Low budget backpacking

Hi everyone,
Me and 2 of my friend will be heading to Japan for a back packing trip in January 09.2 guy and a Gal. I need some advice and information that can help make our trip possible. Budget will 30400 for the whole trip which will begin from 2/01/09 and end 30/01/09. Bout 30 days. Here's my itinerary list so far.
Day 1 :
Arrive at Narita Airport by 1300hrs 02/01/09( Spore time) and spend the night in Tokyo.
Need to book and find lodging for 1 nite.

Day 2 : 03/01/09
Take a day train to Sapporo ( journey approximately 11hrs, reach approximately by 6pm) and spend the evening exploring.
Need to book and find lodging for 3 nites.

Day 3 and 4 : 04/01/09 and 05/01/09
Spend 2 full days exploring sapporo�fs attraction.

Day 5 : 06/01/09
Leave Sapporo early in the morning for Hakudate( journey approximately 3.5hrs) and spend the evening exploring the city.
Need to book and find lodging for 2 nites.

Day 6 : 07/01/09
Spend full day exploring Hakudate�fs attraction.

Day 7 : 08/01/09
Leave Hakudate early in the morning and head to Kokunodate( journey approximately 3hrs). Leave Kokunodate in the evening for Sendai and spend the night.
Need to book and find lodging for 1 nite.

Day 8 : 09/01/09
Tour Sendai in the first half of the day and leave for Nagoya. Spend evening and night.
Need to book and find lodging for 1 nite.

Day 9 : 10/01/09
Leave early in the morning from Nagoya to Takayama and spend the night.
Need to book and find lodging for 1 nite.

Day 10 : 11/01/09
Leave Takayama in the afternoon for Kanazawa (journey approximately 2.5hrs). Spend evening and night exploring Kanazawa.
Need to book and find lodging for 1 nite.

Day 11 : 12/01/09
Leave early in the morning from Kanazawa for Kyoto and spend the after noon, evening and night exploring.
Need to book and find lodging for 2 nites.
Day 12 : 13/01/09
Spend full day exploring Kyoto�fs attraction.

Day 13 : 14/01/09
Leave Kyoto early in the morning and travel to Mount Koya ( journey approximately 3 hrs). Leave in the evening for Osaka and spend the night.
Need to book and find lodging for 2 nite.

Day 14 : 15/01/09
Spend full day exploring Osaka�fs attraction.

Day 15 : 16/01/09
Leave early in the morning from Osaka for Hiroshima and spend the afternoon, evening and the night exploring Hiroshima.
Need to book and find lodging for 1 nite.

Day 16 : 17/01/09
Leave early in the morning from Hiroshima for Nagasaki and spend the afternoon, evening and the night exploring Nagasaki.
Need to book and find lodging for 1 nite.

Day 17 : 18/01/09
Leave Nagasaki in the morning for Himeji ( journey approximately 5 hrs). Spend the afternoon exploring Himeji castle and return to Tokyo in the evening.
Need to book and find lodging for 3 nites

Day 18 and day 19 : 19/01/09 and 20/01/09
Spend 2 full day exploring Tokyo.

Day 20 : 21/01/09
Make a day trip to Nikko. (Gal friend fly back to Singapore)

Hi everyone, sorry for the error, OUr budget per person will be 304000 not including air fare.. Would really apprecite any help. Thank you.

your itinerary looks very busy but i'd hardly call your plan low budget. with 300,000yen (about 3,000USD) for less than a month, you could stay every single day at a fairly posh hotel and still have 1000$ left for shopping.

i dont see how you could possibly spend 300,000 in a month while backpacking unless you guys are planning to acquire a ton of stuff along the way i.e. shopping spree.

i would highly recommend cutting some stuff out of your plan. it looks far too busy. you will also not have any time to see the sights of most places, for example only a half day in sendai?

take your time a bit more. you'll feel better knowing you saw more of each city rather than just seeing the train station of a ton of different cities. slow your pace down a bit.

i'd also recommend cutting your budget in half or 1/4 if you really want to experience low budget backpacking.

be sure to have some money in reserve for emergencies or if you do run out of the "planned" amount.

the real fun is challenging yourself to live in a kind of backpacking-induced poverty. maybe that sounds weird but the best experiences in life come from the most difficult challenges, if you know what i mean.

