One of the top destinations on wish lists is Japan. Many people know it as the home of the world’s best sushi as well as the makers of fantastic video games and popular anime. Beautiful shrines, imposing temples, and neon lights illuminate the nation’s cities.
Not to mention the well-known cherry blossom season, which annually attracts a large number of sakura enthusiasts to Japan.
Don’t you think that sounds wonderful already? So how much is the average cost of a trip to japan?
Although indeed, Japan isn’t the cheapest country, there are still plenty of ways to go there on a tight budget.
Your position, your level of comfort preference, and your preferred method of diet will unquestionably affect the cost of a trip to Japan. We will discuss our circumstances and how we visited Japan on a shoestring budget. Minimizing the price of a trip to Japan can be done in certain ways!
These are some costs to help you create a travel budget japan plan if you wish to plan your own Japanese vacation cost:
- While the majority of vacation rentals cost between $140 and $520 per night for the entire home, hotel rates in Japan range from $62 to $304 per night with an average of $105.
- The average cost of travel to japan in round-trip ticket to Japan (from all airports) ranges from $948 to $1,696 for first-class travel and from $2,977 to $5,325 for economy travel.
- Although meal costs might vary in Japan, the average cost of meals is ¥3,672 per day. When eating out, a typical supper in Japan should cost around ¥1,469 per person based on the spending patterns of past visitors. Breakfast usually has a lower price than lunch or dinner.
- In Japan, the average cost of entertainment and activities is ¥2,272 per person, per day. This includes money spent on day trips, and other forms of sightseeing, including admission fees to museums and other sites.
- The usual weekly budget for public transportation, like local trains or buses, is between 2,000 and 8,000 yen. An approximate 8,000 yen ticket on the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto costs an additional 5,800 yen if you wish to reserve a seat.
In this essay, we’ll outline the expenses in more detail when visiting Japan for two weeks. lodging, travel, meals, and entertainment included!
Guidelines for Budget-Friendly Japan Travel
These are our best suggestions for how much is a trip to japan with a tight budget—certainly, it’s one of our favorite places to travel.
- Persist In Hostels
Hostels are where we recommend staying if you want to see Japan on a tight budget. As you can see, they significantly contributed to our ability to save money overall by cutting our lodging expenses in half. Although we recognize that hostels may not be for everyone, even if you only experienced one, you could get a taste of what they’re like while still keeping to a tight budget.
The majority of individuals we encountered were really pleasant, and the hostel rooms are calm with a similar environment in the kitchen. When we were traveling in Japan, we believed that staying in hostels was a terrific way to save money. We enjoyed them because practically all of them had kitchens where we could prepare meals.
I suggest renting an apartment through VRBO or Airbnb if you want to have more space and save money.
A great, family-friendly vacation rental costs around $130 per night, while a truly nice one costs around $180. The nicest thing is that you’ll have a kitchen and a dining area where you can attempt cooking yourself or even bring cooked food home to eat. This will help you stay under budget because eating out in Japan may be expensive.
- Take A Bus Across The State
We did a lot of reading before our trip and it almost seemed like common sense that we needed to buy a JR train pass.
Then we discovered the excellent value of Willer Express buses! The cost of travel to japan with these buses, which connect all of the major cities, is significantly less than that of the pricey bullet trains.
Using a bullet train sounds fantastic, and we do plan to do so in the future, but they are not very inexpensive.
Making ensuring our travel expenses in Japan were reasonable was made possible by using Willer Express.
- Take Public Transportation
Although it may seem obvious, tourists frequently use taxis or ride-sharing services like Uber to get to their destinations when they are in a foreign country and find the surroundings to be a little too complex.
Any city in Japan will have inexpensive local buses, trains, or metros that can get you where you need to go.
Japan’s Pasmo or Suica transportation card is similar to those used in other major cities across the globe (the name of the card is different depending on the region). When contrasted to buying a metro ticket every time, these can be purchased at railway stations and topped up if you know you’ll be traveling.
- Dine At Affordable Eateries
It might be difficult to believe, but you can’t splurge on food as much as you would like to if you want to travel to Japan on a tight budget.
The cost of food is a significant financial consideration when traveling. You might be going on this trip primarily for the sake of Japanese cuisine!
Among the locations, we can suggest is Ichibanya Coco Curry House, known for its outstanding vegan-friendly Japanese curries. Budget-friendly Sukiya can be found throughout Japan, and Genki Sushi is a sushi bar with a conveyor belt style that is incredibly economical. There are a lot of ramen shops with inexpensive food, too!
Which diet do you follow? To find vegetarian meals in Japan, we used the fantastic app Happy Cow. Because people may rate a place according to pricing, we found many restaurants that fit within our budget. Even if you aren’t looking for vegetarian meals, it’s still worth a look.
