ones for a little bit more; visit just before closing to buy them on markdown.

17. Get everything you need and more at the convenience store

Convenience stores are the best friend to all budget travelers. They stock sandwiches, rice balls, hot dishes and beer, all of which you can assemble into a very affordable (if not exactly healthy) meal. Accommodations always have kettles, so cup noodles are always an option. 

Keep planning your trip to Japan:

Save this guide to the top things to do in Japan . Find out what to expect during every season from cherry blossoms to winter skiing .  Before you book your trip, read these t op things to know before you go .   Do you need a visa? Discover more here. Want to see Japan by train?  Railway enthusiast John Walton shares his advice.  

This article was first published May 2012 and updated March 2024

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Japan on a Budget: The Complete Guide to Cheap Travel in Japan

How to Travel Japan on a Budget:  The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need

Is is possible to travel to Japan on a budget?  Definitely!  Japan is one of the most fun and amazing travel destinations in the world.  However, many travelers are reluctant to plan a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun because of the cost.

Known for being an expensive place to visit, many Japan lovers give up when they hear how much it costs to travel to Japan.  In doing so, they miss out on the trip of a lifetime.  It’s true that Japan has tons of luxury hotels, world-class restaurants, and first class transportation options that cost more money than most people’s mortgages.

However, Japan also has lots of cheap lodging, amazing food, and transportation options that are very easy on the wallet. In fact, Japan can be one of the CHEAPEST destinations to travel on a budget. If you want to visit Japan on a budget, this article will provide you with all of the tips, tricks, and advice to save you as much money as possible.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Japan

While it is possible to visit Japan by boat (namely from Australia, China, Taiwan, and Korea) the vast majority of visitors choose to go by air.

If you live in one of these nearby countries and have LOTS of time, check out your local boat companies for deals. Sometimes they sell last minute tickets at a fraction of the cost.

However, it’s almost always more efficient to travel by air.

So here are 5 tips to getting the cheapest airline tickets to Japan.

5 Tips to Find Cheap Flights to Japan

 1.  book as early as possible.

When searching for a flight to Japan, booking as far in advance as you can is best. Waiting until the last minute to grab reduced price tickets can certainly pay off, but it’s a big gamble if the tickets sell out (which happens more often than not).

You’re better off by being prepared, planning in advance and choosing to visit Japan at a cheaper time of year.

I usually buy my tickets at least a month before my travel date. I found that this is the latest I can wait before tickets sell out or really get expensive.

2.  Avoid Peak Periods of Travel: Peak Times

Not only does the cost of airfare increase during peak times of travel in Japan, but hotels, attractions, and even restaurants raise their prices as well (usually buffets or nice restaurants that offer things like “special” holiday menus). If possible, try to avoid these peak travel times in Japan if you are on a tight budget:

• Golden Week: End of April – start of May
• Cherry blossom viewing: Late March – early May
• Summer: Mid-August is the busiest due to the Obon Festival
• Autumn: Changing colors of leaves (busiest time is late September due to Silver Week, a period of national holidays grouped close together)
• Spring: The end of March – the beginning of April. School children are on spring break, and lots of families travel during this time
• New Years: A popular time to travel during this time (domestic and international)

3. Cheapest Time to Fly to Japan

Here are the dates that generally have the cheapest flights to Japan

• Early to late December (before New Years)
• Just after the New Year holiday ends (people are usually back to work by January 5th) up until the end of March. However, Hokkaido has lots of visitors during this time due to all of the incredible ski slopes and winter foods. The world-famous Snow Festival also takes place in early February, which makes finding a cheap ticket to Hokkaido difficult.
• Mid May – June is also a cheaper time to visit.

While the winter season might not be the best time to visit Japan in terms of weather, you’ll usually save money on plane tickets. Winter foods in Japan are absolutely delicious as well. Delicious hot pot dishes, fresh crab, and other seafood are especially delicious in winter.

If you want all of the details and insiders tips on when to visit Japan, check out our  best time to visit Japan   guide.

4. Check for Internet Deals

Or course you could get cheap airlines tickets by choosing non-direct flights with long, inconvenient waits in between. But who wants to do that? Sure, you can save some money, but you’ll be giving up a lot of time and comfort by doing this.

Before going this route, spend an hour or two searching the Internet for the best deals. You can decide if a reduction in price with a 12-hour wait in some random airport is worth the inconvenience.

How to do Internet Research for Cheap Flights to Japan

Here are the steps I use to find the best deals to Japan:

1. Determine Both Your Budget and Which Airlines Companies You Want to Use

Of course, if you are willing to fly with any airlines, you’ll have the best chances of finding a cheap flight. However, I highly recommend you only use reputable carriers. There are lots of airlines with cheap flights to Japan, but they usually have very long layovers or delays, poor service, and safety issues.

Sometimes, it’s just not worth the risk. So to minimize your chances of having a bad flight, go with a reputable airline company. Airlines that fly to Japan differ depending on where you live, but I like Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines (JAL), All Nippon Airways (ANA), and Korean Airlines.

2. Always Check Your Favorite Airline Carrier’s Website First

I always check the Hawaiian, JAL, and ANA Airlines website first. Most of the time, I find the best deals directly on their website.

Booking directly with the airline carrier is usually safer and more secure than booking with a third-party company. Be sure to check the prices often, as they can change frequently.

If the prices are high, proceed to step 3.

3. Do a Quick Search for Ticket Prices on a Multi-Search Website like Kayak.com

Other websites such as Skyscanner, Expedia, Jetstar, Kayak, Lastminute, and Farecompare are also good places to analyze ticket costs. Remember that flight costs will depend on where you’re flying from. Heading out from a major “hub” airport rather than a local one will certainly cut costs.

These websites search hundreds of travel sites and find the cheapest tickets out of all of them. Filter the searches by the airline carrier and how many layovers you are willing to have on your trip. Be sure to check the prices for different dates. Sometimes traveling just 1 day later can drop the prices significantly.

NOTE: I just do this to see what the average prices are for that dates of travel. I DO NOT purchase my tickets through Kayak unless there is an amazingly good deal though a REPUTABLE company. While there are usually cheap tickets that show up in the results, most of these are either a) flights with LONG layovers or b) flights listed by bad, untrustworthy third party companies.

In my experience, many of the companies that are listed on their website aren’t very trustworthy. Many of them have very bad reviews, with some even having complaints filed against them. Stick with the bigger companies like Expedia. Just use it to check the prices of the airlines you want to fly on.

4. Consider Buying a Ticket from Another Country or with a Different Currency

Choose the best 3 or 4 itineraries you found on Kayak/Expedia/Priceline/etc. I usually have the best results with Expedia.

At the bottom of the Expedia website, there’s a section called “Global Sites” with pictures of flags of different cultures. Choose a different country and search for the same flight. The ticket prices might be lower if you book it through another country with Expedia.

5. Fly into a Different Airport in Japan

If all of the flights to your desired airport in Japan are crazy expensive, consider flying to a different airport and then using the JR Rail Pass to take the train the rest of the way. If you don’t mind having a longer trip, the JR Rail Pass is a good way to cut costs.

You can fly into another major airport in Japan and then cash in your rail pass at the nearest participating station. Then you can take the bullet train to your desired location. While this does take more time, it can save you money and is much more fun that riding an airplane.

The seats on the bullet train are much more spacious than a plane and are much easier to travel. The only downside is that the bullet train doesn’t have space for big pieces of luggage.

Transportation in Japan: Saving Money on Domestic Travel

Finding a cheap way into the country is only half the problem. Domestic travel within Japan is also expensive. Of course, you could explore only one or two cities, which can cut costs dramatically by only paying local fares, especially if there are city passes available.

What makes Japanese so awesome is traveling to different areas to eat local foods and to experience the culture throughout Japan. If you want to explore many places in Japan, purchasing a travel pass will be your best bet. These passes can save you both time and money if you plan to travel a lot in Japan.

The JR Rail Pass: The Best Deal in Japan

The Japan Rail Pass is essential if you want to experience all that Japan has to offer. This pass allows you unlimited rides on most JR trains, including the bullet trains, as well as some JR buses and the JR ferry to Miyajima.

This pass opens up the whole Japan to you. You’re free to travel wherever, and whenever you want. I highly, highly recommend getting this pass.

This pass also makes traveling much easier. You don’t need to research ticket prices or deal with buying or keeping track of your tickets for each trip. Just walk on through the gates on the side and show your pass to the attendant.

Also, if you don’t mind sitting in the unreserved area, you can walk straight onto the train too – although reserving specific seats ahead of time is certainly recommended for busy times/seasons/routes.

How the JR Rail Pass Works

IMPORTANT: You can’t buy a Japan Rail Pass while in Japan. You must purchase your pass before you arrive in Japan. The pass is only for those on a tourist visa.

Also, keep in mind that the JR pass cannot be used on every type of transport. For example, you cannot ride the NOZOMI or MIZUHO type bullet trains using a Japan Rail Pass. This isn’t usually a problem, though.

The NOZOMI trains travel the exact same route as other types of bullet trains but only stops at major stations. A full list of what you can and can’t use the pass for can be found on the rail pass website .

JR Rail Pass Prices

There are two types of pass you can buy. A “green pass” allows you to sit in the first-class section of the train. However, not every train has a green car (first class section). The “ordinary” JR Rail Pass is the more economical option. Both of these passes can be used to make seat reservations for the bullet train.

Passes are available for periods of 7 days, 14 days, or 21 days. The countdown will start on the day you activate your pass. You do not have to activate it as soon as you arrive in the country. You can redeem it anytime during your trip.

Just take your rail pass voucher to a JR Station that can redeem it. A list of places should be included on a sheet with your voucher. However, most big, urban JR stations can activate your rail pass.

JR Rail Pass Prices (2017)

Prices for adult “original” passes:

• 7-day pass: 29,110 yen
• 14-day pass:  46,390 yen
• 21 day pass:  59,350 yen

Prices for child passes (age 6 to 11):

• 7-day pass:  14,550 yen
• 14-day pass: 23,190 yen
• 21-day pass:  29,670 yen

The passes may seem expensive but can save you an incredible amount of money if you travel a lot during your trip. A round-trip ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto would already cost 28900 yen, nearly the full price of a one week pass.

A typical 7-day trip for tourists would look like this:

• Days 1&2: Tokyo
• Day 3: Osaka
• Days 4&5: Kyoto
• Day 6: Hiroshima

This itinerary would cost you 41,640 yen, not including all of the local trains you’ll ride within these cities. If you were to return to Tokyo from Hiroshima, the total cost would be 60,200 yen, which is more expensive than a 21-day pass.

If you plan to visit more than one city by bullet train on your trip to Japan, a rail pass is an absolute must.

Where to Buy the JR Rail Pass

There are a few different agents you can use to order your Japan Rail Pass. Be sure to check the details. Some airlines sell rail passes, but you must book your airlines ticket with them as well.

Here are some of the main agents through whom you can purchase the pass: Tobu Top Tours, JTB Corp., KINTETSU INTERNATIONAL, Japan Airlines, Nippon Travel Agency, ANA Sales Americas (Los Angeles), and JALPAK. Check the website for details on how to purchase a rail pass.

Special Passes to Save You Money on Travel in Japan

As well as the Japan Rail Pass, there are other special tickets and passes you can buy to cut costs on your trip to Japan. Some tickets are regional, but others can be used all over the country.

Seishun 18 Pass

This is another offer from the JR (Japan Rail) company. This ticket is similar to the Japan Rail Pass, but it is more limited. However, the reduced cost makes this pass a great option if you’re trying to travel on a budget (and have lots of time).

The Seishun 18 ticket is a seasonal offer only. You can use the ticket for a 5 day period during the spring (early March to early April), summer (mid-July to early September), or in the winter (early December to early January). The exact dates are released when the tickets become available.

You can use this pass for unlimited travel on all local and rapid JR trains. You cannot use it on Shinkansen rides (bullet train) or on limited express travel.

The Seishun 18 is a 5-day ticket, costing 2,370 yen per day – a total of 11,850 yen.

A fraction of the price of the Japan Rail Pass, this is a great option if you want to do lots of little trips or one or two big journeys during the 5 day period. Interestingly, the ticket can also be shared between up to 5 people. You could have use of it for one day each and your friends could use it the other days.

Where to Buy the Seishun 18 Pass

You can buy the Seishun 18 ticket in the JR East station travel centers, or at JR Ticket Offices. Advance booking is available. Dates for when the passes go on sale are listed on the website along with the details, which usually becomes available from 1 to 3 weeks before the pass becomes available.

Hakone Free Pass

Hakone is an amazing place to visit. It is filled with stunning natural beauty, especially when the autumn leaves change and the cherry blossoms bloom in the spring. Whatever the season, Hakone is a wonderful place to visit. Amazing hot springs, outdoor walks, mountain hikes, surrounded by peace and quiet. It’s pure bliss.

The Hakone Free Pass is a must for people heading out that way. It gives you free travel on eight different types of transport in the Hakone area for a 2 or 3 day period, as well as discounted entry to dozens of attractions, including hot springs, museums, galleries, historical sites, parks, restaurants, shops and more. A full list is available on their website .

The Hakone Free Pass has different prices depending on where you depart from.

While you can get passes that are valid from Machida and Odawara, most travelers start their journey at Shinjuku. However, if you are heading off from one of the other two locations, be sure to check out the details as those tickets are a little cheaper.

From Shinjuku:

2-day adult pass:   5,140 yen

3-day adult pass:  5,640 yen

For children:

2-day pass:  1,500 yen

3-day ticket:  1,750 yen

Where to Buy the Hakone Free Pass

Hakone Free Passes can be purchased at any Odakyu line station, including Odakyu line ticket machines.

JR Tokyo Wide Pass

If your trip to Japan will be focused in and around Tokyo (there is so much to do there that you could easily spend your whole holiday there) then you should consider buying the Tokyo Wide Pass.

This 3-day ticket offers unlimited travel in Tokyo and the surrounding Kanto area. Including both the Narita and Haneda airports, you can pick up your pass on arrival, and it will cover the cost down into central Tokyo, and everything else for the rest of the period of validity.

Like the Japan Rail Pass, this ticket is only available to people with a tourist visa. As it is only valid for 3 days, you could easily get yourself one of these passes to use for a few days in Tokyo, then after that head off around the rest of the country using a Japan Rail Pass.

The 3-day pass is 10,000 yen for adults and 5,000 yen for children aged 6 to 11.

Where to Buy the JR Tokyo Wide Pass

You can buy a Tokyo Wide Pass at the JR Ticket Offices and JR Travel Agents located in the Haneda International Airport and in the Narita Airport Terminals 1 and 2, and 3.

The passes are also available at JR travel centers and general travel service centers at various locations, including Shinjuku, Tokyo, Ueno, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Yokohama, and Mito. Check the website for details.

Domestic Air Travel

Train passes are good for people who want to travel a lot, but what if you only want to explore one or two areas? While the rail passes are, on the whole, cheaper than buying individual tickets, they are still quite costly if you aren’t going to be getting a lot of use out of them. So if this applies to you, take a look at budget local airlines for domestic travel.

Low-Cost Carrier (LLC) Flights

Several airlines in Japan offer flights to various locations, and often at a fraction of the price of the same journey by train. Of course, you need to factor in all costs to make sure you’re getting the best deal. Keep in mind that getting to the airport might involve time-consuming/costly trips on the subway or train.

However, this depends on the city. For example, in Fukuoka, the airport is only a 5-minute subway ride away from the central train station.

Two of the most well-known budget airlines in Japan are Peach and Jetstar.

Both of these airlines fly to a variety of locations, including Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, and Nagasaki.

Other popular domestic airlines include JAL (Japan Airlines) , ANA (All Nippon Airways) , Skymark Airlines , Vanilla Air , Spring Airlines and Solaseed Air .

Taking a plane instead of a train, even for a short journey, can make a huge difference in price.

For example, reserving a seat on the train from Kumamoto to Tokyo will cost a total of around 27,000 yen (and take about six hours!) whereas the same journey by plane (using Jetstar airlines) will cost less than 7,000 yen.

Taking the train from Kagoshima to Osaka will set you back around 22,000 yen, vs. a flight on Peach Airlines can cost you less than 6,000 yen. That’s a huge discount!

Special Airlines Discounts

If you prefer to take Japan Airlines or ANA Airlines, here are a couple of special discounts you can use.

JAL: Special Japan Explorer Pass – 10,800 yen flights to over 30 different cities in Japan.

Restrictions: Only for short-term visitors. Must have a ticket leaving Japan to be eligible for this special pass. You also need to purchase these flights directly through the JAL website.

ANA: Experience Japan Special Fares : 5,500 yen flights to cities within Hokkaido, or 7,700 – 11,000 yen flights for any other destinations.

Restrictions: You need to reside outside of Japan, have a passport from a country other than Japan, and have an international ticket leaving Japan.

Traveling by Bus

Probably the cheapest way to travel long distances in Japan is by bus. Taking a highway bus is not the most popular option, but can be a great way to save money on both short and long trips.

A popular bus provider is Willer Express. You’ll be surprised to know that you can make online reservations in English when booking through Willer Express. Most other bus companies don’t have online or English reservations.

Other companies to look into are Japan Bus Online, Hankyu Bus, and JR Bus branches (split into eight regional companies).

Insider’s Tip

Most bus companies offer different types of seating for overnight buses. These range from the cheapest 2-seater style seats (think of an American school bus) to super comfortable individual seats.

The price difference is significant, but if you’re taking a long bus (over 8+ hours) I highly recommend that you purchase a better seat. The buses with 3 seats per row are very comfortable. The seats are not connected, which makes it feel like you have your own personal space.

I took an overnight bus from Kobe to Tokyo on Willer Express with the cheapest seats (which was only 2,500 yen or so). While the bus looked new and the ride was smooth, it was the one of most cramped, cold (it was during winter), and uncomfortable experiences of my life. The better seats were 2 to 3 times more expensive, but I would definitely purchase those seats next time. These upgraded seats would still be much cheaper than taking a bullet train.

Taking the bus can also save you on money on hotels. You can sleep on overnight buses that run late into the night.

Japan Bus Pass

If you plan on traveling all around Japan, consider the Japan Bus Pass.

This pass can be used on all daytime and overnight buses provided by Willer Express. There are 3-day, 5-day, and *7-day passes, with 2 different prices depending on if you’ll be using it from Monday to Thursday or over a weekend period. A 3-day Monday to Thursday pass costs just 10,200 yen.

*NOTE:  The 7-day pass is only valid during Monday – Thursday, but you don’t need to use the 7 days consecutively.

There are a few rules. The pass can be used for up to 3 rides per day, but you can’t use it on premium buses. However, on the plus side, this is one of the “only for foreign visitors” passes which can also be used by foreign residents. That means that JET teachers and other ex-pats who usually miss out on the great travel deals can use the Japan Bus Pass.

For more information:  Willer Bus Pass Page

Cheap Places to Stay Overnight in Japan

Finding a place to stay is one of the major concerns for people wanting to travel Japan on a budget. There are tons of luxury hotels that cost a fortune, but there are also lots of budget hotels as well. A discerning eye can track down cheap accommodation all over Japan. The key is knowing what kind of lodging to look for, and where to find it.

Finding Cheap Deals Online

With price comparison websites and dedicated travel companies providing endless lists, this is the best place to start your search. However, bear in mind that these websites have more listings in big cities. Small towns in the countryside will probably yield very few search results. If you’re hoping to visit somewhere off the beaten track, you may need to find other ways to find lodging there.

One of the best websites to use is Booking.com . This website is easy to use and often has great deals. It is also a reputable company that most people trust. I recommend Booking.com because it offers a whole range of different sorts of accommodations. From fancy hotels to local ryokans, you can find something in your budget.

