How Much Did Our Japan Trip Cost? (And How To Do It Cheaper)

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If you’re considering a trip to Japan, there’s a good chance you’re wondering if Japan is an affordable destination or an expensive one. Japan can be a very budget-friendly destination! But it can also be an expensive place to visit, depending on your itinerary and what you’re planning to see and do.

We share our Japan trip cost for our 14-day trip, including the things we splurged on and how you can adapt your own Japan itinerary to suit a smaller (or bigger) budget.

kiyomizu-dera temple.

How Much Did Our Japan Trip Cost?

When I’m planning a visit to a new destination, hearing other people share their travel costs can be a huge help in knowing how much to budget.

Even something as simple as the cost of meals or train tickets can blow out your budget if the costs are much higher than anticipated.

That’s why we are sharing our Japan budget and actual expenses – where we came in under budget and where we blew the budget wayyyyyyy out!

For reference, we are a family of 4. At the time of our Japan family trip, it was two adults plus an 11 and 9-year-old. So, two adults and two big kids over 15 days.

Our Japan budget was $20,000 (Australian) which was approximately $13,500 USD at the time.

A Quick Look At Our Japan Trip Costs

Please note that these totals are in Australian dollars.

  • Flights – $4872
  • Disney Vacation Package – $4393
  • Accommodation – $2699
  • Bullet Train – $409
  • Attraction Tickets – $1302
  • Travel Insurance – $198
  • Airport Transfers – $263
  • Hakone Free Pass – $166
  • Food & Miscellaneous – $2799

TOTAL: $16,935 (Approximately USD $11,550)

This worked out to approximately AUD 302 per day, per person. Ouch! But let’s look at the full breakdown of expenses to see why.

Our Biggest Expenses

Approximately half of our Japan budget went to two big expenses – our flights from Australia and our Disney Vacation Package.

We also planned our Osaka accommodation around Universal Studios and splurged on express passes (more on that later) which made our 3 days in Osaka quite expensive too.

Flights

Our flights were with Jetstar Australia flying Brisbane to Narita (Tokyo) then Kansai (Osaka) to Brisbane home.

The flights were on the expensive side, despite flying with a budget airline. There are a few reasons for this:

  1. It was the Australian school holidays for our return flight so costs went up.
  2. We booked fairly late (less than 5 months out from our trip).
  3. We flew in and out of different airports instead of round-trip flights.

If you can travel outside of school break times and book a little earlier, there’s a good chance you will get your flights cheaper. Jetstar Australia frequently has free return flights or bring a friend for free deals to Japan if you’re flexible with dates. Big savings!

Disney Vacation Package

Let’s face it, if you’re not planning to do the Tokyo Disney thing while you’re in Japan, your Japan budget is going to be a whole lot lower than ours.

However, you also don’t need to spend over $4000 to visit Tokyo Disney Resort either.

A Disney Vacation Package is the most expensive way to visit Disneyland. We could have done the DIY thing for our trip and booked non-Disney hotels and day passes. Doing that would have made the whole experience quite cheap!

At the most basic level, Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea are a lot more affordable than the US Disney Parks. Entry passes are around $100 for adults and a set of Minnie Ears are a whole lot cheaper than the US Parks, at around $20-$30 AU.

You can transit to the parks on the day from your Tokyo accommodation too, keeping it all very reasonably priced.

But we decided to go with the Disney Vacation Package – for convenience and the extra perks!

We opted for one of the cheaper hotels as part of our Vacation Package – Toy Story Disney Resort Hotel. And this was so much fun! It’s a fully themed hotel, which made the experience extra special. We booked an extra night for our first night in Japan here too, at almost $400 for one night.

We opted for the 2N, 3D Disney Vacation Package. This included 1-day entry into Tokyo Disneyland and 2-day entry in Tokyo DisneySea. There is also a 1 night alternative that has 1 day in each.

One of the deciding factors for this was that only a few months earlier, the Fantasy Springs area opened at DisneySea and this meant it was in high demand and not guaranteed entry unless you paid for an extra pass (that’s around $200 per person). Our vacation package included this pass.

It also included many express passes for the most popular rides, so we were able to have a full experience of the parks, instead of spending our entire day queuing for rides. For reference, the most popular rides can have wait times of over 2 hours.

So was the Disney Vacation Package worth it for us? Absolutely!

If you’ve only got time to visit one, check out our guide on Tokyo Disneyland Vs Tokyo DisneySea to help you choose which to visit.

Japan Accommodation Costs

For full transparency, our 3-night stay in Asakusa, Tokyo was sponsored. We were guests of Mimaru Tokyo Asakusa Station in exchange for sharing our experience on social media. We are incredibly grateful as this was a stand-out hotel that we highly recommend.

Because we had this saving, we did splurge more on our Osaka accommodation compared to the place we originally booked. We stayed at Hotel Universal Port Vita, which is just 5 minutes from the entrance to Universal Studios.

four single beds in standard room.
Hotel Universal Port Vita

There is such a wide range of budgets for Japanese accommodation. You can find quite a few very affordable places if you’re working with a tight budget, such as ryokans and hostels.

