Traveling to Japan in December
 

Greetings, JapanForum!

I'm planning a trip to Japan in December and I need a little help planning my budget.

I plan on flying out of Houston, TX on November 30th, and after 2 layovers, and a disturbing amount of time spent next to people I probably won't like, I will arrive at Kansai Int. in Osaka.

I've managed to find an okay hotel for the 7 days I will be in Kyoto, and I plan on staying at a fancier hotel during the second part of my trip, which will be spent in Tokyo (another 7 days). Since I've already bought my tickets and booked my hotels, my only real question is how much spending money I should bring.

I was thinking about having a good 1,000-1,500 USD, split halfway between cash and a prepaid credit card(for emergencies, etc.). I had thought that would be more than enough considering I'm smart with my money, and I don't spend it on frivolous souvenirs. But I was told by a relative who has just recently gotten back from a two week trip to Europe, that this would not be enough, and that she blew through that amount in the first week.

So I was hoping that you all could give me a better idea of how much money I would truly need, and if you could give me any tips about traveling through Japan in general I would be more than grateful!

Many thanks,
Justin H.

Will the 1000-1500 exclude hotels and transportation? If so i say you are very very safe

Just out of curiosity, why 7 days in Kyoto?

So much of that depends on many things. You say you don't spend it on frivolous souvenirs. Are you into any hobbies that may have a strong base in Japan? Do you have any of those, "ooh, oooh my gahd! I just need to have THAT!" moments? If you do, you can be tempted in many ways there.

$1500 comes out roughly $100/day. Here are some other things to think about. How well do you want to delve into Japanese cuisine? If you want to sample what they has to offer, Japanese restaurants can be quite expensive, some plates or meals can wipe out half your day's monies.

The trip from Kyoto to Tokyo can be quite expensive ($100) on the slower Shinkansen, and that's just the ticket. If you want to reserve the seat, it's about $62 more. If you're not taking travel into account in your query, then please disregard.

These are just a few things to consider. If you could provide just a bit more info on what you expect out of the trip, we can answer a bit deeper.

It will exclude hotels, but not travel. I don't have much experience with trains etc, so I honestly don't know what to expect.

And I'm spending 7 days there because I have a friend from Australia who is also taking a trip to Japan during the 2 weeks I will be there and she is staying in Kyoto the entire time. Since this will be the first time we meet(excluding the internet) I thought I would spend as much time with her as possible. Plus, I've always wanted to see Kyoto.

I may have a few moments such as that, with say video games or something. But I can usually keep myself under control in such situations.

As for food, I plan on eating nothing but the Japanese cuisine available.

I'm not planning on doing the normal touristy stuff (guided tours, and things of that nature.) I do plan on catching a few shows in Tokyo though; A concert, an art show, and a few other things. For most of these tickets will be bought ahead of time.

I'm really just looking for say, food expenses, train/taxi expenses, that sort of thing.

Ok as John pointed out a single trip between tokyo and Kyoto would have run you 100 on non reserved, and about 150 on reserved

Food, well true Japanese food range from oden off a izakaya to expensive food like sashimi, teppanyaki, shabushabu etc, so it really depends. My average meal spending was between 1500 yen to 4000 yen per meal

That doesn't sound to terrible. I spend about that much now(in USD). So it's no more than I expected really.

I've heard that from everyone I know who has been to Japan and most, if not all, are EPIC fails! :o There are things there that don't make it to the States and just look too good to be left in Japan! I hope you break that streak, but it's going to be an exercise in self-control every time!

Train travel within Tokyo can be expensive too, since you'll have to pay for JR trains as well as Private subways separately. There is no transfer fee like some cities in the US. If a trip requires you to take the Yamanote Line (JR) and get off somewhere to take the Maronouchi Line, you'll have to pay the distance fare on both lines. It can add up real quick. There are fare passes, but you don't save any money by using the SUICA or PASMO cards-they're just more handy than money, as you just swipe them through.

As for taxis, I would only use them if you're far away from your destination and it's after the last train leaves. They can be expensive. The last time I took one, it was 600 yen just to start the meter! (that's $7+!!!)

Hahaha I'd imagine so. We all like to think we have more self control than we actually do. I will try my best though. (and I'll probably add a few hundred more to my total amount as well. Lol Just in case.)

Hmm, the train system has been my biggest worry. Since I have a car here in America I've never had to use public transportation of any kind.. I'm hoping that being able to speak/read the language will help to make the entire process smoother?

As for the money involved, would a fare pass be feasible? Since I will only be there for 7 days.. Do they make 7 day passes?

