Visiting Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto cheap

Hi,

Debating if I should make a trip back to Japan this spring. Won't have as much money to spend as the last time but I'm debating if it is better to go when I have more money to enjoy the full experience. I wanted to stay at a Ryokan with a private Onsen, go back to Hakone in addition to those places I mentioned.

As it is, I would have to set aside around $4000 to go in May (Sakura season being too expensive for my airfare and hotel).

$1250 for airfare
$500 for JR 2 week pass
$3000 for hotel for 18 days
$1000 for food

I know it's a matter of opinion but should I just save up my money to go when I have more to spend on attractions, onsen...

My above breakdown didn't include subway costs but i'd almost guess iots $100.



I stayed at the parkside hotel in Hiroshima and guess that qualifies as a business hotel but to be honest I didn't like it. I found it was dated, and some of the cracks in the wall in the washroom turned me off. I'm picky I know.

I did a trip in November for a month on a very similar budget and found I faced no restrictions, but I stayed in business hotels, mainly Super Hotels, or booked early to get the super cheap rates. It's doable as long as you don't expect 4- or 5-star quality. I found all the Super Hotels I stayed at to be clean, modern, had free breakfast, and the staff were really friendly. Obviously some are newer than others - just look them up on TripAdvisor.

I stayed at the park side hotel in Hiroshima. This was a business hotel i'm guessing but I found it had a run down feeling.

Only place I went that used a key, elevator seemed old. And it felt dated. Is that was all business hotels are like?

Only place I went that used a key, elevator seemed old. And it felt dated. Is that was all business hotels are like?

Some are better than others, though all the ones I've stayed in were good enough for my needs.

There's the basic variety like your typical Toyoko Inn branch...

https://withinstrikingdistance.wordpress.com/2014/02/18/field-report-t...

...and there are also slick new specimens like the hotels in the remm chain. (This one had higher rack rates than your typical business hotel, but I snagged a promotional deal that brought the price down to Toyoko Inn levels.)

https://withinstrikingdistance.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/field-report-o...

Everyone has their own taste of course, but you could do quite nicely on just half the money you list for 17 nights and for food.
Some business hotel chains are:
http://www.comfortinn.com/sitemap-japan-JP
http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/
http://www.superhoteljapan.com/en/
http://www.route-inn.co.jp/english/
http://asakusa.richmondhotel.jp/
http://www.kid97.co.jp/~jeh-group/jeh-group.html
and a night is usually between $55-70. Most are near a train station which helps a lot.
From the first 3, I found Comfort Inn to be the best overall. Best breakfast hands down. Toyoko Inn had the worst breakfast (rice, riceballs, pasta salad...no fruit and rarely any meat) but with a lot of walking I burned it all off anyway. All of them were quiet, clean, and decent. No frills but you pretty much just take a shower and go to sleep in your room anyway. Richmond tends to be the priciest of them all but can't say if you're getting anything more for the money.

I have stayed less expensively at quite a few of the ryokans listed on this website and found them to be clean and friendly.

http://japaneseinngroup.com/index.html

On some trips I've had to stay in business hotels when ryokans were booked out. Also to save money I've used street vendors and department store take out for meals. Quickly checking on a local JTB USA site for rail pass prices I noted a $389 2 week JR pass.

Add Hotel Nikko (they are not limited to Nikko city) to that list.

If you want slightly better business hotels, try APA Hotels.

The cost per night are about 90 to 100 dollars.

You would surely save a few tens a day, making it to a few hundred in the long round.

Do show your planned itinerary. Perhaps, there are cheaper ways of travel besides the JR Pass.

This would be for two people, the hotel that were listed, would it accommodate two people?

Will they give you extra towels if you ask or is it just one per person?

I always thought Ryokan's were expensive because it comes with food?

Here is my itinery:

Arrive in Tokyo in evening, stay in Tokyo one night.
Osaka 5 days
Kyoto 3 days
Hiroshima 3 days
Tokyo 6 days

"I always thought Ryokan's were expensive because it comes with food?"

Every ryokan I've stayed in on the Japanese Inn Group site has had the option of meals or not. If you want breakfast or dinner it is usually extra. I found that I could eat cheaper by not eating at the ryokans except for a few that were more rural and dining out options very limited.

That's because the Japanese Inn Group is targeting foreign travelers, and many foreign travelers are interested to skip the meal.

However, a large majority of regular ryokan nationwide does not offer no-meal options. In particular, most good ryokan in Kyoto are ryori-ryokan, ryokan famous for their cuisine. Skipping a meal at such ryokan is like not using your guest room at a hotel. For a true ryokan experience, dinner and breakfast must be part of the stay.

Since the OP was looking to visit Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto "cheap" and I knew of an inn group that offered an affordable ryokan experience (in some areas) with or without meals included I thought I would pass it on as an option. Even without the meals a visitor can get a more traditional feel staying in a ryokan that is much different than staying in a hotel.

I agree however that a full ryokan experience should include meals.