However, there are some popular hotels that are not listed on Booking.com. Agoda.com comes to the rescue in most cases.

Most of the lodging options that aren’t listed with Booking.com can be found on Agoda. I always check both of these websites anyway, to compare prices for the same hotels.

Other good websites are Rakuten, Hostelworld, Japanican and Jalan.

Accommodation Booking Websites

Booking.com :  Best choice to reserve most types of accommodations (hotels, Japanese inns, hostels, capsule hotels, etc.)

Agoda.com :  Not as easy to use as Booking.com, but has some hotels that are not listed on Booking.com

If you’re having trouble finding something, or the hotel you want is fully booked, check out the Japanese version of the site.

Particularly on Jalan and Rakuten, it might appear that something is fully booked, but when you check the local website, there is still availability! Also, the Japanese website sometimes lists a cheaper price.

The only downside to this is you need to be able to read Japanese.

However, if you are just booking a room (no meals or other services) you can probably book a reservation in Japanese by using “rikaichan” which is an add-on to the Mozilla Firefox browser (for Google Chrome, the extension is called “rikaikun.” When you turn it on and hover your mouse over Japanese characters, it will show you the reading and the definition of the word.

Google Chrome:  Rikaikun Mozilla Firefox:   Rikaichan

Business Hotels

One of the most affordable types of accommodation in Japan, business hotels are certainly “no frills, ” and you get what you pay for.

They are hugely popular, as the name suggests, with Japanese business people (mainly men) who travel a lot for work.

Business hotels are a good choice if you plan to explore Japan all day and just want a bed to sleep in at night. You find them all over Japan, with many big chains all over the country, with their rooms looking the same whether you’re staying in a big city or out in the countryside.

Major companies to look out for include Toyoko Inn, Daiwa Roynet Hotel, Dormy Inn, Chisun Hotels and Route Inn.

How Comfortable are Business Hotels?

Rooms are functional with minimal decorations. Some rooms can be very small (the bed and drawers take up most of the space). Beds are very standard but usually pretty comfortable. There’s usually a TV, small refrigerator, a hot water pot, and internet access (either by ethernet cable or wi-fi).

The bathrooms are usually very tiny but they do the job unless you are very tall or big. Most business hotel bathrooms are stocked with basic amenities (toothbrush, soap, shaving razor, etc.).

Average Prices

A single room in a business hotel will cost you between 4,000 Yen to 10,000 yen a night, whereas a twin or double room will be the cheaper option if split between 2 people. For a twin, prices are around 7,000 yen to 12,000 yen per night.

Capsule Hotels

One of the most famous types of Japanese lodging, staying in a capsule hotel is definitely an experience. The first ever capsule hotel opened in Osaka, Japan, and now you can stay in similar lodgings all around the world.

They may look like fun, but capsule hotels aren’t always all that they’re hyped up to be. It is small, but not as small as most people think. Most capsules are big enough for you to sit up inside without hitting your head.

However, it’s somewhere to sleep and nothing else. Also, many capsule hotels are for men only. They’re geared at businessmen and often don’t have capsules for women. Some capsule hotels have a “female only” floor, though. You’ll find them in big cities, but smaller towns throughout Japan are unlikely to have mixed gender capsule hotels if they have one at all.

Are Capsule Hotels Comfortable?

For the first day or so, capsule hotels are decently comfortable. However, it doesn’t take an expert traveler to know that these are not good for long term stays. There is only so many nights in a row that sleeping in what is basically a well-lit coffin can be counted as a fun novelty rather than an annoyance.

Depending on your fellow travelers, capsule hotels can easily be noisy, crowded places, and while many hotels offer lockers or other places to store your belongings, theft, while not rampant, is more common in these lodgings than in other types of accommodation.

Capsule hotels are far from the most luxurious hotel, but they do come cheap! Spending a night in a capsule hotel can cost as little as 2,000 yen. However, is it worth it? Some travelers thrive on this sort of “simple” accommodation, but if it doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, move on to another type of hotel.

At best, make your stays in capsule hotels a one-night-at-a-time affair when you are just stopping over or arriving somewhere too late to make use of a regular hotel room. In these instances, the low cost is worth the inconveniences.

Japanese Hotels

This is probably the type of lodging with the widest variation between properties. Some hotels in Japan are little better than business hotels. The rooms have basic furnishings, no decorations or excessive comfort, and is just somewhere to spend the night.

At the other end of the scale, you have fancy hotels which are amazingly luxurious. Fully furnished rooms, spacious bathrooms, communal areas with massage chairs, gym facilities and even swimming pools.

There is great variety between different hotels in Japan. The number of choices can be overwhelming. The good thing is that many hotels are conveniently located near to train stations or bus stops.

Are Hotels in Japan Comfortable?

This really depends on what kind of deal you’re looking for. A cheap hotel will, naturally, not be very comfortable, but it will cost a mere fraction of the cost when you compare it to mega hotel chains like MyStays, APA or Nikko. In general, bigger hotels in Japan are comfortable and are good for both sleeping and relaxing in.

Cheaper hotels are usually around 8,000 yen per night, with luxury hotels priced 30,000 yen to 60,000 yen or more per night. While many hotels might look out of your budget, it’s worth keeping an eye out for special deals. For example, the MyStays chain is a delightful place to stay, but with the rooms usually priced at 20,000 yen per night, it’s not exactly a budget choice.

However, on websites like Booking.com you can regularly see special deals when booking in advance, which see those rooms listed at half price, or less!

Why pay 8,000 yen to stay in a terrible business hotel when you can splash out a little and stay in a palace for 10,000 yen?

Even budget travelers need to relax once in a while, so if you need a night of luxury, this is a great option to check out.

Minshuku / Ryokan

These are types of traditional Japanese accommodation, which are just as popular with foreign visitors as they are with locals. Cheap hotels are all well and good, but if you want to experience local hospitality and step back in time, you can’t beat spending the night in a ryokan or minshuku.

They are pretty similar, it’s just that minshuku tend to be smaller, located in older buildings and usually run as a family business. Ryokans are often run like this too, but sometimes they are located in newer, bigger buildings and have more staff with more services.

Are Ryokan and Minshuku Comfortable?

Staying in traditional Japanese accommodation isn’t for everyone.

For starters, you’ll be sleeping on the floor on a traditional futon, and the flooring will probably have tatami mats rather than carpet.

Sometimes ryokans and minshukus have showers, but often they only have traditional communal bathing facilities – and these will likely be down-to-earth and not luxurious unless you’re staying in an “onsen ryokan” which is specifically designed for spa relaxation.

However, if you like experiencing different cultures in local style, these can be very comfortable places indeed. They vary a lot – some have fun, bubbly atmospheres like youth hostels, with a variety of characters lounging in the common areas, and are quieter than an emply library. Check reviews to see what other travelers think before you make a booking.

These can vary quite a lot, particularly between little minshuku out in the countryside, and fancy onsen ryokan in a swanky location. However, lodging like this is seen less and less in big cities – it’s more frequent to see ryokan and minshuku out in the countryside and on the outskirts of small towns.

The cheapest minshuku can be seen at around 4,000 yen per night, up to about 9,000 yen per night. Ryokan can be as cheap as 5,000 yen or less per night, up to 60,000 yen per person for luxury inns. Be sure to check whether prices are per person or per room.

Internet Cafe / Karaoke Rooms

If you told a Japanese person that you were planning on spending the night in an internet cafe or private karaoke room instead of booking into a hotel, they’d probably think you were a bit weird. That isn’t because you can’t stay overnight in these places – it’s certainly a popular option.

It’s just that few people plan to use this kind of accommodation. The usual overnight clients at these types of establishments are salarymen who stayed out too late drinking and don’t want to go home and face the wrath of their wives, or young party animals who missed the last bus home and need somewhere to stay.

You can choose a public or private space, and choose between a normal chair, reclining chair, floor space or whatever other options they provide.

Are Internet Cafes in Japan Comfortable to Sleep In?

Generally not comfortable in at all. These rooms are not designed for sleeping in, they’re designed for surfing the internet or playing online games. You probably will not get a good nights sleep in a place like this.

They can be noisy, uncomfortable and full of people who are doing anything but sleeping. However, they are super cheap, and often there are shower facilities which you can use for a small charge, and machines which provide free soft drinks, ice-cream, etc.

If you want to try and get a good night’s rest in an internet cafe, be sure to choose the “floor” type of room. This is the only type of room that has enough space to lie down. The other types, come with reclining chairs, or small couches, which makes sleeping difficult.

This depends on how long you stay. Some places charge by the hour, and others have deals where you can stay up to a certain number of hours for a fixed price. You may have to pay in advance. Generally, one night in an internet cafe or similar place will cost 2,000 yen or less.

You can’t book in advance – just turn up, and be wary of busy times. There is usually a crowd around the time just after the last trains/buses have left, so be sure to arrive before then.

Food on a Budget

Eating out in Japan can cost a lot of money if you don’t know where to go. When you arrive in Tokyo, everything looks so delicious it can be difficult to hold back, even when you know you’re on a budget. But there are several ways to make savings in Japan without sacrificing all the delicious culinary experiences that are waiting for you.

Knowing a few tricks can save you a bundle – which you can use to treat yourself to a really extravagant meal. Use these tips to eat well while saving you some cash.

Cheap Restaurants in Japan

Just because you’re cutting down on costs doesn’t mean you need to miss out on eating at restaurants during your trip. There are plenty of budget restaurants in Japan where you can get a tasty meal for a reasonable price. Following these few hints will ensure you get the best value for money without sacrificing your dining experience.

Lunch Deals

If you want to find deals for food in Japan, lunchtime is king. Many restaurants have special menus at lunchtime where you can get the same food available in the evening, but at a lower price. The portions are usually a little smaller, but still worth it.

There are some hearty lunch sets that will leave you stuffed until dinnertime though. Even fancy restaurants offer lunchtime sets for 1,000 yen to 2,000 yen.

Cheaper restaurants sometimes offer a “one coin” lunch which will set you back just 500 yen (1 coin). This is especially a good deal for expensive foods like Kobe beef. Eating Kobe beef for lunch can save you a lot of money.

Gyudon (beef bowl) is one of the more popular cheap eats in Japan, and it soon becomes a favorite of foreigners traveling Japan on the cheap. “Don” means a bowl (with rice), and “Gyu” refers to the beef topping. Plenty of different “don” are available throughout Japan.

Thin strips of beef and slices of onion are simmered in a sweet sauce consisting of soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine) and dashi (Japanese broth). Gyudon sets are often accompanied by a raw egg (for dipping the beef in), miso soup, salad, pickles, and tofu. You can get extra toppings like kimchi, cheese, green onion and grated yam.

Popular chain restaurants where you can purchase these dishes, and other cheap options, are Sukiya, Matsuya, and Yoshinoya. You can find these restaurants all over Japan, serving gyudon in portions of different sizes depending on how hungry you are.

A simple bowl of gyudon will cost you about 350 Yen (bargain!). For a set, you’re looking at between about 500 yen and 750 yen. An awesome deal for a quick and delicious meal for the hungry traveler.

Famiresu – Family Restaurants

As eating out is a popular weekend treat for families in Japan, there is a special type of restaurant which cater to this demographic – famiresu ファミレス , which stands for “family restaurant.”

With a mix of Japanese and Western style food at low prices, these places are also a great choice for budget travelers as it allows you have a filling meal in a comfortable environment for a relatively cheap cost. They also tend to have cheap alcohol so are good of you need a treat!

There are many different chains of famiresu in Japan, some of which have specialty dishes or styles, but they are all pretty much the same.

Here are some of the big names which you’ll see around: Gusto, Royal Host, Jolly Pasta, Denny’s, Joyful, and my personal favorite, Saizeriya. Meals cost as little as 500 yen, but taste great.

Teishoku Restaurants – Set Menus

Teishoku restaurants serve meals that follow this basic principle: one main dish, soup, and one side dish. You order whichever main meal you’d like, and it comes with a little plate of pickles, perhaps some tofu or a salad, and a bowl of miso soup.

These vary from place to place, but the combinations are the same. Main meals vary, serving seasonal products throughout the year but also traditional Japanese favorites: udon, katsu don, gyudon, karaage fried chicken, etc.

Some restaurants have a vending machine at the front where you purchase a ticket for your meal. You then hand the ticket to the server once you’ve taken your seat. Food is cheap, ranging from about 500 yen to 1,000 yen for a meal. Teishoku meals give you a taste of popular Japanese foods that can be found all over Japan.

Japanese Supermarkets

You may not think of visiting a supermarket for food during your trip to Japan, but it’s actually a great place with lots of choices. Supermarkets in Japan, whether they are small or large, have a great selection of ‘prepared food,” and they usually have a microwave where you can heat it up too.

Larger supermarkets will often have a seating area with tables where you can sit and eat. Bento boxes are a popular choice, with rice, meat, vegetables all packaged up neatly together. You can get all sorts of food in the supermarket – tempura, sushi, tendon, udon, salads, sandwiches, onigiri (rice balls), fried rice, Chinese steamed buns…the list goes on and on.

Price wise, a small bento at the supermarket could be 300 yen or less, while bigger bento with lots of different dishes cost around 400 yen to 600 yen.

Daily Discounts

The best thing about supermarket dining is the price discounts at the end of the day. From the early evening up until closing time, supermarkets reduce the price of their prepared food, making it even cheaper. At about 6:00 pm you can see savings of 10% or 20%, and then by 9:00 pm the reductions are as low as 50% off, or more.

However, by this time it’s slim pickings and the other customers around at that time as just as eager to grab a bargain, so you have to be decisive and time your visit wisely. If you go too early the savings are small, but go too late, and all of the food is gone.

This is a great option if you’re staying somewhere with a fridge. You can buy your meal late at night and then keep it for lunch the next day. If you really want to save money, you could easily get by on spending around 1,000 yen per day on food.

Cheap Attractions in Japan

If you aren’t fussy about how you spend your leisure time in Japan, it doesn’t need to drain your bank account to see and do amazing things. There are plenty of attractions which you can see cheaply, or even for free.

Parks and temples are often free to visit, and while some specialist museums can be costly, many others have very cheap admission fees.

Hiking and city walks don’t cost a thing, and attending local festivals are some of the best attractions you can see for free in Japan.

For attractions you need to pay for, you can often get combination tickets or discounts. Some small towns offer a combination ticket to encourage visitors to see more of their attractions. Big cities offer pricier combination tickets where you can get entry to dozens of attractions with just one ticket.

The best place to find out information about free and cheap attractions is at a local tourist center. Many centers have brochures with coupons for discount tickets, and the staff there can advise you on how to make the most of your trip for the cheapest cost.

Free local guides are a popular way to see Japan on the cheap. Often run by volunteers who want to practice their English, taking a free tour can be done in a group or even on a one-to-one basis. Research free guides for the area you’re visiting to see what’s available.

Shopping on a Budget in Japan

The cost of shopping in Japan varies greatly depending on where you are and what you want to buy, but the best tip I can offer you is to visit a 100 yen store.

These shops sell everything under the sun, including stuff that tourists want to buy (like Japanese fans, hand towels, chopsticks, fake lacquer bowls).

Almost everything in the store costs 100 yen (+ 8% tax) and if things cost more then they are clearly marked.

Popular 100 yen store shops are Daiso, CanDo and Seria.

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15 Tips For Visiting Japan on A Budget (How to Travel Cheap in Japan!)

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Japan is widely known as the most expensive destination in Asia. I’m not going to contest that fact, but I am going to show you how to save LOTS of money on your next trip. Because Japan is one of those places that everyone wants to visit. A bucketlist destination if you will. While it wasn’t cheap, it was also not nearly as expensive as we had originally thought. And with these tips for visiting Japan on a budget, it can even be a rather affordable destination open to exploration by all kinds of travelers. 

This list isn’t going to include any Workaway or long-term travel tips for those staying months in the country. Instead, it’s going to focus on actionable easy budget-saving tips that people on a short trip can use to save bigtime in Japan. 

15 Tips For Visiting Japan On a Budget 

Transportation is by far the most expensive cost for travelers in Japan. We’re gonna start with ways that you can save while hopping from destination to destination in the country. 

1. The big question: Japan Rail Pass or no Japan Rail Pass? 

I actually wrote an entire post detailing my decision NOT to buy the Japan Rail Pass for $370 per person. The low-down is that we saved about $100 each by purchasing bullet train tickets on our own. We didn’t have to do an immense amount of research either. We just turned up and bought tickets. 

Check out my full post to see everywhere we went so you can compare your itinerary and make sure that buying the Japan Rail Pass isn’t right for you. 

2. Get Unreserved Train Seats. 

When you’re purchasing your Shinkansen (Bullet Train) tickets be sure to specify that you want unreserved seats. This means you’ll be sitting somewhere in cars 1-6 and left to choose your own spot. These are much cheaper. If you’re traveling as a duo you’ll most likely still be able to find seats next to one another. 

3. Choose buses. 

Buses are cheaper than trains & astronomically cheaper than bullet trains. If time isn’t a constraint for you (or if you can plan for these travel days) choose at least a few buses to save hundreds of dollars. 

4. USE the Metro! 

I probably don’t need to tell you that Japan has impressively clean, well-connected metro and train lines in each major city so you’ll never need to use a taxi. You can reach every single destination by metro, bus, or walking. I promise. In slightly smaller cities biking is a great way to get around and is very popular among Japanese people. 

Keep in mind that most metro stations (and all buses) require cash to purchase tickets. 

5. Skip the SIM. 

Everyone told us you need a SIM card to travel in Japan. But honestly, we found Japan super easy to travel without one. There’s free wifi everywhere (buses, trains, some towns) and  maps.me  has accurate metro info for offline use. All kiosks for restaurants and metro use had English language options and for the few menus that didn’t— use can download Google translate offline. 

6. Book your accommodation ahead of time. 

Budget-friendly places fill up first. Unfortunately, Japan is one of those countries where planning ahead is going to save you lots of money. Our guesthouses and hostels were all booked on Booking.com and Hostelworld.com for anywhere from $7.50-$23 per person. Hakone and the areas around Mt Fuji are the most expensive regions while Osaka had a $15 private room (not a great one but hey, what can you expect). 

You’ll probably need to book at least a month ahead for the high season. 

7. Where you stay in Tokyo matters. 

Tokyo is huge. Sprawling. But luckily there are lots of interconnected metros including one circular JR line that rings the best part of the city. We stayed in Nippori. This is in the far northeastern part of the city. Most of the places we wanted to see were located in the West and Southwest. This meant lots of metro trips, most 40 minutes or more.

If you plan to stay less than 4-5 days in Tokyo, instead of simply choosing the cheapest place to stay, look for a conveniently located neighborhood. Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of time and money on the metro.

Consider the 24-hour Tokyo Pass (cost: 800 yen) on days you’ll do LOTS of sightseeing in various neighborhoods. You can purchase it at all the major metro stations.

8. Don’t visit ANYWHERE on a weekend. 

Obviously, you have to do something on a weekend. Make sure it’s Tokyo, Osaka, or another major city. Tourist cities like Hiroshima, Kyoto, Magome, Hakone, and more are absolutely flooded with local tourists. I mean A LOT of tourists. It’s kind of insane. You’ll have to wait in incredible lines. Plan accordingly. 

9. Kyoto is all about picking and choosing. 

To keep Kyoto budget-friendly you can’t see everything. Many Buddhist temples in the city charge an $8-$15 entrance fee. This is probably to combat overtourism in an area that sees an incredible amount of visitors. We found that the free shrines were often the best because they saw fewer people and it wasn’t just massive crowds jostling for a photo op. Shoren-in Temple even has a tea ceremony that’s authentic for half the price of typical touristy tea ceremonies. I wrote about how to attend it here. 