Have the prices dropped? I was used to 35,000 for round trip between Osaka and Tokyo. That's about $400.

I think there are only one day passes, but don't quote me on that.... The announcements on the major lines are in both languages. It's not that hard, actually. It may appear daunting, but there are many English signs and it's not that difficult to navigate.

Yeah, a one way reserve ticket from Kyoto to Tokyo is about 13000 yen.... Come to think of it Justin, are you leaving out of Narita or Haneda? Or are you going back to KIX for your flight home? It's 7960 yen for a one-way non reserved but double that and if you want a reserve seat (not totally necessary) and you're headed back to Osaka, and you're coming close to a 28,300 yen 7-day pass. And with that, you can use ANY JR train, even in Tokyo (except the Nozomi service on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen-fastest service). If you're going to go to other place outside Tokyo, and you want reserve seats, I'd think about the pass, but you have to buy it in the US before you leave.

I suggest you look into buying the "JR pass" you just pay a flat fee and you can use the shinkansen and most of the local trains all you want. If you are going to be on the move a lot it is a must in my opinion. Saved me 50% in travel costs one year that I came to visit.

Ditto... last time I bought one, it was 28,300 yen (still is) but in the 7 days I used it, I racked up the equivalent of 74,560 yen worth of rides.... definitely worth it for me and all I did was go to Nikko, Nagahama, Shizuoka and Kyoto and the local Tokyo train rides.

The JR Railpasses are the way to go if you are doing stuff like Tokyo to Kyoto and back (or vice versa). The shinkansen trains are fast..... and why waste time traveling on trains using locals to save a few bucks? (If you are staying in eastern Japan long.... make sure to check out the JR East railpass options too.)

In Kyoto and Tokyo.... I'd be looking at the potential food budget you have. Now, for SURE you can eat very cheaply; there are tons of little noodle shops, stand-up ramen places, cheap isakaya, and other such. God forbid... there are McDonalds, Mosburgers, and Starbucks too :rolleyes: .

But one of the best things about Japan is the food. In Kyoto kaiseki cusine is phenomonal .... but typically is expensive for the good stuff in the good locations. Really good tempura and sushi and sashimi are all also expensive. And something like the good kobe beef in a good place...... you often need a mortgage :ywave: .

Yes... you can find cheap kaiten sushi that is far better than most resturant stuff here in the USA........ but sushi from a good place makes that kaiten stuff seem pretty mediocre too.

A couple small bottles of good Nihionshu and a pile of yakitori or kushiage in an izakaya in Tokyo or Kyoto for dinner can easily run up a bill of 4000 円 or more. With the current crappy exhange rate..... that comes to something like $50 - 60 USD. While a great dining experience...... and often some GREAT food...... that is not exactly a top end resteraunt.

If this is a "big deal" trip.....then try to plan so that you are not always wishing that you were able to do the things that you want to do. Save the pennies before you go.

best,

...................john

"Most" is a subjective term. The last time I was in Tokyo, the subway was much more convenient than the Yamanote line, and I ended up riding non-JR trains 75% of the time.

The same is true in Kansai. JR is the largest train line, but there is Hanshin and Hankyu railways, as well as subway lines.

I just want to make sure people, especially newbies, understand that not all trains are JR and use the pass.

That is very true, but a lot of people want to hit major cities etc while on their trip here, and well, basically what I wanted to communicate is.. if you are going to being using, or wanting to use the bullet train a good amount of your time in Japan, the JR pass is probably the best deal you can get.

Actually what the OP needs to do it calculate the amount he will spend traveling using this website:Hyperdia | 乗換案内 路線検索 時刻表 ゴルフ場 旅費精算 通勤費なら and then determine if he will save money by purchasing a JR rail pass.

Be advised OP though, non JR lines, like many subways as MMM mention are not included in the JR pass.. so calculate accordingly.

In Tokyo, basically, the rule of thumb is: if the train runs underground, it's not part of Japan Rail (JR). Out of the 13 or so lines that run in Tokyo, roughly half run underground. Of course, one won't know until they get there if they do or not, but a simple look at a Tokyo transport map online can give you an idea.

There are many apps out there for the smart phones now that can give you the best routes from station to station in Tokyo. Some don't even have to be connected to the internet, so you won't have to use the phone in Japan.

I spend 100$ a day on food and random stuff and I'm not even on vacation lol, this is everyday life.
I go out with my gf to eat nearly every night, that's about 6000yen just for that. Then lunch and whatever else I do quickly adds up to 100$ easily.
My lifestyle is decent though.

