How To Croak Roughly Japan On A Budget
Posted: 2/11/2019 | Feb 11th, 2019
I receive got a confession to make: I pose off traveling to Japan until 2011 because I ever sentiment it was besides expensive.
Everyone ever told me Nippon was i of the most expensive countries inwards the world. That was the collective wisdom.
But, when I got there, I realized 2 things: First, I dearest Japan! It’s i of the most amazing, beautiful, together with friendliest countries inwards the world. It lives upward to all the hype.
Second, while Nippon is expensive, it’s non out of accomplish for budget travelers.
There are many inexpensive ways to taste Nippon on a budget.
From finding delicious food to affordable hotels to fun activities, you lot don’t receive got to pinch every penny receive got fun.
However, the i thing that is genuinely expensive inwards Japan? Quick transportation.
While it’s non a huge country, the isle nation’s shipping infrastructure is geared to expensive, high-speed go or inexpensive, (really) low-speed travel. There’s non much inwards between. It’s a three-hour prepare ride or a 12-hour rider vehicle ride!
So what are the best ways to go only about Japan without spending all your coin on transportation?
In this post, I’ll intermission that downward (because it does require some work).
Table of Contents
Getting Around Nippon By Train
Japan’s infamous bullet trains (called shinkansen) are beautiful, comfortable, convenient, together with fast. They are a wonder of transportation, racing only about at speeds upward to 320 km (200 miles) per hour. These trains run on special tracks, divide from the other trains.
They are a beautiful feat of applied scientific discipline together with a smoothen ride. It’s the best inwards prepare travel.
However, they are also very, rattling expensive.
Individual tickets tin give the axe cost hundreds of dollars — fifty-fifty to a greater extent than than airfare. To go on a bullet train, you lot pay a basic prepare fare, thus there’s an additional “super limited fee” of 800 to 8,000 JPY ($7.50 to $75). For example, a one-way ticket from Kyoto to Hiroshima tin give the axe cost 11,300 JPY ($105 USD), from Tokyo to Kyoto is 13,710 JPY ($126 USD), from Osaka to Tokyo is only about 15,000 JPY ($140 USD), together with from Tokyo to Nagasaki is 25,850 ($240 USD).
To build matters worse, at that spot are rattling rarely promotions or discounts. And, unless you lot know Japanese, they are nearly impossible to find.
Fortunately, at that spot are other options. Nippon also has regular limited limited together with regional trains. Naturally, they are much slower than the shinkansen, but they are also cheaper.
For example, a trip on a local prepare from Kyoto to Tokyo volition cost only about 8,000 JPY ($73 USD) instead of 13,710 JPY ($126 USD) for the bullet train. However, the journeying volition receive got ix hours instead of 3 hours together with volition also require several transfers, making it a less than an ideal choice for most travelers.
Whether you lot opt for the bullet prepare or regional trains, I mean value prepare go is the best agency to consider the country. It’s only non a expert sentiment to purchase private tickets. In guild to cut back your prepare costs, you lot demand to acquire a Nippon Rail (JR) pass.
The passes are expert for JR trains — both regular trains every bit good every bit the shinkansen bullet trains! — which top away to nearly every destination together with part inwards the country. What I actually similar is that these JR trains also serve metropolitan areas, thus they tin give the axe live used inside cities. On my final visit, I used my top to acquire only about Kyoto together with Tokyo instead of buying tube tickets.
The JR top is indispensable for go inwards Japan, every bit you lot acquire unlimited rides alongside it. The top has several options (each valid for consecutive days, non only go days):
- 29,110 JPY ($267 USD) for 7 days
- 46,390 JPY ($426 USD) for xiv days
- 59,350 JPY ($545 USD) for 21 days
Even if you lot acquire only the seven-day JR pass, it volition nevertheless cost less than a round-trip prepare ticket from Osaka to Tokyo. And you lot tin give the axe nevertheless do a lot inwards 7 days (it’s a pocket-sized country, later all!)
The JR Pass is expert on several types of JR trains. After the shinkansen, the adjacent fastest is the tokkyu (limited express). The kyuko limited prepare comes next, followed yesteryear the kaisoku together with futs? (local trains that build every stop).
Each of these passes also has a excellent option. First-class cars inwards Nippon are called “green cars.” The Green Car JR Pass volition live only about 10,000 JPY ($92 USD) to a greater extent than for each pass. Since the trains inwards Nippon are already amazing, you lot probable don’t demand to purchase the Green Car top unless you lot actually desire some luxury.