I recommend making a list of a few attractions and sticking to those rather than trying to see everything. These are our favorite things in Kyoto.

• Bike to the Bamboo forest just out of town early in the morning. 
• Hike to the top of Fushimi Inari Taisha, not just a quick photo op visit. 

If you’re looking to splurge on food in Kyoto, and it’s got some excellent options, definitely pay Teppan Tavern and La Bac a Sable a visit. Teppan Tavern serves Wagyu A5, traditional Kyoto bites, and homemade Umeshu (plum wine) that’s better than anywhere else for dinner. Seriously, this is the highlight of Japanese hospitality and it won’t break the bank. We spent $40 on a full meal with a few drinks. The French bakery is the perfect lunch pick-me-up. 

10. 7/11, Family Mart, and Lawsons. 

These are convenience stores scattered all over Japan. They have the cheapest beer and chu-hi, the cheapest coffee, and a wide array of Japanese snacks and desserts. But the best part is the bento boxes and hot food. You might be put off by the sushi, pizza or curry stuffed bao, habanero chicken strips, and tonkatsu meals but they are actually excellent and good quality! It’s a very popular stop for commuting Japanese residents. Keep in mind that hot food is usually restocked just before popular meal times. 

In my professional opinion, the best food goes to Family Mart— but the best coffee goes to Lawsons. 

Most restaurants don’t open until 10-11 AM and few hostels offer breakfast which leaves you out of luck. But these stores are a great cheap option for breakfast. Or late night meal. Or lunch. 

11. Another cheap meal option? Conveyor belt sushi. 

These places are the best. And they happen to be the most budget-friendly restaurants for great traditional Japanese sushi. You can typically get 10 plates between $8-15 depending on the items you select. This is a great way to familiarize yourself with sushi menus and sample new things too without having to commit to a whole set. 

12. Share meals! 

Unlike South Korea , a country we visited just before Japan, it’s very easy to order one dish and share. In Korea, you often pay by the person for popular meals like Korean BBQ. A major pain in the wallet for budget travelers looking to sample a lot of different items. Japan, fortunately, does not follow this rule and it’s quite easy to share several small plates for cheap. 

13. Buy food for your Magome excursion. 

I wrote an entire post detailing everything you need to know about hiking from Magome to Tsumago. I highly recommend this trip but since all restaurants close by 5 PM and I found most to be overpriced in the area— be sure to buy your own food from a Family Mart before you head to the mountains. Don’t forget trail snacks! 

14. Beer is the most expensive alcohol in Japan. 

Skip the beer and instead opt for Japanese Whisky highballs, Plum Wine, Shochu, and sake for cheaper drinking options. 

15. Choose Omoide Yokocho over Golden Gai for a night out.

If you are looking for Tokyo drinking hot spots and nightlife, Omoide Yokocho is cheaper and more authentic than the late-night Golden Gai district. In Golden Gai, the drinks aren’t as strong and you’ll often have to pay a cover to even sit at the bar. It was still worth wandering through the alleys of each but I much preferred Omoide for dinner and a night of drinking. 

How much did we spend in Japan on a Budget? 

Let’s look at a quick budget breakdown of what we spent while visiting the country. Keep in mind, we only took trains and bullet trains because we had a short amount of time. We also didn’t know many of the above tips beforehand and would have booked our Magome accommodation much further in advance. So basically, I think you could save hundreds by following our tips above. 

How much we spent in total for 19 days for two people: $2,687.55

How much we spent per day per person: $70.72 per day per person!!!

I hope this information helps you feel more confident to visit Japan on a budget and save lots of money while you do so! This was our most expensive trip BY FAR and with these tips, we could have easily cut costs by hundreds of dollars. Let me know in the comments if you think you have any Japan budget travel tips to add to my list.

Save This Post For Later!

Further Reading...

How to Score Cheap Flights for Any Destination

The Nakasendo Trail: How to Hike Magome to Tsumago

Is the Japan Rail Pass Worth It? Why I DIDN’T Buy One.

You suggested to hike to the top of Fushimi Inari Taisha. While I agree hiking up is really cool, I was underwhelmed because there really aren’t any great views so doing the entire top loop felt a waste. I did it at night which was totally cool, but eerie. You could hear but not see the monkeys in the trees.

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Japan on a Budget: 26 Money-Saving Tips + Free Things to Do!

Home » Blog » Japan » Japan on a Budget: 26 Money-Saving Tips + Free Things to Do!

If you’re planning a trip to Japan on a budget, we’ve got you covered with tons of money-saving tips that’ll cut costs on everything from accommodation to entertainment. Plus we’ve included a list of free things to do in Japan that won’t cost a thing!

Japan is a notoriously pricey destination. 

When you break down the cost of a trip to Japan , there’s no getting around it: Japan is expensive. However, there are ways to travel to Japan on a budget if you know what you’re doing. 

We’ve personally traveled to Japan several times, and have rounded up our best money-saving tips so you can travel to Japan without breaking the bank!

Japan on a Budget Guide

• Top money-saving tips
• Tips for saving money on transportation
• Tips for saving money on food
• Tips for saving money on accommodation
• Tips for saving money on entertainment
• Free (& cheap) things to do in Japan

If you’re planning a trip to Japan, we have the ultimate resource for you!

This  FREE   PDF download  includes  everything  you’re going to want to pack for your Japan trip, including what NOT to bring, plus tons of insider tips!

Sign up for our  ultimate Japan packing list  now and get a copy sent straight to your inbox.

Japan on a budget: Top money-saving tips

If you’re looking for our top money-saving tips for traveling Japan on a budget, here they are!

• Travel during low season to get the best rates on accommodation.
• This article breaks down how much the Japan Rail Pass costs and how to purchase it .
• Get your breakfasts and snacks at 7-Eleven or Family Mart (they are everywhere around the country!). While you might never consider eating at a convenience store in your home country, the fresh food options are surprisingly good at these stores in Japan. I’m not joking. You’ll see many locals doing the same.
• Have your biggest meal midday and take advantage of “lunch sets” which often consist of a large meal (sometimes with a dessert) and are typically very affordable.
• Conveyor belt sushi is a good way to try all the types of sushi your little heart (and stomach!) desire without a huge price tag. Plus, it’s a fun experience in itself!
• Use an app to record your spending and see how well you’re staying on top of your budget! We find it’s much easier to overspend when you don’t know how much it’s all adding up to.
• Download a converter app on your phone like this one to see the exact exchange rate for your selected currency at the time of your trip, so you always know exactly what you are spending. 
• Withdraw yen from the ATM using a card that reimburses all ATM fees (like the Charles Schwab debit card).

Keep reading for more tips on how to save money on different aspects of traveling in Japan…

General tips for saving money in Japan

Let’s start with some of the general money-saving tips that will help you keep your budget under control.

1. Travel during low season

Hotel rates vary a lot with demand, so traveling during peak tourist season (especially “Golden Week”) means you’ll pay a heck of a lot more than during less busy times of the year.

To save a lot of money overall, plan your trip for shoulder or off-peak season (ex. we loved visiting Japan in the winter because it was far less expensive and busy). During low seasons, you may be able to score a deal on accommodation.

• High season: mid-March – May (cherry blossom season), summer months
• Low season: late November – March (except around New Years holiday)

Related: Read more about Japan’s seasons and the best time of year to go !

2. Withdraw yen from the ATM 

Instead of getting a bunch of yen at your home bank or using currency exchange counters, head straight to the ATM when you land in Japan.

ATMs give you the best exchange rate. Plus, if you use a card that reimburses all ATM fees (like the Charles Schwab debit card), you won’t pay anything for this exchange.

This is how we always get local currency. We haven’t done it any other way in 10+ years of travel.

3. Understand the conversion rate

Download a converter app on your phone like this one to see the exact exchange rate for Japanese yen at the time of your trip, so you always know exactly what you are spending. 

It can be easy to spend more than you’d like if you don’t know the exchange rate for yen.

4. Keep your spending in check

We recommend coming up with a budget before your trip so you don’t accidentally overspend.

Psst! We recorded all sorts of average costs in Japan so you can get a really great idea of how much to budget.

While on your trip, use an app to record your spending and see how well you’re staying on top of your budget! We find it’s much easier to overspend when you don’t know how much it’s all adding up to.

5. Score a cheap flight

Sign up for a mistake fare newsletter , like Thrifty Traveler , so you can get alerted when there are really good deals on flights from your home airport to Japan.

Keeping an eye on the flight prices will help you understand what’s an average flight and what’s a good deal.

Flying to Japan is a long haul for many travelers coming from Europe or North America. This makes it a good opportunity to use airline points to pay for some or all of your tickets.

6. Book early

Japan is a destination that we’d recommend booking earlier than you typically would for other trips.

When you book earlier, you’ll have a better selection of accommodations to choose from, making it easier to get a good deal. 

There are also certain activities that must be booked in advance and you won’t want to miss out.

We created a Japan booking timeline that should help!

7. Pack right

Put some extra thought into what you pack. While there are many things you can easily get once you get to Japan if you forget them, there are certain items that are very hard to come by . And if you do find them, they can be quite expensive. 

Some examples of items that are hard to find or expensive in Japan:

• Menstrual products
• Shoes or clothes in larger sizes

Save yourself the time, hassle, and money by checking out our Japan packing list so you don’t forget any essentials and make a costly mistake!

Tips for saving money on transportation in Japan

There are some really great money-saving options for transportation in Japan if you know what you’re looking for. We’re going over a handful of different options that will save you money on transportation in Japan:

8. Get the Japan Rail Pass (maybe…)

It is a train pass only available to foreign tourists in Japan. 

It allows you to ride specific trains for one bundled price instead of paying for each ticket.

Is the JR Pass worth the money?

This is a tricky question to answer… In the past, I would have said 100% YES. It was a huge cost savings. 

However, there was a pretty major price increase to this super discounted pass in late 2023. This means that it won’t be as big of a cost savings as it used to be. 

Depending on your itinerary, it may not even make sense to purchase the JRail Pass… Alternatively, it could still save you a bunch of money. You’ll need to do some calculations to figure out if it makes sense.

Don’t worry – we’ve gotchu!

We put together a guide that walks you through how to decide if this pass is a good purchase for your trip or not.

Japan Rail Pass: Where to Buy a JR Pass & Is it Worthwhile?

If you’re traveling to Japan, the Japan Rail Pass can be a huge money saver. We’ll explain exactly when you should purchase the JR Pass and if it is worthwhile for your route. This is everything you need to know including where to buy the rail pass.

We don’t want you to spend unnecessary money, so be sure you read this thoroughly in order to make the best decision for you.

9. Compare trains with other modes of transportation

Depending on your itinerary, it might actually make more financial sense to rent a car or to take a domestic flight.

Due to the price increase on train tickets, these other modes of transportation can actually be cheaper, depending on where you’re going.

Psst! We’ve got an entire guide to renting a car in Japan (we did a 15-day car rental and absolutely loved it!). Our guide breaks down all the costs involved with renting a car and goes over some essential driving tips.

10. Look into tourist transportation passes

Many places in Japan are not connected with JR lines or metro systems. Instead, there are sometimes regional tourist passes available . 

This will be a “bundle” pass which generally includes different modes of transportation, like rides on regional buses, cable cars or a funicular.

If you’re traveling outside of major cities in Japan (and you should!) check to see if that region has a tourist pass. 

Here two examples of bundles that can potentially save you money:

• Hakone: This small mountain town known for onsen and views of Mount Fuji can be reached by JR trains, but once you’re there, getting around the area is not covered. Instead, most tourists buy the Hakone FreePass , which includes all bus, boat, and cable car transportation in the area.
• Koyasan: This area known for Buddhist temple stays and stunning Okunoin Cemetery cannot be accessed with JR trains. The Koyasan World Heritage Ticket is what most visitors use for this area.

Tips for saving money on food in Japan

This is one of the areas you can really save on if you are traveling Japan on a budget. We’re going over a handful of different options that will save you money on food in Japan:

11. Order “breakfast sets” from coffee shops

I love breakfast. Give me a smoothie or scrambled eggs and I’m one happy lady. But in Asia, breakfast is just different. 

Rice and soup are common breakfast items, and there just really aren’t many breakfast restaurants. For that reason, many hotels catering ot Western tourists will have an option to add on breakfast, typically for $10 – 15 USD. 

If budget is a constraint, skip this and instead, head to a nearby chain coffee shop where “breakfast sets” can be a pretty good deal . 

You’ll select a breakfast option, like an egg sandwich, croque monsieur, or a pastry, as well as coffee or tea. Together, the meal and the drink will come to around 400 – 600 yen . 

Common coffee shop chains in Japan that offer “morning sets” are Doutor, Caffe Veloce, St. Marc, and Pronto. Alternative: Another option is to grab something at a convenience store, like a pastry item and iced coffee.

12. Have your biggest meal at lunch 

Restaurants in Japan often have “ lunch specials ” where they serve a similar meal to what you’d get at dinner, but for a cheaper price.

13. Eat meals at convenience stores

If you’ve been researching Japan, you’ve probably heard a bit about the convenience store culture . You’ll be able to find marts ( konbini) on just about every block (sometimes multiple on a block), and entire meal options inside . 

Many Japanese businessmen and businesswomen rely on these meals for quick lunches and dinners, and you’ll find options like fresh noodle dishes, dumplings, sushi, rice bowls, meat cutlets, and pasta that can all be heated up by the cashier if needed. 

Additionally, you’ll find desserts, pastries, chips, and other snacks, just like any convenience store.

Sometimes I hear travelers talk about how they are only going to eat at 7-Eleven during their trip to Japan to keep costs down; but I think this is a mistake for two reasons:

• Trust me when I say you’ll want something other than super processed foods for every meal. Yes, there are many options at the convenience stores, but finding actually healthy options is challenging , to say the least.
• You’ll want to have some splurge-worthy meals! Unless you’re really not into food, you’ll definitely want to explore Japanese cuisine outside of 7-Eleven. There are so many incredible places to eat in Japan, and it would be a shame to not try any of the cuisine outside of convenience stores.

Moral of the story: Plan to balance your cheap meals with some splurge-worthy ones to have a balanced food budget. 

14. Book accommodation with a kitchen

We booked a handful of accommodation options with kitchens, which really helped us keep our food costs down. 

Many hostels have kitchens, as do some of the budget-minded guesthouses . Sometimes hostel kitchens are gross and have minimal equipment, but in Japan we found all the kitchens to be really well-stocked and clean!

Tip: Convenience stores usually have a section with frozen vegetables and other meals, which is a good place to look if you want a cheap and easy dinner.

15. Get cheap sushi

If you’re a sushi-lover, you’re definitely going to want to go to the famous fish markets and order a set at least once. This will set you back a cool $40 USD (if not more!), but it’ll be worth it for some of the freshest fish in the world.

That said, it’s not possible for most of us budget travelers to do this more than a couple of times. So if the sushi craving strikes again during your trip, consider some cheaper alternatives. 

Conveyor belt sushi is popular with locals and it allows you to try many different types while keeping the cost down.

Another surprising option is getting sushi at convenience stores . I would never recommend doing this in say, the United States, but in Japan, it’s far less sketchy than it sounds. Japanese people do this all the time, and the quality is actually very good for the price you pay.

16. Eat less fruit

I’m about to drop a bad news bomb: Fruit is generally pretty expensive in Japan.

Think $3 – $4 for a single peach and $1 for a single (plastic-wrapped) banana… 

It’s fine every once in a while when the craving strikes, but if fresh fruit is a daily habit, it’s gonna add up.

Interesting Tip: We found that some local fish markets had fruit stands, and the prices were the cheapest we found anywhere. Also, keep your eyes peeled for small roadside stands next to farms. We found a few of these selling fruits and veggies for reasonable rates.

17. Pack your own snacks from home

If you’re flying to Japan from your home country, consider packing some snacks like protein or granola bars, trail mix, and dried fruits .

You can find some of these things in Japan (with a lot of searching), but they tend to be quite expensive or come with added sugar, which we’re not huge fans of. 

Having these handy will help keep your snacking costs down, and will help you avoid the “but I’m so hungry I just need something” splurges (we’ve all been there). And most importantly (in my opinion), it’ll keep you feeling healthy during your trip.

18. BYO Coffee

If you love to start your morning with coffee, you may want to consider bringing your own. Most hotels in Japan do not have coffee makers , like you might be used to in other parts of the world. 

We packed our travel Aeropress and were so happy we did. We could enjoy our morning coffee without having to seek out a coffee shop (many of which actually open quite late!) and we saved a lot of money by not buying daily Americanos!

19. Don’t tip

You won’t have to account for tipping in your budgeting because it is not customary in Japanese culture , and in some cases it can even be seen as slightly offensive.

20. Fill up with tap water

The tap water in Japan is safe to drink , so fill up instead of buying bottled water. 

Not only will this help lessen plastic waste, but you’ll also save money.

Tips for saving money on accommodation in Japan

Accommodation is arguably going to be one of your biggest expenses when traveling in Japan. Below are some tips that will save you money on accommodation in Japan.

21. Know where to look for budget accommodations

The following types of accommodation are good options for those on a tight budget:

• That said, they had a pretty high standard of cleanliness and each dorm bed had privacy curtains. One thing to note is that we found hostels in Japan to be less friendly/communal than most other places in the world. That could have just been our personal experience though.
• Staying in a capsule hotel is just one of those “Japanese experiences” you should have at least once on your trip!
• Bonus: Check out our genius tips for booking the best Airbnb !

22. Book your hotel like a pro

Here are a couple of tips that will help you when booking hotels in Japan:

• We like looking at Booking.com and Agoda in order to compare prices . Typically, they’re similar, but there have been times where one booking platform has a significantly cheaper price.
• You may also want to compare these platforms with booking directly through the hotel , as this is more common in Japan than in many other countries. Sometimes the hotel’s rate is cheaper. Other times it is the same and booking through them is cumbersome to navigate.
• When booking, we like to use all the filters to our advantage . With Booking.com for example, there are tons of different options to click on the left side of the page. That way in a city with tons of options, like Tokyo or Osaka , you can narrow it down to a hotel that is perfectly suited to you. Select your budget, preferred neighborhood, guest rating, type of room, breakfast preference, etc.
• When possible choose hotels with free cancellation . Booking.com often offers this up until a few days before your arrival. This can make it easier to secure a great price when you see it because there isn’t a risk of losing money if you change your plans.

23. Consider Couchsurfing, House Sitting or WorkAway

If you’re on a super tight budget and have some flexibility in your timing (lucky you!), you might want to consider Couchsurfing or WorkAway opportunities.

Couchsurfing: Stay in a local’s home for free! Couchsurfing is more than just a free place to crash; it’s an opportunity to connect with a local and see their home country through their eyes. 

Oftentimes accommodation on Couchsurfing will be outside the city center so be sure you know how you’ll get around. Also, many hosts require guests to stay a certain number of days so they don’t get people only interested in a free bed.

House Sitting: Truthfully, there aren’t a ton of house sitting options in Japan , however, it’s worth a shot if you have really flexible dates.

WorkAway: Volunteer your time in exchange for room and board. Many places require that you stay at least a week (or sometimes even two!), so you’ll need to have a flexible schedule. This can be a great way to see a different side of Japan than you’d see otherwise. Just be sure to read reviews before you make a commitment.

Here are some opportunities that look pretty cool:

• Volunteer on an organic farm.
• Here’s another organic farm opportunity, just for good measure!
• Work at a B&B near a ski resort.
• Volunteer on a bee farm.
• Help in an art village.

