Affordable Japan
Japan and especially Tokyo has a reputation of being a very expensive city and yes it can be. You can spend hundreds of dollars on a meal and even more on accommodation but you will pay similar price at the same luxury hotels and restaurants all around the world. For the ordinary person visiting Japan from Europe, USA and Australia you will find things pretty much the same as you do at home and in many cases cheaper and it is fairly easy to do Japan even cheaper and have a fantastic holiday.
Food is one of the best ways to save money and there are some very tasty and cheap options. Visit a vending machine cafe, the food is fast and great tasting and only costs a few coins. There are ramen (noodle) houses and plenty of curry cafes like Yoshinoya, Sukiya and Matsuya, where you usually get a curry with rice, a soup and salad for about 5 US dollars. Many of the small cafes and restaurants off the mains strips offer amazing food and they are much cheaper than the big restaurants on the main streets. The atmosphere better and it is a real Japanese experience. A good rule of thumb is look for places which display a price or even a model of the food with a price outside the establishment, that way you will be able to see the value.
For those wanting a drink after a big day there are plenty of bars and clubs. Some offer meal and beer deals and there are even fixed priced bars like the 300 or 400 yen bars where food and beer is all 400 yen. Convenience stores, supermarket and even sometimes vending machines sell alcohol which are usually cheaper than bars. If you like beer try Happoshu Beer , it is brewed with less malt to get around a tax law so it tastes like beer but is much cheaper.
100 Yen shop are another palce for a great bargain. They stock thousands of products from food to toys to household needs and things are only 100 yen that’s under a US dollar. The choice is unbelievable.
There are countless attractions which are free, from galleries, museums, temples. You will not have to spend a cent on your daily activities if you plan well.
For travel plan well ahead, with a bit of planning you might be able to do things without too much public transport, walking is one of the best ways to see around the city as you never know what great sight you will come across. Often the underground subway stations can go on for blocks and are not too far from each other, if you plan to just go to the next station it may be quicker to walk it. If you are travelling between cities and have time instead of paying premium fees for express Shinkasen bullet trains you can save a considerable amount on a slower service stopping more reguraly. Another idea for cheaper travel is organise a Japan rail pass before departing to Japan, but do you homework before buying as not all railway systems or services will take the card.
There are several discount and welcome cards available, you will also see vouchers in many of the tourist magazines which might give you discount admissions or buy one get one free deals. These can save you quiet a bit of money. The local tourist authorities and some attractions usually sell welcome cards.Some of the attractions also have joint tickets with other attractions located in the area, also well worth checking out.
With a bit of research you can find very cheap accommodation, it dosn’t need to be a tiny capsule hotel or shared facilities, get a little away from the main tourist areas and you will find prices fall considerably. Pick somewhere close to public transport (which is everywhere) and with a bit of a walk or a quick train trip you will be in the centre of activity in no time.
Markets are another great place to pick up a bargain, whether it be clothing, food, gifts or something special. Many markets open every day while others which are just open on the weekends.
