Budget expenses for 11 days in Japan

Hi there,

I was wondering how much expenses (excluding Flight & Accomodations) I would have to prepare for my 11 day trip to Japan?

My itinerary includes: Tokyo (Fuji-Q Highland) - Hakone - Kanazawa (Shiragawago) - Osaka (Kyoto & Kobe)

I do not plan on visiting any shrines, but 1 ke 2 museums and castles yes. Fuji-Q Highland theme park a definite yes as well. Also an important point to note! I am traveling in April during the cherry blossom season. Not sure if that will cause a hike in food and attraction fees?

Would be greatly appreciated if I could get some help on this! Am at such a loss right now as I was hoping to keep the budget to JPY85,000.

Have you tried making a spreadsheet/list of your planned expenses (e.g. entry tickets to museums, transport, etc.), and then adding in approximate costs for food/shopping/etc. based on the budgeting section of this website (or Japan budget sites on Google)?

How do you plan on travelling around? Would that be the next biggest expense after flights and accomodation?

Your budget seems unrealistic due to traveling at the busiest peak time of the year. Accommodation in high use areas like Kawaguchiko, Hakone and Kyoto will be expensive.

You're asking about daily expenses such as meals and sightseeing, with accommodations and flights already taken care of, right?

I found this website helpful:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2410.html

How do you plan on travelling around? Would that be the next biggest expense after flights and accomodation?
by ktb42

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I would think I'd be travelling around via trains, railways and buses. Correct it'd be the biggest expense, which I would've already hopefully settled before going to Japan. What I'm asking about is how much food/sightseeing/light transportation would cost.

Your budget seems unrealistic due to traveling at the busiest peak time of the year. Accommodation in high use areas like Kawaguchiko, Hakone and Kyoto will be expensive.
by hakata14 (guest)

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I have already mentioned to exclude expenses for Accommodation as it would have already been settled beforehand. What I'm concerned with how much to convert and bring over.

I have already mentioned to exclude expenses for Accommodation as it would have already been settled beforehand. What I'm concerned with how much to convert and bring over.

Well it depends on your preferences, but I think 85000 yen is pretty enough. I would assign 1000 yen for transportation per day and another 1000 yen for entrance fees per day and 3000 yen for everyday meal. You can eat very cheap when you buy something at convenience stores (less than 500 yen per meal), good quality Japanese meal at Teishokuya (set menu restaurants, such as Otoya) around 1000-1500 yen, cheap tempura, udon and ramen below 1000 yen.

Now many if not all places accept credit cards, and you can withdraw yen from ATM in Japanpost and Seven-Eleven (I am not sure since I am a Japanese and have never used these places). Some places are cash only so you should have some yen beforehand (maybe 20000 yen or so). You may better have USD or Euros for emergency, but don't exchange if it is not necessary (use ATM first).

Just got feedback from my friends, family of 3 adults.
They traveled all over Kyushu in a Rental Camper-van for 2 weeks.
Budget: US$ 1000/pp.
That's all including: food & drinks, RV rental, fuel, road tolls and of course..lodging.

Well it depends on your preferences, but I think 85000 yen is pretty enough. I would assign 1000 yen for transportation per day and another 1000 yen for entrance fees per day and 3000 yen for everyday meal. You can eat very cheap when you buy something at convenience stores (less than 500 yen per meal), good quality Japanese meal at Teishokuya (set menu restaurants, such as Otoya) around 1000-1500 yen, cheap tempura, udon and ramen below 1000 yen.

Now many if not all places accept credit cards, and you can withdraw yen from ATM in Japanpost and Seven-Eleven (I am not sure since I am a Japanese and have never used these places). Some places are cash only so you should have some yen beforehand (maybe 20000 yen or so). You may better have USD or Euros for emergency, but don't exchange if it is not necessary (use ATM first).

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Thank you so much for this reply, really helpful.

I think this is the first reply I've gotten saying that my budget of 85000 yen is enough, everyone has been telling me it's unrealistic. I also forgot to mention that my 1st and last day is burned due to flights, so technically although its 12 days, it'll roughly be 10 days of expenditure.

I'm just worried that because it's a peak season of the year (with the cherry blossoms) and all, will food expenses etc be hiked up. Because I wouldn't be able to find that out, unless someone who's gone during the cherry blossom season has gone.

I've been during autumn and cherry blossom season, and didn't notice a difference in prices, except for accommodation.

Honestly, you should be able to work out if your budget is enough based on information available on this website and on Google. Both will provide you with general food and transport prices, and you know the sites you want to visit, so you can look up their entry fees (and if you have a day-by-day itinerary, you can also work out a rough costing for transport). Then, just leave some money spare for shopping!

everyone has been telling me it's unrealistic.

Well, actually, only one person says it's unrealistic and it's probably because he thought 85000 yen includes accommodations.

Tokyo (Fuji-Q Highland) - Hakone - Kanazawa (Shiragawago) - Osaka (Kyoto & Kobe)

I would think I'd be travelling around via trains, railways and buses. Correct it'd be the biggest expense, which I would've already hopefully settled before going to Japan.

Do you mean your 85000 does not include Tokyo (Fuji-Q Highland) - Hakone - Kanazawa (Shiragawago) - Osaka (Kyoto & Kobe) transportation? I think it can be somewhat expensive. You might better go to Hakone after Tokyo and then Kawaguchiko (Fuji-Q) and then take bus to Takayama.

https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/highwaybus/fujisan.pdf

and then to Shirakawago.