And those are just a handful! 

Tips for saving money on entertainment in Japan

There are some really great budget options for entertainment in Japan if you know where to look. Below are our top tips that will save you money on entertainment in Japan:

24. Find free (and cheap!) things to do

Japan is full of exciting activities and things to do , but trying to do and see everything can easily rack up your budget. Finding cheap—or better yet, free!—things to do in Japan is a great way to cut down on costs. 

Here are just a handful of our favorite free/cheap experiences:

• Explore local markets
• Wander around parks
• People-watch on super busy streets
• Go to an arcade
• Try Purikura (Japanese photo booth)
• Explore historic districts
• Visit Shrines and temples

We have a whole section at the bottom of this article with more free and cheap things to do. Jump down to see the rest !

25. Choose your entertainment wisely

There are some tours and experiences that are well worth the splurge, whereas other activities can be done on your own without a tour group at all! 

When planning your trip to Japan on a budget, write down all your bucket list experiences that you absolutely must do.

Now, go through that list and determine which things you can do on your own for less money than tour operators charge. And for those things that you absolutely have to book, like visiting the TeamLab Borderless Museum , Universal Studios , or doing the Alpine Route , write down the prices and keep that in mind as you create your travel budget. 

Insider Tip: Compare prices of the same tour between Airbnb Experiences , Get Your Guide , and Klook . Sometimes tours are on just one platform, and other times they’re on all three, allowing you to choose the cheapest version.

It’s okay to have some splurges , as long as you are prepared for them. 

Don’t let a small budget make it feel like you can’t do the experiences you’ve been dreaming about. Instead, cut costs in other places, like accommodation or food, to even it out.  

26. Limit your shopping

With endless shopping opportunities, it’s easy to get carried away. Before your trip, do some research and make a list of things you want to buy in Japan and include estimated prices. 

Now comes the hard part: Stick to that list during your trip! If you stick to your pre-made list, you’ll make sure that you’re only purchasing things that are really meaningful or special. And you’ll stick to your budget!

Free (& cheap!) things to do in Japan

Japan is not the cheapest travel destination, but there are some free and inexpensive activities you can take advantage of to keep your wallet happy!

• Find a free walking tour: You’ll meet other travelers and learn stories and information that you’d never find out on your own! You can find walking tours in the bigger cities, like Kyoto Free Walking Tour , Osaka Free Walking Tour and Tokyo Free Walking Tour .
• Visiting shrines and temples: Many temples and shrines in Japan are free to enter and explore. For example, Meiji Shrine, which is not far from Tokyo. Just be sure to read up on the etiquette for visiting before you go!
• Explore historic districts: Wander on foot through the historic districts of the various cities/towns you visit in Japan and get a sense of the history of the place—all without paying a dime (or should we say yen!).
• Parks: There are tons of free parks throughout Japan, including Minoo Park outside of Osaka and Arashiyama bamboo grove in Kyoto.
• Join a Meetup: There are plenty of meet up groups that you can find online. Simply Google “Meetups in [your city].” Here is the Meetup site for Tokyo .
• Explore the markets: There are thousands of markets all throughout Japan. You can’t miss the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo or the Nishiki Market in Kyoto. We also love the walking street/restaurant haven in the Dotonbori neighborhood of Osaka.
• Go to an arcade: Japan has lots of arcades in major cities where you can enter for free and pay a few coins to play games. Be sure to try Pachinko, Japan’s glammed-up version of pinball. We have instructions in our article here . 
• Try Purikura: These Japanese photo booths are a quick and fun experience and a great way to bring home a cheap souvenir!

More resources for traveling in Japan

We have TONS of resources on travel in Japan and destinations throughout the country. Check out our  Ultimate Japan Travel Guide  for all the answers to your most burning questions, or read some of our favorite articles below!

• Japan Trip Planner: How to Plan Your First Trip to Japan
• How Many Days in Japan is Enough?
• Best Time to Visit Japan: When to Go & When to Avoid
• Japan Rail Pass: Where to Buy & Is It Worthwhile?
• Renting a Car in Japan: Essential Driving Tips You Need to Know!
• Japan Travel Cost: Exactly How Much is a Trip to Japan?
• One Week in Japan: Best Itinerary for Your First Visit
• Expert Tips for Visiting Japan (Dos and Don’ts!)
• Japan Pocket Wifi vs. Japanese SIM Card: Review & Comparison
• Best Japan Travel Apps
• Foods to Eat in Japan: Guide to Japanese Cuisine
• Helpful Japanese Words & Phrases to Know for Traveling in Japan 

Be sure to download our  complete packing list for Japan !  It’s packed with good suggestions and  insider tips  to help plan your Japan trip. And it’s completely  FREE , so why not!?

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We want to hear from you!

Which of these money-saving tips for traveling Japan on a budget do you think will be the most helpful? Do you have any more budget tips you think we should add to this list? Comment below and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Comments (3) on “ Japan on a Budget: 26 Money-Saving Tips + Free Things to Do! ”

I read your article so good , thanks for share

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Budget Travel in Japan – Ultimate Backpacking Guide [2024]

• Last Updated: February 5, 2024

From seeing up close the famous Mt Fuji, exploring the architecture of Japanese castles to slurping down the best bowl of ramen you ever had, all these epic memories to-be-made are possible even with our guide to  budget travel in Japan .

Today’s Japan is a fascinating example of blending the ancient traditions and modern day culture.

Throughout the country you’ll witness dynamic mountainscapes in stark contrast to futuristic cities that are inspiring new trends in architecture worldwide.

It’s also thought of to be notoriously expensive but we managed to travel to Japan on a budget, and so can you.

Table of Contents

Get A JR Rail Pass

Take some flights, deals in hiroshima, deals in osaka, deals in kyoto, deals in tokyo, cheap eating and drinking in japan, save this pin for later, budget travel in japan.

Japan has had a reputation as being expensive for a very long time, people paying hundreds of dollars for a piece of Kobe beef or a sliver of the finest blue fin tuna.

Prices of hotels can be among some of the most expensive in the world. Public travel, whilst incredibly reliable, can sometimes be quite expensive.

Well, some of this is true and some of it is a little more than a rumour that we have all perpetuated. Many people are put off traveling around for a long period of time because of the belief that the costs will be astronomical.

This isn’t always the case.

We have just finished 1 month of travel in Japan and it is comfortably cheaper than Australia, New Zealand, Western Europe and in some cases is even cheaper than China!

It sounds crazy, but here are a few really simple tips for budget travel in Japan that will save you some dollars on your next trip.

Note – At time of travel $1 USD was equal to about 110 Japanese Yen.

READ MORE: Don’t miss our brand new complete guide to help you travel to Japan!

This is a no-brainer. Anyone travelling between cities in Japan should consider investing in one of these.

However be very careful about which JR pass you choose as you could end up spending more than you need to.

I’ll use our situation as an example.

We spent our first 12 days figuring out an excellent Hokkaido itinerary , which is absolutely incredible and definitely our favourite part of Japan. From Sapporo we flew down to Hiroshima .

From here we planned to go on to Miyajima, Osaka, Himeji, Nara, Kyoto and Tokyo.

A few of these were day trips and a few were for a bit longer, but as you can see we had a lot of travel ahead of us.

A regular JR pass that allows travel across the whole country costs 29,100 yen. This is incredibly reasonable. If you take a train from Tokyo to Kyoto, throw in a day trip to Nara and you’ve started saving money.

Our plan was as follows:

• 3 days – Hiroshima and Miyajima
• 2 days – Osaka
• 1 day – Himeji
• 1 day – Nara
• 4 days – Kyoto
• 5 days – Tokyo

We decided to purchase a Kansai-Hiroshima pass through JR West for 13,500 yen per person.

We activated this when we travelled from Hiroshima to Osaka. We used it for our day trips to Himeji, Nara and our trip to Kyoto. We then travelled from Kyoto to Tokyo by night bus for 6500 yen per person.

A total of 20,000 yen, 9000 yen less than a 7 day rail pass.

We would not have had time to do everything we wanted to do around Kansai and get to Tokyo in 7 days. Hence why we elected to go this route.

The JR pass website states that a JR pass cannot be used on the Nozomi or Mizuho trains. However if you purchase ANY JR west railway pass, which ours was, you can use these trains. This is great for longer routes, notably Hiroshima to Osaka/Kyoto.

Plan where you want to go and what you want to see and then search on the Klook website to find the pass that best fits your plan.

You could end up saving yourself a lot of money.

I read about this little deal on the amazing website Japanguide , a must for anyone planning a trip to the land of the rising sun.

In essence, this deal covers cheap flights all over Japan for any visitors to the country. It’s advertised as a 10,000 yen deal however there are some flights that are cheaper and some that are slightly more expensive.

We paid 10,000 yen each to fly from Sapporo to Hiroshima. If we were to booked these flights without this deal it would cost us closer to 50,000 yen per ticket.

There are two airlines that participate in this amazing deal: JAL and ANA. We ended up flying with ANA and it was great.

One thing to remember is that for this to work you usually have to book from outside Japan. As always in Japan there are a variety of deals.

The deals that we researched are linked below, but the link above has information on all of the deals available.

• JAL – Japan Explorer Pass
• ANA – Experience Japan

Both of these links take you straight to the booking page where you can research and compare prices. This deal is a must for anyone looking to get away from the Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka route. This saved us a huge amount of money.

Day Passes for Attractions

Many of Japan’s cities have a variety of day passes allowing giving unlimited rides and even discounts to various attractions. This is a lifesaver for budget travel in Japan.

In Hiroshima you can purchase a 1 day street car and ferry pass for 840 yen. This is a great option if you are doing Miyajima as a day trip.

• Street Car to Miyajimaguch i = 280 1 way – total of 560
• Ferry to Miyajima = 180 yen 1 way – total of 360
• 560+360 = 920

This also means that you can use the streetcars to get around in the evening as your legs will be knackered after a day in Miyajima.

In Osaka you can pick up the “Osaka Amazing Pass” that covers subway and entry in a huge number of attractions for one day.

When we used it we headed to Osaka Castle, did the HEP5 ferris wheel, went to the top of the Umeda tower and took in an evening cruise (which was not that great to be honest).

It costs 2500 and it ended up saving us 2500 yen in transport and entrance fee’s definitely worth it.

Possibly the most popular tourist destination in Japan (it certainly felt that way when we were there).

Kyoto’s subway system is quite useful for accessing Northern Higashiyama and the city centre, but other than that it’s the bus and JR that are king.

However the JR routes to Arashiyama and Inari are very cheap so it’s not worth activating a rail pass just for this. Save it for intercity travel.

Kyoto’s bus network is both extensive and convenient. For 500 yen you can pick up an all day bus. You end up saving money if you take 3 or more buses. With Kyoto’s sites spread all over the city, this will not be a problem.

Here’s our list of the best things to do in Kyoto .

Japans greatest urban metropolis has one of the most impressive and confusing transportations systems on planet earth. The truth is there are huge number of tickets. Outlines of all of them are listed here .

Suica: This is just a simple subway card, like the oyster card in London or the octopus card in Hong Kong. You need to pay a 500 yen deposit for the card, but this is returned to you when you return the card at the end of your trip. Also the fares a few yen cheaper than if you buy tickets at the machine. They can be used on every line in Tokyo.

All Day Pass:  There are 2 all-day pass options. The all-day metro card for 600yen which can only be used on the Tokyo metro, or you can include the Toei lines for 1500yen.

We found the all-day metro card fantastic value. If you take 4 trips you will be saving money. Just remember, neither of these passes include the JR lines, so sometimes the journeys are a little longer.

While you’re at it, check out these great things to do in Tokyo.

Eating out in Japan can be extremely cheap, in some case it was far cheaper than eating similar food in Beijing. Obviously eating out can be as cheap or as expensive as you wish, but here is a very rough price guide based on 2 people eating.

• 500-1000 Yen – Bento boxes – can be brought from any convenience store
• 1000-1500 Yen – Ramen and Udon
• 1500-2000 Yen – Katsu Curry
• 2000-3000 Yen – Tempura Sets
• 3000-5000 Yen – Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ), Izakaya/Yakitori (Japanese style pub serving sticks of meat, sashimi and other wonderful delights), Sushi and Sukiyaki (type of Japanese hot pot)

This is not a definitive list, but it’s generally a good guide as to what type of food is generally cheaper or more expensive.

The big thing that raises the cost of meal is alcohol. A couple of draft beers would generally add at least 1000 yen to the bill. So an easy way to save is to limit your alcohol intake.

Budget Accommodation in Japan

Accommodation is usually the most expensive part of any trip.

Hokkaido – Booking.com and agoda.com offered us the best rates for anything outside Sapporo. In this region of Japan AirBnB is can be pretty pricey. In the national parks it can be around 9000yen per night, with breakfast included. However this is offset by the cost of food being much cheaper than other parts of Japan.

Hiroshima to Tokyo – Here AirBnB was generally cheaper and that was what we used the majority of the time.  We managed to rent entire apartments for half the price of a hotel room in Hokkaido.

Another thing to be aware of is that paying for 2 beds in a dorm is usually more expensive that getting a room in a hotel or guesthouse, so plan accordingly.

Sign up using our AirBnB link to get $50 credit to go towards your first booking and make help make your trip even cheaper.

In truth Japan is much more affordable than people would believe. Hope you found this useful. Head over to www.abearandapig.com to see more of what we do.

That’s it for our guide to budget travel in Japan. Please leave a comment below if you found this article useful, or if you have anything else to add.

Richard Barnes

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

We’ve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best destinations and adventures.

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People may think that Japan is very expensive, but there are many ways to travel in there very cheaply if you know some “secrets” like right organizations where you can get some very unbelievable travel deals 😉

What kind of organizations would those be?

Thanks for sharing this kind of information Thanks for the tips I’ve always enjoyed traveling, the idea of seeing the world fascinated me, but I was never able to take a very long trip

Thank you for your comment Luana. Travelling is definitely amazing in so many ways. Hope you can travel where you want to soon and stay for a long trip and immerse yourself in the country and the people. Happy travel planning 🙂

I love to visit this places in japan this year..Thanks for sharing such kind of information..I think Travelling is the most important way to enjoy life and know something different from your routines..

We agree. Travel is amazing. Have a great trip.

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A local’s guide to visiting Japan on a budget

Japan is a dream destination for many travellers, yet all too often people delay or put off their trips entirely because of one looming fear: the cost.

Perhaps it’s the image of Japan as a futuristic tech hub, the Lost in Translation -esque city view bars where the cocktail prices are enough to warrant another ATM visit, or the idea of those $100 department store melons that seem to make the rounds of the Internet every so often.

The first time I visited Japan, I came with the same stereotypical expectations. I thought Japan was going to burn a hole through my pocket, and in some ways it did, simply because, as a tourist new to the country, I didn’t know the local alternatives.

The Sagano Bamboo Forest in Arashiyama, 15 minutes from Kyoto by train, is one of Japan’s most photographed sights.

After 8 years based here, I can say that Japan rivals many developed nations with its budget friendliness, and today I’m on a mission to show you just how affordable it can be with some of my favorite travel hacks for sightseeing and dining. So let’s travel Japan on a budget.

Take advantage of free attractions and events

It may come as a surprise, but a lot of major attractions in Japan are actually free. With the notable exception of Kyoto, most temples and shrines around the country are free of charge. As are most natural sightseeing spots – like the deer park in Nara, the bamboo forest near Kyoto, cherry blossom viewing areas , and even Mt. Fuji.

Visit Mt. Fuji and the surrounding Five Lakes area for some of the most iconic scenery in the country.

Traditional festivals are free too and are a fascinating window into Japanese culture. Summer is peak festival season , but you can find them all year round.

READ: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO 7 DAYS IN JAPAN BOOK: A BUDGET-FRIENDLY EXPRESS TOUR OF JAPAN

Sightseeing combo tickets & special offers for foreign tourists

Japan has an insane number of sightseeing tickets that include discounted transportation, and even entry tickets, meals or other services as a combo deal. There are some that run year round, while others change depending on the season or during special events.

A great place to start your search is by checking the ‘free passes’ available. They aren’t actually free but they usually refer to unlimited travel within certain areas. One of the most popular is the Hakone Free Pass, which allows you to explore the this popular hot spring area near Mt. Fuji with unlimited use of Odakyu-affiliated buses, trains, boats (it looks like a pirate ship, by the way!), cable cars and ropeways, and also includes discounts on various attractions.

Explore Hakone on its variety of transportation offerings for an all-inclusive price.

To find out about the multitude of deals on offer, head into one of the tourist information offices or ticket centers at or near train stations. Many of the best discounts are foreign tourist specific, so remember to bring your passport with you to prove you are visiting Japan as a tourist.

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Skip paid towers and go to free observation decks instead

The thing about popular towers is that they can be expensive, you often spend ages in line and then the view is so weather dependent.

Instead of Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower, head to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building for a free city view instead – go to the south tower for the best panoramic view. In Kyoto, consider the station’s free Sky Garden, rather than the paid Kyoto Tower across the road. Bonus: you can capture these towers in your photos!

Looking out at the view from Tokyo’s Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku.

Visit attractions on free admission days or at a discount

Many museums will have a free admission day, either once a month or for special holidays or events. It’s worthwhile checking the websites of the places you want to visit and planning your sightseeing around free days or discounted times.

Insider tip: If you’re short on time but are looking for an authentic cultural experience, check out Urban Adventures for a local-led day tour. They have itineraries in Tokyo , Kyoto and Osaka !

High quality Japanese food at a good price

When I’m hungry and want to eat good quality Japanese food, I love to go to Ootoya . It serves delicious teishoku style food – a traditional Japanese set meal with rice, miso soup and pickles – and is a must-try on any trip to Japan. One of my favorite dishes is the black vinegar chicken and vegetables. You can expect to pay around $8-10 for a meal here in a comfortable, restaurant-style setting.

If you’re really hungry or just a big eater, request your rice oomori for a larger than average serving of rice at no extra cost. Ootoya is a chain that you can find all over the country.

One of my other Ootoya picks, this one for a meal on the lighter side: the charcoal grilled basil chicken and vegetables.

Take advantage of lunchtime specials

Lunchtime is king for good-value meal deals. Japanese restaurants are renowned for having multiple menus. Be sure to sift through them all and locate the one with the daily lunch specials – usually called higawari ranchi. You can often find a set meal that also includes a drink and maybe even a small dessert for $5-7.

LOVE JAPANESE FOOD? CHECK OUT THIS 12-DAY CULINARY TOUR OF THE COUNTRY

Grab a ticket for a cheap meal

For a cheap meal on-the-go, you can try a vending machine restaurant.

Simply buy a ticket at the machine and then present it to the staff in exchange for your meal. Popular dishes at such restaurants include udon and soba noodles, and Japanese curry. You can find them everywhere and can easily get a meal for $3-4.

Waiting for my meal at a station vending machine restaurant.

Here’s an example of a typical set meal you can find at vending machine restaurants. It is a cold soba (great for the hot summer season!) with tempura prawns.

Did someone say free beer?

Yep, you can even try alcohol for free by taking advantage of the various free tours offered by Japanese breweries and distilleries. One example is the Suntory tour in Tokyo where you can get a free tour of the beer factory (in Japanese) that concludes with a tasting of three of their beers.

A free shuttle bus is even provided from the south side of Bubaigawara train station, near the horse-mounted samurai statue.

RELATED: 13 JAPANESE SNACKS YOU HAVE TO TRY

Conveyor  belt sushi restaurants

For a sushi fix that won’t break the bank, head to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, where you can get a plate for around $1.