If I were visiting Japan, I'd budget 200$ a day excluding hotels, most days you'll spend only 100 but you need to know that when something is expensive, it's like nose-bleed expensive, and tourists often get sucked into them.

By the way, price differences between lunch meals and dinner meals are huge!

The kushikatsu place near my house which I love to death is 1200yen for all you can eat 70mins + 210yen for all you can drink at lunch time. For dinner it's 2500yen all you can eat, and there's a silly little dish of nonsense everyone has to buy that costs like 300yen per person. More than double easily! And this is a low-end restaurant, not even close to a pricey or nice place.

I recommend eating out for lunch (or breakfast if you are waking up on holiday-schedule ;) and eating in for dinners, convenience store foods are quite good actually compared to what I was used to in the west.

If you take taxis, there's a new kind of taxi these days with a 500 on the roof, they are WAY cheaper than all the other ones, the starting fare is 500yen and the meter goes up much much slower.

Well to give some contrast to this.. I eat breakfast at home, probably costing 120 yen a day at most, I usually teach at elementary school so lunch is 250 yen, and dinner is cooked by my fiance which probably does not cost more than 1000 yen (ten bucks) for both of us but an average of 750 yen i suppose (including energy costs)... so you do not have to live an 1man yen ($100) a day lifestyle if you do not want to. But as a tourist, if you wanna go cheap there are plenty of routes.. for one.. stick to convenient stores and cheap mom and pop places... I firmly believe that as long as you are not a pig you can eat every meal out in Japan for 600 yen or less, that includes tax and the non-existant tip.

LOL... but even if he does spend money on food, I will be very suprise if he spend more than USD70 a day... When my wife and I was there, our average was like 60 a day, some days we eat cheap, but even then, we still fill ourselves quite well.

I find Ramen and Yoshinoa a good way to fill myself with decent REAL japanese food on a low budget..

Yeah, excluding travel, Japan can honestly be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be.

Only it if weren't so salty.... I'm on sodium restriction and some meals in those places are quite salty....

Yoshinoya and Ramen is good and all.... once or twice...
Isn't the biggest part of visiting another culture enjoying the food it has to offer?

What I didn't express very well in my last post was that if I were coming to Japan for just a visit, and not living here, I'd save up to really enjoy the best the place has to offer, not just the cheap stuff.

Especially in Japan where there is such a huge range and variety of food to have. And most cities have their own specialties too.

Very true.. especially Yoshinoya and a couple of ramen place i found @ Kyoto station...

That approach is like coming to America and eating at McDonalds and KFC. Yes, they are "real" American food........ but likely that is not the way one wants to spend a vacation eating.

True... a lot of Americans (unfortunately for our health care system) DO eat this way. And a lot of Japanese DO eat a lot at Yoshinoya and ramen shops.

A McDonalds as compared to a good American steak house is a good comparison for Yoshinoya to a Kyoto kaiseki place. Both ARE "American food". (Actually, no it is not... the good food in Kyoto is far better than the best American steak house I have ever been in.)

If one is OK with eating a McDonalds / KFC / Dunkin Donuts diet in the USA... then the Yoshinoya approach in Japan is certainly viable . And if money is an issue... it is clearly an option. At least the food from those places in Japan will be better tasting and generally healthier.

But you'd be missing a lot.

best,

............john

John and James, I don't disagree at all, I am just saying, there are cheap alternatives. My wife love Ramen, so it wasn't that bad, but we tried all kind of differnt food too... the killer was at an onsen resort, my uncle booked that for us as our wedding gift, Kaiseki ryori for 3 meals... then, his son (my cousin) took us out for teppanyaki..

And we had A LOT of street food...

Something I didn't see anyone mention is the use of credit cards in Japan.

I could be wrong, but on our first trip we learned the hard way that they're just not used like they are in America. At home, we rarely carry cash and stupidly assumed it wouldn't be an issue in Japan. Now, we know not to rely on them at all!

If that has changed in the past 8 years, I haven't noticed because we're still carrying cash. ;)

Best be prepared.

Great point, Pattie.

Other than the higher end places.... credit cards (especially non-Japanese issued ones) are still not readily taken. it is getting more widespread... but it is FAR from easy to do.

Cash is king in the land of computers! :confused: :rolleyes: :confused:

best,

..............john

Absolutely true. The key point is traveling between cities.

I agree with this. I could easily spend 100+ dollars a day on food in Japan without thinking. It would take me an effort if I were staying at a hotel to spend less than 3000 yen in a day on food.

Really? If I am spending just a couple thousand yen, I always used cash, but if was over 5000 or 10,000 I never had a problem using my VISA card.