Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
One rumor about Japan that turned out to be true was that fresh fruits and vegetables were expensive.
Outside of shopping for an apple or banana at the market, I generally avoided buying fresh fruits and veget-
ables.
It's very possible to eat cheap in Japan if you stick to the tiny restaurants around the country, buy pre-
pared meals at convenience stores (which are still delicious), and self-cater many of your meals. This will
also allow you to splurge on meals once in a while.
TRANSPORTATION
Most of the city metro tickets cost $1-2 USD for a single journey. (The price varies by distance and may
often be higher.) Fares were usually around $2 USD to travel across Tokyo but less for shorter distances.
In most major cities, you can buy a day pass, which gives you unlimited travel for twenty-four hours for
between $8 USD and $10 USD.
Trains
Transportation is one of the most expensive aspects of travel in Japan and made up the bulk of my expenses.
The bullet trains, while punctual, comfortable, and extremely fast, are not cheap. Individual tickets can cost
hundreds of dollars.
But train travel is the best way to see the country, so in order to reduce your train costs get a Japan Rail
pass. The pass is indispensable for travel in Japan. If you are planning on visiting more than two or three
long-distance destinations in Japan, then it is highly advised to purchase a JR Rail Pass (jrpass.com), which
gives you unlimited journeys on all JR Rails, JR Ferries, and JR Buses throughout the country.
These passes cost around $280 USD for seven days, $450 USD for fourteen days, and $575 USD for
twenty-one days (all pass times are for consecutive travel). And while that may seem pricey, when you com-
pare them to the price of individual tickets, a pass is a bargain.
For example, here are the costs of some popular routes without the pass:
Tokyo-Kyoto:
$137 USD
Tokyo-Osaka:
$142 USD
Tokyo-Hiroshima:
$186 USD
Kyoto-Hiroshima:
$112 USD
Osaka-Hiroshima:
$109 USD
Just buying a seven-day pass and taking any three of these routes will save you money. As long as you
are going to travel by train at least three times, a JR Rail Pass will always be your best option. Even if you
won't use all the days on the pass, buy the pass if you plan on taking more than three trains—especially for
the added flexibility.
Keep in mind the JR Rail Pass
must
be booked
before
your arrival in Japan.
When available, the Seishun 18 Ticket (jreast.co.jp/e) is the most economic deal in Japan, offering five
days of unlimited train travel for just $115 USD. It's available three times per year during school holidays
