HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TRAVEL TO JAPAN? BUDGET FOR A 15 DAY TRIP

Send

4 years ago, when we had the opportunity to travel almost anywhere in the world thanks to a raffle that Lety won in his work, Japan was one of the finalist destinations. However we ended up discarding after asking 'How much does it cost to travel to Japan?'and convince ourselves that it is a country where traveling is expensive. Were we right?

After a long time we had the opportunity to spend two months in the country of the rising sun and we can say that we were wrong, but with certain nuances. In this article we will try to detail the budget of a backpacking trip, taking as reference the 4 most important sections of any trip: transport, accommodation, food, reference prices.

We will consider a 15-day trip to Japan, in which we will try to visit the most important points of this beautiful country. At the end of the article we propose a basic route and calculate the costs of carrying it out in the planned days. Yes now how much does it cost to travel to Japan? let's go to the mess:

This is the small but important nuance, moving around Japan does not fit completely in the backpacking pocket. While there are options that allow you to save in this section. Take note of some tips:

If you want to save money, forget about Japan Rail Pass, it is true that it is very comfortable to have most of the transport included in a ticket, but it is expensive and your budget will rise. However, if this Pass falls within your budget, do not hesitate! It is the fastest and most comfortable option to move around the country. You can buy it here (includes shipping) or on the official website.

An alternative to the JR Pass is the Japan Bus Pass, in its modality of 3 or 5 days of travel. Prices are ¥ 10,000 (€ 75) and ¥ 15,000 (€ 110), far from the almost € 350 of the train pass for 2 weeks. The bus pass will allow you to reach the most famous sites in Japan, however the routes are less flexible than the trains, so it will touch you combine both transports. The best in this case is to leave the longest routes for the bus and the shortest for the trains.

But be careful, there are some routes that are really expensive, we talk to you for example to reach Koyasan or Nikko. Avoid these visits If you do not get much attention and want to save on transportation.

Did you consider doing hitch-hiking? We tried to go and return to Himeji and it worked halfway. Some money we save. If you face it and you don't mind wasting some time with your thumb up, it's a good way to save. And if you can. Try it on short journeys

It is another of Japan's weak points. We are going to give you a few considerations:

You know that in Japan there are Ryokan, the typical traditional houses, where you can stay. Forget about them! They are very cool and have a lot of charm, but they are expensive noses. But there are some curious alternatives, for example in Kyoto we stay at the Kazariya Guest House, which combined the style of a Ryokan and the atmosphere of a lodging house And with very good prices.

The accommodations with shared bunk beds They are usually very good, clean, cared for, with many details and with quite intimate bedrooms. The bunk beds usually have curtains or be directly embedded in the walls, as a capsule hotel, so you will have your space inviolated. On average a bed in a shared bedroom is around 2.500¥ (about € 20).

Don't forget to do couchsurfing! We tested it and it is very easy and we recommend it 100%! Sleep will cost you € 0, and the experience is super positive. Make it clear that you are traveling on a limited budget, that you would like to invite them to dinner or have a drink, but surely they prefer to try your potato omelette 😉

Now comes the best, eating in Japan is very cheap! But you have to know how to find the good deals. We tell you more:

The streets of almost any city in Japan are full of Japanese fast food restaurants. What does it consist on? They are usually quite small premises with a long bar, where they eat next to each other, and some also with table areas, to sit more quietly. They usually have 10 or 12 main dishes, although most are bowls with rice and some meat, vegetables, or even tempura accompanied by miso soup. Some of these chains are: Sukiya, Yoshinoya, Nakau, Matsuya. Prices range from ¥ 250 to ¥ 600 (€ 1.80-4.40).

We do not forget the most famous dish of Japanese food: the sushi! There are restaurants with conveyor belts where different sushi dishes are happening, which you take according to your tastes (and their prices). They are called Kaiten Sushi. You will know the prices of sushis by the color of the dish in which they are presented, they range from 100 ¥ to 350 ¥ (€ 0.70-2.50), and two pieces of sushi usually come.

Remember a word: Bento. They are trays (style of the dining rooms or the jails of American films) with several holes where different dishes are placed. They usually have a white rice base, some meat or fish stew and some vegetables or salad. You can find them both in supermarkets and in restaurants, but our favorites are neighborhood stores or old ladies' stalls (if you find any, don't think about it and buy a bento, which disappears as if by magic). These ladies are usually always put in the same place between 11 and 1, so stay tuned! You can find bentos from 250 ¥ (€ 1.80).

Combine restaurants with food stores. It is true that convenience stores 7eleven style, Family Mart or Lawson do not have too many offers or super discounted prices, but you can find sushi bars for ¥ 108, bentos for ¥ 350 or sweets from ¥ 100. If you are sweet tooth we recommend a kind of chocolates, which are actually chocolate covered peanuts, great! At the last minute you may find some discounted products, although these are more common in large supermarkets.

Finally, enter the supermarkets. They are larger than neighborhood stores, but they are harder to find. Ask at the accommodation where you are staying that they know for sure. One is the Seiyu. In these establishments there are products of all kinds, bentos of all colors and flavors, freshly made sushi trays, and if you want you can throw in the typical white bread filled with peanut butter or chocolate. Here, after 10 pm, they reduce many perishable products (usually cooked dishes) up to 50%. In Tokyo we ate dinner most of the time like this!

By the way, here are some tips on restaurants to eat cheaply in Tokyo and Kyoto.

A 15-day basic route in Japan It could be the following and with the following expenses per person (approx):

Day 1 to 3: Arrival in Osaka and 3 days in the city (2 nights).

Transportation from the airport: ¥ 1,000
Accommodation 2 nights: ¥ 5,000
3 day meal: ¥ 3,000
Extra: ¥ 1,500

Days 4 to 5: Hiroshima (night of 3 by night bus).

Osaka-Hiroshima transport: included in the 3-day Bus Pass (¥ 10,000)
Accommodation 1 nights: ¥ 2,500
2-day meal: ¥ 2,000
Transportation in Hiroshima + Miyajima Ferry: ¥ 840
Extra: 1,000 ¥

Days 6 to 10: Kyoto (night 5 at night bus).

Transportation Hiroshima-Kyoto: included in the Bus Pass
Accommodation 4 nights: ¥ 10,000
5-day meal: ¥ 5,000
Tickets: 700 ¥
Transportation in the city: 500 ¥
Extra: ¥ 2,500
Getaway to Nara: ¥ 1,300

Days 11 to 15: Tokyo (the night of 10 by night bus)

Kyoto-Tokyo transport: included in the Bus Pass
Accommodation 4 nights: ¥ 10,000
5-day meal: ¥ 5,000
Tickets: 700 ¥
Transportation in the city: ¥ 1,500
Transportation to the airport: ¥ 1,000
Extra: ¥ 2,500

This is the base budget of a 2-week trip to Japan in backpacking:

Transportation: ¥ 16,140

Accommodation (11 nights, the other 3 by night bus): ¥ 27,500

Food (15 days): ¥ 15,000

Tickets + Extra: ¥ 8,200

TOTAL: ¥ 66,840 (€ 491) per person.

* It can be much cheaper if you do couchsurfing instead of paying for accommodation (Obviously to this you have to add the flight expenses and eventual souvenirs). To give you an idea, flights from Spain are around 500-600 € i / v.

Here we tell you the reference prices of Japan, to put together your budget. As you can see, the answer to how much does it cost to travel to Japan it's not scary 🙂