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Let’s start with some bad news.• The Mercer Cost of Living Survey 2012
ranked Tokyo (1), Osaka (3) and Nagoya (10) within the Top Ten most expensive cities for expatriates to live in.
• The Economist Intelligence Unit costs of living rakings was worse, with Tokyo and Osaka at first and second in 2013’s rankings.
• The Ritz-Carlton Suite in Tokyo is one of the Top Ten most expensive hotel rooms in the world, at a whopping US$26,000 per night!
• Tokyo also has one of the world’s most expensive restaurants, a Kobe beef steakhouse called Aragawa, which has only six tables and charges prices starting at about £250 a head.
Ouch! But let’s be honest, none of us in this room are likely to have the money to be going to those places, but if you are, I offer cheap tour guiding support…
Is Japan really such an expensive place to travel in?Many of the preconceptions of Japan as super-expensive come from the peak of the bubble economy, when UK newspapers use to love telling stories of melons that cost upwards of £100.
The reality is, however, that Japan has been in a declining or stagnant economy for over two decades. This is not great if you are a young person looking for a job in Tokyo or Osaka, but has some advantages, the key one being when it comes to cost of living.
A STORY: When I first went to Japan as a high school student in 1995, I was shocked that a can of Coke cost ¥100. At that time, a can in Australia cost about 60cents (¥36 at the then exchange rate). So it cost about three times the price. Now, a can of Coke still costs about ¥100-120 in Japan. In Australia, it’s more like $2.50 (¥233 at today’s rate).
Today’s presentationI have been traveling to Japan for eighteen years now (ouch again…).
Most of the time I have been a penny-pinching student. So today I want to share some cost-saving tips I’ve discovered on my multiple trips. This is how I am going to break down the presentation:
1. Arriving – Getting to Japan and getting into town
2. Transport – How to get around3. Accommodation4. Food and Drink (+ general party tips –
responsible ones of course!)5. Shopping6. Questions
1. Arrival
Getting to JapanTo state the obvious, Japan is an island nation, so your options are a bit limited. Most people fly into one of the five major ‘First Class Airports’ - Narita or Haneda airports (to access Tokyo); Kansai or Itami airports (near Osaka); or Nagoya airport. These are often the most convenient, but don’t forget that Japan has several other international airports with good connections, particularly to East and South-east Asia. Sometimes it is cheaper to look at flights going into Fukuoka, Sendai, or Chitose airport near Sapporo to start your trip.
There are also a range of discount operators flying within the region that are typically cheaper than the major national carriers. Look at Jetstar from Australia or Taiwan; Jeju Air from Korea; AirAsiafrom Malaysia; or Peach Airlines from Korea, Hong Kong or Taiwan.
Consider also traveling outside peak times if you can. These are typically the New Year holiday, Golden Week (early May); or the spring and summer holidays.
Getting to Japan: the less conventional optionsAs mentioned, Japan is an island country so your other major option is by boat. • Ferries connect Shanghai to Osaka and Kobe. It
does take about 48 hours and is usually more expensive than flying, but most companies offer a 10% student discount.
• Ferries also connect Tianjin and Osaka; as well as Shimonoseki and Qingdao. Same disclaimers apply.
• A more realistic option is to get a ferry from Korea. High-speed services connect Busan to Fukuoka in less than three hours, or you can take the slow boat from Busan to Shimonoseki or Fukuoka overnight. The slower ferries are as little as ¥8500 one way.
• An even more unusual option is to come via Russia. There is a 5.5 hour ferry that goes from Korsakov to the northern Hokkaido port of Wakkanai, or a longer boat from Vladivostok to the western coast of Japan.
• Ferries also connect Taiwan with Naha in Okinawa.
• I’m pretty sure that random line from North Korea is a mistake – no ferries that way!
Now I am going to assume that most of you are NOT going to catch the ferry, so back to airports.
From the airport
Most travel guides will recommend getting an expensive fast train from Narita like the Skyliner to Nippori (¥2400) or Narita Express to Shinjuku (¥3000).
If money is a barrier, just ignore this advice.
Regular Keisei lines service the airport for less than half this price and will drop you happily in the heart of Tokyo. You can also get limousine buses to a range of locations across Japan directly from the airport. These can be a little pricey, but have the advantage of being able to store your luggage and enjoy the view and if you are traveling to the opposite side of Tokyo or to another city, this can work in your favour.
Access from Kansai International Airport is more standardised, with fares of about ¥1000 to most major cities in the Kansai region. Access from other airports is usually below this mark.
It probably doesn’t need to be said, but avoid taxis. The costs are prohibitive.
2. Getting Around
Japan Rail Pass
If you are on a tourist visa, the JR Pass is by far the best deal. It is not cheap (£194 for 7 days; £309 for 14 days; or £394 for 21 days), but worth it as you can catch most shinkansen (and a standard single fare from Tokyo to Osaka is about £100).
