Experience Japan - on a Budget

Japan is not expensive; in fact, it’s only about a third of the price of travelling Australia for accommodation, travel, eating out, and lots more.

I have been travelling in Japan for 25 plus years, over 35 trips to do research, write business/travel articles, and give lectures.

Preparing for the trip

Before going to Japan, learn a little Japanese language and read about the local culture from books and websites. You can also buy some great phrase books for your travels.

I love the Learn Japanese program by Japan’s national broadcaster NHK. Check it out and you will find learning Japanese an easy task.

Things you need to know before flying off to Japan

Top YouTuber and blogger Paolo from Tokyo shares some great advice for when you get ready to travel to Japan.

Migrationology founder Mark Wiens lists another 25 things to do in Tokyo. You’ll never run out of fun activities to take in when in Japan’s bustling capital!

Getting from Narita (Tokyo) and Kansai (Osaka) International Airports

There are many ways to travel from the airports. I can tell you in my How to travel Japan on a budget course the cheapest and fastest way to get yourself to the city.

Accommodation

There is a wide range of accommodation for you - hostels, budget to five-star hotels, capsule hotels, Internet cafes, regulated Airbnb places to rent, Ryokans (traditional Japanese inns, some of which are run by old Japanese families), as well as larger establishments.

Eating out

You can find budget places to eat across Japan, from restaurants and mom and pop eateries to food trucks, markets, and convenience stores.

Japan’s countryside

I often venture out of the major cities to enjoy Japan’s countryside. In my Japan budget travel course, I can tell you all my favourite off-the-beaten-track places to go and how to get there. I’m sure you will love seeing the country, too!

Shiraishi Island is one of my favourite places to travel in Japan – so peaceful and quiet away from the tourist crowded cities.

Transport

Travelling around Japan, you have a wide range of options; you can take buses, trains, planes, ferries, bicycles or even walking Pilgrim routes. I like the highway buses because they are cheap, quiet, and very easy to travel on with frequent stops along the way. There are also great travel cards that you can buy to use in most of Japan’s major cities.

How big is Japan?

Fun fact: There are more than 6,805 islands in Japan! This includes the five main islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa. Its total surface area is 378,000 square kilometres and has a population of 126.8 million.

Want to learn more?

I will be providing lots of great tips on how to travel Japan on a budget at my course on 1st December in Elsternwick, near Melbourne, so book in soon and see you there.