Some of our stays were under $200 (Australian) per night, which was great since we aimed to stay close to train stations and not too far outside of all the major cities we visited. We certainly could have spent less on accommodation, but we also could have spent a whole lot more too.

With kids, you want comfort and you do need a little extra space. Many Japanese hotel rooms are tiny with very little space for luggage. Many also have very small beds.

While it might state that it’s suitable for 4 people, their ‘double beds’ are sometimes more like an extra large ‘king single’ or what I believe is referred to as a ‘twin bed’ in some countries. If you’ve got big kids or travelling with a group of adults, you sometimes need to pay extra just to make sure you don’t end up squashed into tiny beds.

READ THE REVIEWS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU BOOK!!!

We enjoyed all of the accommodation we stayed at:

Transport & JR Passes

bullet train at odawara station.

If you are staying in the main tourist areas of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka for your visit to Japan, a Japan Rail Pass might not be worthwhile for you. In 2023, the JR Pass went up about 70% in price, which is a huge increase.

It would have cost us around $2300+ to get a JR Pass for our full trip, which wasn’t worth it for us. If you’re doing a lot of day trips outside of the cities, it might be worthwhile. Do some research online before you book one to make sure it’s a good deal.

Instead, we made a single Shinkansen reservation between Odawara (Hakone area) and Kyoto. This was just over $400 for a 2-hour and 20-minute bullet train trip.

For all our shorter train trips, we purchased individual tickets per trip or unlimited metro passes such as a 72-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket (unlimited Metro & Subway use).

There are unlimited passes for most big cities so it’s worth looking into whether this is more cost-effective than a single ticket.

ticket machine at train station in japan.
Train ticket machine in Japan

Kids under 12 are half the price of an adult ticket and kids under 3 are free. Most of our trips were a couple of dollars each, with a few being a bit more expensive.

We didn’t track our miscellaneous spending, however, transport costs would have been the second-highest after food and drink.

We also splurged on transport a couple of times, booking a private transport on the night of our arrival from Narita to Toy Story Hotel ($207) and taking a taxi from Toy Story Hotel to Asakusa. Both of these were to avoid navigating multiple trains during busy times with suitcases (especially fresh off the plane).

We were able to take the Airport Limousine Bus from Universal Studios to Kansai Airport, which worked out to be around $56 total for the 4 of us. A great price considering the trip took over an hour. They only run until around 6 pm though.

hakone freepass tickets.

I’m also going to include the Hakone Free Pass in this section since it’s essentially a transport pass. We spent 2 days in Hakone and this gave us unlimited train, cable car, ropeway and Ashi Lake cruise travel. It also includes a return trip from Shinjuku to Odawara train station and discounts on local attractions.

We upgraded to the Limited Express Romance Car which took us all the way to Gora Station.

The Hakone Free Pass is worth getting if you’re doing a self-guided day trip to Hakone or staying for a day or two like we did.

Attraction Tickets

universal studios japan entrance gate.

The most expensive attraction passes were our Universal Studios Japan tickets.

This is another one of those things you can skip if you’re not a big fan of theme parks or if you live in the USA and have visited local parks many times before. We have never been to a Universal Park before so it was fun to experience it.

The thing is, if you don’t want to queue for hours (yes, more 2-hour wait times here), you might want to splurge on the express passes. These cost more than the entry passes and you need both.

We got Express Pass 4, which was around $170 each. The prices change depending on the day you visit the park.

The more popular option is the Express Pass 7. This is more expensive but it also gives you skip-the-line access to 7 attractions instead of 4. This wasn’t worth it for us as the kids aren’t keen on big thrill rides.

The express passes also give you a guaranteed entry into Super Nintendo World, which you otherwise might miss out on due to its popularity. Soon this will be even more popular with the opening of Donkey Kong Land too.

But if you’re really patient, you can absolutely just get the day passes and go early to try and get on some rides before the queue is huge. (It almost always opens earlier than the advertised time).

warner bros harry potter studio tour.
The Harry Potter Studio Tour is a must for any Harry Potter Fans!

We also did the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour which was under $200 for the four of us and totally worth the cost. This experience is fantastic and a must for any Harry Potter fans visiting Tokyo. It took us around 3 hours to work through the exhibits.

We also paid cash for a few small attractions like temple visits and the Eisu Ferris Wheel in Osaka, which made up some of our miscellaneous spending.

Overall, we didn’t visit a lot of attractions outside those 3 big ones – Disney, USJ and Harry Potter.

Food & Miscellaneous Japan Expenses

takoyaki octopus balls in osaka.
Takoyaki (octopus balls) in Osaka

We did not keep close track of our day-to-day spending, other than being able to tally up the totals. The approximately $2799 we spent covered a lot of different things.

It included the following:

  • Daily food and drink
  • Tran tickets
  • Taxi fare x 2
  • Attraction entry (such as temples, Arishyama Monkey Park etc)
  • Theme park food (expensive)
  • Souvenirs
  • Spending money for the kids (around $100 each)

We didn’t buy a lot of souvenirs.

