Japan Travel Guide
Though very expensive, Japan is one of the most amazing, beautiful, and friendly countries in the world. From Mount Fuji to bustling Tokyo to zen-like Kyoto, Japan is a high-tech world mixed with the politeness and respect of their past. Honestly, I love Japan. It was a life-long dream to go there and it lived up to all my expectations. Japan has fantastic food, beautiful temples and shrines, zen gardens, national parks, and a culture with a long and rich history. It’s a wonderful place and, while it may be an expensive country to visit, there are plenty of ways to make this country affordable. Don’t get scared off by the prices. You won’t regret your visit here – it’s one of the most amazing places in the world. Let this travel guide help you plan an affordable trip to Japan!
Visit the Tsukiji fish market – Tokyo’s fish market. This market starts bright and early at 4 AM and you can see the frenzied buying and selling of the world’s largest tuna market. Eat just-caught sushi for breakfast and marvel at the frenzied atmosphere. There’s nothing like it in the world.
Climb Mount Fuji – This 11,500 foot tall mountain is located near Tokyo, and it makes for a worthy climb. During the day it is often covered in fog and clouds, so ascents tend to happen early in the morning, but the lack of sleep is worth the jaw-dropping sunrise.
Spend a day in the Gion District – Otherwise known as the Geisha District, you can spend the day here for as much, or as little, as you’d like to spend. The area is filled with fascinating architecture and if you’re lucky you may be able to spot a geisha. It’s also a good area for window shopping.
Visit the Heian Shrine – The Heian Shrine is a popular tourist attraction so get there early if at all possible. The garden is filled with beautiful cherry blossom trees, known as Sakura, and a beautiful place for some pictures. The shrine is free but the garden nearby costs 600 JPY to enter.
Relax in Ueno Park – Ueno Park is a great place to spend the day and for free. Take your camera as it’s a perfect spot to record the many cherry blossom trees, and take a lunch too to save some extra money.
Stop by the Imperial Palace – Visit the Imperial Palace which is home to the Emperor of Japan and a perfect opportunity to learn about some of Japan’s history and culture. Though you can’t go inside, the surrounding grounds and park are beautiful and you can see the changing of the guard.
Visit Miyajima Island – Be sure to visit this “shrine island” for all its scenic beauty. It can easily be made into a full day’s trip with the walking trails nearby. One way including the ferry to get you there will cost about 180 JPY.
Hiroshima is largely known because of the atomic bomb that was dropped here but this is a city rich in cultural history with plenty to do. Visit one of the many museums, attend one of their festivals (don’t miss the oyster festival in February), and dine out in one of their 4,000 bars and restaurants. It’s a beautiful city that has recovered greatly since its bomb-scarred past. The bombed scarred center is a solemn reminder of a horrific experience but seeing how the city has picked itself up is also hopeful. It’s must visit city in the country.
Typical Costs
Hostel prices – There are only a few options in the city, but they are a good value. Expect to pay about 2,500-3,000 JPY per night for a dorm. Privates start at about 6,000 JPY. All the hostels have free wi-fi.
Budget hotel prices – A night in a centrally located hotel is about 6,000 JPY for single bed room. Some hotels will offer a slight discount if you book way in advance or stay multiple nights.
Average cost of food – While eating out, a cheap way to go is trying the Okonomiyaki (a traditional local speciality) which is comprised of egg, meat, and seafood. You have it cooked as you like it for 870 JPY.
Buying groceries will cost you 3,720-4,960 JPY per week. Most restaurant meals cost around 1,860 JPY.
Mid-range restaurants can will cost around 3,720 JPY. Sushi trains cost around 125-620 JPY per piece. Fast food is around 750 JPY.
Transportation – Bus and tram tickets within the city are a flat fee of between 150-200 JPY, and one day passes are available for 600 JPY. Astram, the city’s metro system, runs every few minutes from 6 am – midnight and trips range from 200-500 JPY depending on the distance.
Money Saving Tips
Walk around – Hiroshima is very walkable. Avoid spending money on transportation and walk. I never found the distances too far, and it’s a good way to see the city.
Eat curry, ramen, and donburi – I essentially lived off these staple foods during my three weeks in Japan. Curry bowls were as cheap as 370 JPY per plate. Donburi, bowls of meat and rice, are around 370-620 JPY. Ramen is never more than 870 JPY.
Couchsurf – Using sites like Couchsurfing that allow you to stay with locals not only gets you a free place to stay, but lets you interact and learn about local life. Make sure you ask early – the response rate is not always good!
