For money savers
Following are the tips for lower budget travelers.
One of the most common complaints we hear from many visitors to Japan is the high prices of things.
Transportation costs, food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, entrance fees, the list goes on and on.
However, I believe that it is possible to travel around Japan more cheaply just by being a little more careful in your preparations and how you spend your money every day during your stay in Japan.
Here we have compiled some tips on how to travel to Japan cheaply.
I hope that these ways to travel to Japan without spending too much money will be useful for you, the traveller.
Spend money at Convenience stores
Convenience stores are the best place to buy breakfast and lunch to save money.
There are many stores within 5 minutes walk when you are in big cities.
If you can’t find it, ask young people “Where is Convenience?”.
“Convini” in Japanese is the shortened word and is more popular than “Convenience Store”.
Muffin, Sandwich, Pastry, Onigiri, Juice, Milk, Coffee, Tea, Snack, Fruits, Cup noodle, etc.
They supply hot water for your cup noodle.
Also, a microwave oven is available to use for customers.
Convenience stores are the best place to buy breakfast and lunch to save money.
There are many stores within 5 minutes walk when you are in big cities.
If you can’t find it, ask young people “Where is Convenience?”.
“Convini” in Japanese is the shortened word and is much more popular than “Convenience Store”.
Dining/foods
Muffin, Sandwich, Pastry, Onigiri, Juice, Milk, Coffee, Tea, Snack, Fruits, Cup noodle, etc.
They supply hot water for your cup noodle.
Also a microwave oven is available to use for customers.
SevenEleven
Lawson
Family Mart
MiniStop
SevenEleven
Traveling
For long distance travel, Shinkansen is fast and convenient but expensive.
- Use local train, not express
- Use red-eye bus for long distance travel
- Use JR Pass
- Shinkansen / Super Express
Hitchhiking?? No! No! No!
There is a method of “hitchhiking” as a saving measure of transportation expenses, but it seems that it is better to stop thinking for the following reasons. Hitchhiking is not popular in Japan. It’s safe in Japan, so some Japanese students who want to save money do it from time to time, but we rarely see them on streets and highway entrances. It is difficult to get strange travellers who know they are foreigners. The driver of the car is so kind to get you a ride for talking with you on the long way, so the chances of foreign travellers who seem to be unable to speak Japanese words are very limited.
JR Seishun Jyuhachi Kippu (Seishun 18 Kippu)
| Selling date | Usable date | Status |
| 2024 02/20 – 03/31 | 2024 03/01 -04/10 | N.A. |
| 2024 07/01 – 08/31 | 2024 07/20 – 09/10 | Plan |
| 2024 12/01 – 12/31 | 2024 12/10 – 2025 01/10 | Plan |
These tickets are valid for JR local trains only and only one day.
5 tickets cost you 12050 Yen.
5 people can use one day or one can use 5 days.
You can use all local trains from a.m. 00 o’clock to midnight.
There are overnight trains operating by JR and they are very useful for you to use.
Consult with the JR timetable, you can go to Kyushu from Tokyo with 2370 Yen.
The selling period is limited;
JR Rail pass is another option.
One day pass for train and bus in city area
It is told that the cost of transportation in Japan is really painful. It is so expensive.
But one day pass is available in the following cities.
It is the decision point whether you want to walk or use public transportation.
Sapporo city
| City area | Transportation | adult fare | child fare | Note |
| Sapporo | Subway | 830 | 420 | |
| Sapporo | Subway | 520 | 260 | Saturday, Sunday & holiday |
Tokyo
| City area | Transportation | adult fare | child fare | Note |
| Toyko | Toei bus & subway | 700 | 350 | |
| Toyko | Toei bus | 500 | 250 | |
| Tokyo | Tokyo Metro | 600 | 300 | |
| Tokyo | Toei subway & Tokyo Metro | 800 | 400 | Tourist only |
| Tokyo | Toei subway & Tokyo Metro | 900 | 450 | |
| Tokyo | JR (in 23wards only) | 760 | 380 | |
| Tokyo | JR Toei bus & subways & JR | 1600 | 800 | JR lines (in the 23 wards of Tokyo) |
| Tokyo | Toei subway bus & Tokyo Metro | 3000 | 2000 | Tokyo Starter Kit Tourisit only |
Yokohama city
| City area | Transportation | adult fare | child fare | Note |
| Yokohama city | bus | 600 | 300 | |
| Yokohama city | Subway | 740 | 370 | |
| Yokohama city | Subway & bus | 830 | 420 |
Nagoya city
| City area | Transportation | adult fare | child fare | Note |
| Nagoya city | Subway | 760 | 380 | |
| Nagoya city | Subway and bus | 870 | 430 | |
| Nagoya city | Subway and bus | 620 | 310 | Saturday, Sunday, holiday |
Kyoko city
| City area | Transportation | adult fare | child fare | Note |
| Kyoto city | Subway | 800 | 400 | |
| Kyoto city | Subway and bus | 900 | 450 |
Osaka city
| City area | Transportation | adult fare | child fare | Note |
| Osaka city | Subway and bus | 800 | 300 |
Fukuoka city
| City area | Transportation | adult fare | child fare | Note |
| Fukuoka | Subway | 640 | 320 | |
| Fukuoka | Bus | 900 | 450 | |
| Fukuoka | Bus + Dazaifu Liner Bus | 1500 | 750 |
Lodging
Hotel Judo
http://www.juyoh.co.jp/
From 3200 Yen
Sawanoya Ryokan
http://www.tctv.ne.jp/members/sawanoya/
From 4700 Yen
Guest house B&B
These Guesthouses costs you around 3,000 – 5,000 Yen.
Related Information
Money in Japan
General information about Japanese money (Japanese Yen).