Plates usually include two pieces of sushi and allow you to try all kinds of sushi varieties that you may not have the chance to experience back home. I never spend more than $10, including a drink and miso soup, and always leave extremely satisfied.

ANOTHER INCREDIBLE JAPANESE CULINARY EXPERIENCE: CONVENIENCE STORE FOOD

Eat street food

Grabbing a bite at street food stalls is not only fairly friendly on the wallet, but it allows you to literally taste Japan through its variety of snack foods. Osaka is one of the best places for street food in the country. (Check out this definitive guide to Osaka’s food scene.)

You absolutely cannot leave without trying takoyaki , balls of batter filled with octopus, and okonomiyaki , a savory Japanese-style pancake. Expect to pay around $5 for a light meal.

The experience is made all the more interesting with the gaudy, singing and moving sign displays along and around the Dotonbori shopping strip.

Takoyaki on the hotplate – one of my all-time favorite Japanese snacks!

Go to “family” restaurants & get the drink bar

Famiri resu are not just for families. They are often bustling at lunch and dinnertime with students, workers and couples because they provide some of the best value meals around. My favorite one is Italian style Saizeriya , where you can get pizza and pasta for less than 4 bucks a pop.

For less than $2, you can add the drink bar , which you’ll find at similar restaurants all over the country. This allows you unlimited soft drinks, juices, teas and coffees, including machine brews like lattes and cappuccinos.

Saizeriya also have the cheapest restaurant alcohol I’ve found anywhere – a glass of the house white or red is less than a dollar and 500ml decanters are around $3.60. Share a bottle of some of their ‘nicer’ wines with friends for just $10.

Tempted to visit this awe-inspiring country (even on a budget)? Check out our range of small group adventures in Japan.

(Hero image c/o Luke Attard. All other images c/o Jessica Korteman at notesofnomads.com)

Feeling inspired?

Jessica Korteman

Jessica Korteman is a travel writer based in Tokyo, Japan. Never without a pen and paper, you'll most often find her delving into the world of festivals and culture, and on the search for what makes a destination truly unique. Find her latest adventures on her blog, notesofnomads.com

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Travel Budget

This page is meant to give you a rough idea of the cost of individual travel in Japan by introducing some sample budgets. Note that accommodation rates can increase during peak seasons in popular destinations which is not reflected by the numbers below. View also our pages about budget travel , package tours and suggested itineraries to see the sample budgets applied to specific itineraries.

Sample daily budgets

The numbers below do not include the cost for transportation and heightened accommodation rates during peak seasons. Click here for the current yen exchange rates.

Accommodation

Below are typical rates for accommodation outside the peak seasons . Rates can increase considerably during the peak seasons! Check our accommodation page for more information on different accommodation types and corresponding price ranges.

Low budget: 3,000 - 5,000 yen per night and person Dormitories and hostels , found in most cities of Japan, typically charge below 5000 yen per night and person. Furthermore, booking services like Hostelworld offer great deals.

Medium budget: 6,000 - 12,000 yen per single room and night 8,000 - 15,000 yen per double room and night At this level, you will find rooms in business hotels , minshuku and inexpensive, no-frills ryokan . Some tour packages (for individual travelers) include accommodation at quality Western-style hotels at this price level.

High budget: over 12,000 yen per single room and night over 15,000 yen per double room and night Starting around 12,000 yen per person, you can get rooms in better business hotels and inexpensive Western-style hotels. A stay at a ryokan with two meals included typically costs between 15,000 and 30,000 yen per person and night. For a room in a 4 or 5 star Western-style hotel, you typically pay from 25,000 to 50,000 yen per room and night.

Low budget: 500 yen per day At this level, you will have to live from convenience store food (bread, rice balls, etc.) and fast food restaurants like McDonald's or Mister Donut which offer inexpensive breakfasts.

Medium budget: 500 - 1000 yen per day Many coffee shops and some restaurants in shopping areas and around train stations offer breakfast sets for around 500 to 1000 yen.

High budget: above 1000 yen per day Hotel breakfasts and breakfast buffets will usually cost you more than 1000 yen. Breakfast buffets in first-class hotels typically cost at least 3000 yen.

Low budget: 500 - 800 yen per day Inexpensive lunch boxes are available in convenience stores and stands in railway stations and business districts. Various fast food restaurants , specializing in noodles, curry, domburi or hamburger, also offer relatively filling meals for 800 yen or less.

Medium budget: 800 - 1500 yen per day At this level you will have an even larger range of inexpensive restaurants such as the above mentioned fast food places, plus restaurants which offer lunch set specials for around 1000 yen.

High budget: above 1500 yen per day A lunch at better restaurants costs typically between 1500 and 3000 yen.

Low budget: 500 - 1000 yen per day Convenience stores sell various, inexpensive ready-to-eat meals. Other options are again cheap fast food restaurants .

Medium budget: 1000 - 2500 yen per day Conventional restaurants are generally more expensive in the evening than during lunch time, as there are no lunch specials. At this level, you will be able to enjoy a nice dinner at a wide range of fast food and conventional restaurants, including the restaurants found in department stores where meals typically cost between 1000 and 2500 yen, not including alcoholic drinks.

High budget: above 2500 yen per day With 3000 yen per person you will be able to have a good dinner at a wide range of restaurants . Calculate 5000 yen upwards per person for a dinner at upper class restaurants specializing in sushi , French cuisine, sukiyaki, kaiseki ryori, steaks, etc.

Sightseeing

Low budget: 0 - 500 yen per day Japan offers many free attractions. Most shrines and some temples do not charge admission fees. A few museums charge no admission on one day of the week or month.

Medium budget: 500 - 2000 yen per day Admission to famous temples costs between 300 and 1000 yen. Most museums and castles charge about 500-1500 yen per person.

High budget: above 2000 yen per day Some museums and attractions (usually outstanding ones or tourist traps) charge between 1,500 and 3,000 yen per person. Admission to large theme parks typically cost around 5,000-10,000 yen per day.

Transportation

Low budget: Highway buses , the Japan Bus Pass and the Seishun 18 Kippu (only available during certain times of the year) are among the cheapest ways of traveling in Japan.

All budgets: Travelers of all budgets should consider purchasing a rail pass . Over long distances, domestic flights are often more economical, if you take advantage of the various discount offers .

Questions? Ask in our forum .

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

2 Week Japan Itinerary | With Budget and Top Tips

by Bex Band | Last modified on Mar 3, 2024 | Japan

I put together this comprehensive itinerary for 2 weeks in Japan based on my first time visiting the country (with a few tweaks based on my subsequent visits). I’ve shared what were the highlights and what you should leave out….specifically for someone visiting Japan for the first time. To make the planning as easy as possible for you, I’ve also included a budget breakdown and top tips for travelling in the country.

From cat cafes to cherry blossom picnics and robot shows to bowing deer….Japan is like nowhere else on the planet. It’s one of my favourite countries!

2 weeks isn’t a lot of time to explore Japan. Thankfully though, the efficient transport system makes it possible to fit in a lot during that time. Most visitors will have a budget to stick to as it is a pricey destination. So you’ll want to do a fair bit of planning to ensure make the most of your perfect Japan itinerary.

A few notes on my budget and travelling style

I’d describe my itinerary as energetic and diverse. I wanted to fit in as much of Japan as possible (while ensuring it wasn’t so fast you couldn’t get a feel for the places) with a good mix of city and towns, old and new.

I was travelling on a low-medium budget….with a splash of luxury. It’s really worth stretching the budget for a couple of top-end nights in Japan! If you are 2 people (as I was – travelling with my husband) often the price of a double in a simple hotel works out the same as 2 people in a hostel room.

A lot of the Ryokans (traditional Japanese Inns) also include meals so while they might initially seem expensive, once you’ve factored in the food, and the experience, they are actually quite reasonable.

Before we start….

If you are new to this blog, I’m Bex Band – a full-time UK adventurer and founder of the women’s adventure community, Love Her Wild . I’m on a mission to make the travelling and going on adventures as easy as possible. You can read more about me here .

If you have any questions, please do use the comments box below. And for ongoing tips and inspiration, make sure you follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

2 week Japan itinerary

This is the exact itinerary of my 2 week Japan visit (note the changes I’d make below). Prices below from my Japan 2 week itinerary are all per night for 2 people sharing a double room (updated 2022). I made all the bookings online in advance.

• Tokyo – 2 nights
• Osaka – 2 nights
• Koya San – 1 night
• Miyajima – 1 night
• Kyoto – 3 nights
• Hakuba – 2 nights
• Yudanaka – 1 night

2 x nights TOKYO

What did we do: I used these 2 days to see the highlights of the city going to Shibuya park (and the crossing), taking a boat ride, seeing the markets of Asakusa and catching a show at the Robot Restaurant.

Where did we stay: Kiba Capsules Hotel – $45 A capsules hotel offering couples and single capsules. Such a great Japanese experience!!! Only worth staying here if you are a couple and looking to share as there are nicer capsule hotels available for singles. If you are looking for the best single room capsule you’ll want to check out Nine Hours .

If staying in a capsule hotel isn’t your thing I’d recommend the Knot Hotel Shinjuku ($75) which is in a great location and is a really nice hotel at a good price.

2 x nights OSAKA

What did we do: The first day I saw a sumo wrestling match and spent the evening in Dotonbori, a packed district full of restaurants, shops and lights. The second day I spent at Universal Studios.

Where did we stay: Drop Inn Osaka – $60 Basic private Ryokan rooms at an affordable price. It is a very modern hotel with a great location (walking distance from the station, which is handy) and helpful staff. I would definitely stay here again.

1 x night KOYA SAN

What did we do: This was my favourite place of the trip, don’t hesitate to visit. The journey initially seems complicated but was very easy and didn’t take long.

While there we saw the Okunoin Cemetery both in the day and at night (completely different experiences) and spent the rest of the time enjoying our temple lodgings with its traditional monk cuisine.

Where did we stay: Shukubo Fudoin – $240 (dinner & breakfast included) Incredible Temple lodgings with beautiful grounds, delicious vegan cuisine, a modern onsen and friendly monks. I loved staying here, it was a highlight of the trip. You can even join the monks in the morning to observe the morning prayer.

All the temples in the area are expensive but it is well worth the money. They also include an impressive breakfast and dinner experience.

1 x night MIYAJIMA

What did we do: We arrived on the island by early afternoon to get the cable car to the top of Mt Misen before watching the sunset behind the Torii gate.

Where did we stay: Coral Hotel – $65 (breakfast included) A simple western hotel right by the Miyajima ferry port, offering good views of the island. Basic but comfortable and cheap. We saved a lot of money by not staying on the island. The ferry is easy to catch and runs until quite late so I don’t think it’s worth spending the extra to be on Miyajima Island unless you really want to.

Another option would be to use Hiroshima as your base as you need to pass through here to get to Miyajima Island. You are then conveniently located for visiting the Atomic Bomb museum with more restaurant and nightlife options for the evenings. I’d suggest staying at Hatchobori Hiroshima ($120 breakfast included) for its convenient location.

3 x nights KYOTO

What did we do: On the way to Kyoto, we broke up the journey and stopped at Hiroshima to see the A-Bomb memorial and museum (taking about 3 hours total….it was enough time as it’s not an easy museum to take in).

We also stopped at Himeji to visit the castle (we had 3 hours in the castle). For both, you can use railway lockers at the train stations to store suitcases.

For our 3 nights in Kyoto, we hired an electric bike (about $15 a day) which provided a great way to see the never-ending temples and the palaces.

Seeing a Geisha dance was particularly memorable (only available during cherry blossom season. Tickets are hard to come by, but we used this website and asked them to organise the tickets for us). On our final morning in Kyoto, we visited NARA to see the giant Buddha and the bowing dear.

Where did we stay: Kyoto Tower Hotel – $110 A great value hotel for Kyoto which is an expensive city. The location near the station makes it a perfect base for exploring.

On a later trip to Kyoto, we stayed at Hotel tou nishinotoin kyoto ($70), a relatively new hotel that propped up in 2023. Its beautiful, comfy rooms and a beautiful hot bath.

If you want somewhere more budget then Piece Hostel ($50) is the place for you! There are also some really good Airbnb options in the area, which have the advantage of a kitchen, so you can save a lot of money on food as well.

2 x nights HAKUBA

What did we do: We arrived late in Hakuba, so we spent the evening enjoying the mountainous views and having numerous hot spring baths. The following day, I went to see the Olympic jump before having my first ever skiing lesson.

Where did we stay: Hakuba Onsen Ryokan Shiroumaso – $190 (breakfast and dinner) Just amazing! A really fantastic family-run Ryokan – don’t hesitate to stay here. This felt like traditional Japan with a lot of luxury. The food here was also great. I loved my stay here; definitely worth the price for a bit of luxury.

1 x night YUDANAKA

What did we do: We spent a night in Yudanaka, which is the closest town to see the famous Snow Monkeys. Check my review below, though, to hear my thoughts on the snow monkeys….you’ll probably want to skip this!

Where did we stay: Yudanaka Seifuso – $110 A very traditional family-run ryokan. The family don’t speak a word of English but are sweet and welcoming. The rooms were just ok. Being around the family was what made this stay nice.

What did we do: Returning to Tokyo, we spent the first day in Uneo Park, experiencing the cherry blossom in full bloom and all the festivities. The final day was spent at DisneySea – a lot of fun!

Where did we stay: Tokyo Hilton Odaiba – $220 Top, luxurious hotel – we like to finish our holidays in style. A comfortable location for the bay, close to Disney, offering a free shuttle. Well worth splashing out on. With a rooftop infinity pool (AMAZING), phenomenal service and the biggest breakfast layout I’ve seen.

What would I change?

We managed to fit in a lot more than I thought was possible because trains are just so quick and easy. They are also very comfortable and clean so I didn’t feel tired from the long journeys.

The train station lockers are great for fitting in quick stops to see sights along the way without needing to stay overnight.

This 2 week Japan itinerary was busy but I felt like it was a good pace. The hot onsen most evenings meant that I felt like I got lots of relaxation time even though most days we were on the move and seeing lots.

Koya San, although a bit tricky to get to, really is a definite. Miyajima makes a great day out, but I wouldn’t spend any more than a day there.

Hakuba also turned out to be really fun, and I loved skiing, seeing the mountains and also experiencing a different side to Japan. If you weren’t keen on skiing, though, I would skip Hakuba in favour of Kanazawa.

The biggest disappointment was Yudanaka . It was expensive to get to (it wasn’t covered by the JR Pass) and took a long time. The monkeys themselves are in a grotty area, and there really is nothing else to do in the area. They throw rice into the pools to make the monkeys go in them as it wasn’t that cold when I was there. Don’t go – it’s not worth it!

If I dropped Yudanaka and Hakuba from the 2 week Japan Itinerary, I would have spent the extra days in Kanazawa visiting the famous garden and art museum with an overnight visit to Shirakawa-go and Gokayama on the way back to Toyko (see my suggested alternative Japan 2 week itinerary below).

Some people suggest spending more time in Tokyo and Kyoto. For me, 3 days exploring both was enough time. Although there was more I wanted to see in Kyoto, it is also very touristy, so I was happy to have a change after a few days.

Alternative Japan 2-week itinerary

With all that in mind – if you weren’t desperate to see the snow monkeys or try your hand skiing, then this could be an alternative itinerary:

• Koy San – 1 night
• Miyajima – 1 night (staying in Hiroshima and doing Miyajima as a day trip)
• Kyoto – 3 nights (day trip to Nara)
• Kanazawa – 2 nights
• Shirakawa-go and Gokayama – 1 night

Travel insurance for Japan

On my most recent journey, my luggage was misplaced during the connecting flight to Tokyo, resulting in me spending the first five days of my trip without my checked bag. Fortunately, the airport located my bag and sent it to my hotel. This experience underscores the crucial importance of travel insurance. It’s advisable to purchase it as soon as you book your flights.

World Nomads Travel Insurance

It’s important that you have travel insurance for your travels. World Nomads are a travel insurer that I’ve used multiple times before for my adventures. World Nomads covers more than 150 adventure sports and activities and worldwide coverage.

I’m part of World Nomads’ affiliate program (which means I get a small recommenders fee if you choose to use them, at no extra cost to you). Get a quote here .

When is the best time to visit Japan?

The most obvious answer is Spring to see the cherry blossom. Although it was busy, it was mostly with Japanese tourists who were quiet and considerate, so the crowds didn’t feel too much.

It is well worth going for the blossom as it makes the whole country look so pretty and there is a real sense of excitement and celebration. It will also give you an opportunity to see the Geisha Spring Dance. Weatherwise it was sunny and pleasant but still a bit cold. Most days I was wearing my coat. It didn’t rain once while we were there.

Japan has very defined seasons. Summer can get very hot and uncomfortable and winter can be bitterly cold, even snowing. For this reason, Autumn is a more comfortable time to travel if you don’t want to go in spring. The Autumn colours across the country are also very pretty!

Japan Rail Pass – a must!!

The trains in Japan are very expensive. But if you are a visiting tourist, you are eligible for a Japan Rail Pass. Getting this card is a no-brainer. It will give you unlimited travel across most of Japan’s rail network, allowing you free access to visit all the major places – Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Osaka, etc, etc.

The cost for the pass is:

7 Days – $279 14 Days – $445 21 Days – $570

To get a railcard, just follow this link and purchase the length of time that you want. Do this in advance of your holiday. When you arrive in Japan, head to the JRP help desk (you’ll find them in airports and train stations) and swap your receipt for your bass booklet. There can sometimes be a bit of a queue so factor this in.

I’d suggest reading this helpful guide to using the pass, which says where you can exchange your pass, where it is valid and how to reserve your seats. It is helpful to reserve seats if you can (it’s easy to do) as some of the journeys we took were busy, and we would have been standing otherwise.

How much does 2 weeks in Japan cost?

The budget below is based per person  for the entire 2 week Japan Itinerary laid out above.

The accommodation, which was double rooms shared between 2, has been split in half.

Our accommodation was a mix of budget stays with a few nights of luxury. We didn’t hold back on tickets or events…they’re just too good to miss. Food-wise I was more on the lower end budget (especially as I am a vegetarian) – eating from bakeries, supermarkets, and street food to save costs – with a few exceptions on expensive set menu meals.

Japan being expensive is a bit of a misconception!

I was really surprised by how cheap the holiday worked out to be. The Japan Rail Pass meant that we were able to travel a huge amount at a set price (we definitely got our money’s worth!) and most of the attractions we visited (like temples and museums) only cost a couple of pounds to go in or were free.

It’s not what you would call a cheap destination but it also wasn’t crazy expensive. I found it cheaper than London prices.

Breakdown of budget for 2 weeks in Japan:

Flights  (from London to Tokyo return, via Warsaw on using Lot airlines)- $830 Accommodation – $870 Transport (14-day Japan Rail pass) – $360 Food (Daily cost averaged $30, which in most cases was street food lunch/snacks and a low-average priced dinner) – $420 Sumo Wrestling tickets – $80 Geisha Dance Tickets – $60 Universal Studio Tickets (with express 7 pass) – $80 DisneySea Ticket – $60 Skiing (equipment hire, lift pass and a private 2-hour lesson) – $150 Daily costs (averaging $20 a day for entry to temples, drinks, and small souvenirs) – $280

TOTAL – $3190 (roughly £2,553)

Top tips for visiting Japan

…….Buying the tickets in advance is essential as everything sells out – but problematic because the sites are all in Japanese. We used Buy Sumo Tickets who were brilliant. Not only did they get us sumo tickets but they also brought our Geisha show and Universal Studio tickets for just a small fee.

