; I quote prices in the Japanese Yen (¥) as well as € and $.When we were in Japan, €1 was around 125JPY and $1 was around 110JPY, you can find the current exchange rates here. Takayama: $35 per night/¥3,800 per night A reasonably big expense was our Hakone Free Pass (spoiler: not free), although this was more of a combined transportation and activity cost. Okay — let’s get started with my expenses. A great way to familiarize yourself with the region is to read any number of books on the country, fiction or nonfiction, before you begin your trip. I’m impressed with your budgeting skills. Thank you so much for helping me get an idea of how much I would roughly spend! Love your budget posts because you never leave anything out. ... Japanese onsen (natural hot springs) and sento (public bathhouses) have a very special place on my things-I-love-about-Japan list. Japan has 21 World Heritage Sites, including Himeji Castle, Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and Nara.Popular foreigner attractions include Tokyo and Hiroshima, Mount Fuji, ski resorts such as Niseko in Hokkaido, Okinawa, riding the shinkansen and taking advantage of Japan's hotel and hotspring network. I am really curious on how you got a 14 days pass JR for only 420$, from where I am from (Canada) it is 567! Hello Lauren, That’s a huge amount of money, so I’m now firmly of the belief that this is an investment you’ll want to make. 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, as always, I do not accept comps or press trips, so everything listed in this post is something I personally paid for with my own money. Wow! It doesn’t really matter either way, though. This hotel was in a great location for exploring Kyoto and the bathrooms were nicer than anywhere else we stayed. Japan was simply too expensive for a budget traveller, so I decided to save it for when I was rich. So how do I search for either? Make sure to review all discounts & online booking prices. This vast and multifaceted city is famously cutting edge, yet its ancient Buddhist temples, vintage teahouses, and peaceful gardens offer a serene escape — and a poignant reminder of the city’s long history. There just wasn’t anything to fall head-over-heels in love with. 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. Prices vary by location, size of the place, and the level of luxury. Are those above for cherry blossom season you visited? Hi Lauren Good to know that you can save so much on accommodation and activities! Because Never Ending Footsteps is my company, the vast majority of my travel expenses are business expenses. 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. Where Do Backpackers Go in Japan? I spent the first two weeks of December in Japan. I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, many travelers are reluctant to plan a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun because of the cost. Overview of the Second Supplementary Budget for FY2020（May 27,2020） (PDF:863KB) Overview of the Supplementary Budget for FY2020（April 7, 2020）※Updated on April 20, 2020 (PDF:829KB); Highlights of the Draft FY2020 Budget (December 20, 2019) (PDF:522KB) Japanese Public Finance Fact Sheet (July, 2020) Naturally, prices vary by the length of the route, the type of transportation used, and the date. What is the best way to pack? Hi Lauren, Honestly, it was worth staying here just to experience the private onsen! 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! Plus going to olympics are so expensive. We found that our Japan daily budget was ¥13.418 (€107/$122) for us a couple! It was surprisingly cosy! It is a widespread misconception that Japan is an expensive place to travel. If you’re going to Hakone, this will save you money because it covers everything you’ll want to do there. In this article, we break down exactly how much travel in Japan costs -- from food, hotels to trains to entertainment. I am thinking for Cherry blossom (April 2019) and everything is coming up too expensive. About Japan. Japan is a great country for cyclists. Copyright Lauren Juliff © 2010-2019. How to Travel Japan on a Budget: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need Is is possible to travel to Japan on a budget? Pas de soucis au Japon, vous trouverez tout ce qu’il faut à côté de votre hôtel. 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. This budget breakdown covers how much I spent on accommodation, transportation, activities, food, and whichever miscellaneous items popped up while I was in country. Will it come out to more than what you spent or less? Tokyo Tourism: Best of Tokyo. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Which month you visited Japan? If you do some research on this country's interesting customs before your trip, you will find your experience all the more enlightening. Surveys show that a lot of foreign visitors are surprised with how inexpensive Japan can be despite the general high quality of goods and services and especially when the yen is weak. Data Source: World Bank MLA Citation: Similar Country Ranking; Country Name Kyoto: $35 per night/¥3,833 per night Hi Lauren. ** Please note that hotels in Kyoto charge tourist tax since October 2018, this is paid upon arrival at the hotel. I’ll add that detail to my post now! With some research i found that the JR pass isn’t needed if you’re just staying in one city. 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. Japan after Abe Japan to start work on new stimulus package by year's end. FY2020 Budget. This will ensure tourism in Japan can benefit both locals and visitors alike. Préparer votre voyage au Japon avec Kanpai et calculer avant de partir votre budget transports, hébergements ainsi que le coût de la vie sur place. Super easy to do and they’ll get it set up for you in the shop, too. Hi Lauren, My name is Lauren Juliff and I've been travelling the world for nine years and counting. Download Historical Data Save as Image. Definitely! Japan is a notoriously expensive destination. Plus, we’re sharing some of our best money-saving tips so you can travel to Japan on a budget! I’m slowly working my way through my records and adding more and more to the site. Tipping in Japan is just plain not done. Forget about creaky old bunk beds: this is more of a boutique hostel experience. I just came across your website when searching for trips for Japan for my son. Hiroshima: 1 night If you can give me any advice, I would greatly appreciate. That’s my plan! This is all very useful info! On average, people spend ¥542 on bottled water in Japan per day. While Japan has some of the best shopping in the world