Could agree more with the post above.
Your itenary needs re-thinking
I am only taking £1700 And im planing on staying for one year, obviously i will be working part time but i think £1700 would still take me pretty far.
If you are going backpacking your going to experiance the country right?
Not to live it up in the Hilton and blow all your cash on clothes etc etc.
I dunno maybe im just jelous :D

I think it is a budget travel, though not very tight. 300,000 yen for approx. 30 days, so about 10,000 yen per day, including accommodation, food, and transportation. In some cities you might not be able to book/find real cheap accommodation like youth hostels, so if you stay in "business hotels" that would be something like 6,000 to 8,000 for two people (a double room). So to me it does sound like budget travel.

For reference:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2410.html

To cyphon
Please check the transportation cost and time carefully - you are moving about quite busily!

To Tommy Two-Tone,
I suppose you are going with Working Holiday visa or student visa so you can do part-time work, but others on temporary visitor status cannot do that to help their travel budget...

Your budget may seem like a lot but check out this web site for actual cost of all the trains you are planning to use.
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi

Hi guys, Thanks for the input, the budget is definitely not alot, as it will also include the cost of hotel, food and train ticket. I will be using the JR 21 day ticket. Me and a friend will be staying for 30 days . Only one friend will go back at day 21. Can anyone here recommend how i can go about touring the best part of japan in 30 days and not rush? ur input will be greatly appreciate. We just have to make sure that we are in tokyo by day 20 so that we can send off our friend and continue with our journey again.

I spent 2 weeks in Japan 2 years ago with an itenary full like this. I can tell you this Takayama needs more than an half a day. If a japanes person ask you where you are going and you say Takayama their eys light up. The town is worth a day and half at least. I messed up and only got part of an afternoon there.
Okay Kanazawa I think needs more time if possible or trade it for more time in Takayama. Kanazawa has the best garden and is intersting when I was there but I bet Takayama is better.
Ok listen to this Kyoto cant realy be touched in a day. There are so many things to do and see there that I spent almost 3 days there and still ran out of time and am still mad at myself for that! Look at Kyoto through this website and you will see that the only thing that comes close is Tokyo.
Ok Osaka I spent 3 days there and had a freind that showed me around and we ate some interesting food but honestly I could have done it in one day and been on a train for the next town.
I forgot about Mt. Koya. You will really want to stay the night in a buddist temple for it was one of most treasured experiances I had. I spent 2 days there. Nice as it was if you are pressed for time at least do an overnight stay. Trade that for Osaka.
The only other advice I can give is that in planning a trip like this you will have to give up somethings to greater experance other things. Remember it is rarely the quantity but quality of each experance that is remembered.

Afterthough it is good that you are going and have the time to do this journey and no matter what it will be one of the best times of your lives. No matter what you decided to do. Good luck

I agree, Koyaan is a must do.Even if you are only there briefly, make sure you walk through the okunoin (evening or early morning is best!).

Enjoy your travel, it'll be one of your most treasured experiences...

Thank you so much for the input.. Look like i have to re plan everything over again.. If only somebody here can share with me how i can plan my route..Would be much appreciate.

I feel a Cliff Claven moment coming on. If you are going to Sapporo first, you might consider taking the Hokutosei over-night train from Ueno Statio in Tokyo. The 1st train leaves a little after 1900 hrs and arives in Saporro the next morning about 1100.

If you arrive at Narita at 1300 you should have plenty of time to go through custome, and proceed to the JR (Japan Rail) office to activate your rail pass. At the same time, you can reserve a 4 berth compartment for your selves. There is a dining car for dinner and breakfast butit is pricey. Coming back from Sapporo you might consider the Twilight Express overnight train which follows the Sea of Japan to Kanazawa then on to Kyoto and Osaka. See the Kansai(Kyoto, Nara,Mt, Koya) area first then back to the Kanto (Tokyo)area. Nikko is but a 2 hr train ride from Tokyo.

Check with JR to be sure the overnuight trains are running. There has been talk of curtailment due to lack of riddership.

Check Japan Youth Hostels and Japanese Inns web sights for places to stay. You can have a good time on 10,000 yen a day.

No matter where or how you go there is much to see and the Japanese people are wonderful to meet.


No matter where or how you go there

Thank you so much for all your valuable input. I've decided to leave out sendai, kokunodate and just travel straight from hakudate to kanazawa as recommended.. I'm very confuse though regarding the night train. As i will be landing at Narita approximately around 1400 Japan time, do u think i can get to euno station in time to board the hokutosei and? Is there a seat on this train that will be covered by the 21 day rail pass that i purchase? Thank you so much guys for all your valuable input. It help makes it so much more easier to plan for this trip.

thats more money than iam going to live off of for two and a half months my budget will probably be $2,000 or $2500 usd if iam lucky