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Budget for 3 Weeks in Japan

How expensive is travel in Japan? Can you travel Japan on a backpacker’s budget? During my solo female RTW trip, I spent 3 weeks in Japan, visiting Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka and documented every penny I spent! Read on for my full breakdown of Japan travel costs from train fares and hostel dorms to laundry and convenience store snacks.

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Shibuya Crossing Tokyo | Budget for 3 Weeks in Japan

Table of Contents

Transportation: $635.06

Flight to Tokyo $279.68
Train from airport $4.30
Local train fare in Tokyo $62.35
Train to Hakone $13.98
Local train fare in Hakone $6.04
Train to Kyoto $104.53
Local train fare in Kyoto $2.53
Train to Osaka $5.05
Local train fare in Osaka $24.83
Shinkansen bullet train to Tokyo $118.33
Narita Express train to airport $13.44

I decided to wing it with my Japan train travel and purchased tickets as I went. If you’d like an easier way of seeing the country, I recommend using a Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) which will give you more flexibility and freedom in getting around.

ryokan hostel in Hakone Japan | Budget for 3 Weeks in Japan

Accommodations: $245

3 nights Couchsurfing in Tokyo $0
6 nights in 8-bed dorm at Emblem Hostel in Tokyo $109.67
1 night at Tent in Hakone $31.61
5 nights in 10-bed dorm at Guesthouse Origami in Kyoto $67.64
2 nights in 6-bed dorm at Bonsai Guest House in Osaka $36.08

Because of the cost of travel in Japan, hostel dorms were a must for my trip! If you’re new to hostel stays or are tired of bad hostel experiences, read up on my hostel booking tips for solo female travelers.

ramen in Tokyo | Budget for 3 Weeks in Japan

Dining: $269.16

2 breakfast in airport $15.05
1 breakfast at Tent hostel $4.51
1 lunch at Island Vintage Coffee $15.53
1 lunch at Tsukiji Fish Market $1.84
2 lunches at The Round $20.08
1 lunch at Tokyo Station Ramen Street $8.21
1 lunch at Cafe Aaliya $10.82
1 lunch in Harajuku $9.74
1 lunch at Nishiki Market $17.06
1 lunch at Excelsior Caffe $8.30
1 lunch in train station $5.88
1 lunch in airport $8.30
2 dinners in airport $28.63
1 dinner at Tent hostel $10.82
1 dinner at Katsukura $20.74
1 dinner at Mizuno Okonomiyaki $13.62
1 dinner at Atchichi Takoyaki $4.51
1 cherry blossom latte at Starbucks Shibuya Crossing $4.45
1 snack on Nakamise Street $1.80
1 snack from a vending machine $1.23
5 snacks from a convenience store $23.87
10 days worth of groceries $34.17

setting for traditional Japanese tea ceremony | Budget for 3 Weeks in Japan

Attractions: $128.59

Fukuro No Mise owl cafe $17.54
Tokyo SkyTree $18.07
Hakone Ropeway $25.34
tea ceremony at En $22.55
calligraphy class at Kafu $45.09

Ishikawa sake brewery in Tokyo Japan | 10 Days in Japan for Solo Female Travelers

Other Costs: $5.86

gifts/souvenirs at Ishikawa Brewery $2.25
laundry at hostel $3.61

Total Budget for Japan: $1239.33

Average Spent Per Day: $61.96

How I Saved in 3 Weeks in Japan

Finding free things to do

Self-guided walks around neighborhoods like Harajuku in Tokyo or the Gion District in Kyoto are easy on the wallet and a great way to soak up the atmosphere of Japan.

Couchsurfing

Tokyo is one of the best places to try Couchsurfing as a solo female traveler. I had a wonderful host and saving on a few nights of accommodations was a great perk.

Cooking about half my meals

Japan had well-stocked, sizable grocery stores and I took full advantage. Eggs, dry pasta or rice, and mixed vegetables are among my go-to staples for hostel cooking.

Ultimately averaging about $60 per day, my Japan travel budget was on the higher end of my overall round-the-world trip budget. This was, however, much cheaper than I expected 3 weeks in Japan to cost, and I still felt like I had a great experience with dining and attractions in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.

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2 Comments

  1. This is so helpful and totally inspired me to write similar blog posts. I think transparency can help others so much in their travel planning!

    1. I’m so glad! Sharing what I spent is such a simple thing. No budget can ever be copy/paste so I try to just incorporate as many general tips and takeaways as I can. Since you were also interested in my DC cherry blossom itinerary, I want to give you a heads up that I have a massive DC budget breakdown coming in the next few weeks! I’ll be summing up budgets from 3 recent trips.

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