1 month Japan - which budget, which route?

Hi folks,

Since a Japanese Family I had the luck to get to know invited me to visit them in Japan, I will travel to japan in march of this year. Since I am not familiar with the best things to do in japan, the must see�Ls and how much money I should take with me, i would like to know to ask if someone in this forum could help me with my travelling plans.

So first of all I would like to know your opinnion about my budget for the trip: I am planning to spend 440 000 - 470 000 Yen on my trip. Since I prefer not to have to share any rooms during my trip and avoid hostels I planned around 9000-10000 Yen per night. Since im staying 4-5 days with the family who invited me I counted only 25 days for accomodation. For eating, I planned about 2000 Yen per day. the JR Pass would be either 46 000 or 58 000 Yen depending on the length of the validity. That would leave me about 100 000 Yen to pay for things like entrys, souvenirs and all kinds of other expenses.
Is this calculation realistic or am I missing something out? And should I get two or three weeks of JR pass?

Since i am staying 1 month, I would like to see as much of japans history, culture and cuisine as possible. my primary interests would be:

Mount Fuji
Hiroshima
Nara
Kyoto
Tokyo
Kumano Hongu Taisha
Osaka

Please be free to adjust my to-do list if im missing something important out

I would also like to do a one or two day cooking course since im interested to get to know japanese cuisine a little closer. Would anyone be able to recommend something in that way?


I am of course also open for any other suggestions about things that I should not miss out on my trip!

Thank you so much!

Hello and nice that you are staying for 1 month in Japan!

I have stayed in Japan 3 months by my self last year.

First it would be nice to know if you are starting from Tokyo and ending Tokyo as well as where your Japanese family is located and what is the dates of your plane.

Then we can see how to plan and see if you need the Japan Rail Pass.

As for hotels, most places I went to was between 9000-11000yen per night and apartments (like Airbnb) was between 7000-10000 per night so your estimate about accommodations is very accurate however just kept in mind some could be much more like a night stay at Ryokan.

For food, I would recommend focusing your main meal at lunch. Because of so much competition during lunch, you could get very good lunch sets for 500-1000Yen/day.

For breakfast, family mart could be your best friend 300-500yen/day

Dinner sets will be expensive 1200-2000yen/day but you could also opt for conbi store like Family Mart

Finally you also need to budget for drinks at the vending machines! For me it was always between 500-750yen/day

Mount Fuji you could either do
Hakone http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html
or my favorite
Kawaguchiko http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6906.html

Suggest a visit to the best castle in Japan Himeji - http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3500.html

Maybe sidetrip to Kinosakionsen for some onsen and Ryokan http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3525.html

and maybe in the alps - Takayama http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5900.html
and Shirakawa-go http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5950.html

For cooking classes maybe this: http://www.kyoto-cooking-class.com/

Should be enough to get you started ^^

Hope this helps!!!

Have Fun!!!

For the sake of politeness, bring some local stuff from your home country or cook a local dish for them. Gift giving is a social neccessity.
You can help out in their kitchen too. Learn your cooking.

2000 yen per day is fine... if you don't mind eating konbini set meals or onigiri per meal. (I can) If you want every meal to be shabu shabu/ramen/soba then expect to spend 500 to 700 more per day.
(Also depends on where you are heading, major cities are more expensive but if you head to a residential district more affordable food is available)

If you get a JR Pass you can settle travel from Hiroshima to Tokyo. Inclusive of ferry to Miyajima. (7 or 14 days are alright)

Personally with something like a month and only that few places in your mind I would, do a cross country cycling tour.

If not, spending a week each in Kyoto and Tokyo and doing day trips from Tokyo can help fill your time.

The month you are in Japan place a part.
Eg if in November Autumn Kyoto
if in October Izumo Taisha festival
If in June, summer festivals

Thanks for your quick answers and nice suggestions!

I will begin my journey in Tokyo and it will also end there.
I would probably book my flight on the 20th of March to Tokio and my flight back in the 18th April.

The Japanese Family invited me to come see them in begin of April, but I'm not too sure where exactly it is but I will know it in one week. I only know that the place is a smaller town and about 2 hours away from Tokyo ( by train ) .

Try Toyoko Inn for accomodations. My 28 night budget is 140,000 yen, which comes out to about 5000 yen average.

Thank you for the tipp! Are these Toyoko Inns all over Japan?

Toyoko Inns are all over Japan.

In major cities you can find multiple Toyoko Inns.
In minor cities maybe one or two.

The places you are going would surely have Toyoko Inns.

For variety I would recommend APA Hotel and Kanko Hotels.
They have slightly better furnishing.

And Toyoko-Inns come with all you can free simplebreakfast buffet. It can be Japanese or western or both depending on where you stay.
Most are located within walking distance from trainstation (5-10mins), some have shuttle bus if it too far off.

Can I second Haru Cooking Class? Taro, the man who runs the demo is extremely friendly and we learnt a lot from the experience. It is expensive but it's genuine A class Kobe beef. He's also really helpful with restaurant suggestions and trip planning so I'd recommend his business to anyone.

We took a 23 night trip in October. We covered most of the sights you want to see but as you have longer you could tweak the days as possible depending on your interests particularly for Osaka and Mt Fuji (I wasn't a fan on my first trip but came around since this most recent one). Our itinerary is in this post: http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+113661