How Much Money Do You Need for a Month-Long Trip to Japan? Detailed Budget Planning Guide-Urban Explorations

First Experience

Have you also struggled with this: wanting to travel to Japan but not knowing how much money to prepare? As someone who just completed a month-long tour of Japan, I deeply relate to this. Before departure, I remember going through various travel guides but still felt uncertain about budget planning. Today, let me use my personal experience to analyze in detail how to plan a one-month travel budget for Japan.

Before we begin, I want to say that travel budgeting isn't simply adding up all expenses. It's more like an art, requiring you to weigh trade-offs and find the balance point that suits you best. Take my trip for example - through careful planning, I managed to find quite a few money-saving tricks while maintaining travel quality.

Transportation Costs

When it comes to transportation costs in Japan, the Shinkansen is often the biggest concern. Based on my actual experience, a one-way Shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Osaka costs 14,000 yen (approximately 700 RMB). However, if you plan your itinerary in advance like I did and purchase a JR Pass (Japan Rail Pass), you can save quite a bit.

I chose the 21-day JR Pass, which cost 52,790 yen (approximately 2,640 RMB). This pass allowed me unlimited rides on JR lines, including Shinkansen and other transportation, for 21 days. The round trips between major cities like Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto-Hiroshima alone made the pass worth its price.

For city transportation, I mainly used subways and buses. In Tokyo, for example, daily transportation costs were around 1,000-1,500 yen (approximately 50-75 RMB). To save money, I bought subway day passes for 800 yen each (approximately 40 RMB), which was very cost-effective when frequently traveling between attractions.

Accommodation Costs

Accommodation is a major expense, but through proper planning, you can keep costs within an acceptable range. I combined various types of accommodation during my trip:

In big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, I chose business hotels, averaging 8,000 yen per night (approximately 400 RMB). Though the rooms were small, they were conveniently located with complete facilities. In Kyoto, I experienced traditional guesthouses, which were slightly more expensive at around 12,000 yen per night (approximately 600 RMB), but offered an authentic Japanese cultural atmosphere.

In smaller cities, I chose hostels, costing as little as 3,000 yen per night (approximately 150 RMB). Although they were dormitory-style rooms, I met many like-minded travelers who added fun to my journey.

Food Costs

Japanese cuisine is captivating, but certainly not cheap. My dining strategy was: breakfast at convenience stores (about 500 yen), lunch at affordable chain restaurants or station ramen shops (about 1,000 yen), and dinner at specialty restaurants (about 3,000-5,000 yen).

Worth mentioning is that many Japanese department stores discount fresh food around 8 PM, usually 30-50% off. I often bought sushi or bento boxes during these times - both fresh and cheap.

Additionally, convenience store food quality is very good, with options like oden and onigiri being solid choices. A simple convenience store meal costs between 600-800 yen (approximately 30-40 RMB).

Attraction Costs

Japanese attraction ticket prices vary significantly. In Kyoto, for example, Kiyomizu Temple costs 400 yen (approximately 20 RMB), while Kinkaku-ji costs 1,000 yen (approximately 50 RMB). Art galleries and museums generally cost between 1,000-2,000 yen.

I recommend checking in advance whether attractions offer combination tickets or discounts. For instance, in Kyoto, you can buy a "Kyoto Sightseeing Day Pass" for 1,200 yen (approximately 60 RMB), which includes unlimited city bus and subway rides plus admission to some temples.

Shopping Costs

Honestly, it's very easy to overspend shopping in Japan. I set myself a shopping budget of 100,000 yen (approximately 5,000 RMB), mainly for cosmetics, electronics, and souvenirs.

Specifically, I spent about 30,000 yen on skincare and cosmetics at drug stores in Osaka, about 40,000 yen on small electronics in Akihabara, and the rest on local specialties and souvenirs.

Money-saving tip: Large drug stores and electronics stores offer tax-free shopping - remember to bring your passport. Also, many shopping centers have special discount coupons for foreign tourists, which you can check on their official websites in advance.

Emergency Fund

Any trip should include emergency funds. I prepared emergency money equal to 15% of my total budget, about 50,000 yen (approximately 2,500 RMB). I ended up using 20,000 yen of it, mainly for a spontaneous hot spring experience at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Summary

After calculation, my month-long Japan trip totaled about 350,000 yen (approximately 17,500 RMB). The breakdown is as follows:

Transportation: 80,000 yen (including JR Pass)
Accommodation: 150,000 yen
Food: 50,000 yen
Attractions: 20,000 yen
Shopping: 30,000 yen
Other expenses: 20,000 yen

Do you think this budget is reasonable? Everyone has different travel styles, so budgets naturally vary. Some prefer luxury hotels, others prefer hostels; some enjoy Michelin restaurants, others find convenience store food great. Therefore, when planning your budget, the most important thing is to base it on your actual situation and travel goals.

When planning a travel budget, I suggest first listing essential expenses like flights and accommodation, then adjusting other items based on remaining funds. Remember, the meaning of travel isn't about how much you spend, but whether you truly experience local culture and create memorable experiences.

So here's the question: If you were to travel to Japan, how would you plan your budget? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.