As high-cost Japan

As high-cost Japan - to turn in a favorable place

For the year to visit, I have to Japan were putting off to go because I was afraid of how expensive it be would. The rumors I had heard about the country's high rates me to go slowly. I have always loved Japanese culture, and I knew that every visit to Sushi and Ramen, visits to many temples and heavy train journey through the countryside would mean gorging. And the thought of how much would it cost always made me think: "I'll wait until I have more money."

But at the end of April, I had the chance to finally visit. I was shocked to discover that, while it is not cheap, Japan is not prohibitively expensive country people might think it is. In fact, I found Japan actually very affordable and on par with (and sometimes cheaper than) countries in Western Europe.

Here's how much things cost normally in Japan and how to reduce these costs to make the land affordable:

Note: ¥ 80 = $ 1 USD

transport

transportation is one of the most expensive aspects of traveling in Japan and includes the majority of my expenses. The Shinkansen, while fantastic, fast and easy, is not cheap. Single tickets can cost hundreds of dollars. But I think, train is the best way to see the country, so as to reduce your web costs, a Japan Rail (JR) to get through. The passport is essential for travel in Japan.

These passes cost ¥ 28,300 for 7 days, ¥ 45,100 for 14 days and ¥ 57,700 for 21 days. All processing times are for successive trips. Even if you just get the seven-day pass, it's the same price as a round-trip train ticket from Osaka to Tokyo (¥ 14,250 each way!). In addition, trains these JR will also serve local city areas and therefore uses the inner city. I have to get my passport to Kyoto and Tokyo take metro tickets. So even if you are going to do, not much room to Japan, buying a pass is better than buying individual tickets. While the high price of the passport sticker shock can cause, the alternative is worse.

Most of the city subway tickets cost 100-0 yen for a single trip. (The price varies depending on the distance and can often be higher.) Rates were around 220 ¥ in Tokyo to travel normally, but less for shorter distances. In most major cities, you can buy a day pass that allows you to. Any number of journeys for 24 hours for 800 yen

buses are an inexpensive alternative to bullet train system in Japan are, but they take more time. For example, the two-hour train ride from Tokyo ball is a ten-hour bus ride to Osaka. The price of the seat is ¥ 4500, but at some point, you need to think about how much your time is worth. For me 10,000 savings was slightly ¥ not worth the extra seven hours journey, as I had so little time during my visit. If I had more time, I would have just taken the bus. There are also bus available which offer as many trips and start for three non-consecutive days of travel at 10,000 ¥.

Flying is an option of last resort. There are many budget carriers serving Japan now, and a flight search on sites like Vayama or Skyscanner they reveal. Generally, the prices at the level bullet train tickets.

I think the train pass is the best way to save money for transportation for those with limited time. It is expensive, but it is the best way to see your travel time and to optimize the country. For those who have more time, take the bus to save and money.

Food

Surprisingly, I found food to be cheap in Japan. It's true, I have a sushi addiction, but overall I found that I was spending far less on food than I expected. Since Japan imports much of its food, I was paying through the nose scared, but the food was cheap actually the only thing that kept my daily totals?

as long as I could feed my addiction is not sushi I I found for less than 1,500 yen a day eating. Some typical prices were:

Sushi lunch sets (sushi, soup, salad): 1,0 yen
Traditional Japanese Set Lunch: 1,0+ yen
Sushi Trains: 100-500 yen
Small pasta 399 yen
Western meal menu (sandwiches, burgers or pizza with drink): 1,0 yen
McDonalds value menu: ¥ 0
Ramen 700 yen
Tempura dishes: 80-0 yen

There are a number of inexpensive food choices medium ~~ POS = TRUNC in the country, and unless you go to mid-range or better restaurants, you do not really need a lot of money on food spend.

