cheaper getaway in japan.

sharlotte · (#1 (**permalink**))

hi all,

im a singaporean who is making plans to go to japan in the near future but im not prepared to spend a bomb there. is there any ways to enjoy japan with cheaper alternatives? i have not decided where exactly to go and welcome any advices from you. im thinking of homestay but not sure how much will it cost. and yes, my level of understanding japanese is quite limited, will it be ok if i'm there alone? thanks in advace for any replies!!

Wagamama · (#2 (**permalink**))

Nice to meet you,First of all if ur not prepared to spend a bomb u prolly shouldnt be going to Japan because it does cost like one.we're talking about 3-4k for 10days-3weeks ,depending on how u wanna spend ur days in japan.I am assuming ur a chinese,so even tho u might have limited japanese u prolly would be able to understand whats going on,say reading kanjis.Heck i went there when i was 17 alone for 3weeks u can do it=).Well for starters u prolly might want to check out places like hokkaido,Tokyo,Osaka or Kyoto.once u choose one u can start planning from there,Example,Osaka and kyoto is pretty near each other and can be explored together in the same trip.Tokyo is a bit further but heck if ur willin to spend time & money travellin thro and fro why not.Btw I am from singapore too.Hope this helps,if u have more questions just ask=).
cheers

Firebird · (#3 (**permalink**))

Hi

i think you won´t have to spend big bucks to just visit japan, but you will surely need some money. Here Travel cost thread theres a talk about 5000yen a day. When i was in Japan i have spend quite a few days spending less than 5000yen but i was there for quite a while and could save some money by using slower transportation, searching longer for cheap food and hotels.
So i think 5000 will be your minimun a day.
That said my general tips are (if you want to live as cheap a possible):
Stay in Youth hostels, any type of Dorm rooms, Capsule hotels or (the cheapest) 24h Sauna places. Internet cafes are also an alternative, however i would only recommend them for emergencies (not comfortable).
Eating out at lunchtime is alot cheaper, try to eat fast food, ramen or convinience store food in the evening.
There is a cheap trainticket in the holiday season. This is good if you have long distances to cover but alot of time (Tokyo to Kyoto is doable in 13h for 2100yen for example).

Other than that i have to say that generally prices are the same in most areas but of course big citys can be expensive if you dont look out but can be cheap if you dont mind staying a bit outside or searching a bit for cheap stuff.

The southern parts (kansai) seemed a bit cheaper to me (youth hostel wise) but the only place significantly cheaper is Okinawa. Here food, transportation and lodging are a good bit cheaper than anywhere on the mainland. The only place i stayed in a single room for 2000yen and in a dorm for 1000yen. However, the airfare can be expenisve depending on your flight time (around 1100 Singapore $ from Singapore). I had collected miles on my flight to Australia and could use them to fly from Tokyo to Okinawa for free. There was a ferry from Taiwan going all the way to Okinawa but as far as i know the service has been suspended for good.

If you plan on travelling for a month or more you could consider renting a small car, buying a futon and than sleeping in the car (not possible in city areas). I paid about 3500yen a day for the car + petrol, showered in the public baths and stayed on rest areas or parking spaces. Looked something like this DSCF2993.jpg (image)
Note that this was a so called K-Jidosha Van wich have a small engine and lower taxrates and are cheaper to rent on a monthly base than an average car. Prices can varry highly by city but i remember Okinawa and Nara beeing really cheap (my prices i with a rental from Kobe).

If you have more questions let us know.

Wagamama · (#4 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firebird

Hi

i think you won´t have to spend big bucks to just visit japan, but you will surely need some money. Here Travel cost thread theres a talk about 5000yen a day. When i was in Japan i have spend quite a few days spending less than 5000yen but i was there for quite a while and could save some money by using slower transportation, searching longer for cheap food and hotels.
So i think 5000 will be your minimun a day.
That said my general tips are (if you want to live as cheap a possible):
Stay in Youth hostels, any type of Dorm rooms, Capsule hotels or (the cheapest) 24h Sauna places. Internet cafes are also an alternative, however i would only recommend them for emergencies (not comfortable).
Eating out at lunchtime is alot cheaper, try to eat fast food, ramen or convinience store food in the evening.
There is a cheap trainticket in the holiday season. This is good if you have long distances to cover but alot of time (Tokyo to Kyoto is doable in 13h for 2100yen for example).

Other than that i have to say that generally prices are the same in most areas but of course big citys can be expensive if you dont look out but can be cheap if you dont mind staying a bit outside or searching a bit for cheap stuff.

The southern parts (kansai) seemed a bit cheaper to me (youth hostel wise) but the only place significantly cheaper is Okinawa. Here food, transportation and lodging are a good bit cheaper than anywhere on the mainland. The only place i stayed in a single room for 2000yen and in a dorm for 1000yen. However, the airfare can be expenisve depending on your flight time (around 1100 Singapore $ from Singapore). I had collected miles on my flight to Australia and could use them to fly from Tokyo to Okinawa for free. There was a ferry from Taiwan going all the way to Okinawa but as far as i know the service has been suspended for good.

If you plan on travelling for a month or more you could consider renting a small car, buying a futon and than sleeping in the car (not possible in city areas). I paid about 3500yen a day for the car + petrol, showered in the public baths and stayed on rest areas or parking spaces. Looked something like this DSCF2993.jpg (image)
Note that this was a so called K-Jidosha Van wich have a small engine and lower taxrates and are cheaper to rent on a monthly base than an average car. Prices can varry highly by city but i remember Okinawa and Nara beeing really cheap (my prices i with a rental from Kobe).

If you have more questions let us know.

i agree with you that she/he could prolly save on accomodations afterall how long is one gonna be in the room each day.However i wouldnt advice on skimping on food cost,afterall if ur in japan and ur eating instant foods and stuff its still delicious but its such a waste,he/she is really better off saving and coming to japan when she/he actually has enough financial power and being able to thoroughly enjoy japan.Lastly we singaporeans lose out on the exchange rate between yen and sg dollars so either way its gonna cost