Japan - $188.63 Per Day
After spending the first 3 months of our trip perpetually above our target budget of $194 per day (oopsies), we were thrilled to be leaving Japan after averaging only $188.63. Though, I am obliged to mention that some of our “low” budget in Japan was because my parents joined us for most of our time. Generously, they paid for most meals and some activities while they were with us. Despite this benefit, we had two dead costs from hotel stays we’d booked and couldn’t get refunded when plans changed, which accounted for about $10.68 of our daily budget. Had we been able to keep our plans flexible, we would’ve been leaving the country averaging only $177.95 per day. That was a lesson for us, and one we recommend for all travelers: try to keep hotel bookings refundable, or cover them with travel insurance, so that when unexpected events happen you can adjust stress-free. While this might incur an extra fee upfront, it’ll save you pain and money lost to changes.
Our largest category of expenses (once again) was lodging, which consisted of a few hostels, Airbnbs, and a number of hotels on this leg of our trip. Across 28 nights in Japan we averaged $101.75, but as previously mentioned this includes two dead nights, without those our daily accommodation cost would’ve been $91.07. There are a ton of different accommodation options in every city or town in Japan and we highly recommend you look around before deciding on where you’ll book. Many reasonably priced hotels in Japan offer amenities reserved for high-end hotels back home, like pajama sets, amenity booths in the lobby, and free access to hot water pools, called Onsens in Japan. One note about an Onsen is that the experience can be quite different to what we would expect in other countries, such as not being allowed to wear a bathing suit and not being able to use it if you have any tattoos. Few onsens excuse the tattoo issue if you are a foreigner or may allow you to enter if you cover them up. Beyond hotels, we had terrific experiences with AirBnBs. These home rentals provide a great opportunity to experience traditional Japanese homes and meet some fantastic hosts. We had the most amazing AirBnB experience of our lives with Satsuki & Isao in Nagano!
Our next largest expense was rail transportation in the country. Japan has an amazing rail network, including their incredible Shinkansen trains, and while ticket prices are very reasonable, they do add up if you use the system enough! The JR Pass was historically a great bargain for foreign visitors to Japan, but with recently introduced price increases, it now costs about $640 for a 21 day pass. Based on our calculations pre and post-Japan, the total cost of individual tickets for each journey amounts to less than the pass. We took the Shinkansen seven separate times, alongside about a dozen more local or rapid JR trains and only spent about $450 each on JR trains, far less than the cost of the 21 day pass. In addition to long-distance trains, we frequently utilized the subway or streetcars in Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo, but these journeys usually do not cost very much (typically less than $1.50). Finally, we also took some taxis and Ubers to and from our accommodations to avoid carrying bags too far, but tried to keep these trips as infrequent as possible.
As mentioned, much of our eating costs were covered during the 18 days my parents joined us, but we still spent about $19.11 per day across 28 days on food and drinks. One semi-well kept secret about Japan is that you can find amazing food and drink options for much less than in other developed countries. There are almost endless street food and low cost restaurants to dine out, and if you’re looking to save even more money 7-Eleven is always around the corner and is famous for its incredible selection. Japan really is a foodie’s paradise! A few steps out the door, and you’re bound to find a selection of hidden gems.
What we classify as “Miscellaneous” expenses were quite high in Japan, averaging about $17.22 per day. This figure mostly involves cash, as physical currency still reigns supreme in Japan. As a result, many businesses, especially smaller ones, only accept cash for payment. Another place you’ll need cash is when buying Shinkansen and standard train tickets, as all ticket machines we found at stations were cash only. While we have classified the cash we spent on train tickets in the “Other Transportation,” we don’t keep track of exactly where we’re spending cash otherwise. In total we used about ¥75,000 in cash during 28 days in the country, apart from the roughly ¥140,000 we spent on train and subway tickets during that time.
Activities accounted for the final part of our $188.63 daily spending in Japan, coming in at just under $10 per day. While our days were filled with endless entry costs, most tickets for museums, gardens, or temples in Japan are much, much lower than what we’re accustomed to. Most gardens we visited cost less than $3 per person, and many temples are free except for a central hall or museum, with those also costing a few dollars at most. This low cost means it's easy to keep every day jam-packed with activities, even while traveling on a strict budget.
Our trip to and within Japan did not account for any trip expenses, as we used AAdvantage miles to cover our journeys between Sydney and Tokyo, as well as our only domestic flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka. Using American passports, we also did not incur the cost of a visa to enter Japan, as they have visa-waiver treaties with many different nations. Finally, we ended up not having a rental car cost, even though we initially planned to have one for a three day road trip from Kanazawa through the Nagano region. More on this kerfuffle in our “Japan | Nara to Nagano” blog post. PLEASE NOTE: If you would like to drive in Japan it is essential to have an International Driver’s Permit, as you will not be able to pick a car up without one.