• Eating at ¥ 100 Shops - There are many 100 yen shops in Japan, where the menus, food, water: You can by following these money save food, toiletries, household goods and much more are just 100 ¥. I have all my purchases at these stores. Their names are sorted by region, so ask your hotel Hostel Reception /, at the next 100-yen shop located
• With sushi trains -. Sushi in Japan is delicious at all levels. While I had some fancy, sit-down meals, you can not lose the sushi train for value. At 100-170 yen per plate, I was able to stuff my face for less than 1,500 yen, the most of the time. I usually ate at Sushi trains
• Eat at 7-11 -. 7-11, Family Mart and other corner stores have make many preset meals for 100-300 yen for that cheap lunch. In addition, supermarkets have many menus at similar prices. I noticed this a popular option for many Japanese was
• your food cooking -. Hostels have kitchens where you can cook and your food can cut costs to less than 800 yen per day, mainly to buy by the 100-yen shops
• avoid fresh fruit -. The rumor about a Japan that was proven true that fresh fruits and vegetables were expensive. Outside the shopping in the market for an apple or banana, I avoid usually fresh fruit and vegetables. They were too expensive
• eating curry, ramen and donburi -. I essentially these three foods during my three weeks lived in Japan. Curry dishes are as cheap as ¥ 280 per plate. Donburi, bowls with meat and rice are at 400-500. Ramen is never more than 700. These are the best ways to eat cheap and filling meals in Japan.

property

cost of living in Japan are incredibly high with limited space, many people and high property prices. So that cheap accommodation to find and transfer the high cost on the tourism industry a real pain. Hostel Dorms usually costs ¥ 1,00 per night (sometimes as low as ¥ 1,500 or as high as ¥ 2,700 in Tokyo) and hotel rooms start at 5,000 yen per night or more. Here are some ways to save property .:

• work for your room - Hostels in Japan you can stay for free when you clean for a few hours a day
• Couchsurfing - Hospitality exchanges are not so widely used in Japan as well as elsewhere in the world, but there is a small, active Couchsurfing community here. Make sure that you ask rooms well ahead of time to increase your chances of success. , Read on here CouchSurfing
• By credit card points more - It's times like these that the credit points I be useful to speak. Frequent flyer miles and regular hotel points can be redeemed for many free nights. I used my free nights accumulated from hotels.com for two free nights in Tokyo, but with the big sign up bonus now for hotel cards, you can spend a week free accommodation up!
• Capsule hotels -. a step of hostels and one step down from hotels, capsule hotels (pictured) are tiny capsules in Sleep share bathrooms and common areas. Your capsule has a light socket, and sometimes a small TV. They are often used by business people who work late. These capsules start at around 2,700 yen per night.

interest

Most attractions were very low. I spend no more than 500 yen per museum or temple. In Kyoto there is a temple pass you unlimited are transport and access to the temples for ¥ 10th There is a good deal, considering you are likely to see a lot of museums in Kyoto, go. Osaka and Tokyo had similar passports for their attractions.

Overall, I found these passports the best way to save money on temples, museums and other attractions. In addition, there are many free gardens, temples and parks! I barely have money to offer, while I was in Japan.

How much do you need?

Japan has to be a picture of one of the most expensive countries in the world, and if you 'are in hotels, eat and travel around a lot, it can be. You can easily spend more than USD $ 0 per day, by traveling in this manner. However, I do not think should be a trip to Japan that expensive.

stay in a hostel, a transport pass, food can be bought relatively cheap food, and visit a few attractions will cost around $ 100 per day. A 21-day trip would (plus airfare) costs at least $ 2.100 USD. For that kind of money, you can go for months to Southeast Asia!

Instead, USD by using the above tips, I think you get to 70-75 $ by can per day. This would mean more bus trip, a (very) limited amount of sushi, only cheap restaurants, and the occasional night Couchsurfing (or other free accommodation).

on a bare bones budget, you can get for $ 50 per day if you (would Trains overpriced) on CouchSurfing stick, cheap food, bus travel and free attractions. I saw many travelers in Japan on the cheap travel. They did it, and it is possible - but you will never feed your sushi addiction if you travel this way

For me Budget Travel Value Travel .. Japan will never be as cheap as a destination Cambodia to be the Ukraine, or Peru, but there are ways to save money in any place of the world, and Japan has a lot. The country will never cost USD $ 20 per day, but it also does not cost hundreds.

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