………I struggled with the food, especially as I am a vegetarian and wish I had brought some snack bars with me to save me the hassle of finding something for the journeys. The supermarkets are bizarre and I often had no idea what I was buying!

……….vegetarian? It’s not an easy country to be veggie in. Check out my Guide to being a vegetarian in Japan for some top tips.

…….If you eat fish, bento boxes are great. These are packed lunches that you can buy for journeys or picnics. You can get them from stall holders and shops in rail stations and shopping malls.

……Tipping is not the done thing in Japan and is even considered rude.

…..Ryokan’s are traditional Japanese inns. You should try to stay in at least one for the experience. They are often cheaper than in Western hotels. I can also recommend checking out Airbnb, especially for longer stays, if you are trying to save money.

……If you stay in a ryokan, you will need to take your shoes off before entering either the building or the room. There will be slippers available for you to use and somewhere to store your shoes.

……I was surprised that barely anyone spoke English. People are incredibly kind and helpful, though, so I never got stuck. If there is something you need to communicate (like eating preferences), get someone with good English to write it down in Japanese on a piece of paper that you can show people.

……Unless you are happy being naked in front of other people, you will need to book hotels with private onsen which are considerably more expensive. The Japanese are incredibly polite and discrete so public bathing isn’t daunting. Learn the etiquette before you go through it.

…….There are lots of new customs to get used to in Japan but don’t worry about offending people. The Japanese are very forgiving and understanding!

……..I’d recommend reading these books before heading to Japan:

• Lonely Planet Japan – offers the most comprehensive guide to travelling around Japan
• Memoirs of a Geisha – the streets of Kyoto come alive in this gripping story told from the perspective of a Geisha living in Japan
• Shogun – another gripping international bestseller set in Japan!
• Death Note – anime is everywhere in Japan and is read by people of all ages. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! The Death Note series is a really good anime book to start with.

You can stay updated with my adventures and advice on Facebook  and  Instagram . Or you can subscribe to my YouTube channel . I give all my advice for free on my website. If you want to say thanks, you can buy me a coffee !

Good luck with your Japan travels……please use the comments below to ask questions or to let me know how you get on 🙂

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24 Comments

Great post!

Thanks Explore 🙂

Really useful post, thank you. Your travelling style is very much like ours, a mix of local and luxury.

Thank you Carole…I’m glad it was helpful! I think a mix of local and luxury makes for the perfect hol. Enjoy Japan!! 🙂

I really liked the info here thanks. I am thinking of visiting Japan next year alone but I’m a fit 72 and wondered if you, as an experienced traveller to Japan, could advise if would be okay with the travelling and also the hostel accommodation. I would appreciate any comments you may have thanks Tess

Thank you Tess. Absolutely….I can’t see any reason why you can’t travel Japan and use the hostel accommodation. Japan is very clean and comfortable no matter what budget level you use! Most of the travellers I met there were a little older. Good luck with your trip. Japan is a brilliant country! 🙂

Thanks Bex. I love traveling alone as I find I meet more people that way and get a better insight into the culture and people. When I go I’ll let you know how I get on thanks again

I think so too! Do let me know how you get on 🙂

Hello Bex, as I am planning a trip to Japan, I made a search and your site popped up. Not only did I find this post particularly useful, but I found your whole site very enjoyable. You have a very nice writing style, keep it up! Cheers Ged

Thank you so much Ged!! Your kind words made my day 🙂

Good blog thanks, very useful tips. Had a couple of gripes about grammar but hey I am the grammar police! Thanks for the insights. Not sure about if it’s worth buying a JR pass if you don’t want to run from one place to another, still weighing that up. Hoping to go to Japan in the fall.

I’m dyslexic so there’s not much I can do about that I’m afraid! It’s probably worth calculating the cost of individual journeys you may take and then comparing it to the railcard. Usually the railcard works out cheaper even if only for a couple of day trips.

Hey, thanks for this post! Maybe I missed it but I wasn’t sure what currency your budget was? Is it USD?

Budget is in USD 🙂

Very informative! Thanks!

Thank you Joanne. Really happy it was of help! 🙂

Hi. We’re planning a trip to Japan for my birthday. This is really helpful. Thank you. Quick question though… is the $2300 per person or for both of you already? Thanks in advance for your reply. ^^

Glad it is helpful! It was $2300 for each of us….so $4600 in total for 2 🙂

Great post! Thanks for sharing the knowledge and keep up the good work.

Thank you Brian!

I’ve been looking around at a bunch of different websites and they say around $4,000 per person, but you say about $2,300 per person. Would it be a better trip if a saved more than what you had?

It’s hard to say as traveling is always very personal. We did a mix of cheap places and then splashed out in some luxury places. So it would depend on your spending habits. I didn’t feel like I needed to spend any more money though.

I’m planning my first trip to Japan in November, and I think I will follow a similar itinerary to the one you propose (skipping the monkeys!) so I was delighted to find your very informative post 🙂 I have one question: did you go straight from Koy San to Miyajima, or did you stop in Osaka or Hiroshima in between? Many thanks!

We stopped in Hiroshima to see the museum then stayed at a hotel by the ferry port to Miyajima. You can get from Koya San to the island in a day but accomodation on Miyajima is very expensive so it’s cheaper to stay in Hiroshima.

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Japan's best budget-friendly destinations

Otaru Canal at night is a sight to behold.

Last updated . 10 October 2022

Dreaming of cherry blossoms, sushi and Mount Fuji? We look at the ultimate budget-friendly getaways in Japan.

Ah Japan – it’s one of Australia’s favourite destinations. And for good reason, really. There’s cityscapes, snowscapes, beachscapes, cherry blossomscapes, and basically everything in between. Perfect for the traveller who loves a bit of variety, but just how budget-friendly is a trip to Japan?

Is Japan expensive to visit?

If you dream of visiting the Land of the Rising Sun, the biggest costs to factor into your trip to Japan are always going to be food, transportation and accommodation.

Food is the most affordable of the three, with plenty of budget-friendly options available around the country.

Transportation in Japan can be expensive, especially if you’re travelling long-distance. However, the Japan Rail Pass can help with that. Instead of paying nearly $200 for a oneway train ticket from Tokyo to Osaka, you can buy an unlimited Japan Rail Pass for $371 for 7 days, $592 for 14 days or $757 for 21 days.

Finally, accommodation is where your budget will be hit the hardest. On the cheaper end of the scale, you’re looking at $50 a night for a hostel in Kyoto.

Accommodation is the third of the big three travel expenses, and unfortunately, it’s not only the most expensive travel cost in Japan, but also the most unavoidable: There’s no special pass for hostels or guest houses and prices for tourists are higher, if anything. For example, you can expect to pay at least ¥3,500 (or about 35 USD) for a dorm bed in a hostel in Kyoto.

The good news is there are plenty of ways to cut down on your costs – and some destinations are cheaper to visit than others. Here is how you can do it on the cheap.

If you’re looking for a taste of traditional Japan, head to Kyoto . Buddhist temples, ancient wooden houses, zen rock gardens and geisha, all nestled within the confines of the neighbouring mountains.

With a population of 1.4 million people, it’s definitely a bustling place, but still filled with hidden gems that will give you your travel kicks.

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto.

1. The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is an incredible, must-visit garden situated just outside the city centre. Here towering bamboo stretches endlessly in every direction and travellers really do feel at peace.

Address: Togetsukyo, Saga, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto 616-8383, Kyoto Prefecture

Onsens are dotted all over Japan, thanks to hot volcanic springs that deliver a steady supply of piping hot water; no trip to the country would be complete without having a soak in one. The city centre Funaoka Onsen on Kuramaguchi-dōri is one of Kyoto’s most celebrated.

Inside you’ll find hot, warm and cold baths, an outdoor rock pool and a cypress-panelled tub. And yes, you will have to abide by tradition and remove all of your clothes.

Address:  82-1 Murasakino Minamifunaokacho, Kita Ward, Kyoto, 603-8225, Japan

Nishiki Market is the place to go for your fill of all the Japanese street food you can eat.

3. Nishiki Market

Head to Nishiki Market for your fill of all the Japanese street food you could want. The traditional food market, which you’ll find in a long alley way, has been in operation for over 400 years. Not only can you walk away full, you can also purchase souvenirs, clothes, gifts, and fresh produce, meat and seafood to take back to your accommodation to cook and eat. There are over 100 stalls, shops and restaurants to choose from, so arrive mid-morning and spend a couple of hours browsing the stalls and eating.

Address:  609 Nishidaimonjicho Tominokoji Dori Shijoagaru ,  Nakagyo, Kyoto 604-8054,  Kyoto Prefecture

Tour the Imperial Palace in Kyoto.

4. Kyoto Imperial Palace

Once home to the emperor of Japan during the Heian period, the Imperial Palace shouldn’t be missed for it’s sheer scale and tranquil gardens. There is no admission fee, so you can wander until your heart’s content. Take in the architecture, immerse yourself in the history and take in the beauty of the manicured gardens.

Address:  3 Kyoto-Gyoen Kamigyo-ku ,  Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-0881,  Kyoto Prefecture

Where to stay

Hotel sunroute kyoto.

The Hotel Sunroute Kyoto  is not only great value for money but is located within walking distance from the downtown shopping district of Kawaramachi. Each reasonably-sized room features wi-fi, flat screen televisions and a pull-out sofa. The hotel also has two restaurants and breakfast is available to book. Prices start at $100 a night per room.

Address:   406 Nanba-cho Matsubara-sagaru, Kawaramachi-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, 600-8027, Japan

Read more: the ultimate travel guide to Kyoto

Though the port town of Otaru is little known to international visitors, it’s a popular destination with Japanese tourists.

A bit off the beaten track, this little town charms travellers with its many local attractions, including several popular museums and a picturesque canal.

1. Eat all the ice cream

Otaru is known for its unique and delicious ice cream flavours. If there is one ice cream parlour you have to visit, it’s Kita-no Aisukurimu-ya-san. Here you’ll find ice cream flavours you’ve never dreamed of tasting! Think sea urchin, beer, wine, sake, tofu and squid. For those who aren’t feeling quite so brave, you can also choose between a variety of more palatable ice cream flavours, including strawberry milk, fresh caramel, apple pie, white peach and many more.

Address:   1-2-18 Ironai ,  Otaru 047-0031,  Hokkaido

2. Otaru Canal

Otaru’s canal is a must, where you can wander along at leisure and admire the 19th and 20th century warehouses that line the waterway. The traditional oil lamps still burn each night along the promenade, making a sunset stroll something extra magical. There are canal boats for hire and walking tours for those after something a little more.

Address:  Minatomachi ,  Otaru 047-0007,  Hokkaido

3. Otaru Museum

While at the Otaru Canal, visit the vibrant Otaru Museum  nearby, with displays featuring Hokkaidō’s natural history, Ainu relics and various exhibitions from all over Japan.

Address:   1-3-6 Temiya ,  Otaru 047-0041,  Hokkaido

Smile Hotel

Located close to major local attractions and the main train station,  Smile Hotel  combines comfort, authentic experiences and amazing value, where two people can stay from just $54 a night.

Address: 3-5-14 Inaho, Otaru, Hokkaido

Kobe at sunset.

Located on Osaka Bay in Central Japan, this multicultural port city is renowned for its beautiful scenery, encompassing a scenic harbour and mountains, earning it a reputation as one of Japan’s most attractive cities.

1. Rokko cable car ride

Take a ride on the antique cable cars connecting Kobe to Mt. Rokko, which is one of the best ways to enjoy the spectacular panoramic views the port has to offer.

Address: Rokkosancho, Nada-ku ,  Kobe 657-0001,  Hyogo Prefecture

The Rokko cable car ride connects Kobe to Mount Rokko.

2. Arima Onsen

Then if you want to venture beyond the Rokko hills, experience the hot outdoor springs and public baths in Arima Onsen .

Address:  Arimacho, Kita-ku ,  Kobe 651-1401,  Hyogo Prefecture

The Arima Onsen is just beyond Rokko hills.

You’ll experience hot outdoor springs and public baths at Arima Onsen.

3. Eat Kobe marbled beef

The fun doesn’t stop at sundown either with many convivial bars to sample sake at, and a variety of restaurants where you can indulge in one of Japan’s delicacies, marbled beef. One of the best places to try the famous beef is at  Wakkoqu.  The beef is cooked in front of you as you dine, there are a variety of set menus and you can choose from a number of side dishes to accompany the beef.

Address:  1-1 Kitanocho, Chuo-ku  |  Shinkobe Oriental Avenue 3F ,  Kobe 650-0002,  Hyogo Prefecture

Hotel Villa Fontaine Kobe-Sannomiya

Set among Kobe’s many restaurants, bars and shops is  Hotel Villa Fontaine Kobe-Sannomiya , where well-appointed rooms (which come with a complimentary buffet breakfast) cost as little as $150 for two people per night.

Address: 4-1-4 Asahi-Dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe 651-0095, Japan

For a more active trip, the island of Hokkaido is an idyllic getaway, famed for its snow-covered slopes at Niseko, one of Japan’s best ski resorts.

1. Hit the slopes

Niseko, one of Japan’s best ski resorts.

2. Hikes and bike trails

If you’re visiting outside of winter months (although there’s snow most of the year); there’s a variety of hikes to tackle, or rent a bike and explore the island’s unspoiled scenery on wheels.

The Lodge Moiwa 834

The Lodge Moiwa 834  ticks all the right boxes with contemporary centrally-located capsule-style accommodation, which won’t break the bank.

A capsule for two costs from $120 per night, and you can purchase discounted ski passes from the hotel.

Address: 447-5 Aza, Niseko 048-1511, Japan

Hailed as the food capital of the country, foodies can’t go past a trip to Osaka . It’s also home to Universal Studios, Osaka Castle and Japan’s answer to Times Square – Dotonbori

Take in the bright neon lights of Osaka’s Dotonbori district.

1. Walk around Dotonbori

Take in the bright neon lights of Dotonbori , window-shop (if you’re on a budget) and stop for dinner at one of the many restaurants on offer to get your fill of ramen, takoyaki balls and all the weird and wonderful Japanese food you can consume.

Address:  Dotonbori, Chuo-ku ,  Osaka 542-0076,  Osaka Prefecture

Sample some delicious takoyaki balls while you’re there.

2. Osaka Castle

Not only is it one of the most beautiful landmarks in Japan,  Osaka Castle , it’s also free to visit the castle grounds and surrounding Nishinomaru gardens. If you wish to enter the castle and take in the view from the top, you’ll pay 600 yen (children under 15 years are free). The 14th century castle is surrounded by water and moat, and is one of the best places to view the famous cherry blossoms during April. Pack a picnic and spend the afternoon in the gardens with the locals.

Address:  1-1 Osakajo, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0002, Japan

Osaka Castle is one of the most beautiful landmarks in Japan.

3. Sumiyoshi Shrine

One of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan, the Sumiyoshi Shrine , with it’s striking red bridge and peaceful atmosphere is a must-see when in Osaka. Built over 1800 years ago, the shrine is beloved for its ornate architecture that is purely Japanese in design (it was built before the influence of Buddhist architecture).

Address:   2-9-89 Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi-ku ,  Osaka 558-0045,  Osaka Prefecture

The Sumiyoshi Shrine is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan.

Hotel Ichiei

For a traditional Ryokan stay with a modern twist, check in at the Hotel Ichiei.  Sleep on a rolled out futon atop tatami mats with the added bonus of all the mod-cons you’re used to. Prices start from $189 a night per room.

Address:  1-6-8 Nanbanaka, Naniwa, Osaka 556-0011 Osaka Prefecture

Read more: the ultimate travel guide to Osaka

Want to know more about Japan? Read our ultimate travel guide to Japan .

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How to plan a free and easy trip to Japan on a budget

After closing to the world since the start of Covid in early 2020, Japan has reopened to all travelers on 11 October 2022. Finally, you can visit Japan without booking through travel agencies or worrying about daily arrival limits, quarantines, Covid tests (if you are fully vaccinated).

Are you as excited as me? Yes! The freedom to rediscover Japan! I miss Japan and everything about Japan. I have received many questions about how to plan a free and easy trip to Japan. To celebrate Japan’s reopening, I have put together this step by step guide with money-saving travel hacks so you can see the best of Japan on a budget.

Table of Contents

Where to visit in Japan?

The first step in your Japan trip planning process is the most difficult step as you have to decide where to visit and plan your itinerary.

Japan is home to 47 prefectures that are spread over 8 main regions: Hokkaido , Tohoku , Kanto (Tokyo) , Chubu , Kinki/Kansai (Kyoto and Osaka) Chugoku , Shikoku , Kyushu  ( Okinawa ).

Most of the links I have provided in this guide are from my favorite website Japan-guide.com . I have been using this website for years as they provide concise and informative travel content. Other useful websites include the JAPAN by Japan website by Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and Cheesie’s Cheeserland blog .

Thanks to the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program , I spent 2 life-changing years in Okinawa and managed to explore Japan and visit 31 prefectures. I am more familiar with Okinawa and the Kyushu region and I usually recommend them to travelers who have been to the “Japan’s trinity of tourist attractions” in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka and are looking for new places in Japan to visit.

Inspired by Rick Steves’ Europe travel guides and the super useful overview he uses to recommend must-see sights in Europe, I have adapted his method for Japan to recommend top destinations for first-time and repeated travelers.

I used to pack many places during my trip. But these days, I prefer to spend more days to explore one place and not do a “fast and furious” trip to tick off bucket list attractions. Here are my recommendations and travel tips! Well, this list may change as I see more of Japan.

One week in Japan (for first-time travellers)

• Tokyo (3 days)
• Kyoto (3 days)
• Osaka (1 day)
• If you have more days, add day trips to Yokohama, Hakone (to view Mount Fuji), and even Disneyland from Tokyo. And add day trips to Nara and Kobe in Kansai (Kyoto and Osaka are in this region).

One week in Japan (for repeated travellers)

• Sapporo, Otaru, Asahikawa (for the amazing  Asahiyama Zoo  if you are traveling in winter and with children), ski resorts like Niseko or Rusutsu, Furano and Biel.
• If you have more than one week, add Abashiri for the spectacular drift ice in winter, Kushiro and Shiretoko for hiking, and Hakodate (the most northern part of Hokkaido).
• Highlights: Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Yufuin, and Beppu.
• If you have more than 1 week, add Kumamoto (Mount Aso), Kagoshima (4-5 days at  Yakushima  for the best hiking experience, Sakurajima, and sand onsen at Ibusuki), Miyazaki for the Takachiko waterfalls, Amakusa islands, Saga (Ureshino onsen), and Kitakyushu.
• Road trip all over Okinawa mainland and trips to outer islands like the Kerama islands.
• If you have more than 1 week, add far-flung islands like Miyako and Ishigaki to your summer adventures.
• Check out my guides to Okinawa:  Top 15 things to do in Okinawa  ,  islands to visit from Naha  , and the  ultimate guide to everything about Okinawa .
• Setouchi islands (see my  guide to Naoshima ), Tokushima (in August for the famous Awa Odori festival), Ehime (Matsuyama, Dogo Onsen), and Kochi (Iya Valley).
• If you have more than 1 week, try the scenic cycling route  Shimanami Kaido  from Hiroshima (Chugoku) to Imabari (Shikoku).
• Highlights: Hiroshima, Kinosai Onsen, and Tottori.
• If you have more than 1 week, add Shimane (famous Izumo Grand Shrine), Matsue, Yamaguchi, and Okayama.
• Highlights: Kanazawa (a “quieter Kyoto”) and Gifu (Shirakawago, Takayama).
• If you have more than 1 week, add Nagoya, Fukui, Mie (Izu Peninsula), and Matsumoto.
• If you are travelling in winter, amazing ski slopes in Nagano/Hakuba area.
• Wakayama (Mount Koya, temple stays, and hiking), Himeji, and Lake Biwa.