it is, of course, tempting to shop til you drop. Are you able to name all the accomodations you stayed with? I am so inspired to go to Japan now. I’m debating spending 5 nights in Osaka and doing day trips to kyoto, nara and himeji castle. If you’ve read any other posts on Never Ending Footsteps, you’ll know I’m a great believer in travelling with travel insurance. Tourists from South Korea have made up the largest number of inbound tourists several times in the past. Japan’s tourism and travel industry continues to hemorrhage in the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and international tourism has been especially hard hit. Take advantage of free attractions and events Japan Budget. Japan recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 3.80 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2018. — 観光庁（Japan Tourism Agency） (@Kanko_Jpn) May 27, 2020 A summary of the government’s supplementary budget for fiscal 2020 showed it has set aside approximately ¥1.7tn ($15.8bn, £12.8bn) to finance the measures, which could include travel vouchers for up to a maximum of ¥20,000 per person, per stay, the Japan Times reported . I would totally stay in one again. Entertainment and activities in Japan typically cost an average of ¥1,623 per person, per day. L’alimentation sera le poste le moins élevé pour votre séjour au Japon. great article! I would suggest looking for hotels in the Namba and Umeda neighbourhoods. Some passes have stricter limitations than others so make sure you look into this before buying a pass. Yes, they’re already linked in the post along with the reviews of them under the accommodation section. Really great bathrooms, a fun common area, and a cheap price. It’s time to tally up all of my expenses to see my total travel costs! 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. Hi! Hi Lauren, The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget. 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. If I started including currencies for everyone, the post would quickly get ridiculous :-). Accommodation in Japan was on a par with Western European prices, so not incredibly expensive. If you're comfortable on a bicycle head to the countryside and find a good route. 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. Other than the rail pass, we spent a little bit of money here and there on transportation, mostly on the metro in Tokyo and Osaka (tickets are around ¥100-¥200 for a single ride), a few local trains our pass didn’t cover, and a bus in a more rural part of the country. FY2020 Budget. As a student myself, I had to ensure when I was staying in Japan for a couple of months that I could be efficient with my money but also enjoy all the wonderful things Tokyo has to offer. It makes writing these posts super easy! During the pandemic, I’m primarily writing on Patreon. I read September can be humid. Takayama in the snow: I loved this traditional city! 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. You should plan to spend around ¥13,775 ($132) per day on your vacation in Japan, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Planning in advance remains the best solution to dig out the best value for money. Traveling in Japan is possible with a limited budget. Two people traveling together for one month in Japan can often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week. Riding the rails in Japan is something you *have* to do. Thank you! The staff were helpful, the shared bathroom situation was annoying, and the bed was a tatami mat set-up. Activities/Entrance Fees: $2 per day i didn’t see you mention buying internet data in advance ? Please try again. However, there are ways to travel to Japan cheaply if you know a few tips! Or Taiwan. 1) I prefer to travel with a backpack, but you’ll do okay with a suitcase, too. Window shopping. Every prospective tourist for the archipelago wondered about the amount necessary to plan a travel in their dream country. As a budget traveller, you might wince at the thought of paying 3,000 yen ($27/£20) for a dorm bed. Meh. Average amount spent in Japan: $95 a day! On average, past travelers have spent ¥2,114 per person, per day, on local transportation in Japan. In this article, we break down exactly how much travel in Japan costs -- from food, hotels to trains to entertainment. 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. I just booked a trip to Japan with my boyfriend for this upcoming October, and your site will be very helpful. I was there in December, so prices will be higher than the ones mentioned in this post. Tokyo: $33 per night/3,600 Yen per night Thank you! 3. Tokyo: 4 nights 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. I could have spent a week just in that private room. It's hard not to eat well in Japan: such is the care and thought put into ingredients and presentation. The cost of a taxi ride in Japan is significantly more than public transportation. If you’ve enjoyed my articles and want to help support my site, take a look at my Patreon: it’s my second blog where I share my biggest and best travel stories! Thanks so much for your posts! It will also help you cut down on transportation costs which can be quite high throughout Japan. I spent almost a full month in Japan, 29 days to be exact. Thank you for posting this useful information. Really remarkable post, Lauren. Tourist Information Centres are also a reliable source of English-speaking assistance if in less-touristed areas. Can I use a credit card or should cash be used? However, because of the olympics the high school Japan trip has been canceled for 2020. Does that seem possible with $150/day? Sicher ist Japan nicht das erste Ziel für Budget-Backpacker, für alle anderen ist es aber definitiv eine Option. There are so many different types of accommodation in Japan! View also our pages about budget travel, package tours and suggested itineraries to see the sample budgets applied to specific itineraries. Japan is an expensive destination, particularly if you're traveling on a budget. My mom who was from Japan, always told me it’s too expensive to go back and visit. Certes, il existe des restaurants très chers, mais vous pourrez faire des repas pour 5 euros avec des nouilles, légumes, riz, etc ; les grands magasins proposent aussi des plats à emporter pour 10 euros pour 2 personnes. To help you set your own budget, here are budget estimates if you follow the two weeks (14 days & 13 nights) itinerary posted above. So, do you think it is good idea travelling in Japan in February? Or even the United States. 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.