How much money should it cost to visit japan?

[GoldCoinLover]

I'm on social security so I get about $415/month. but I have to pay off a debt first before I start saving for japan. I plan to stay there for 2 weeks. How much should this cost? Should I stay in a hotel, if so, how much should this cost? Or should I stay at the capsule hotels? (I'm a guy so at least I'll be accepted..if I bring my mom with me to japan I don't think she'll be allowed in there though)


What factors do I need to consider? I was figuring around the range of $5000.

 

[Petaris]

I'd say your $5000 is pretty close to the mark, especially if your going to stay at an average hotel. I had the luck of staying at a nice business hotel in Matsushima, it was $40 USD for the night for myself and my fiancee (read that as each, so $80 before taxes for the two of us). It wasn't a fancy place but it was clean and came with included breakfast.

Food is also not cheap and you can end up spending a lot if your not careful. One thing I did was make a little card that I kept in my wallet that had Yen to Dollar (USD) conversions, it helped out a lot and I used it until I got good enough at guessing the conversion without looking at it.

If you travel on the Shinkansen or any other JR railway (no subways) I would definitely suggest getting a Rail Pass, it will save you tonnes of money.

 

[GoldCoinLover]

I'd say your $5000 is pretty close to the mark, especially if your going to stay at an average hotel. I had the luck of staying at a nice business hotel in Matsushima, it was $40 USD for the night for myself and my fiancee (read that as each, so $80 before taxes for the two of us). It wasn't a fancy place but it was clean and came with included breakfast.

Food is also not cheap and you can end up spending a lot if your not careful. One thing I did was make a little card that I kept in my wallet that had Yen to Dollar (USD) conversions, it helped out a lot and I used it until I got good enough at guessing the conversion without looking at it.

If you travel on the Shinkansen or any other JR railway (no subways) I would definitely suggest getting a Rail Pass, it will save you tonnes of money.

5K for one person or both?

 

[den4]

5K for one person or both are possible outcomes, depending on how much you plan to spend and how you spend your money.
Getting the Rail Pass will help, like Petaris says...
Other options, if you aren't going right away, is to see if you can make friends with somebody over in Japan before going, and, if lucky, staying at the friend's place, should that option be available....it would cut down on costs tremendously...
other options would be to check out youth hostels, assuming decent ones still exist...and not to eat at scary high priced restaurants...main street restaurants can be spendy, especially on the Ginza (in Tokyo), but mom and pop shops are plentiful as well...look and shop around before going into a place...
plan ahead...look at the other threads on this site...many offer some good advice if you just take the time and do some info digging
good luck!

 

[Flashjeff]

Well, four years ago, I spent a week in Japan for around $2,500, and that included airfare, hotel and spending money. While I have no doubt that things are much pricier today, I'm sure you can manage a trip for considerably less than five grand. Check your local travel agent for trip pricing, or online and see what travel agencies have to offer.

 

[Sarah-Kate]

Well, four years ago, I spent a week in Japan for around $2,500, and that included airfare, hotel and spending money. While I have no doubt that things are much pricier today, I'm sure you can manage a trip for considerably less than five grand. Check your local travel agent for trip pricing, or online and see what travel agencies have to offer.

Wow thats cheap.
Im taking alot with me when i go to japan id say your would need about £2000
and look for really cheap flights that will save you
my flight has been paid for already i paid about £650 pounds that wasnt a bad price to me.

 

[Zaff]

Last time for 2 weeks cost me, £650 for the flight £400 for the hotel. Then £125 for the JR East Rail pass. Took roughly £1800 spending money and credit cards.

Next year its a month im going for so taking a bit more spending money, costing a slight bit more for the hotels too.

If your Japanese is decent and your not a new to travel then you could probably do it for next to nothing to be honest. Some of the local noodle bars and what not can get you a meal for very cheap (think I paid £3 for a meal). Stay at a Ryokan instead of a hotel and you can save some big bucks there.

Buy a JR Rail Pass though as they really do save some major cash, especially if your like me and like to move around alot. Try not to use taxi's too much they charge a standard 660Yen (Well the ones I used / saw did) thats just to start, then they charge a nice price on top of that. When I was drunk in Rappongi cost me £80 to go from Rappongi to Narita. Was 6am though so I had to use one really + I was in company.

 

[Chidoriashi]

When I came here to visit a few years ago, for 2 weeks I only spent 1300 dollars. airfare 500, rail pass 450, spending money 350 ...
It helps big time to stay with friends

 

[maushan3]

I reccommend you visit the Wikitravel page on Japan. They have tips on reducing costs.

It depends also on what you are most interested in, If you like both modern and old Japan, you could also fly directly into Osaka and visit the big city while doing side trips to nearby cities and towns like Kyoto , Kobe, etc. and that way, you could save the train from Tokyo to Osaka.

You live in Arizona, so why not take a flight from a Low-cost airline to San Francisco or Los Angeles and then just buy a ticket from SF directly to Japan and you might as well save a couple of hundreds on that.

So, give all this a thought and plan carefully and I'm sure you could do better than that budget and enjoy all that Japan has to offer.

I've never been to Japan, but I've read many guides that offer some wonderful advice.

Mauricio

 

[biginjapan2]

Japan is actually pretty cheap compared to what people think - most expensive thing is rent, and fruit.

 

[Mike Cash]

Japan is actually pretty cheap compared to what people think - most expensive thing is rent, and fruit.

Please try not to necropost.