There are regional options every bit good if you lot are non traveling the entire country. These options volition salvage you lot fifty-fifty to a greater extent than coin since they are cheaper than the regular JR passes. You tin give the axe purchase JR passes for half-dozen dissimilar regions of the country:
- JR East
- JR West
- JR Central
- JR Hokkaido (the northern island)
- JR Kyushu (the southwestern island)
- JR Shikoku (the southeastern island)
Each part volition receive got several top options, commonly ranging betwixt 1-7 days. If you’re only going to live focusing on i part of the country, consider buying a JR regional pass. If you lot desire to explore everywhere, acquire the regular JR Pass. (If you’re a first-time visitor to Japan, you’ll probable desire the regular JR Pass, every bit it covers all the major destinations.)
One thing to maintain inwards heed is that you lot receive got to purchase your JR Pass earlier you lot come upward to Japan. So build for certain you lot receive got your “exchange order” (the receipt for your pass) earlier you lot go out home! Once you lot acquire to Japan, you lot volition telephone commutation your “exchange order” for a JR Pass at a JR office. Make for certain you lot receive got your passport when you lot top away to collect it!
However, they are currently allowing travelers to purchase their passes on arrival inwards some locations, but this is only a bear witness that is laid to goal inwards March 2019. Until then, hither is where you lot tin give the axe purchase your top inwards Japan: Sapporo, Sendai, Niigata, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima, Takamatsu, Hakata, New Chitose Airport, Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, together with Kansai Airport. The top is available mainly to non-Japanese travelers who are visiting for a limited time. When you lot apply for the pass, you lot volition render your nationality together with go details. You volition demand your passport to collect your pass.
If you lot don’t purchase a JR Pass together with only desire to purchase unmarried tickets betwixt destinations, hither are the guess prices you’ll pay for one-way prepare tickets alongside non-reserved seats inwards the “ordinary” (non-green car) class:
- Hiroshima-Tokyo: 18,040 JPY ($167 USD)
- Tokyo-Kyoto: 13,080 JPY ($120 USD)
- Kyoto-Hiroshima: 10,570 JPY ($98 USD)
- Tokyo-Nagoya: 10,360 JPY ($96 USD)
- Nagoya-Kyoto: 5,070 JPY ($47 USD)
- Kyoto-Osaka: 560 JPY ($5.25 USD)
- Hiroshima-Fukuoka: 28,262 JPY ($256 USD)
- Nagano-Kanazawa: 11,924 JPY ($108 USD)
- Tokyo-Yokohama: 4,085 PJY ($37 USD)
- Hakodate-Tokyo: 27,934 JPY($253 USD)
- Nara-Kyoto: 900 JPY ($8 USD)
- Tokyo-Odawara: 7,175 JPY ($65 USD)
If you lot don’t receive got a JR Pass, you’ll pay to a greater extent than for a reserved seat, nearly 300 to 700 JPY ($2.75 to $6.50 USD). You do non typically demand to acquire a reserved spot unless you lot are traveling inwards peak flavor when all seats may live taken.
Getting Around Nippon By Public Bus
Buses are a less expensive alternative but they receive got to a greater extent than time. For example, the two-hour bullet prepare ride from Tokyo to Osaka is 10 hours on the bus.
The cost for that spot is 4,500 JPY ($42 USD), but at some point, you lot demand to mean value nearly how much your fourth dimension is worth. On my final trip, saving 10,500 JPY ($97) was non worth the extra 8 hours of travel, since I had limited time.
If I’d had to a greater extent than time, the rider vehicle would receive got been worth it, peculiarly because at that spot are thus many cool stops along the agency to intermission upward the journey.
Willer Express together with Nippon Bus Lines receive got rider vehicle passes that offering unlimited go together with laid about at 10,000 JPY ($93 USD) for 3 non-consecutive days of travel. You tin give the axe consider the options at willerexpress.com.
Here are some sample rider vehicle fares betwixt pop destinations:
- Tokyo-Kyoto: 1,599 JYP ($15 USD) – 7.5 hrs.
- Tokyo-Nagoya: 2,998 JYP ($28 USD) – 6.5 hrs.
- Nagoya-Kyoto: 2,550 JYP ($24 USD) – 2 hrs. 50 mins.
- Kyoto-Hiroshima: 4,590 JYP ($42 USD) – 7 hrs. xx mins.
- Hiroshima-Tokyo: 6,000 JYP ($55 USD) – 12 hrs.
- Kyoto-Osaka: 900 JYP ($8 USD) – 1.5 hrs.
- Hiroshima-Fukuoka: 4,150 JPY ($38 USD) – 4.5 hrs.
- Nagano-Niigata: 3,290 JPY ($30 USD) – 3 hrs.
- Tokyo-Yokohama: 1,261 ($11 USD) – 1 hr. xx mins.
