{"id":1508,"date":"2017-06-20T07:36:34","date_gmt":"2017-06-20T05:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/?p=1508"},"modified":"2022-06-15T09:58:44","modified_gmt":"2022-06-15T07:58:44","slug":"how-much-does-it-cost-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/how-much-does-it-cost-japan","title":{"rendered":"How much does it cost to go to Japan? Traveling on a budget"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve ever thought of traveling to Japan, you\u2019ve probably heard the <em>myth<\/em> that it is one of the most expensive destinations in the world. Certainly, Japan travel can rack up a big bill \u2013 international flights, luxury trains, and Kobe beef may come to mind. However, you <em>can<\/em> see Japan on the cheap if you put your mind to it, and if you are willing to do your homework in advance.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>How much will your trip to Japan cost?<\/strong> The purpose of this article is to offer you a rough idea of the cost of travel, per person, when planning a trip to Japan. Keep in mind that many factors \u2013 including where you go, what you do, whether you are traveling in a group, and what time of year you travel \u2013 will affect your trip\u2019s final price tag.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_white no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Table of Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Budget_for_traveling_around_Japan\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> Budget for traveling around Japan<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Daily_expenses_in_Japan\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> Daily expenses in Japan<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Accommodationexpenses\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.1<\/span> Accommodation\u00a0expenses<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Food_expenses\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.2<\/span> Food expenses<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Things_to_do\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.3<\/span> Things to do\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Money_conversion\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.4<\/span> Money conversion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Budget_for_traveling_around_Japan\">Budget for traveling around Japan<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Sure, it takes money to travel \u2013 especially when international flights are involved. However, you are in control of your travel budget. This means that you can, to a large extent, determine how much or how little you are going to spend. Prior planning can help to eliminate unanticipated expenses.<\/p>\n<p><strong>To begin your Japan traveling budget, you must first decide your budget limits.<\/strong> You may want to start with two numbers \u2013 your preferred budget and the absolute maximum that you can or are willing to spend (hopefully, the latter number is higher than the first). <strong>Setting these limits will help you to plan your vacation<\/strong> in a way that is affordable. Setting limits will also help you to c<strong>hoose the activities that are most important to you<\/strong> while eliminating unnecessary excursions and their expenses.<\/p>\n<p>So, you\u2019ve set your budget \u2013 now, you must decide <em>how long<\/em> and <em>how lavish<\/em> your trip will be. But before so, do not hesitate to c2heck our travel itineraries!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/7-days-japan-itinerary\">Japan in 7 days<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/14-days-japan-itinerary\">Japan in 14 days<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/japan-travel-itinerary-21-days\">Japan in 21 days<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/3-days-tokyo-itinerary\">3 days in Tokyo<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n            <a class=\"fasc-button banner-button-shortcode fasc-size-large fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-after fa-chevron-circle-right fasc-style-bold\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/the-japan-rail-pass\">\n                Buy your JR Pass\n            <\/a>\n        <\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Daily_expenses_in_Japan\"><strong>Daily expenses in Japan<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>According to some,<strong> a <em>low daily budget<\/em> for Japanese travel is about $26.00 to $69.00 USD<\/strong>, a <em>mid-range daily budget<\/em> is about $69.00 to $140.00 USD, and a <em>high daily budget <\/em>is anything above this. Now, all you have to do is do the math \u2013 pick a number in one of these ranges and divide your budget by it. This will tell you about how many days you can afford.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind, however, that <strong>before determining your days, you should subtract a few additional expenses from your budget<\/strong> \u2013 the daily budgets listed do not include transportation, so you must allow for airplane tickets, bus fares, and your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/prices\">Japan Rail Pass for the lowest price<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Also, it is good to plan on having a little \u201cemergency money\u201d for unexpected expenses. Finally, the budgets listed are the <em>average cost<\/em> of travel in Japan. Your actual costs may increase if you choose expensive activities or accommodations, such as Tokyo Disney.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Accommodationexpenses\"><strong>Accommodation<\/strong><strong>\u00a0expenses<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After transportation costs, your accommodations \u2013 a place to stay \u2013 will present the most expense. Hostels, dormitories, and inexpensive hotels offer the best prices \u2013 as little as $13.00 U.S. per night &#8211; while western-style hotels and traditional, all-inclusive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/ryokan-japanese-guest-houses\"><em>ryokan<\/em><\/a>, or Japanese inns, may come at a premium. Expect to pay what you would for a luxury hotel back home.<\/p>\n<p>Choose the experience that best fits your budget, or adjust the number of days you will be staying if you desire the more expensive options. See our article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/budget-travel-accommodation-japan\">Budget accommodation in Japan<\/a> for a complete description of Japan\u2019s often unique accommodations.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Food_expenses\"><strong>Food expenses<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Japan is well known for its delicious food<\/strong>, some dishes being available nowhere else in the world. As such, it is no surprise that food ranks third in your list of expenses. While traveling, you will likely visit restaurants rather than preparing food yourself. How can you keep your food costs within your budget?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Convenience stores and fast food restaurants often offer low-cost meal options,<\/strong> and inexpensive <em>bento<\/em> lunch boxes can be purchased at many train stations, shopping malls, and food stalls. You\u2019ll likely want to indulge in nice dinners during your trip, but try to eat where the locals eat \u2013 these restaurants offer fabulous foods, typically at lower prices than in restaurants aimed at tourists. All from $13.00 U.S. to more than $40.00 U.S. for food, per person, per day.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Things_to_do\"><strong>Things to do<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You\u2019ll want to <strong>see the sights<\/strong>, and this part of your trip can range from free to \u2013 well, to whatever admission you\u2019re willing to pay. Japan offers many, many free diversions \u2013 ancient temples, hiking trails, and beaches, to name a few. <strong>Museums, castles, and temples that do charge admission are often very affordable<\/strong> at $1.00 U.S. or less. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/theme-parks-japan\">Theme parks<\/a> and other attractions may charge $50.00 U.S. or more.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Money_conversion\"><strong>Money conversion<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One additional expense to keep in mind when planning your travel budget is that of currency conversion. A small fee is deducted when you exchange currency from your homeland for Japanese yen. If using a credit or debit card, ask your bank what conversion rates may apply.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Whether your budget is humble or extravagant, you are certain to enjoy your next trip to the inspiring country of Japan.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve ever thought of traveling to Japan, you\u2019ve probably heard the myth that it is one of the most expensive destinations in the world. Certainly, Japan travel can rack up a big bill \u2013 international flights, luxury trains, and Kobe beef may come to mind. However, you can see Japan on the cheap if you put your mind to it, and if you are willing to do your homework in advance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[92],"tags":[],"acf":{"bread_1":false,"bread_2":false,"bread_3":false,"bread_4":false,"bread_5":false,"bread_6":false,"bread_7":false,"bread_last":false,"custom_guide":"","pageresume":" ","shortcodes":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.10 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How much does it cost to go to Japan? - Japan Rail Pass Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Traveling to Japan does not have to be expensive! 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