- Cost-free Activities In Japan
Just strolling through Japanese cities is one of our favorite activities. There are so many neighborhoods in Tokyo that visiting them all would take weeks! The best part is that it’s free and we love discovering new locations and obscure streets. Just be sure to use public transportation if you must.
Even in Tokyo, there is a tonne of free activities to do! Both the Sens-ji temple and the well-known Shibuya Crossing are free to visit in Asakusa. Outside of the cities, Japan offers some stunning walks in the summer.
A lot of the free activities in Japan may make your japan trip cost budget-friendly and fantastic, yet there are also some paid attractions like the Studio Ghibli Museum and Disney or Universal theme parks.
How Much Does It Cost To Go To Japan?
Your airfare and hotels will likely be your major outlays. Your flight expenses may vary based on where you’re going from, what season you decide to fly in, and whether you choose a direct or indirect route, with further recommendations on the most advantageous time to fly.
You might potentially save a lot of money while traveling to japan costs such a potentially far distance by keeping a look out for deals or seeing if you can apply any reward points towards your journey.
No matter if you’re looking for a budget trip to japan or not, it’s impossible to say exactly how much money you’ll need for a trip to Japan. Based on your final itinerary and how you handle your finances while you’re there, you could theoretically go to Japan and remain there for two weeks for between $1000 and USD 8000.
For a single traveler, a 7-day trip to Japan costs on average $2,999; for a couple, $5,990; and for a family of four, $6,999 or above. The average cost of a hotel room in Japan is $105, whereas the majority of vacation rentals cost between $140 and $520 per night for the complete house.
Now that you’re aware of some excellent ways to cut costs when you’re arranging your trip to Japan, it’s time to take a closer look at 2 -the week’s cost to travel to japan. A few categories comprise our travel expenses to Japan:
Air Tickets
Direct flights from the US to Tokyo typically cost $900. If you are prepared to accept a stopover or find a seat sale, you may be able to save $100 to $300. There are two significant airports in Tokyo. While Narita is 1.5 hours west of Tokyo, Haneda Airport is the one closest to the city. Haneda is the better option because it is nearby, however, keep in mind that many overseas planes only travel to Narita. The cost will either be higher or lower depending on where in the world you are flying from.
If you live in Canada, you might want to consider applying for one of the best credit cards for travel to help pay for your expenses by earning points. The American Express Platinum Card, for instance, offers a hefty welcome bonus that is frequently worth more than $900. (perhaps more if you transfer your points to Marriott Bonvoy or Aeroplan). A card with no foreign transaction fees and access to airport lounges is the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card.
Japanese Lodging
Japan offers a vast variety of lodging options, just like the rest of the world. You have the option of staying in a luxury brand hotel or a capsule hotel. The decision is entirely up to you. Although there are less expensive options, set aside $150-350 each night. Despite the variety of lodging options, Japan is known for its cramped living conditions. That implies that your room will probably be small. I have no problem with that, but it might be challenging to find anything that can fit four people. The many lodgings that you can choose from are listed below.
I’ll be the first to acknowledge that it can be challenging to locate inexpensive hotels in Japan because of the country’s generally higher cost of living than Southeast Asian or Taiwanese nations.
Having said that, there are a lot of excellent choices. For instance, inexpensive hotel brands in Japan including APA Hotels, Super Hotel, and Hotel Mets provide affordable lodging at high standards.
Perhaps because there are significantly fewer possibilities than in Tokyo, hotel rates in Kyoto range more widely. For a 4-star hotel that can accommodate a family of four, the overall average works out to roughly $240 per room, per night. If you need a cheap double room with minimal frills, business hotels are another viable alternative. The Toyoko Inn, Wing International Hotels, and Smile Hotels are a few of the most well-known brands.
How much does a house cost in japan when we were in Japan? We paid a total of (€740/$832) on lodging, or an average of 3179 (€25/$29) each day.
Foods And Beverages
Although the food in Japan is generally affordable, if you indulge yourself frequently or strive to sample the greatest cuisine in each location, the cost can quickly add up. Consider the following costs for each meal as a preliminary budget.
- Breakfast costs $7
- Lunch costs $15-$20 per person
- Dinner costs $25-$35
Spending no more than $50 per day is what I advise. You could easily eat for less than I specified per day, but with fresh sushi, Kobe beef, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and so many other delicious foods to eat, I prefer to have a reasonable food budget.
Several Japan trip budget and mid-range hotels, as well as hotels, include breakfast frequently. You’ll have a straightforward breakfast, but it should sustain you until noon. In contrast, bakeries offer fresh buns for less than $2, which are a fantastic option for a breakfast or snack. Furthermore, keep in mind that decent food may be found at incredibly inexpensive costs in convenience stores in Japan.