- Aomori-Tokyo: 8,500 JPY ($77 USD) – ix hrs. 35 mins.
- Nara-Kyoto: 2,800 JPY ($25 USD) – 2 hrs.
- Kyoto-Odawara: 5,500 JPY ($50 USD) – ix hrs.
As you lot tin give the axe see, it’s a lot cheaper to top away yesteryear rider vehicle — but it takes a lot longer!
Bottom line: If you lot receive got the time, receive got the bus. The coaches are comfortable, together with at that spot are overnight buses, which is a decent alternative if you’re taking a long trip. Don’t live afraid to chat people upward when traveling, either: those I met inwards Nippon were actually friendly. If they’re Japanese, they’ll live to a greater extent than than happy to state you lot all nearly their province (and inquire nearly yours).
Getting Around Nippon By Plane
Flying has top away a meliorate choice every bit to a greater extent than budget carriers at nowadays serve Japan. In general, airfares are on par alongside bullet prepare tickets. JAL together with ANA are the big players. The principal “budget” carriers are Peach together with Jetstar Japan.
Japan is non a huge country, together with I much prefer the prepare or bus, but if you lot are brusk on fourth dimension together with don’t experience similar hopping from isle to isle on a ferry or taking the bullet train, you lot tin give the axe wing (though it’s a lot to a greater extent than of a hassle!).
Here are some typical prices betwixt a few pop destinations inwards Japan:
Tokyo-Kyoto:
JAL: 8,767 JPY ($81 USD) (one-way), 17,759 JPY ($164 USD) (return)
ANA: 11,239 JPY ($104 USD) (one-way), 20,323 JPY ($189 USD) (return)
Tokyo-Nagoya:
JAL: 7,081 JPY ($65 USD) (one-way), 14,611 JPY ($135 USD) (return)
ANA: 9,329 JPY ($86 USD) (one-way), 16,972 JPY ($157 USD) (return)
Osaka-Hiroshima*:
JAL: 11,352 JPY ($105 USD) (one-way), 42,036 JPY ($388 USD) (return)
ANA: 18,881 JPY ($175 USD) (one-way), 37,649 JPY ($348 USD) (return)
Hiroshima-Tokyo:
JAL: 11,576 JPY ($107 USD) (one-way), 21,018 JPY ($194 USD) (return)
ANA: 16,409 JPY ($152 USD) (one-way), 25,738 JPY ($238 USD) (return)
Tokyo-Naha (Okinawa):
JAL: 8,063 JPY ($73 USD) (one way), 23,301 JPY ($211) (return)
ANA: 11,156 JPY ($101 USD) (one way), 21,720 JPY ($196 USD) (return)
Sapporo-Osaka:
JAL: 13,254 JPY ($120 USD) (one way), 27,283 JPY ($247 USD) (return)
ANA: 7,200 JPY ($65 USD) (one way), 15,500 ($140 USD) (return)
Fukuoka-Tokyo:
JAL: 11,597 JPY ($105 USD) (one way), 23,195 JPY ($210 USD) (return)
ANA: 11,597 JPY ($105 USD) (one way), 23,195 JPY ($210 USD) (return)
Osaka-Nagano*:
JAL: 20,542 JPY ($186 USD) (one way), 41,091 JPY ($372 USD) (return)
ANA: 20,542 JPY ($186 USD) (one way), 41,091 JPY ($372 USD) (return)
*No instantly flights
Moreover, ANA offers special last-minute fares for 10,800 JPY ($99 USD) or less at ana.co.jp/en/us/promotions/share/experience_jp/. These fares are available alone to foreigners together with tin give the axe sometimes live cheaper than the flights you lot detect on other sites, peculiarly for longer routes.
When deciding whether to wing or go via train, maintain inwards heed that you’ll demand to acquire to the airdrome somehow. Not all airports are close: for instance, Kyoto’s nearest airdrome is inwards Osaka. If you lot detect flights to live actually expensive (as inwards those to together with from Hiroshima), banking enterprise lucifer nearby airports and, most of all, live flexible alongside your itinerary.
Getting Around Nippon By Ferry
Another choice inwards Nippon is an interisland ferry, together with at that spot is an extensive selection of routes. Ferries typically deport passengers, vehicles, together with cargo. Passengers receive got a choice of 3 classes: 2d (with or without a bed), first, together with special. You volition non receive got your ain private room on a ferry, though the excellent choice has only 2 beds inwards each room.
Japan’s 4 principal islands are connected yesteryear bridges together with tunnels, but a lot of the smaller islands tin give the axe live reached alone yesteryear water. If you lot excogitation on exploring these, the Nippon Ferry Pass 21 is a expert option. It gives you lot half-dozen trips on for certain longer-distance ferry routes for 21 days. The top is 21,000 JPY ($189 USD) together with is available alone to unusual travelers. The top is expert for second-class go together with can’t live used during peak season; ferries must live reserved inwards advance. For to a greater extent than information, watch jlc-ferry.jp.
