Traveling Japan on a Budget
Is traveling to Japan on a budget possible? Short answer – yes, and a bit longer one: very much so.
During a recent trip to New Zealand, one of the most expensive countries that I have ever been to, along with Norway, I was very surprised that most people assumed that Japan was even more expensive than New Zealand, a country where a bed in a hostel (often not even nearly as nice as the hostels in Japan) easily costs around USD 50 per night.
This perception about Japan is, however, not uncommon. It also took me a long time to visit Japan, thinking that it would be an outrageously expensive trip, and a very quick initial online research at the time often confirmed my fears. So, when I finally bit the bullet in 2012 and decided to visit the country (and eventually moved here in 2019), I spent a lot of time searching online, determined to find a way to make my trip to Japan happen.
After hours of doctoral-level online research, I could finally secure a room in a decent hotel at a reasonable cost in Kyoto, and only then did I find the courage to book my plane ticket. At the time, although I did not find it as expensive as Scandinavia and particularly Norway, I pretty much agreed that Japan was indeed one of the most expensive countries I had ever visited. However, now, 13 years later, many things have changed, which have eventually led to Japan becoming a much more affordable travel destination for solo travelers – maybe not at the level of those wonderful Southeast Asian destinations, but definitely more affordable than most Western destinations. So, what has changed?
Over the years, the tourism sector in Japan has become increasingly accommodating to solo and independent travelers. This approach led to a substantial increase in the number of alternative accommodation facilities better suited to meet the needs of solo/independent travelers.
This was also accompanied by innovative and affordable transportation packages, primarily designed to introduce visitors to the rural parts of Japan that first-time visitors might otherwise overlook.
Then, there was, of course, the Japanese economy and the Japanese Yen losing its value. While not ideal for those living in Japan, it certainly contributed to the country’s affordability as a travel destination.
After this lengthy introduction, as a resident of Japan and a frequent solo traveler, I would like to share some of my tips to help you further reduce your Japan travel expenses. There is also a separate series under my Japan travel newsletter, Letters from Japan, which takes a closer look at the logistics of Japan travel planning, specifically in the Japan Trip Planning Q&A series, and another one: Japan Travel Frequently Asked Questions.
Tips for traveling to Japan on a budget
The list below covers accommodation, food, and inevitably transportation-related tips.
Benefit from the hostel movement, which has spread to even rural Japan
While the concept of a capsule hotel, where the guests get a bed in a capsule rather than a hotel room, lowering the cost is not new in Japan, the country has, over the last decade, also joined the design hostel trend that turns the hostel experience into something much more than a mere money-saving option, into something desirable.
While the price of a hostel bed is still higher than in many other Asian countries, the quality makes up for the price difference. A bed in a hostel in Japan (including Tokyo ones) often costs in the range of USD 20 – 30, and I have never had a bad experience in a Japanese hostel. In line with the country’s overall hygiene standards, the rooms and common spaces are immaculately maintained, with attention paid to the design. I previously wrote about some of my favorite hostels in Japan.
While the hostels were already abundant in urban destinations such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, thanks to a movement that saw young Japanese people leave big cities and move to rural Japan, there has also been a substantial increase in the number of hostels opened in rural areas. Two years ago, I interviewed three young hostel owners who chose to invest in their hometowns and rural Japan, with the hope of reviving independent tourism in these often-overlooked destinations. These hostels, often located in renovated traditional Japanese homes, are also great places to mingle with the locals. Both Ichi the Hostel, located in Hiwasa, Shikoku, and Kochi no Ya Hostel, located in Aki, Shikoku, offer bar/pub nights that cater not only to hostel guests but also to locals.
Look for hotels offering single rooms
If you are traveling solo, it is worth seeking hotels that offer a single-room option at a considerably reduced price. Most of these single rooms come with a single bed. While the rooms are often small, they are surprisingly comfortable and even commonly feature a desk space. The rates for single rooms at my favorite hotel in Kyoto, Hotel Anteroom (which also has a branch in Okinawa), sometimes go down to as low as USD 27 for single rooms. You get your own private space at hostel prices.
Business hotels are not as bad as they sound
Japan also has the concept of business hotels equipped to host traveling business people in single rooms. While they are usually very basic in terms of design, you can often count on these hotels for very high hygiene standards, a convenient location, and breakfast. So when you search online, do not be discouraged by the likely not-so-pleasant-looking photos of a concrete and uninspiring building. The rooms are usually decent enough, and the nightly rate ranges from USD 40 to USD 80. I often stay in business hotels when I travel for writing gigs and have no complaints.
Do not limit your search to international accommodation booking sites
Guilty as charged, I also often use booking.com for my accommodation needs. This is mainly due to the convenience of keeping all my bookings in chronological order in one app and Booking.com’s app’s user-friendly interface, especially for date changes/cancellations. However, when booking in Japan, I also recommend checking Rakuten Travel’s Japanese website (not the international Rakuten Travel site) and comparing the rates displayed with those quoted by international booking sites, such as Booking.com.
There have been many cases where I could get a lower rate on the Rakuten Japanese website or could find a room when there was no availability shown on other international booking sites. The site is not easy to navigate (a common feature of many Japanese websites), and you need to use Google Translate, but the outcome may still be worth the effort.
Consider buying your dinner at supermarkets
Japan is famous for its convenience stores, which, as the name suggests, are very handy when visiting or living in Japan. Selling everything from underwear to pre-cooked food, convenience stores are an integral part of daily life in Japan. However, if you are looking to take a break from eating at a restaurant (though they are wonderful and often very reasonably priced – some of my Tokyo eatery suggestions), supermarkets are even better options than convenience stores. Most mid to large-sized supermarkets have their own kitchens where daily sets of lunch and dinner are cooked. From a large box of often delicious sushi at prices as low as USD 3-4 to cooked salmon, you will often find a wide range of freshly cooked food selections. LIFE and Livre Keisei are two of my favorite supermarket brands in Japan, and they can be a lifesaver when traveling and looking for a cheaper and/or faster food option.
