The cost of backpacking in Japan

Break open the piggy bank?

6,669 Yen, per day. ($84 AU)

Some quick conversions for the rest of the world
1 Euro = 98 Yen
$1 US = 77 Yen
$1 CA = 75 Yen
$1 AU = 75 Yen

Over the course of a few weeks, on average, thats what we spent per day in Japan.
That includes, accommodation, food, travel, coffee, souvenirs, reasonable socializing, and multiple coffees per day.

Overall, Japan is not as ‘super expensive’ as you imagine or historically might have heard it to be, and its definitely no Scandinavia.

Having said that, don’t be expecting South-East Asian prices and dirt cheap street food either.

Travel is the major killer, the Shinkansen (bullet) train especially, those tickets can easy push $100 for an hour or so.
We opted for buses on the long distances, which can be almost half the price of the Shinkansen

Coffee in a can (very mediocre) – 120 Yen

Once travel is out of the way, costs become ‘similar to home’, and your next major cost will be food and eating out, as most of the hostels don’t have kitchens worth cooking in.
You can try and do the stryo-foam-bowl-of-noodles-with-boiled-water diet, but I give you 3 days before your on starch and salt overload and your body is craving something more substantial.

This is definitely were I burnt a hole in my pocket, it was cold, and I eat alot.

Supermarket Sushi – Small 300 Yen, big plates 1000ish

Fried food is EVERYWHERE – 100Y p/piece

Sushi Train – 100 to 150 Yen per plate

Tempura Ramen Noodles – 400 Yen

Fast Food – 400 to 800ish

Taikai – Fish Shaped Pancakes with sweet fillings (awesome!) – 200 Yen

Accommodation
Hostels seem to be pretty standard prices 2500-3500 per night for a dorm room, but what changed dramatically was the quality.
In a land of organized people, spontaneous and last-minute doesn’t pay off, especially around public holiday times.
The local Japanese are not afraid to step down to dorm life and can often book out hostels, with only a handful of actual foreign guests presents. This means if you want quality or something more decent, you too need to be organized and book as far ahead as you can.

Traditional Room – 7,000 to 10,000 Yen
(usually has free Onsen – Traditional Mineral Bath)

Hostel Dorm Room – 2500 to 3500 Yen per night.

Capsule Hotel!
3000 Yen per night

Metro – 160 to 350 per ride, depending on destination.
(If you pay for the metro though, your a total travel rookie, the entry gates are made with padded foam, I’m sure you’ll just accidentally follow the crowd..)

Intercity trains – 1000ish Yen (again, you can easily accidentally not buy the right ticket here..)

Day trip out of Tokyo to Nikko – 1000 ish for the train, 2000 for round trip bus ticket once your there.

Cheap Souvenirs – 400 to 2000

Coffee –

For a county that makes some great coffee equipment, they make absolutely terribly coffee.
A diehard Double-Espresso drinker, after multiple disappointment’s, I resulted in trying it all – Drip, Latte’s, Cans, Atomica’s, the works, and it was all as bad as each other.

There is this continual trend that your coffee has to come out at blazing speed.
“Coffee please”-Coffee?-Boom!
Its infront of you before you’ve even counted your change.
Totally contrary to the way a real coffee should be made.

Latte – 350 to 450 Yen

Espresso (crap) – 200 to 380 Yen

Cigarettes – 44O a pack (so my companion tells me)

Same products as home – same price

More Food..

Vending Machine Restaurants, always ok, never great, but the cheapest when your starving.
280 to 680 Yen

Yakiniku (table BBQ) – All you can eat, all you can drink.
This is where its at! After a few days of Noodles and Vending machines, grab some friends and hit one of these places, its a good night.
1,800 to 3000 Yen.

Social Lubricant..

Asahi Beer – 280ish

Beer on Tap – 500ish
Cocktails – 800ish

Osaka Aqarium – one of the most amazing aquariums in the world
2000 Yen entry fee

Weird Shit – all day long
Free.