Kyoto is one of the most gorgeous places in all of Japan. Surrounded by mountains, it has countless zen gardens, statues, temples to visit, endless shopping, and some seriously great food. I loved wandering around Kyoto, popping into temple after temple, seeing a wide array of zen gardens, and walking through the bamboo forest. Kyoto gets a lot of hype but I found it lived up to all my expectations. Beyond the historic temples, there is a vibrant night life and restaurants. Honestly, I could live in Kyoto, I loved it that much.
Typical Costs
Hostel prices – A hostel in Kyoto will cost between 2,000-4,000 JPY per night for a dorm room. Many hostels are within a ten minute walk from Kyoto Station, have free wifi, a kitchen, and some offer private terraces.
Budget hotel prices – For around 8,000 JPY or slightly less, you can get a nice budget hotel with free wifi and all the other normal amenities hotels have.
Average cost of food – Eating out can take your money if you’re not careful. Luckily, not all restaurants are expensive and there are many cheap ramen, tempura, and sushi belt restaurants in Kyoto. Curry bowls are as cheap as 340 JPY per plate. Donburi, bowls of meat and rice, are around 500-620 JPY. Ramen is never more than 865 JPY. Groceries aren’t as cheap as you would expect, and will cost about 8,680 JPY per week. Most sit down restaurants with table service will cost between 1,240-2,480 JPY.
Transportation – The easiest way to get around the city is by bus. It starts at 230 JPY for a single ride or 500 JPY for an all day pass. You can take the subway as well which offers two main trains – Karasuma and Tozai lines – and its fares start at 210 JPY.
Money Saving Tips
Get the temple pass – For 3,800 JPY, you can get a two-day pass that gives you a discount on many of the temples and gives you free public transportation. If you plan on seeing multiple temples (some of which are very far apart), get this pass. The city is too big to walk around, so you’ll to learn the bus.
Stick to sushi trains – The sushi in Kyoto is very expensive. If you need a fix, stick to the sushi trains around the city. The train station has a very good one that won’t cost you the 6,200 JPY that most of the restaurants will cost you, although there usually is a long wait.
Top Things to See and Do
Visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park – The palace is where the Imperial family and court nobles once resided. It’s located in the center of the city and admission is free.
Explore the Kyoto National Museum – The National Museum is buzzing with artifacts, ceramics and fine arts. Spend the day here, because it offers over 200 pieces of art which are considered national treasures. The cost to enter varies depending on the exhibition, but on average expect to pay between 520-1,500 JPY.
Walk around Higashiyama – Spend an afternoon on the east side of the Kamo River and walk along its historical streets and neighborhoods. Be sure to visit the Yasaka shrine and a teahouse or two.
Visit Ryoan-ji Temple – It’s hard not to be in Kyoto without seeing a zen garden, and this is one of the best with its unusual rock garden. Get here early before the crowds, and try to decipher the message of the rock formations.
Wander among the cherry blossoms – Cherry blossoms are a big part of Japanese culture and Kyoto has some of the best trees in the world. Come during the cherry blossom festival – it’s beautiful.
Take a trip to Nara – The capital of Japan from 710-784, Nara was the center of Japanese culture, arts, and crafts. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s 45 minutes from Kyoto.
Meditate – If you have trouble putting your mind to rest, sleeping at night, or suffer from frequent headaches, meditation might be the solution for you. Meditation is a major tradition among the Japanese, specifically among Buddhists. Trying their time-tested techniques can give you a greater understanding of the people here, as well as possibly bring you to a place of Zen.
See the Kyoto International Manga Museum – For the nerd and art enthusiast in all of us, this museum is home to a collection of over 300,000 manga. There are a number of exhibits highlighting the evolution of the art of manga over the years, as well as how-to workshops, with manga-portrait, caricaturists on hand.
Eat at Nishiki Market – Almost every major city in the world has a local market, and Kyoto is no exception. The Nishiki Ichiba is host to an amazing selection of locally-grown fruits and veggies, as well as all of the more ‘unknown ingredients’ found in Japanese cooking. The street food here is delicious and there are plenty of places to sit down and people watch.
Go hiking – The hills of Kyoto are a wonderful place to go hiking — perfect for escaping into nature and spending some time outside of a city atmosphere. There are a number of Buddhist temples and complexes throughout the hills, which make for some great exploring.
Tokyo is a crazy, frenetic, and amazing. Here you can visit the imperial palace, the morning fish market, see the beautiful cherry blossoms, party in the Tokyo’s trendy nightlife district, sing karaoke, and eat lots of amazing food….I mean it’s Japan after all! I love Tokyo. It’s one of my favorite cities in the world. I love the fast pace modern city that still clings to its traditional past. I love the orderly crowds when you expect chaos. Tokyo is a city like none other.
Typical Costs
Hostel prices – Most dorm beds in hostels costs between 2,000-5,000 JPY per night. The cheapest places to stay in Tokyo are the pod hotels – and they are quite the experience! My favorite hostel is Khao San hostel. They have a number of locations, all of which are top notch. I highly recommend them.