The drawbacks:
• It must be bought before you get to Japan.
• You can’t use it on a student or work visa.
• You must validate it within 3 months of purchase.
• It doesn’t cover the super fast Nozomi or Mizuho trains.
So what other options are there?
Other Train Passes JR runs a series of other discounted and special season train passes. • Seishun 18 kippu (Youth 18 ticket)
– Despite it’s name, anyone can buy this 5 day pass for Y11,500 (<£80)
– Valid in certain peak travel seasons, such as spring break (March/April), summer holidays and the winter break, it is 5 individual day passes that can be used by one person, or up to 5 people sharing the ticket.
– You can only travel on local and express trains, ie. not the shinkansen, but it’s a great way to check out a local region, or if you are willing to travel all day, get yourself across the country.
• There are also a range of local and regional rail passes, like the Hokkaido and East Japan pass, valid for seven days at a cost of ¥10,000.
ANOTHER STORY: I’ve used the Seishun 18 kippu several times. On one memorable trip when I was a high school student, I worked out (using book timetables as we didn’t have the internet then), that I could get the very first train from my home in Kyoto and after changing trains six times, could arrive to my destination of Hita, in Oita prefecture on Kyushu on the very last train…Did I make it?
You can also purchase discounted train tickets at outlet stores around the edges of train stations – these are great for last minute, or unavoidable travel situations.
Plotting your trip
Seeing as though you are all a lot younger than me (and technology has advanced since the dim dark ages), you won’t need to struggle through thick tomes of paper to plan your trip.
I would recommend the website Hyperdia, which operates in both Japanese and English: http://www.hyperdia.com/
Discount domestic airfares
While trains are certainly the easiest way to get around, if you are traveling to particular places a long way from the central hubs of Tokyo or Osaka, domestic flights are a possibility. The major carriers are often quite expensive, so check out the discount airlines:• Air Do services Hokkaido and has
affordable flights• Skymark services much of Japan, and has
regular specials in off-peak seasons, such as Y10,000 anywhere flights.
• Solaseed services the south and west (ie. Kyushu and Okinawa). They have a stand-by ticket for tourists that costs Y10,000 one way.
• Other smaller airlines service other airports and destinations.
Highway Buses (高速バス)
Highway buses also provide a cheap (if less comfortable) way to get around.
• Eg. Tokyo to Osaka can cost as little as Y4000 one way and takes about 8 hours.
Willer Bus Company also provides multi-day passes that start at Y10,000 for 3 days and can be used at any point in the two months after purchase. Google Japan Bus Pass for info on these.
Driving?While Japan drives on the left, like the UK, the costs of driving are generally prohibitive.
Rental cars are not cheap, and neither is petrol. Much of Japan’s highway system is toll roads, which also quickly ramps up the cost. Unless you are in a large group or traveling in remote areas, I would avoid cars.
If you do think you might want to drive, arrange an international driving permit before departure.
Taxis?As mentioned, taxis are also generally
quite expensive, so best avoided.
3. Accommodation
Accommodation is going to be the biggest cost after your airfare to Japan. Unfortunately this is largely unavoidable, unless you have wealthy friends with large apartments to stay in!
That being said, there are a few ways of reducing costs at least partially.
HOSTELS
Accommodation options in Japan are a little different to many other travel destinations. Youth hostels are not super common in Japan, but where they exist are basic and often charge prices that are not significantly cheaper than other options. Typically they cost around Y2500-3500 if you have a YHA membership.
You can explore the options through the Japan Youth Hostel Association: http://www.jyh.or.jp/english/
What other options are there?
Capsule HotelsWe’ve all seen those TV shows of Western tourists having a night in a capsule hotel for the ‘Japan experience’. This might be a bit cringe-worthy, but it’s not necessarily a bad idea, though if you are stuck somewhere, miss your last train, or just need a single night’s accommodation somewhere.
Costs are around Y2500-4000, depending on where the hotel is located.
Warnings:
- Many are men only.
- Even if they are not, they are male-dominated, so not ideal for single female travellers.
- Often have early morning check-outs and limited capacity for storing luggage safely.
A SOMEWHAT EMBARRASSING STORY: I went with some Japanese friends from Osaka up to Nagoya for a night out at a club back in 1999. The plan was to get the last train up, dance till dawn and get the first train back, but halfway through the night they all found more, shall we say, pleasurable company and left me alone. I wandered towards the station and tried to check into a capsule hotel, but was Y500 short. Any guesses what happened?
HotelsJapan has a full range of hotel options for every price point. Popular sites like Expedia or LastMinute.com provide reasonable listings now. You can also explore Japanese sites like Japanican and Rakuten Travel.