If you lot determine to top away this route, maintain inwards heed that the trips tin give the axe live rattling long! Here are some representative routes, durations, together with costs:
shared room alongside bed)
Getting Around Nippon By Car
I don’t recommend renting a automobile together with driving only about Nippon on your own. For one, rental cars are much to a greater extent than expensive than world transit options. In most places, traffic is frustrating, parking is a big hassle, together with unless you lot verbalise Japanese, getting only about is going to live rattling difficult.
Getting Around Nippon By Hitchhiking
If you lot are feeling adventurous, you lot tin give the axe hitchhike. Japan’s a actually security country, together with it’s a adventure for a costless ride! While almost no Japanese hitchhike, many are to a greater extent than than happy to pick upward foreigners. It’s an chance for them to do their English linguistic communication together with engage a novel culture, thus don’t live afraid to stick out a thumb!
Even out inwards the countryside, you lot won’t receive got a hard fourth dimension finding a ride. Even people who don’t verbalise English linguistic communication volition pick you lot up, every bit the people actually are incredibly form together with giving. Don’t live surprised if you lot acquire asked to run into their solid unit of measurement or friends or portion a repast alongside them!
Our Community Manager, Chris, spent a calendar month backpacking together with hitchhiking inwards Japan. He never waited besides long for a ride, together with people were incredibly friendly. They bought him snacks together with meals, drove agency out of their agency to aid him, together with fifty-fifty took them to their homes to run into their family. If you’re comfortable doing this, it tin give the axe live a rattling culturally rewarding experience!
If you lot determine to top away this route, build a sign letting people know which direction you’re headed. Add a smiley human face upward together with other cute drawings to upward your chances of finding a ride. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 expert resources for finding the best places to detect a ride is Hitchwiki.
How Long Does it Take to Get Around Japan?
Here are some distances together with go times. I mean value this volition convince you lot that the prepare actually is the agency to go.
The Best Way to Get Around Japan
Bottom line: The best shipping choice actually depends on the length of your trip. If you lot alone receive got a calendar week or thus inwards Japan together with desire to acquire only about actually quick, acquire a rail top together with receive got the prepare everywhere you lot demand to go. It’s non going to live cheap, but it volition live the most efficient. If you lot receive got to a greater extent than fourth dimension together with receive got a lot of places to watch inwards a similar geographic region, receive got the bus. If you’re non comfortable hitchhiking, elbow grease an app similar CarpoolWorld, which helps you lot detect all sorts of carpool, vanpool, together with rideshare listings yesteryear destination.
Whichever method you lot choose, you’ll live inwards expert hands. Nippon has some of the safest, cleanest, most efficient go options inwards the world, thus enjoy!
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Book Your Trip to Japan: Logistical Tips together with Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a inexpensive flying yesteryear using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my 2 favorite search engines because they search websites together with airlines only about the globe thus you lot ever know no rock is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You tin give the axe mass your hostel alongside Hostelworld every bit they receive got the most comprehensive inventory thus they are best for booking a hostel. If you lot desire to remain inwards a hotel or guesthouse inwards Japan, purpose Booking.com every bit they consistently render the cheapest rates for guesthouses together with inexpensive hotels. They’re the best booking site out there. My favorite places to remain inwards Nippon are:
- Khaosan Tokyo Kabuki (Tokyo) – This is i of the best hostels inwards the country. The staff top away higher upward together with beyond, each room has its ain bathroom, together with it’s inwards a smashing location to aid you lot explore the city.
- Jiyujin (Kyoto) – This is a smaller hostel that’s smashing for anyone looking to receive got a to a greater extent than serenity together with relaxed remain inwards the city.
- K’s House (Hiroshima) – This is a smashing chain of hostels only about the country. The staff are helpful, the mutual areas are ever amount of people, together with they also receive got costless tea together with coffee.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance volition protect you lot against illness, injury, theft, together with cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection inwards instance anything goes wrong. I never top away along a trip without it every bit I’ve had to purpose it many times inwards the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for x years. My favorite companies that offering the best service together with value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
Looking for the best companies to salvage coin with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to purpose when you lot travel! I listing all the ones I purpose to salvage coin when I go – together with I mean value volition aid you lot too!
Looking for to a greater extent than go tips for Japan
Check out my in-depth Japan go guide for to a greater extent than ways to salvage money, costs, tips on what to consider together with do, suggested itineraries, reading, packing lists, together with much, much more!
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