Truly, a sandwich or a bento box may be had for less than $5. Hell, at some of the most well-known restaurants, a delicious bowl of real ramen, curry, udon, or soba will cost you less than $10 per bowl. You should expect to pay around $10 for a fast-food combo.
In Japan, there is excellent street food. In contrast to other Asian nations where Americans must exercise greater caution, Japan is a highly developed nation, making eating street food relatively safe. It is possible to buy Japanese sweets like taiyaki, takoyaki, yakitori, and other fan favorites, frequently for less money than the cuisine you would get even at ramen restaurants. The abundance of high-quality vending machines that dispense delicious Japanese snacks and drinks at reasonable prices is another feature of Japan.
Japanese food costs $150 per person/each day for 14 days equals $2,100.
This price could significantly change based on several factors, such as whether you’re staying in a hotel or a rental, how upscale the restaurant is, whether you’re willing to buy your food at the grocery store, whether you want to spend money on special meals, etc.
Local Transport
No JR pass will take you anywhere. If you need to take the subway, a different operator is being used since JR mostly runs surface lines. The good news is that using one of the seven prepaid IC cards—for example, Suica, Pasmo, or ICOCA—to pay for public transit in Japan is simple and reasonably priced. You can use any of them in the main cities of Japan even if they don’t provide you with any savings and are all compatible with one another. They are particularly practical because they may be used to pay at many establishments, including shops, vending machines, and restaurants.
It’s also important to keep in mind that certain cities offer transit permits. For example, in Kyoto, you can use the Raku bus to access all of the city’s major tourist attractions. You might want to use a cab occasionally; they aren’t cheap, but I don’t think they’re pricey.
- Cost of a rail pass at full price: $353 JR pass for two people plus $80 for each child JR pass x 2 = $1,066 in addition
- Cost of a metro ticket: [2 x $4.50 metro tickets multiplied by 2 + 2 x $2.50 metro tickets * by 2] $169 for 12 days, additional
- Taxi fare: $4 trips at $20.
Places To Visit
The fact that it is simple to sightsee without a guide and that many of Tokyo and Kyoto’s most popular attractions are free is one of the best things about budgeting for Japan.
Even though Japan has a lot of free attractions, you will eventually need to make some purchases. Temples and museums only charge a few hundred yen, but going to a theme park or seeing a sumo battle can quickly run up your expenses. Small entrance fees, typically 600 yen (about $4.50) for adults and half that for kids, are charged at temples and museums. Toyko attractions like Senso-ji Temple and the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park are included in this.
You may easily spend several hundred dollars on attractions if you intend to visit Tokyo Disneyland, Universal Studios in Osaka, or some of the for-pay observation decks in different towns. Sincerity be told, theme parks in Japan are inexpensive compared to those in other countries, but I think paying for some observation decks is a bit excessive.
Note: Please try to purchase your attraction tickets in advance to avoid lines. This can make a significant difference because particular attractions can get very crowded at specific seasons of the year.
Unplanned Spending
People often underestimate or completely neglect to budget for this one area. While traveling, you will shop. Save some money aside because it might be used for souvenirs, presents for loved ones, or items for yourself. Additionally, the majority of tourists to Japan spend money on unplanned items like karaoke, Buddhist charms, and arcade games that they would never typically buy. You might wish to set aside a little bit more money if you enjoy shopping.
What Is the Best Time To Visit Japan?
The best months to visit japan are from March to May (for the spring season) and from September to November (for the autumn), thus it makes sense to look for flights to Japan and lodging discounts from November to March. June through September can be quite hot and difficult for traveling and sightseeing (particularly in July and August) and japan in December month is typically quieter for travel, and the temperature is comfortably cold and gentle.
The official climbing season for Mount Fuji is also from July to September, which is a major consideration for many tourists who desire to hike.
Final Words
In conclusion, a 13-night japan vacation cost that includes stays in Tokyo and Kyoto will run a family of four with two young children, staying in one room or a rental unit, about $11,730 total, including flights. This is based on the supposition that you will limit your activities, take public transit, dine at casual eateries, or order takeout. This equals about $244 per person, per day.
Also, the anticipated prices are based on travel from the United States and are expressed in American dollars ($).
Keep in mind that a lot of things could cause estimates to be a little bit higher than what you could spend. It’s usually better to overspend and leave yourself some wiggle space in your japan budget than to underestimate the cost of your trip. This price will increase dramatically if you choose to use private tours, and private transportation, participate in additional cultural activities or dine at upscale establishments.
