Why you should go to Japan
{GUESTBLOG} “I would love to go to Japan, but it’s too expensive”. This is mostly the first comment when talking to fellow travellers about Japan. Many assume that Japan will cost them loads of money and it’s a pitty that many travellers skip this amazing country because of this assumption. Japan is not a typical backpacker destination, but it’s cheaper than you think. And while traveling in Asia, you might never be that close to Japan again.
Japan is one of our favourite countries ever visited. It’s simply amazing! To start off with, the Japanese people are the most friendly and polite. They are very welcoming and always willing to help you. It’s part of their culture to be respectful at any time.
Travel to Japan
Even though Japan is highly developed, their culture and traditions luckily never got lost and are still visible in their daily lives. You notice it in their habits and you’ll see Japanese wearing their traditional clothing and visiting shrines now and then. In Kyoto you can still see geishas and drink matcha tea in small cozy teahouses. The Japanese culture is really one of a kind.
Video of ancient shrine in Kyoto, Japan
https://youtu.be/V_YaIpGTSNY
Food in Japan
Another reason you should visit Japan is their cuisine. Of course their Wagyu beef and sushi are famous all over the world, but Japan has a lot more to offer, like ramen noodles, udon soup and yakitori. They really value quality food. It’s a food heaven for everyone!
Furthermore, Japan is such a diverse country. While the cities are ultramodern and full of skyscrapers and dazzling lights, their sights include the most beautiful zen gardens, temples and shrines. Japan’s landscape varies from mountains with a snowy top, to islands with the most stunning beaches.
We will give you some useful saving tips while traveling in Japan. But before we do, let’s be clear about the expenses. We’re not talking about Thailand, Indonesia & India cheapish. Comparing to these budget friendly countries, everything seems super expensive. If you compare Japan with these, yes it seems pretty expensive, but in reality it is way cheaper than most western countries. You can make Japan as cheap or expensive as your heart (or wallet) desires.
Tips for traveling on a budget in Japan:
– Food can be quite inexpensive in Japan. There are a lot of big Japanese foodchains that provide good and cheap meals. A few examples are Yoshinoya, Osho and Wako. And if you’re on a really tight budget, most convenience stores provide some decent meals as well.
– Since we’re talking about food, a must try in Japan is sushi. Try eating from sushi trains. This is pretty cheap and the sushi is great. You can find sushi from the conveyor belt almost everywhere. Uobei is one of those restaurants, which you will find in Shibuya, Tokyo.
– Book your accommodation preferably 3 months ahead. Most good and cheap places are sold out immediately. By booking a few months ahead you can save yourself a lot of money on accommodation. P.s. Capsule hostels are a good and cheap alternative. Also don’t forget Airbnb, which might be cheaper and is a nice way to mix in with the Japanese people.
– No tipping. A big money saver and even unappropriate to do in Japan!
– Convenience stores: buy drinks in convenience stores instead of restaurants or bars. Japan has a lot of them. You can find a Familymart or Lawson everywhere.
– If you have time, choose long distance busses over trains. Definitely way cheaper, but it takes a lot longer. If you don’t have that much time you can always go by train. In that case the JR Railpass could be a good option for you. You can also check if local airlines have a special deal for domestic flights, which might be quicker and cheaper.
– If you’re already in Asia try to find a cheap flight to Japan. Look at budget airlines like Air Asia and Peach Air. They often have special deals and promotions, just keep an eye on it.
Japan is definitely a highlight that you don’t want to miss. Don’t postpone traveling to Japan if you’re only worried about the expenses. Traveling in Japan is quite cheap and very easy. Just go, travel and see it for yourself!
About us:
Hi everyone!
We are Xiaowei and Ben from Travelhype.nl. We always wanted to travel for a longer time. No responsibilities, no commitments, just exploring the world. And that’s exactly what we did! We quit our jobs, packed our bags and hit the road. The world is just an awesome place so why not. Our bucketlist is endless and we always try to discover and explore new places. Not only on the other side of the world, but also close to home. We write about our own journey and try to capture as much as possible. You can follow our journey on www.travelhype.nl or via our social media.
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