Let\’s Visit Asia

Japan on a Budget

by Ruth on January 25th, 2008

The following is a contribution from guest blogger, Kala, who is currently based in Qatar. She has lived in the Philippines and France, and plans to visit 15 more countries before she turns 30.

Whenever I tell people that I went to Japan for holidays, they sigh and say, “Oh, it must have been so expensive!” Well, I’ve got some good news for you. While accommodation may be more expensive in Japan than most Asian countries, there are a lot of money-saving tips for the budget traveller.

1. Accomodation – Business hotels, budget hotels, capsule hotels and even budget ryokans provide inexpensive accommodations when in Japan. Business hotels provide Western-style rooms, with free internet and breakfast. Taking advantage of the Japanese breakfast, a quite heavy meal of rice balls and miso soup, will keep you covered for the whole morning’s worth of sightseeing. A tried-and-tested business hotel is the Toyoko Inn (http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/); a friend suggested it to us, and they have hotels all over Japan. Count on spending 50$ - 70$ per night for 2 persons. Definitely worth trying!

2. Eating – Food is absolutely delicious and absolutely inexpensive in Japan, if you aren’t picky or looking for a gourmet meal. A very filling meal can cost around 8€, way cheaper than in Europe. Restaurants also serve hot tea and water free of charge, unlike in other countries where you pay for your own bottle of water of a cup of hot tea after meals. There are a lot of ramen shops and street stalls as well if you’re looking for a quick meal to keep up the energy from all that sight seeing.

3. Transportation – Moving around Japan can be expensive, which is why you have to take advantage of Japan’s bullet train (shinkansen) and get the Japan Rail Pass (http://www.japanrail.com/index.html). Similar to the Eurail, you can only purchase your tickets outside Japan, and you need to validate the pass upon arrival. It may seem costly at first (a 7-day pass is 28,300 yen, roughly 265$), but keep in mind that a one-way ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto already costs around 120$, so you do the math! The JR Pass can also be used to get to several major stations around Tokyo, gets you to and from Narita Airport, and it makes side visits and day trips from Kyoto to Nara, Osaka, or Himeji possible and stress-free.

When in Tokyo, try getting a Metro day pass, which is around 1000 yen (9$) as opposed to the one-way ticket of 130 yen (1.20$). Tokyo’s metro stations can be a jungle, and with all the sights you will have to visit, you’re bound to get off at the wrong station at least once or twice, and this will definitely save you some yen.

4. Souvenirs – Though admittedly it is hard to resist shopping in Japan, there are some money-saving souvenirs you can get for your greedy friends back home. Boxes of typical Japanese sweets are wonderful and inexpensive presents you can buy by the bulk, and the beautiful packaging makes it even more special. Bookshops and stalls also sell beautiful Japanese paper and stationary, which are inexpensive and authentically Japanese trinkets.

When in Japan you are also bound to visit a lot of temples, and most temples offer stamp stations – a custom-made stamp of the temple/castle/monument you have just visited. I brought along a travel notebook and made it a point to get myself a stamp of each of the places I had been to; it makes a very personal and meaningful souvenir – something that you can’t buy from souvenir stalls!

So the next time you’re choosing a destination in Asia, don’t leave out Japan. However much you’ll end up spending, the trip is definitely worth it.

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POSTED IN: Asia Budget Travel, Japan, Travel Tips