Obviously, people visit Japan for different reasons. I mean, heck, it has a lot to offer. But one good way to look at Japan is this: there is no place where you can have so much fun at so little cost!
Yes, Japan is not only pricelessly authentic and infinitely rich in culture, cuisine, art and nature - it’s a bargain. Allow me to permanently behead that image of Japan as a pricey destination.
Cheap flights
Book yourself a budget flight to Tokyo or Osaka (you can find them for US$500 from the Western U.S., even less if you plan ahead), and get a rail pass (around US$260 for seven days, a better deal at US$400 for two weeks). Just about any season is good, though the end of the year is tricky, and the rainy season (early summer) is rainy.
Cheap digs
Now figure out your target destinations, and start digging around for some cheap lodgings. If you can’t find double occupancy space for under US$50 a night, you’re not even trying. On my last trip I found a ryokan-style hotel in Zao which provided starched linen yukata (traditional bathrobes) and lovely cypress hot spring baths at US$15 per person per night. (Hint – work your AirBnB account until you find what you want.)
Stingy eating
Now for the only other essential – food! Sure, you can spend ¥30,000 per person on sushi if you like throwing away money, or you can plunder and pillage with the proletariat for ¥400 lunches, ¥900 dinners and all-you-can drink deals until you are ready to burst from gluttony and self-satisfaction. [Suggestion: when in Japan, skip traditional breakfasts, go Western instead. My favorite is coffee and a German dog at Doutor (¥400), followed in second place by a breakfast set at Denny’s, where you get free coffee refills (and free Wi-Fi) for under ¥500. And remember, like McDonald’s and Mr. Donut, Denny’s in Japan is vastly superior to the U.S. version.]
Culture at a steal
Need some culture along with all that food? Of course you do! So jump off the bullet train in Kyoto and rent a bicycle – assuming you can’t just borrow one from your host, as we did – for ¥1000 - ¥2000 a day. Skip the Golden Pavilion (admission is high and stampedes are frequent). Instead, cruise and get lost looking at all the amazing, free places in Arashiyama, or elsewhere, that the tour guides never mention. There's the real Japan! If you’re stuck in Tokyo (sheesh, sorry about that!) do a self-guided walking tour of Kamakura. Stop at Zeniarai Benten shrine and wash all those coins you’ve been collecting, and if your prayer is heard, the local deity will bless you with double the amount!
Exhilaration without remorse
Feel like splurging? Why not go skiing? An adult full day lift ticket at the best resorts in Nagano averages a piddling ¥4600 (that’s under US$45!) Compare that to the big mountain rip-offs in California or Colorado, where a day ticket jacks you for US$140. {Burn!} Renting skis and boots? You can find them cheap, too, especially at the independent shops a bit further down the street.
And deep relaxation
But the real point is, you can afford to have fun in Japan (or meditate, or study, or just relax) – and not break the bank. Japan is a veritable safe haven for the under-funded, long-term traveler. And you'll never be mugged, pick-pocketed, lured to a bad place, or pursued by leeches disguised as people. Behave decently, and you will be treated with respect. And when you have finished your trip, and returned whence you came, your mind will be flush with happy memories, and you’ll have enough money left in your account to Uber home from the airport - per mile, the most expensive leg of your Japan trip!
