Is Japan Expensive to Visit?

With the depreciation of the pound since Brexit, the Japanese yen has grown more expensive in comparison, thus increasing the expenses of travellers keen to experience Japan in all her grandeur. However, while high-end options abound for travellers who wish to indulge themselves in luxurious experiences, backpackers and families travelling on a shoestring need not fret! Japan is also considerate to the budget-conscious traveller, so there are many ways in which you can save money so as to pack more epic experiences under your belt. Here is how you can stretch your dollar in accommodation, food, transport, and shopping!

Accommodation Airbnb is gaining in traction in Japan, which is awesome news for people who wish to experience an authentic slice of local culture. However, do you know that you can actually stay with Japanese people at their homes - for free? Sign up as a member at Couchsurfing and Warm Showers and you’ll immediately gain access to a community of natives passionate about hosting travellers from overseas. I used Couchsurfing many times during my travels in Japan, and got to see a side of Japan most travellers wouldn’t get to see. Not only did I have fun bonding with my hosts over delectable dinners at a wide spectrum of homes ranging from a student dormitory to a house with a built-in chimney, I also sometimes found myself embarking on unexpected adventures because my hosts were kind enough to drive me around!

As for paid accommodations, instead of staying at hotels or hostels, why not try staying at one of Japan’s ubiquitous capsule hotels? Aimed at Japanese salarymen who miss their last train home, capsule hotels are a sight to behold, with large communal baths, cosy lounges and even massage chairs! The thrill of sleeping in a capsule that surprisingly feels quite spacious and even comes equipped with a TV set will definitely make for a cherished lifelong memory!

Food Japanese people care deeply about their food, so you can rest assured that culinary standards are high, be it gourmet cuisine or convenience store food. Try eating at some of these chain stores: Yoshinoya, Coco Curry, Joyfull, Yayoi-ken. As filling as they are nutritious, these set meals will tantalize your taste buds, without leaving a dent in your wallet! For more cash-strapped travellers, why not visit a supermarket around 6.30 to 7 p.m.? You will be greeted by the sight of many housewives and salarymen taking advantage of the ‘time sales’, a practice in which food like sushi and sashimi will be sold at increasingly cheaper prices as they will be expired later during the night. Just watch out for sticker labels with the kanji characters “半額” (half price) or “割引” (discount) and indulge yourself in a hearty meal! And of course, there are convenience stores that sell mouth-watering onigiri (rice balls), bento boxes and even spaghetti!

Transport Benefit from the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, a rail pass only exclusive to foreigners. Once you apply for one JR pass in your home country and activate it at any Japan Railway train station, you will be eligible to ride certain shinkansen trains as well as all other JR forms of transportation such as local trains, buses and even ferries - for as many times as you like within a stipulated period of one, two or three weeks! However, getting a JR pass for a week does require you to use it for seven consecutive days, which may not suit your travelling itinerary if you are hoping to stay put in a city for several days. In this case, you may want to make use of the Willer Express as it boasts over 20 bus routes that span across 30 prefectures, thereby guaranteeing you a fuss-free way to traipse across the country. An advantage of Willer Express is that overnight buses are available, which helps you shave off precious travelling time as you can go to sleep and wake up the next day in another prefecture!

For nature lovers who will like to take things slow, they can purchase the Seishun Juhachi Kippu that is available during the school holidays in Japan. Costing a mere 11,850 yen, this ticket offers five days of unlimited travel on Japan Railway trains - and throws in therapeutic stretches of soaking up the unparalleled raw beauty of magnificent natural scenery!

Shopping Buying tasteful, yet cheap souvenirs for the folks back home is always a struggle for travellers, but thankfully, there are shops like Daiso Japan and Don Quijote that offer many useful lifestyle products and quirky specialty items. Daiso Japan even standardizes the pricing for all its products: 100 yen. Yes, you read it right. For 100 yen (USD$1), you can buy something funky that your family and friends will like! In addition, many large shopping chains like AEON offer attractive discount coupons to encourage travellers to shop at their stores. In the case of AEON, simply go to its website (www.welcome-aeon.com) to download its 5% off coupon now. Last but not least, premium outlets are not to be missed because they bring to you the latest seasonal items from diverse luxurious brands at moderate prices! Retail therapy has never been so enjoyable!

So, is Japan an expensive place to visit? Well, from the above-mentioned ways and tips to spend your travel budget prudently, the answer is a resounding “No”!