Budget hotel prices – Private rooms cost between 7,000-12,000 JPY for a double room in a hotel which normally includes breakfast. There isn’t such thing as “budget” in town. Airbnb is just gaining popularity in the city and you can find some listening there at lower prices.
Average cost of food – Raman noodle shops, miso and soba noodles, and donburi stalls range from 250-1,240 JPY. Buying groceries will cost you 3,700-5,600 JPY per week. Most restaurant meals cost around 1,850 JPY. Midrange restaurants will cost around 4,350 JPY. Sushi trains cost anywhere from 120-620 JPY per piece. Fast food is around 870 JPY.
Transportation – Tokyo has a world-class train system. The Yamanote Line hits all the city’s spots and an all-day train ticket can be purchased for 750 JPY. The bus is another great way to explore the city, and bus stops are clearly marked. It costs 500 JPY when you board, or 1,600 JPY for an all day train and bus combo ticket.
Money Saving Tips
Skip the taxis – Since cabs can be expensive (870 JPY starting fare), use the public transportation to save money. It goes everywhere and late into the night!
Shop at the 100 Yen stores – There are many 100 Yen shops in Japan where set meals, groceries, water, toiletries, household items. This is where you want to buy anything you need and how you can eat and shop on a budget!
Eat at 7-11 – The 7-11, Family Mart, and other corner stores have a lot of pre-set meals for 120-370 JPY that make for a cheap lunch option. Additionally, supermarkets also have many set meals at similar prices.
Work for your room – Hostels in Japan let you work for your room. You’ll spend a few hours in the morning cleaning, and you’ll get free accommodation for as long as you want. The Khao San Hostel chain always has spots available.
Top Things to See and Do in Tokyo
See the Hachiko Statue – The Hachiko Statue is a life-sized statue of a dog from 1925. The dog’s owner died, but every day the dog still went to the train station to wait for him to return from work. It signals loyalty and devotion to the Japanese and is a popular monument. The statue stands in front of the Shibuya Station.
Visit the Tokyo Tower – Resembling the Eiffel Tower, the Tokyo Tower is taller than its European version, and made entirely of steel. You can pay 1,600 JPY to go all the way to the top floor.
See the animals at Ueno Zoological Gardens – Located in Ueno Park, the Zoological Gardens is the oldest zoo in Japan and worth a visit for the day. The pandas are particularly rare and interesting to watch. Children get in free and adult tickets are 600 JPY.
Explore Ueno Park – Ueno Park is a great place to spend a free day. The park is covered in cherry blossom trees. The best time to come is when the trees are blossoming, and there is also a big festival at this time. You can also buy food from one of the many vendors.
Visit the Imperial Palace – The Imperial Palace, home to the Emperor of Japan, is a wonderful place to take a tour and learn about Japanese history and current events. It is surrounded by a beautiful park and garden and admission is free. There’s a guard change each day, which is similar to the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
Watch a sumo match – Kokugikan is Japan’s most famous sumo wrestling arena and is where tournaments are held three times yearly. A visit to one of the sumo stables nearby can be interesting, but must be arranged well in advance.
Admire Sensji Temple – This is one of the most beautiful temples in Tokyo. Legend has it that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon (the goddess of mercy) out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always floated back to them. Sensoji was built nearby for them. The temple is Tokyo’s oldest, and was completed in 645.
Shop at Akihabara Electric Town – For Tokyo, this is the Tsukiji Market of the electronics world. You can find pretty much anything you’ve ever imagined, as well as all of the things you’ve never even dreamed of. Many up-and-coming electronics are tested here, and there is a ton of cool stuff to browse.
Wander Roppongi Hills – A dream brought to life, this is a complex of architectural wonders. There are various buildings to see, all of which have been designed by leading architects, as well as various public art displays. This visual feast doesn’t cost anything — all you have to do is catch a ride up the hill.
Drink in Golden Gai – If you are looking for something interesting to do at night, this little alleyway of back-street bars is a great place to start. There isn’t much going on during the day here, but come sundown, these zigzag hallways and closet-sized beer rooms are filled with interesting people and cheap drinks. This is what you might consider “old-school” Tokyo.
Get on a suijo-bus – For centuries, Tokyo has been centralized around its rivers. One of the traditional ways to get around has always been via water-bus. This is a great alternative to the subway (when possible) and offers a different perspective of the bustling city. There are even floating restaurants, known as yakata-bune.
Check out a sento – A sento is a traditional Japanese public bath house. While they were originally built to accommodate those that did not have such facilities in-house, they are now a great place to go for some peace and relaxation. They are typically separated by gender. The Japanese are not shy in these places so you need to be comfortable with nudity!