When to visit Japan?

Japan welcomes travelers all year round! The changing seasons make travel around Japan very interesting as you can enjoy a variety of sights and experiences in spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Here’s a summary of what you can enjoy when you visit Japan in different seasons. If you have the flexibility to choose when to visit Japan, you can visit during popular flowering and festival periods.

Japan in Spring (March to May)

• Plum blossom season   marks the start of spring! Most people do not know about the beautiful plum trees bloom and plum festivals that take place in from February to March.
• Cherry blossom season   starts from end March to April. The flowers start blooming from the south with the dark pink cherry blossoms in Okinawa appearing in early February to the flowers blooming in Hokkaido in April
• Popular spots in Tokyo and Kyoto are packed. Head to other regions further away from the big cities like Tohoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu for spectacular sakura viewing spots without the crowds.
• Check out the super useful  Japan-guide.com’s Cherry Blossom Forecast and Reports  .
• The Japanese have very accurate Sakura Navi (桜ナビ) so you can search for the Japanese sites like  this  (using Google Translate) and get accurate and timely updates about the progress of the flowers blooming (like 50% bloom or full bloom (sakura mankaiさくら満開).
• Avoid the  Golden Week  (a period of 4 national holidays in Japan when domestic travel is at the peak) from end of April to the first week of May.
• Try to avoid the  rainy season  (tsuyu 梅雨) starts in Okinawa in early/mid May and lasts for a month till early/mid June.

Japan in Summer (June to August)

• In early summer, most parts of Japan have the  rainy season  from early June to early/mid July. While it may be inconvenient to travel during the rainy season, you can enjoy lush vegetation and the  blooming season of hydrangeas .
• July and August are busy periods for summer celebrations with local festivals and fireworks. The Japanese festivals are out of this world so make sure you check the  festival calendar  and participate in some festivals!
• July is the famous flower viewing season in Hokkaido.
• Mount Fuji  is open for climbing during July and August.
• The hot weather and clear blue skies perfect for beaches and island hopping. Summer destinations like Okinawa are packed.
• Take note that the August to September is the peak season for  typhoons  (sometimes the typhoons can also hit anytime from May to October). Watch out for the weather reports.
• Travel activity is high in August due to summer school holidays.

Japan in Autumn (September to November)

• September is still considered summer in some prefectures in the south as the weather is warm for sea activities and island-hopping in Okinawa, Kyushu, and Shikoku areas.
• Autumn starts in mid/late September in the north of Japan where the leaves start to turn colors in Hokkaido. November is the best period to see autumn colours. Check out the autumn leaf viewing spots  here .

Japan in Winter (December to February)

• December heralds the start of winter and winter/Christmas illuminations decorate most cities. There are many Christmas festivals and markets so do some research about their locations and check them out.
• From mid December, the Japanese start to prepare to celebrate the Japanese New Year (oshogatsuお正月). Join the festivities by watching the first sunrise of the year (hatsuhinode 初日の出) and visiting the first shrine or temple (hatsumode 初詣), on the 1st of January (or on New Year’s Eve).
• Some shops and attractions close for oshogatsu (from end December to early January). Find out more about  visiting Japan during New Year here  .
• Ski season starts from December and January, and February is the best time for winter sports and viewing winter sceneries.
• February is the closest month so fantastical winter festivals are in action.

Check out Japan-guide.com ’s informative guide about when to visit Japan with tips about the weather, recommended activities, and more.

How to get to Ja pan?

Once you have selected the places/prefectures and confirmed on your travel dates, it’s time to book your air tickets to Japan.

Step 1 : Use Skyscanner to have a quick overview of the types of airlines flying to your destinations and the range of air fares.

Step 2: After you have selected your desired flight, book your air tickets directly on the airline website.

Airports in Japan

To Tokyo : Narita Airport (NRT) (handles most of the international flights), Haneda Airport (HND) (handles mostly domestic flights and increasing number of international flights)

To Kyoto/Osaka : Kansai International Airport (KIX)

To Hokkaido T: New Chitose Airport (CTS)

To Kyushu : Fukuoka Airport (FUK)

To Okinawa : Naha Airport (OKA). Check out this guide on how to get to Okinawa .

Here are some general tips based on my experiences traveling to Japan from Singapore and my budget saving strategies. Remember to always book your air tickets in advance (as early as you can to secure good fares)!

Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airlines (ANA ): These two national air carriers are great but I find their air fares quite high. I only flew JAL to Japan from Singapore when my air tickets were paid for (thanks to the JET program and travel prizes).

Singapore Airlines (SIA ): It’s always nice to fly SIA but air tickets can be more expensive. One good to way to fly SIA is to redeem flights using KrisFlyer miles. My best flight was redeemed with 48,000 miles for return flight to Narita Airport-Changi Airport. This was thanks to my Citibank PremierMiles card.

The credit cards I recommend for earning miles for flight redemption:

• Citi PremierMiles Credit Card : Use my code ( s1152801010N) to get up to 30,000 Citi Miles (which can be easily converted to KrisFlyer miles).
• Citi Rewards Credit Card: Use my code ( s1152801010N) to get up to 30,000 Citi Thank You Points (which can be easily converted to KrisFlyer miles).
• American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card: Use my link and earn 5,000 KrisFlyer miles with minimum spending and 10,000 miles if you are new to AMEX.

Delta Air Lines : I flew once to Narita Airport from Singapore during the Lunar New Year period. Delta offered the cheapest return direct flights and the experience was decent.

Low-cost carriers like Jetstar and Scoot : They offer flights that are value for money and the flight time to Japan from Singapore is not too long for no-frills flights. Jetstar used to have direct flights to Okinawa, Naha Airport (it takes just 5 hours to reach the island paradise) and they may resume the flights soon. Jetstar is running a special “Hello Tokyo Sale” now till 14 October 2022! Enjoy cheap flights from Singapore to Tokyo (via Manila) from $271 SGD!

  Domestic Airlines

There are many airlines running domestic flights all over Japan. Sometimes taking domestic flights to get from one prefecture to another is faster and cheaper than taking train and other modes of transportation.

Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airlines (ANA ): They offer many flight routes and options. The air tickets can cost as low as budget airlines if you buy in advance. Based on my experiences, ANA domestic fares seem cheaper than JAL.

 Skyscanner may not show flights by small budget airlines so you can search for flights and fares on their websites. Some common budget airlines include:

• Jetstar Japan
• Skymark Airlines
• Peach Aviation

Make sure to check the luggage allowance and any hidden fees. If you have big luggage, you have to top up the fares for the budget airlines and sometimes it may be more worthwhile to fly with ANA or JAL.

Find more flight options and tips here .

How to get around Japan?

Japan has a fantastic public transportation network that connects big cities to smaller towns. Depending on the places you are visiting in Japan, you may have to take a range of public transportation from trains to buses and even ferries. Here are my insider tips to traveling around Japan efficiently and cheaply!

Rail passes

Tourists to Japan (short term visitors) are entitled to purchase rail passes and they are convenient and offer great savings if you are traveling around Japan.

There are many types of rail passes available. The most popular rail pass is the Japan Rail Pass that offers unlimited travel on almost Japan Rail (JR) trains nationwide. You should get this pass if you are doing heavy travel for 7, 14, or 21 days. A general tip: The 7-day JR Pass (at 29,650 yen) is worth it if you do at least one return train trip between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka plus some shorter trips. Spend some time to select the most suitable the rail pass based on your travel destinations and do some calculations to evaluate if you should buy it.

Many people do not know that there are other passes that are cheaper for region-specific travel. There are 6 JR companies (collectively known as the Japan Railways JR Group) that operate train routes in Japan:

• JR Hokkaido

There’s no JR service in Okinawa! I kind of get annoyed when people don’t do simple research and ask me this!

For example, I used the JR East Tohoku Area Pass to explore the Tohoku region and Nikko for my winter trip, Takayama-Hokuriku Tourist Pass to visit Kansai, Kanazawa, Takayama and Shirakawago, and JR Setouchi Area Pass for the Setouchi Triennale and island hopping around the Seto Inland Sea. Check out all the available rail passes here . Remember to check the eligible train lines for the rail pass and take note of any exclusions.

Don’t forget to experience special sightseeing and themed trains in Japan! This is something uniquely Japan that you can only enjoy in the land of trains. Check out the dazzling network of scenic train lines here . My best train travel memories were crossing the Setouchi sea from Okayama to Takamatsu on the Marine Liner and passing through snow-capped landscapes in Yamagata and Hokkaido. I love themed trains and I have fulfilled my childhood fantasies onboard Anpanman trains in Shikoku and the Asahiyama zoo train in Hokkaido.

How to buy rail passes?

You can buy your rail pass in Singapore before you enter Japan. Here are some places/websites you can purchase from:

• Japan Tourism Bureau (JTB)
• Nippon Travel Agency (NTA)
• Changi Recommends
• Japan Rail Pass (official website by the JR Group)

There are many other websites selling the JR passes. Remember to check if they are legitimate and the current exchange rates. I usually check different websites (or even call the vendors directly) and compare the rates. You can enjoy free travel consultation at Japan Rail Café in Singapore . Check out their informative JR Times website with travel itineraries and guides.

Once you have purchased the rail pass from your selected/verified website, you will receive a voucher. Use the voucher to exchange for the rail pass when you arrive in Japan. Klook has an informative FAQ about how to redeem the rail pass . Use this Klook discount code (Use my special Klook promo code WENDY5OFF to enjoy 5% any Klook purchases (no min. spend; capped at USD $10). ⁣

Buses are everywhere in Japan. Local buses provide convenient travel in cities and towns. In Kyoto, the local buses bring you to more places than the train. There are highway buses for long and medium distance travel. Highway buses that travel overnight are cheaper than express trains even though the traveling time is longer. I took a long distance bus from Tokyo to Nagoya and it was quite comfortable. Find out more about the bus routes and bus companies here .

I love road trips in Japan! My favorite trips in Japan were driving around the Okinawa islands, Kyushu, and even Tottori. Car rental can be affordable in Japan if you travel with your friends/family (because of cost sharing) and you can explore more places. Make sure you have your International Driving Permit (for Singaporeans) to rent vehicles and drive in Japan.

Book rental cars with car companies like Orix Rentacar , Toyota Rentacar , Nippon Rentacar , OTS Rentacar , and more. You can also book with websites like Tabirai and Tocoo that provide a wide selection of car brands and types. I usually book my cars directly with the car rental company that offers the lowest rate (with English GPS navigation system and insurance). I find that the rental rates are cheaper when I book through Japanese websites. Learn more about driving in Japan here .

Do you know Japan has over 6000 islands? So it’s not surprising that Japan as an extensive network of ferry routes that connect Japan to 4 main islands–Honshu (main island), Hokkaido, Kyushu (including Okinawa), and Shikoku–and the smaller outer islands.

I love ferry rides as they are relaxing (as long as the ocean is not too choppy). Find out more about the ferry routes and ferry companies here .

Tips for taking ferry rides in Japan

• Book your ferry tickets in advance for popular routes (especially in summer and during special events/festivals).
• There are different types of ferries like regular, high speed, and slower cargo ship. High speed ferries are usually the best choice as they bring you to the island much faster but they cost more. High speed ferry rides tend to be choppy so prepare your sea sickness pills.
• Car ferries are fun! Some ferries allow you to pay more and bring your car across the ocean to the island so you can just conveniently drive your car around the island.
• Overnight ferries help to save time and money. And they can be quite comfortable. I had a memorable long ferry ride from Shodoshima to Kobe!

Japan is a very cyclist-friendly country! The Japanese love their bicycles (自転車 jitensha) and cycling is a popular activity. There are many scenic cycling routes in Japan great for short cycling expeditions. I highly recommend Shimanami Kaido しまなみ海道. This well known bikeway connects Japan’s main island Honshu to Shikoku and runs through 6 islands and 6 bridges in the Seto Inland Sea. This picturesque route is every cyclist’s dream. Read about my Shimanami Kaido adventure here ! Every time when I write or talk about it, I just want to go back to Japan and do the cycling route again!

Tips for cycling in Japan

• Bicycle rental is widely available in Japan. The most common type of bicycles is the simple bicycle called mamachari or mom’s bicycle that usually comes with a useful basket. You can also pay more for efficient bicycles like mountain and road racing bikes at more specialized bicycle rental shops found in places with popular cycling routes.
• Make use of the convenient and inexpensive takuhaibin (宅配便) delivery service to transfer your luggage for multi-day cycling trips.
• Don’t drink and cycle! Just like drink-driving, drink-cycling is illegal. True story: I met a foreigner in Japan who was fined for riding a bicycle while drunk on an island!

If you are adventurous and seeking a different kind of travel experience, you can walk through Japan! Interested to do a meditative walk through Japan and learn more about the country? Check out this classic book “The Roads to Sata: A 2000-Mile Walk through Japan” by Alan Booth where he shared his experiences walking from the northernmost point of Japan, Cape Soya in Hokkaido, to the southernmost point of mainland Japan, Cape Sata in Kagoshima.

Want more information? Check out Japan-guide.com’s comprehensive overview of transportation in Japan !

Where to stay in Japan?

The rule of thumb is to book your accommodation as early as possible. The earlier you book, the more options and cheaper rates you will find. The cost of accommodation is one of the biggest travel expenses so I tend to plan a lot of time looking around for the best deals. For popular travel periods like the cherry blossom and autumn leaves seasons and during major festivals, you should try to book your accommodation at least 6 months in advance.

Here are some of my travel tips to secure convenient and affordable accommodation ranging from hotels to hostels for your next trip to Japan!

I like to choose hotels near major train stations (not more than 1 km away) for my trip especially for winter travel (dragging luggage on snow-covered pavement is not fun). Hotels can be expensive in city centres in Tokyo so I usually stay in small business hotels (room size about 18-20 sqm) to save money (location trumps room size for me) since I will not be in the room most of the time.

There are many hotel websites that you can use to book to hotels. Quoting Rick Steves again, he advises traveler to use general hotel websites to research for options and rates and book directly with hotels. I sometimes try to do that but if the rates offered by hotel websites like Booking.com are better, I will book with the platform.

Here’s a list of websites I usually use:

• Agoda : I use Agoda the most as they usually offer cheaper rates than other booking platforms. You can earn Agoda PointsMax and use them to offset the cost of your next hotel booking. Their customer service is generally responsive and friendly. Check out their discount coupons !
• Booking.com : I use Booking.com too as I find their rates cheaper than other websites and their customer service is generally responsive and friendly.
• Trip.com : Like the other websites, Trip.com offers competitive rates. Their customer service is quite good too. Join their telegram group to receive regular alerts about discount deals.
• Traveloka : Traveloka is gaining popularity. I have used them to book hotels in Singapore and some countries. Use my exclusive promo code wendywritesTVLK and enjoy 5-10% discount for your hotel bookings!⁣ Join their telegram group to receive regular alerts about discount deals.
• Expedia : I use Expedia when I find good rates (usually because of credit card promotions).

Tips to enjoy discounts when booking hotels:

• Use Skyscanner to compare and find the best hotel rates! Skyscanner shows you all the rates from a range of booking platforms like Agoda, Booking.com, Expedia and more!
• Always check if there are credit card promotions for the websites. Many hotel booking websites have regular partnerships with companies/banks (like AMEX, Mastercard, Standard Chartered, POSB/DBS and more) and they offer discounts when you book using the credit cards.
• Use ShopBack (use my link to enjoy $5 when you sign up) when you book the hotels to enjoy cash back! ShopBack is a cash back reward program that allows online shoppers to receive a small percentage of their purchases on the platform. When you click on the Booking.com link on the ShopBack website or app and book your hotels using the link via ShopBack, you will receive a percentage of your booking price. The cash back percentage can be quite generous from 6 to 14%! I have saved quite lot for my hotel bookings thanks to ShopBack!

I used to stay in hostels around Japan when I traveled solo to save money! I have spent nights in female and even mixed dorms and also in capsule hotel and all my experiences were pleasant. Hostels in Japan are generally clean and safe so if you are backpacking or traveling on a budget, staying in hostels is a good choice. My favorite hostel chain is K’s House ! I enjoyed all my K’s House stays especially in these beautiful hostels: K’s House Fuji View and K’s House Habuka Alps.

A visit to Japan is not complete without indulging in a ryokan stay. Staying in Japanese traditional inn is truly a pampering experience where you can immerse in the Japanese traditions and Japanese-style hospitality “omotenashi.” A typical ryokan experience includes a well-furnished room, lavish meals (breakfast and dinner), and facilities like hot springs. Ryokan stays can be expensive but you are paying for outstanding service, food, and outdoor onsen or even private access to exclusive baths. I have been lucky to I have stayed in some ryokans in Japan and I did not pay too much for my experiences.

Where to book ryokans?

You can book ryokans via the usual hotel websites listed above. But I find that the English websites have limited selection of ryokans and they tend to be quite expensive. Here are some recommended sites:

Jalan : I have used Jalan a number of times. I like their selection of ryokans and they provide different packages for the ryokans (like with or without meals, in-room tubs, and etc.). I usually use Google translate to access their Japanese website as I find that there are more and cheaper options.

Rurubu : This Japanese website is similar to Jalan. You can find a wide range of hotels and ryokans in every prefecture in Japan. If you can’t read Japanese, you can try to navigate using Google translate.

Rakuten : Like Jalan, I use their Japanese website to book for cheaper deals.

There are other websites like Japanican , Japanese Guesthouses , and Ryokan.jp . I have never booked with these websites before but I used them for research and then I look for cheaper deals on other websites.

I have used Airbnb a few times in the past, especially when I traveled in big groups and needed bigger rooms. But I don’t think I can save much when I book through Airbnb when I travel alone or with a companion. So I usually book hotels as I don’t have to worry about check in and out times and security.

Creative sleeping spaces

What if all the decent accommodation options are fully booked for your travel destinations? Well, you can be creative and try to find non-conventional sleeping spaces. Or if you really like to save money and don’t like slight inconvenience and discomfort.

Manga Cafes (Manga kissa まんが喫茶) : 24-hour manga cafes is your resting haven if you like to save money or need a short rest. Manga Cafes offer packages where you can enjoy all the comics you can read, drinks, and a public seat or private mini room. I spent a night in a manga cafe in Takamatsu during the Awa Odori Festival because all the affordable hotels were fully booked during this famous festival period and I didn’t want to pay for an expensive hotel for a few hours of sleep. Let’s just say it wasn’t the most comfortable sleeping experience but it was definitely the most interesting.

Karaoke Rooms : One of the favorite pastimes of the Japanese is singing karaoke! In big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, you can find karaoke chains easily. If you like singing and just need a room with AC to rest for a few hours, book a karaoke room!

Some other unforgettable sleeping experiences during my young backpacking days: Sleeping on a bench in a park at Miyajima during the Miyajima Fireworks Festival as my camping attempt failed and sleeping in Kansai airport to save money as my flight was very early.

How to save money?

Currency exchange and credit cards.

The Japanese yen is quite weak now so it’s good for you if you are holding stronger currencies. I have been changing my Singapore dollars to Japanese yen to prepare for my next trip to Japan.

I found the best exchange rates on Wise and YouTrip .

Wise is a convenient platform to transfer money and change currencies. It is free to register for an account and apply for a Wise debit card (just pay 9 USD for a physical card).