One option that often brings prices down is combined travel and hotel packages, booked through train or bus companies, or through travel agencies based around the main stations. These packages are particularly affordable if you can go in off-peak or mid-week periods.
A CHEAP GETAWAY:When I was in Tokyo doing doctoral research in 2008-10, my partner came to visit. We wanted to have a couple of days away, but didn’t have much money. We were able to get return express train fares, including two nights accommodation, dinners and breakfasts for a total of Y15,000. The fares themselves should have been almost Y10,000 of that…
Ryokan, Minshuku & Pensions
Ryokan and minshuku are forms of traditional accommodation popular across Japan. Many of these include meals.
Generally ryokan are more expensive, sometimes upwards of Y15,000 per night.
However, you can find cheaper options, with some minshuku as cheap as hostel or business hotel rates.
Pensions are similar to minshuku, but are usually western in style.
Major Japanese travel sites often list these forms of accommodation. Again, check out Japanican or Rakuten Travel.
Shukubo (temple and shrine lodging)
Many temples and shrines offer lodging, which in most cases also includes some meals.
However, prices for lodging in temples can vary widely. Some are on a par, or even cheaper than, commercial establishments.
This can have downsides though, including:
• restrictions on opposite-sex co-habitation;
• difficulties in making reservations; and
• strict curfews.
A good website listing of shukuboopportunities can be found here: http://templelodging.com
There are also specific shukubo listings for Kyoto and Mt Koya available elsewhere in English.
4. Food and Drink(and entertainment)
Eating on the CheapFood can be expensive, but here are a few tips for keeping costs down:
• University cafeterias offer affordable meals that can even (sometimes) be nutritious.
• Consider eating a bigger meal at lunch –many restaurants will have special lunch sets. You can get a decent meal for around Y1000 even at quite good restaurants that would charge multiple times that in the evening.
• Station platform noodle bars are cheap, delicious and affordable.
• Conbini dining is the best friend of the poor student or traveller. Onigiri cost around Y100 each and are a great snack. You can also get pre-prepared meals for a few hundred yen.
• If you are hungry, check out all-you-can-eat specials. Again these are often cheaper during the day.
Drinking on the CheapWhile I would never advocate drinking to excess… some people like to drink alcohol (me included). The legal age of drinking in Japan is 20, so keep that in mind when purchasing any alcoholic beverages. Some tips for cheap drinking:• Supermarkets sell beer, basic spirits and (bad) wine
at cheaper prices than convenience stores or station platform kiosks
• Consider buying lesser quality ‘beer’ like happōshuor dai-san no bīru, which are taxed at a lower rate as they have less malt
• Many venues will offer nomi-hōdai (all you can drink) specials, particularly in combination with other services like food or karaoke – be responsible though!!
• Izakaya (pubs with food) will often have cheap specials, particularly if you go in the early evening or mid-week, before the post-work rush.
• Gatecrash art or festival openings. These are often well-fuelled with booze and you can usually blag your way in.
Once I was a poor traveller around the time of the Tokyo Designers’ Block, a week-long festival of design. The opening was sponsored by Absolut vodka, and featured a never-ending vodka fountain. I rocked up with a friend and just walked in. The next day was not so pretty…
Entertainment & SightseeingIt can get expensive going out in Japan, or doing the tourist thing. To keep costs down, consider:• Daytime or very late night karaoke (if
you can stomach it)• Free and public activities, such as
free concerts or picnics in the big and unpredictable central parks like Yoyogi in Tokyo
• Visiting smaller or lesser known tourist destinations, like UjigamiShrine in Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the oldest example of nagare-zukuri Shinto architecture
• The Tokyo Metropolitan Building has a free viewing platform – why pay the Y2000-3000 for Tokyo SkyTree?
• Many galleries and museums are free, or have a free day once a month. Time your visit for those days if you can, or check out some minor galleries – these are often better anyway!
Unusual things I’ve seen in YoyogiPark:• An old man riding a bicycle with his pet
yellow monkey• Mass para-para group dancing• Streakers diving into the central
fountain• A woman walking a pack of prairie dogs
on leads• Thousands of people dancing to techno
Interested in art? Tokyo Art Beat has a free app and online bilingual info. There is also a Kansai Art Beat now.
5. Shopping
Shopping tips• Plenty of cheap souvenirs and basic
homewares can be found at discount or Y100 shops
• Think about timing a visit for the summer or winter sale seasons
• Don’t be afraid to bargain if you are purchasing electronics or other expensive items
• You are entitled to tax-free purchases if you are a visitor, although this is usually only available at big department stores
• Consider timing a visit for big flea markets – like at Toji (21st) or Kita no Tenmangu (25th) in Kyoto.
• Don’t stick just to main streets –some of the best finds are on sidestreets and off the beaten path.
6. Questions?
