Budget for a trip to Japan

What is the budget for a trip to Japan?

Japan has long been one of the expensive destinations, departing from the old continent. Geographical remoteness and the lack of competition in the airline industry had a lot to do with it. Today, Japan is more open to tourism than it was before, and traveling to Japan is becoming much more affordable, provided you modulate your choices according to your travel budget and priorities!

Let's see together what the budget for a trip to Japan can be.

Budget for a plane ticket France - Japan

Increasingly attractive rates

The price of a France - Japan flight varies greatly depending on whether you opt for a direct flight or a flight with a stopover. Before booking your plane ticket to Japan, some useful points of reference:

• Price of a direct flight France - Japan: Allow 11 to 12 hours of direct flight, with one or two meals on board. The average price of a direct flight is 1000 EUR / pers. in the regular season.

• Price of a flight with stopover France - Japan : Count from 14 to 18 hours of flight with transit and waiting time in the main airport of the airline. The average price of a flight with a stopover is around 800 EUR / pers. in the regular season.

• Price of a discount flight France - Japan: Expect flight times in the evening or very early in the morning, as well as a long waiting time in transit, of the order of 4 to 8 hours. On the other hand, the price of your plane ticket for Japan will be really attractive, around 600 EUR / pers. in the regular season.

• See our comparison of airlines

Budget for accommodation in Japan

For all tastes and all budgets

The range of options for accommodation in Japan is important, and allows you to find the type of accommodation best suited to your budget:

• Renting a detached house

This is the formula offering the best value for money, especially if you are traveling as a family to Japan. Renting a house in Japan allows you to be independent and to live in the Japanese way during a trip.

• Japanese hotel

Standard class, business class, luxury hotels... the hotel offer is very important in Tokyo and Osaka, but falls drastically in the provinces. Looking for a hotel in Japan costs an average of ¥8,000 for a standard hotel room, ¥15,000-30,000 for superior hotels, and ¥60,000 and more for luxury addresses.

• ryokan

The traditional Japanese inns, with tatami, futon and onsen bath are one of the essentials of a trip to Japan. Count on average 20,000 - 30,000 ¥ / pers. with meals and breakfast included.

• Minshuku

Home cooking and direct contact with the locals, the minshuku are the equivalent of our guest rooms. The average price per person is ¥6,500-8,500, for half board and home cooking.

• guest house

Japanese youth hostels offer different types of sleeping accommodation: dormitories with bunk beds, Japanese rooms with tatami, private rooms... For an average price of ¥3,500 per night, this is the preferred solution for young people and children. budgets!

• Capsule Hotel

For fans of exotic experiences, a night in a capsule hotel gives you a taste of the daily life of a Japanese salary-man. Spa, massage, gym, video games... Many additional services are also available on site. From ¥2,000/night.

Read also :

• Ryokan, quintessence of Japanese art
• The minshuku, closer to the Japanese
• Capsule hotels, a unique experience
• Find out more about our house rentals

Catering budget in Japan

Eat well and inexpensively

Contrary to popular belief, the price of a meal in Japan is often half that of a similar meal in a major European city. In fact, eating at low prices in Japan is a reality that allows you to adjust your budget as well as possible:

• Budget meals in Japan

Many fast food chains allow food for the equivalent of ¥300-500. The Sukiya, Yoshinoya and Matsuya chains offer you to taste Japanese curry, gyûdon (preparation made from rice and beef), katsudon (hot rice with a slice of breaded pork) with a miso soup! Another option is kaiten-zushi, plates of sushi served on a conveyor belt that start at ¥100.

• Budget for a standard meal

For heartier meals, restaurants of the teishoku (meal tray) type allow you to taste Japanese home cooking for a price between 500 and 1,000 ¥. These restaurants are easily identifiable by their storefronts displaying meal trays with resin food. Ootoya and Yayoi are two emblematic chains.

• Budget for a larger meal

A sort of Japanese-style brasserie, the izakaya are a great place to observe the Japanese in their daily lives. Ideal for tasting the variety of Japanese cuisine, but be careful, the quantities are small and the note quickly becomes salty. Count on average 3,000 - 5,000 ¥ / pers. Many izakayas now have English menus, like the iconic Izakaya Gompachi in Roppongi , Tokyo.

• Read also : All about donburi , these popular dishes that we all love

Transport budget in Japan

Travel far and explore Japan

If you want to explore Japan far and wide, you will have to think about your transport budget.

• Take the train in Japan

To travel between major Japanese cities, the easiest and fastest way is to take the Shinkansen, the Japanese high-speed train. If the price of a single ticket is quite expensive (about ¥14,000 or €117 for the trip from Tokyo to Kyoto), the most economical solution if you plan to take the train several times during your stay is to buy a Japan Rail Pass which allows you to take unlimited JR rail lines for 7 (approximately €246), 14 (approximately €393) and 21 days (approximately €503).

The major Japanese cities are all equipped with a very efficient public transport network (bus or metro) which will allow you to visit the city up and down with ease. Beware though, prices are slightly higher than in France and different private rail companies will have different prices.

• Car rental in Japan

The ideal solution if you want to travel all over Japan in freedom and go to more remote places is to rent a car. For example, it is possible to rent a 5-passenger car from €42 per day or an 8-passenger minivan for €91 per day.

Read also :

• Traveling in Japan by train
• Driving in Japan

Ultimately, it is quite possible to quickly lower the price of a trip to Japan by playing on your different budgets (catering, accommodation, transport), without sacrificing the quality of your stay!

For further :

• Japan Rail Pass, the practical and economical solution for traveling by train in Japan
• How much does it cost to climb Mount Fuji?
• Preparing for your stay in Tokyo
• Preparing for your trip to Japan