Regional train passes may be a better option than the nationwide ones
If you are interested in a trip to Japan anytime soon, you may have already heard about the massive price increase for the Japan Rail Pass, which covers all JR lines in the country, including the Shinkansen, that was implemented a few years ago. The 7-day pass, which used to cost 29,640 Japanese Yen (approx. USD 224), now, as of October 2023, sells for 50,000 Japanese Yen (approx. USD 374).
Prior to the dramatic price increase, the 7-day pass cost as much as a round-trip Shinkansen ticket between Tokyo and Kyoto, leading many visitors to invest in the pass without giving much thought to their overall itinerary. However, with the new prices, one will need to study their itinerary more carefully to decide whether it is worth buying the Japan Rail Pass, which may not be the ideal option for those focusing on the Golden Route of Japan (Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, and Hiroshima).
With the drastic increase in the cost of the Japan Rail Pass, which covers the nationwide JR rail network, regional train passes that have also been available have become a more popular choice. Even on my first trip to Japan in 2012, I opted for the Kansai Wide Area Pass rather than the Japan Rail Pass, which offered a better deal for my Kansai-focused itinerary.
Today, there are numerous regional train passes that cover either JR Rail networks or lines operated by other rail companies. Some of the more popular ones of the regional passes are, and you can access the full list here:
JR East Tohoku Rail Pass for 5 days
Available to both visitors and residents of Japan holding a foreign passport, the JR East Tohoku Pass costs approximately 30,000 Japanese Yen (USD 200) for unlimited use over five consecutive days. Due to the high demand, they recently also introduced a ten-day version for 50,000 Japanese Yen. It is a terrific deal. I have personally used the pass twice, and while you need to change to buses for certain remote destinations, the pass still proved to be a great deal (especially when considering the cost of a one-way Shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Aomori, the northernmost city in Tohoku – 17,900 (approx. USD 120) Japanese Yen).
Tohoku is an excellent destination in any season, but it is particularly beautiful in autumn during the fall foliage season. Every year, I benefit from this pass for my Autumn Colors Trip to Aomori, as well as some Onsen Hopping Through Tohoku, since it is home to some of the most historical and fascinating hot spring stays in Japan.
JR Hokkaido Rail Pass for 5 or 7 consecutive days
Covering the entire JR rail network in Japan’s second largest yet least populated island – Hokkaido – the JR Hokkaido Rail pass costs 20,000 Japanese Yen (approx. USD 150) for 5 days and 26,000 Japanese Yen (approx. USD 190) for 7 days. They have also recently introduced a 10-day pass option, which costs 32,000 Japanese Yen. Available only to visitors (and not to foreign residents), the pass substantially reduces transportation costs in Hokkaido—a destination full of vibrant cities, but more importantly, astonishing landscape scenery, including Japan’s largest national park, Daisetsuzan.
JR Kyushu Rail Pass for 3, 5, or 7 consecutive days
Starting at 20,000 (approx. USD 135) Japanese Yen for three consecutive days, the JR Kyushu Rail Pass covers the entire Kyushu Island. There are also options for regional passes at reduced cost covering either the south or the north part of the island. As I spend most of my time hiking in the mountains while in Kyushu, I have not personally used this pass, which is, in any case, only available to visitors. However, in addition to its beautiful nature, Kyushu is also home to some remarkable cities, including Nagasaki, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima. The pass makes it more affordable to visit all these cities during the same trip.
Look for reduced visitor fares offered by Japanese airlines
While I also dread the idea of taking a plane in a country so well served by an amazing train network, air travel may sometimes be your only option, especially if you are short on time or intend to visit remote destinations such as Okinawa. Not widely known to foreign visitors, major Japanese Airlines such as ANA offer reduced fares for visitors holding an international return ticket to Japan. Before my move to Japan, I benefited many times from the Discover Japan Fare of ANA Airlines to visit locations that are either not served by train or require multiple days on a train, such as Hokkaido. One-way fare to most locations costs around USD 70, and all you need to do is to show a proof of temporary visitor stamp on your passport and a return ticket to a destination outside of Japan (and your international ticket can be booked with any airline, does not have to be ANA or a Star Alliance flight).
These are some of the tips that will hopefully help you keep your trip expenses in Japan at a reasonable level. While still not comparable with most destinations in Asia, Japan is not as expensive as it is infamously portrayed to be, and traveling to Japan on a budget is perfectly possible as long as you do your research.
More Japan travel tips: destination ideas
If you are looking for ideas for planning your Japan trip, my Japan travel guide may, hopefully, be helpful.
If you are not short on time, there are countless destinations in Japan. Getting off the mainland to visit the smaller islands is a wonderful option to experience the “extremely” rural life centered around the ocean. These are some of my favorite islands in Japan.
If you like hiking, you are in luck. Mountains cover 70% of Japan`s land and host thousands of trails fit for both beginner and advanced hikers. These are some of the hikes in Japan that are easily accessible with public transportation. If you are looking into combining hiking with culture and history, you can explore the Pilgrimage Routes of Japan.
To experience Japan’s famous onsen (hot springs) culture, you can check out my post, where I listed some of my favorite onsen in Japan.
If you visit Japan during the fall colors season, these are some of my favorite fall foliage viewing destinations in the country.
