Japan on a Budget: Cheap Travel Tips for Food, Hotels and More
Japan is top of many people’s bucket lists, and for good reason! Kawaii culture, delicious food and stunning scenery; I visited recently and am already planning my return! My brother is living and working in Japan right now, so I picked his brains to help me with this article, covering some of the best ways he has learned to save money as a local!
The Yen (the currency of Japan, ¥ or 円) has been in the news a lot over the last few months, and the exchange rate will directly impact how far your spending money will go. Don’t let this put you off planning a trip to Japan however; the current conversion rate is still sitting on a near 20-year high (depending on your currency), which may make the trip more affordable than you expect!
The cost of flights are one of the biggest expenses in many cases, but there are ways to save on many other aspects of your trip, if you know how. If you’re organising a trip to Japan but are looking to recoup some of those flight costs, here are some ways you can stick to your budget and still experience everything the country has to offer.
Japan on a Budget: Cheap Travel Tips for Food, Hotels and More
Skip the Hotel Breakfast
Hotel buffet style breakfasts will usually set you back between ¥3000 to ¥4000 per day, and over a two week trip this can really add up. You can comfortably grab breakfast from a convenience store (‘Konbini’) for ¥1000 or less, and a sit down breakfast would rarely cost you more than ¥1500 to ¥2000.
Morning ‘Set’s’
One of the most cost effective breakfast options is the Morning ‘Set’ offered at most chain coffee shops. During specified hours (from opening until around 10am to 11am), ordering a drink comes with a free breakfast! Depending on the chain (and the cost), these range from relatively basic options such as toast with a condiment to breakfast
sandwiches, hotdogs or even a full western style cooked breakfast! Incredible value.
Note that the price listed is usually based on a standard drink of the smallest size – and the price will increase for specialty coffees or larger sizes.
Lunch Specials
As with breakfast, many restaurants will also offer lunch specials for certain dates or during lunch hours set by each restaurant. These can be a little easier to miss as you may be given multiple menus: A large main menu with standard pricing, a specialty menu with seasonal items, a drinks menu and (sometimes!) a menu with lunch pricing. Keep an eye out for these – they are designed for office workers (‘salarymen’) to grab a quick lunch for around ¥1000 to ¥1500 and often come ‘teishoku’ style with rice, soup and pickles.
Supermarket/Deli Clearance
Sometimes after a long day of sightseeing, you might prefer to take dinner back to your hotel room rather than trapse the streets in search for a restaurant. Whilst convenience stores offer a relatively cheap and convenient option, keep an eye out for supermarkets or deli’s that regularly mark items down towards the end of the day. Yellow sticker fans rejoice!
If your hotel is near a large station, you will often find these on the basement floor of nearby malls or the station itself, and they offer wide selection of goods that are generally a cut above ‘konbini’ fare.
My Mizu Water Fountain app
Vending machines (‘Jihanki’) are on almost every street in Japan, and the prices are reasonable, so it’s much better to buy a drink than risk dehydration, particularly during the harsh summer months!
If it’s water you’re looking for though, try the My Mizu app, which will give you access to a free network of water fountains along with participating café’s, restaurants and hotels. The app also allows you to track your hydration goals and find cool rest areas for particularly hot days.
Budget Friendly Transport Links
The bullet trains of Japan (‘Shinkansen’) are famous for a reason; fast, convenient, comfortable and with a good network across much of Japan. Unfortunately this comes at a price, and frequent travel of the Shinkansen can add up quickly.
JR rail passes are worth looking into for those that plan to travel extensively, but I would recommend costing out your journeys individually first to make sure you are getting good value for your money. Whilst I would recommend at least one journey on the Shinkansen for the experience, don’t count out other budget options.
Japan has a number of budget airline providers that offer extremely cost effective domestic trips at off peak times. For longer journeys, you will often find these are both faster and cheaper than the bullet trains, and often include hold luggage as well.
For significant savings, there is also a vast network of overnight buses in Japan – you’ll depart from a major station nearby and wake up in a new city the next day. You can also save on the cost of a hotel for one night – though be warned, this option can backfire if you find it difficult to sleep in a sitting position!
Business Hotels
Accommodation costs are likely to take up a significant portion of your holiday budget, so it’s a good idea to try and be savvy if you can, to stop your spending from spiraling! 3-star hotels in Japan are often aimed at international or domestic travelers and offer the level of comfort you would expect, whilst 4-star hotels offer luxuries (and floor space!) that justifies the higher cost.
If you’re just looking for a place to sleep however, Business Hotels are often significantly cheaper and may be worth considering. Designed for salary men on business trips, these hotels often have a 2 star rating and are more directed towards a domestic audience, but as is standard in Japan, still provide great service and a clean place to rest after a long day. Common chains include Toyoko Inn, Super Hotel, Route Inn Hotels or Comfort Hotel.
Even more ways to save when visiting Japan
Finally, a few more tips to help you have fun and avoid missing out whilst sticking to your budget!
Playing Japanese Crane Games
Arcades are hugely popular in Japan, and you’ll often see hundreds of ‘crane games’ lined up with enticing prizes waiting to be won. Feel free to have a go (it’s part of the experience!), but if there is a prize you really want to get your hands on, there is an easier (and cheaper) alternative. Second hand shops, are hugely popular in Japan and you can find the same crane game prizes on sale here for as little as ¥1500 to ¥2000 yen.
Of course, you could get lucky and win the prize for less at the arcade, but experience has taught us that usually isn’t the case! As well as anime goods, these second hand shops are also a treasure trove of toys, CD’s, DVD’s, electronics, books, and more. The most common chains are Book Off, Surugaya and Lashinbang, amongst others.
Experiencing Kabuki Theatre
If you want to experience Kabuki (classical theatre) whilst in Japan, note that full performances often last for 4+ hours (!) and can be quite expensive. However, if you’re happy with a shorter version, Kabuki theatres often sell single act tickets for rehearsals of upcoming shows. These single act tickets are often available on the same day directly from the Kabuki box office, and are a fraction of the price of the full-length equivalent.
Booking Ahead
In Japan, you are often rewarded for booking ahead when it comes to restaurants, cinema tickets, and other attractions, such as observatories. Whilst this can help you to avoid disappointment if something becomes fully booked, you will also find that on-the-day tickets are also more expensive than pre-booking. This can be tricky if you want to keep your holiday itinerary relaxed, but can make things easier on the day, and a little cheaper too.
Explore the Free Attractions
There are plenty of free things to see and do in Japan; you could build an entire itinerary around the many affordable attractions and distinct neighbourhoods in Tokyo, for example.
Wander the parks and green spaces, pay your respects at local temples and shrines, browse the shopping districts and take in some of the most famous sight seeing spots. Admire the cherry blossom if you’re visiting in Spring, or the red and yellow foliage during the autumn period.
Looking for more Money Saving Tips?
If you’re looking for even more ways to save money, you might want to take a look at these fab freebies and deals:
- Try out your local gym for free with these free gym day passes
- Fancy free theatre and gig tickets? Sign up to be a seat filler for free tickets
- See how much time and money you can save switching bills using this free bills switching service
- If cooking on a budget is what you’re after, you can get a week of super cheap meals using this fab offer
Final Thoughts: Japan on a Budget, Cheap Travel Tips for Food, Hotels and More
I hope this list of insider tips and tricks helps you to save a little on your bucket list trip to Japan! Overall we found the food and accommodation to be reasonably priced, so research affordable flights if you really want to slash the cost of your trip, and be open to stopovers in order to save!
Check out these free money offers for the best freebies and deals around, and follow me over on Instagram & Twitter for daily money saving tips.
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