Minnie Mouse ears from the Tokyo Disneyland (around $75 total) for 3 sets. A lot of KitKats and a few speciality gifts for family and friends and ourselves.

The kids used their spending money on Pokemon stuffed toys, earrings and gashapon machines mostly.

We ate a mix of restaurant food, street food and convenience store food, depending on where we were. It was so hot and we walked so much each day that the convenience of a 7-Eleven meal was often quite appealing. They are actually great and really cheap!

food at toy story hotel convenience store.
Convenience store meals

If you want to keep your food budget down in Japan, this is pretty easy to do with the Konbinis (convenience stores) – 7-Eleven, Lawson and Family Mart are everywhere.

We did have a couple of splurge meals too – Gora Brewery & Grill, a $75 pizza from Universal Studios Japan (yes, I know…WTF!!!) and a Japanese BBQ restaurant on our second last night.

There were a lot of vending machine drink purchases too because the vending machines are everywhere and it was freaking hot. It was nice to never have to look far for a drink, but of course, you pay more for that convenience compared to the 100-yen shops and supermarket prices.

Another thing to note is if you’re visiting from North America or Europe, you don’t need to tip in Japan. That’s a small saving.

In saying that, I am a bit horrified at how much we managed to spend. It felt like we were being thrifty at the time but it wasn’t hard to spend through our allocated money, needing to get more cash out than we expected, towards the end of the trip.

Tips To Save Money In Japan

shrine in japan.

I mentioned at the start that Japan can be a very affordable destination. I still believe this even if our trip sat more in the mid-range budget.

If Disney or Universal Studios aren’t a priority for you, you’re instantly shaving around 1/3 of the cost of our trip off your budget. Since we don’t have these here in Australia, we wanted to experience them and don’t regret it at all.

Here are some other tips for saving money in Japan:

Eat Like a Local

  • Convenience Stores: Japan’s 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson stores offer delicious, inexpensive meals like onigiri, bento boxes, and sandwiches. These are much cheaper than eating out in restaurants and surprisingly good.
  • Supermarket Delis: Supermarkets often discount their prepared foods (bentos, sushi, etc.) in the evening. This is a great way to get a fresh, inexpensive dinner.
  • Chain Restaurants: Chains like Sukiya, Matsuya, and Yoshinoya offer budget meals starting at ¥500-700 (USD $4-6), including rice bowls, curries, and noodle dishes.

Book Accommodations Early

  • Early Bird Discounts: Hotels and guesthouses often offer early-bird booking discounts if you reserve well in advance. The earlier you book, the more likely you are to snag a good deal, especially in popular cities like Tokyo and Kyoto.
  • Airbnb: Renting an Airbnb can be a cheaper alternative, especially if you’re travelling with a group or staying for an extended period.
  • Hostels, Capsule Hotels & Ryokans: Stay in hostels or Ryokans for a budget-friendly stay with a more authentic experience.

Visit Free Attractions

  • Temples & Shrines: While some temples charge small entrance fees, many of Japan’s beautiful shrines and temples are free to visit, including popular spots like Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa.
  • Parks & Gardens: Japan is known for its well-maintained parks and gardens, many of which are free or have a very low entry fee.
  • City Views: Many cities offer free observation decks with stunning views. For example, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building or Asakusa Tourist Centre offers a panoramic view of Tokyo for free.

Use Public Transport Wisely

  • JR Pass: If you’re planning to travel across multiple cities, consider purchasing a Japan Rail Pass. This pass allows unlimited travel on JR trains, including the famous Shinkansen (bullet train), for a set period. Be sure to calculate if it’s worth it based on your itinerary.
  • IC Cards: For local travel, get an IC card (Suica or Pasmo) for easy access to buses, trains, and subways without buying individual tickets each time. It also helps to avoid the fare adjustments.

Buy Attraction Tickets in Advance

  • Klook: Use apps like Klook to purchase discounted tickets for theme parks, museums, or tours (book early so they don’t sell out).
  • Combo Tickets: Many cities offer combo tickets for tourists, which bundle several attractions at a reduced price like the Osaka Amazing Pass.

In Conclusion: Is Japan Expensive?

In the end, we came in below budget for our two-week trip to Japan, even with the huge cost of the Disney Vacation Package. What worked in our favour was the fact that the Japanese Yen was at a low and it allowed us to book a lot of things when the exchange rate was in our favour.

But it was still an expensive trip! Next time we won’t need to splurge on the Disney and Universal costs though and it will be much easier to keep the cost of travel down.

Our trip to Japan was an unforgettable experience, and we hope sharing our costs helps you plan your Japanese adventure. While Japan can be known as an expensive destination, there are plenty of ways to manage your budget without sacrificing any of the fun!

Now that you have an idea of how much a trip to Japan might cost, don’t forget to check out these things to know before visiting Japan. It’s packed with helpful tips and insider advice to make sure your first trip goes smoothly!

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