How to use the Wise card in Japan? You just have to top up your account with funds transferred from your local bank. Then you can exchange currencies easily (like Singapore dollars to Japanese yen) using the Wise app. You can store in yen our WISE app and use your WISE debit card (physical card or e-card via your phone’s e-wallet like Apple Pay) when you make purchases/payments in Japan. You can also just use your Wise’s auto convert feature so you don’t have to exchange yen in advance and you can pay using your Wise card and the payment made in Japan will be converted automatically to yen with the lowest possible fees. I love using my Wise card to make payment in Japan.

Join Wise using my link and enjoy fee-free money transfer of up to $900 SGD.

I have been using YouTrip too. It works like Wise and you can exchange up to 150 foreign currencies with no fees. Sign up with this my link to earn $5 SGD. Start saving Japanese yen for your next trip to Japan!

Travel insurance

Remember to purchase your travel insurance once you have booked your air tickets! In this Covid-19 environment, you may want to pay abit more to have Covid-19 coverage just in case if your trip is affected by any Covid-19 disruptions. Here are some travel insurance companies that offer travel insurance for Singaporeans.

1. FWD : I have recently purchased FWD travel insurance for my family. I like that I can enhance your coverage with COVID-19 add-on benefit and they have an app that facilitates claims easily. I have no issues making claims so far. Check out the policy coverage and cost here (use my link to get extra 2% discount on top of their existing promotional code TRAVEL25). If you are planning a more complex trip that requires more coverage, read their policy wordings carefully.

2. Income : I have been purchasing Income travel insurance for many years. Recently, I find that FWD offers more comprehensive travel insurance packages recently. But Income is always reliable and you can add their Covid-19 travel extension .

3. MSIG : They offer some comprehensive travel insurance coverage and rates. However, for my recent trip to Turkey, my luggage was damaged during transit and their claim process/response was so troublesome that I gave up trying to make a claim.

There are many other travel insurance options and you can check out websites like Singsaver and Moneysmart to see a summary of travel products and promotions. Sometimes these aggregator/third party websites offer quite attractive perks and discounts if you purchase through them. However, before you make any purchase through these websites, check the official travel insurance company website to cross-check the policy coverage and final cost.

Some credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance if you use them (like AMEX Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and Citi PremierMiles) to purchase the air tickets. But please note that the coverage offered is very limited. So you are planning a long trip and would like adequate coverage, you should buy a separate travel insurance!

I strongly believe in empowering travelers to know better, travel better! I value privacy and transparency. The article contains affiliate links so I may be compensated to run the website and continue to create content if you make a purchase at no extra cost to you.

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The Cheapest Time To Visit Japan (Budget Traveler’s Guide)

As the world’s third-largest economy, Japan is a major player on the global stage. While its long history and rich culture are well-known, Japan is also a country that is constantly evolving. In recent years, it has become a leading center for technological innovation, with companies like Sony, Panasonic, and Sharp spearheading the way. At the same time, traditional industries like fishing and agriculture remain an important part of the economy. However, all of this comes at a cost. Japan is one of the most expensive countries in the world to visit.

Planning a trip to Japan can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to budgeting. There are so many factors to consider, from airfare and accommodation to meals and activities.

One of the most important factors, however, is the time of year that you choose to travel. Japan is a country with four distinct seasons, and each one has its own unique charm.

However, traveler beware: the high seasons (spring and autumn) are also the most crowded and expensive times to visit. On the other hand, the low seasons (winter and summer) offer cheaper prices and smaller crowds.

So if you’re looking to save some money on your trip to Japan, consider traveling during the winter or summer months. You may not get ideal weather conditions, but you’ll definitely save some Yen.

What are some of the cheapest times to visit Japan?

For budget-minded travelers, the cost of a trip to Japan can be a major deterrent. However, there are some ways to save money on travel expenses.

One of the cheapest times to visit Japan is during the off-season, which runs from late October to early April. During this time, airfare and hotel rates are typically lower than they are during peak travel periods.

Additionally, many attractions offer discounted admission during the off-season. Another way to save money is to visit Japan during Golden Week, a weeklong national holiday in late April/early May.

While travel prices do go up during this period, it is still possible to find deals on accommodation and transportation. For those willing to brave the crowds, Golden Week can be an excellent time to experience the best of Japan without spending a fortune.

What is the cheapest way to travel in Japan?

Traveling can be an expensive endeavor, but there are ways to save money even in pricey countries like Japan.

• One of the best ways to save money on travel is to use the JR pass, which allows unlimited travel on JR trains for a set period of time. This can be especially useful for long-distance travel, as train tickets can be quite expensive otherwise.
• Another way to save money is to take advantage of free or discounted attractions. Many museums and temples offer free admission for students, seniors, or children, and many attractions offer discounted rates if you purchase tickets in advance.
• Finally, another way to save money is to take advantage of Japan’s unique lodging options, such as capsule hotels or manga cafes. These options can provide a comfortable place to stay at a fraction of the cost of a traditional hotel room.

By following these tips, you can travel cheaply and still enjoy all that Japan has to offer.

Which months would be best for visiting Japan?

When it comes to visiting Japan, the best time of year depends on what you want to see and do.

For cherry blossoms, the months of March and April are ideal. The weather is mild and pleasant, and the flowers are in full bloom. If you’re interested in festivals, then late summer or early autumn is the perfect time to go.

September and October offer a wide variety of festival experiences, from the famous Fuji Rock Festival to smaller regional events. Winter is a magical time in Japan, with snow-capped mountains and traditional New Year’s celebrations.

However, it can also be quite cold, so you’ll need to pack accordingly. Ultimately, there is no bad time to visit Japan. Every season has its own unique charms, so you’ll be sure to find an enjoyable time no matter when you go.

What is low season in Japan?

Low season in Japan is a great time to visit if you’re looking to avoid the crowds and get better value for your money.

The weather is still fairly mild, so you’ll be able to enjoy all the country has to offer without battling the heat or cold.

Many attractions offer discounts during low season, so you can save on activities like temple visits and hot spring excursions.

If you don’t mind braving a little rain, low season in Japan can be a truly magical time to visit.

How much does it cost to travel Japan?

The cost of travel varies widely depending on the destination and the type of traveler.

For those on a budget, Japan can be an expensive country to visit. However, there are ways to save money and still enjoy all that the country has to offer.

• One way to save money is to purchase a Japan Rail Pass, which allows unlimited travel on trains operated by the Japan Railways group.
• Another option is to stay in hostels or capsule hotels, which can be found throughout the country. In addition, many museums and temples offer discounts for students and seniors.

By taking advantage of these deals, it is possible to experience all that Japan has to offer without breaking the bank.

Is it cheap to travel to Japan?

Yes, traveling to Japan can be very affordable.

You can find many cheap flights and hotels throughout the country. You can also save money by eating at local restaurants and street food vendors.

Shopping is also very affordable in Japan. You can find great deals on clothing, electronics, and souvenirs. However, you should be prepared to spend more money on activities such as sightseeing and museums.

Overall, Japan is a very affordable place to travel to.

How long can you stay in Japan without a visa?

Japanese visa policy is generally very friendly towards visitors; most nationals can stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa, and many do not even need a passport.

There are, however, a few exceptions to this rule. For example, nationals of countries that are not part of the Visa Waiver Program will need to obtain a visa before entering Japan.

In addition, those who plan to stay in the country for longer than 90 days will need to apply for a residence permit. The good news is that the application process for both visas and residence permits is relatively straightforward.

As long as you have all the necessary documents, you should have no trouble getting approval from the Japanese authorities.

What is the most expensive month to travel to Japan?

The most expensive month to travel to Japan is August.

This is because August is the peak tourist season, and hotels and flights are often booked solid well in advance.

August also coincides with the Obon festival, when many businesses close for a week or more. As a result, prices for accommodation and transportation tend to be higher during this time. If you’re planning a trip to Japan, it’s best to avoid the month of August if you want to save money.

Instead, consider traveling during the shoulder season (May-June or September-October), when there are fewer tourists and better deals to be found.

What are some of the best deals on flights and hotels?

Looking for a great deal on flights and hotels? Here are some of the best deals around:

-For flights, check out websites like Expedia, CheapOair, and Orbitz. They often have sales on specific routes or airlines. Sign up for their newsletter to get alerted about these deals.

-You can also find good deals by using search engines like google flights and hipmunk. They allow you to compare prices across different airlines and travel dates.

-Another way to get cheap flights is to fly during off-peak times like midweek or late night. You may also get a better price if you’re flexible with your travel dates.

-As for hotels, try booking in advance or during shoulder season (the time between high and low season). You can also find deals by signing up for newsletters from major hotel chains. Another tip is to use websites like Priceline or Hotwire which offer deeply discounted rates on hotel rooms.

What are some of the cheapest things to do in Japan?

Although Japan is often thought of as an expensive country to visit, there are actually many things that can be done on a budget.

For instance, one of the best ways to experience Japanese culture is to visit one of the many temples and shrines scattered across the country. Many of these sites offer free admission, and some even provide guided tours in English.

Similarly, Japan’s famously polite residents can be experienced for free simply by striking up a conversation with locals.

In addition, Japan’s natural beauty can be enjoyed without spending a yen at parks and gardens such as the Higashiyama Skyline in Kyoto or the Kamakura Bamboo Forest.

With a little planning, it’s easy to find plenty of cheap things to do in Japan.

Are there any discount passes that you recommend for tourists?

When planning a trip to a new city, it can be difficult to know where to start.

With so many sights to see and attractions to visit, it can be hard to map out an itinerary that fits both your interests and your budget. That’s where discount passes come in. By bundling together some of the most popular tourist destinations, discount passes can help you save both time and money.

Whether you’re interested in culture or history, there’s sure to be a pass that’s right for you. And with so many options to choose from, you can tailor your trip to your own individual interests.

So before you start planning your next vacation, be sure to research the different discount passes available. You might just find the perfect way to save on your dream vacation.

How can visitors save money on food while in Japan?

Thanks to its vibrant food culture, Japan is a paradise for anyone who loves to eat.

From steaming bowls of ramen to succulent nigiri sushi, there is something for everyone to enjoy. However, with prices often exceeding $10 per dish, eating out can quickly become expensive.

Fortunately, there are a few ways that visitors can save money on food while in Japan.

• One way is to take advantage of the many inexpensive casual restaurants known as izakaya. These eateries typically serve small dishes that are perfect for sharing, and they often have a wide selection of beers and other alcoholic beverages.
• Another way to save money is to buy food from convenience stores or supermarkets. These stores usually sell bento boxes and other ready-made meals at a fraction of the price of a sit-down restaurant.

The cheapest time to visit Japan is during the off-season, which runs from early April through mid-June, and late September through mid-December. Traveling during these periods can save you up to 50% on airfare and hotel rates. However, keep in mind that the weather can be quite unpredictable during the off-season. If you’re planning a trip to Japan during this time, be sure to pack versatile clothing that can be layered. And don’t forget your rain gear!

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Budget Tours & Trips to Japan

Explore a varied offer of budget Japan adventures that will take you through some of the most renowned destinations such as Tokyo and Kyoto. Each affordable tour will provide you with great experiences for some of the lowest prices on the market. Discover the best budget tours around the world with TourRadar!

34 Budget Japan tour packages with 604 reviews

• Train & Rail
• Christmas & New Year

Epic Japan: Speed Trains & Street Food

Fantastic tour which was incredibly insightful and fun!

• In-depth Cultural

Japan Express

It was a really great experience! Having both guided tours and lots of free time made for a nicely balanced tour where our guide, Toshimi, a very knowledgeable local, would show us parts of Japan and tell us of their significance historically and socially, and also tell us how and where to appreciate Japan during our free time. Our guide loves Japan's history and it was very interesting talking to him about Japan. He also made lots of great recommendations on places to see and eat at, and overall made the whole tour experience very convenient, fun, and informative.

Japan: Tokyo Nights & Kyoto Temples

An awesome experience with a great group of people and a lovely guide. It was nice to have all the locations and transport organised but still have the freedom to do what you wished in each place.

Japan Adventure

Wow! What an amazing tour. Zoe is just amazing. Was so fortunate to travel in such a friendly group at such an amazing time of year with the blossoms. Loved the balance of free time and activities, with time to relax on nights in the mountains. Feel like 12 days was perfect to feel like I saw the best bits of Japan

• Coach / Bus

Contrasts of Japan

I was hesitant being dictated by a tour guide for 9 days being a seasoned traveller but this was a fantastic tour, shout out to our tour guides, Paco was so cool lovely guy, David S always worried about his passengers and making sure everyone were where we needed to be. great guy and Jose.. no words, he is such a great guy very sweet, all very knowledgeable of Japan’s History all of them live in Japan, had great conversations with them all. met so many great people, never bored and never on the bus for more then 1.5 hours a day, I finished my tour in Hiroshima but wish I extended it to a longer tour, the team at Europamundo are awesome..

Epic 13-Day Japan Budget Tour: Odyssey Across the Land of the Rising Sun

I did a lot of group tours in the past, more than 50 single trips and this is my second tour with this operator. It’s a budget tour and that’s what you get. Start with the Hostels. pro: - surprisingly most of the backpacker’s hostels were really clean and modern. I always had a good sleep. The showers and toilets were cleaned regularly and the water pressure was perfect. Towels (except of one time) were provided also shampoo, body wash, conditioner and hairdryer etc. contra: - most of the time we had to sleep in 6-10 bed dorms. And of course it depends on the ppl if they are noisy or smelly. Bear this in mind. Sightseeing pro: - we saw a lot of shrines, castles, temples, pubs, restaurants and of course the museum in Hiroshima etc. We could get a slight overview of Japan and all the tourist attractions. contra: - we saw a lot of shrines, castles, pubs and restaurants! Sadly, because Japan is a crazy country and has a lot more to offer. At some point I was bored to visit the next shrine. So I ended up spending a day on my own to enjoy the Japanese lifestyle. Suggestions: Akashi - a cafe in Japan is famous for having one of the most bizarre toilets - it is surrounded by a giant aquarium. Or the Shibuya Sky's escalator. It is the most famous escalator in Tokyo. Transportation pro: - experience the Japanese subway and underground station and the tons of ppl. Don’t be scared. It’s not that bad. Don’t miss! contra: - you walk a lot. If it’s from the train station to the hostel or to other places. Sometimes there were no escalators so you get a great workout by stair climbing. Due to some kind of mismanagement we had two wait two times 2 hours at a train station for our train. It’s just wasted time. If you know there is time to kill you should find an alternative. 7-Eleven is none! Tourguide pro: - our guide was friendly, funny and nice! He already made sure that we got all the information for the next day in the evening before so everyone was well informed. There was not only one moment some one was missing or didn’t know what was going on. He was very thoughtful and managed to handout seat reservations to ppl he knew they are close, so everyone felt comfortable. He waited for everyone who stayed behind, and he showed a lot of patience for everyone, even if it meant waiting until everyone took their 100th photo. He always recommended restaurants, bars or shopping areas. It was easy to find. I can tell that he put a lot of effort into the daily heads-up! contra: - lack of knockledge. I missed information about Japanese lifestyle, behavior, do‘s and don’ts. Most of the time I googled it by myself. - Unfortunately, he was unable to stop some very rude behavior from grp members. If one grp member burb‘s loudly in front of a host, he shouldn’t let this slide. I felt so sorry for this nice host ladies and I felt embarrassed myself! - His acceptance of a random f*ckboy a grp member brought into the grp after a nights out was also inexcusable. This guy showed up regularly at almost every occasion (karaoke/last team event). A few grp members including myself felt very uncomfortable. Mentioned to the guide that he should be the one to stop this (because it’s a group event) was just ignored. To not ruin the mood the grp members agreed to let it slide.

• 5% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Japan Essentials - One Life Adventures 9 Day

The Japan Essentials tour was the most incredible trip I have been on. This tour was a great way for me to experience Japan solo and for the first time. One Life Adventures planned the perfect itinerary to see so many highlights of Japan while also offering free time to explore each day. Our guide Dale had great recommendations for places to eat and things to do for when we had that free time so we were never stuck on what to do. This trip is one I will never forget!

Hidden Tokyo Experience

great trip! such nice tour guides and an amazing group. the time spent with my tour group and the memories we made are unforgettable ♡

• Volunteering

Environmental Conservation Volunteering, Cultural Immersion and Temple Stay on Sado Island

Fantastic experience!

12-Day Japan Family Adventure through Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Beyond

Great trip Our guide, Juno was amazing. The weather was super hot but he managed to keep us comfortable as we moved very quickly on public transport from site to site. Juno always had good well-priced meal suggestions and was super organized and cheerful. The hotels were very good or better. The hotel in Tokyo was noisy because it was near a hospital. A lightweight suitcase, with excellent wheels would be my suggestion for luggage versus a duffle bag Hiroshima was the most moving part of the trip Hakone was the most fun and I wish we could have stayed a bit longer. We stayed a few extra days to go to Disneyland, and I would recommend staying near Disney property versus downtown Tokyo. We could’ve used a midday break and then return to the park for the evening fireworks but it was super hot and we pooped out before closing.

Ultimate Japan

Highlights of Japan on a Budget - 8 Days

Shogun Trail

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

• Hiking & Trekking

Backroads of Japan

Essential Japan Explorer - 13 Days

What people love about budget tours in japan.

Japan was so fun! A looooooot of free time so do you researches about what to do and visit in every city. Would have love more ''organised'' activities (like a dinner every night with the group,...). Compared to other G Adventures tour I did in the past, I felt that this group was less stick together since there was only a few group activities.

It was a really great experience! Having both guided tours and lots of free time made for a nicely balanced tour where our guide, Toshimi, a very knowledgeable local, would show us parts of Japan and tell us of their significance historically and socially, and also tell us how and where to appreciate Japan during our free time. Our guide loves Japan's history and it was very interesting talking to him about Japan. He also made lots of great recommendations on places to see and eat at, and overall made the whole tour experience very convenient, fun, and informative.

My expectations for the tour was exceeded. I had a really good time and I am really thankful to our CEO Ms. Ayako Ueda.

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Accommodation

There are a wide range of cheaper business hotels all around the country, and the iconic capsule hotels offer you a cheap—if slightly tight—night's accommodation. A new wave of boutique hostels are springing up, offering you the individuality of a boutique hotel at hostel prices. Traditional ryokans can vary wildly in price, but it is possible to find some at the cheaper end of the spectrum in places a little out of the way. Be aware that even though reserving a room without meals might seem like a cost-cutting option, it is possible that there aren't any other places to eat in the area. Research is recommended to find the best accommodation to suit your taste and budget.

Many restaurants offer lunch-time specials, so consider eating big at lunch to save some money. If you venture out at night-time, find the places that offer all-you-can-eat or all-you-can-drink deals, or if you are traveling with families and young children, eat out at one of the “family restaurants” that are dotted throughout the country. If the place you are staying in has a kitchen, cooking at home is a great way to save some money. Many local supermarkets offer good quality produce—often locally grown. Farmers markets—often on Saturday and Sundays—are also a good place to pick up fresh produce.

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Japan travel budget calculator

What will exactly cost my trip to Japan? Every prospective tourist for the archipelago wondered about the amount necessary to plan a travel in their dream country.

Kanpai’s Budget Calculator provides a precise estimate of the travel expenditures item-by-item, with numerous possible choices. As a matter of fact, a backpacker’s 10-days trip will not cost the same as a 3-weeks stay for a family looking for a very comfortable trip.

Fill in the questionnaire below to discover the expenses to expect and many advices on how to keep the cost down.

How much should I budget to go to Japan?

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April, July and August are peak touristic seasons: many services are more expensive during these periods. Consider traveling in January, February, March, May, June, September, October, November or December to keep your costs down.

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