Money Saving Tips You Need to Know Before Visiting Japan
In such an exquisite country, where both contemporary and historical worlds collide, there's no doubt Japan is the number one travel destination to be. But planning a trip like Japan may seem difficult as there many things to know about before visiting. Often its been told that Japan is an expensive place to travel to. Turns out, it doesn't have to be difficult or pricey at all! In this article, I will be covering the best money saving tips when it comes to eating, commuting, and residing in your trip to Japan.
Where to Stay | Airbnb vs. Hotels
It may seem more convenient to stay in a hotel during your trip, but that isn't the case when visiting Japan. When planning your trip, you should definitely consider staying in an Airbnb. Not only will it save you more money, but you get to have a personal experience of living like a local, and even meet people around the neighborhood. Being able to experience living like a local and staying in traditional Japanese homes has been one of the most influential & exciting parts of my trip to Japan.
When staying in an Airbnb in Japan, you get to experience walking around the neighborhoods and even discover local bars & cafes within the neighborhood which tend to be the best places to discover great food in Japan; although I have to say, there is no such thing as bad food in Japan, but I'll get to that later.
Other than the experience of living like a local and saving money, staying at an Airbnb is convenient in terms of commuting. Often times, Airbnb homes in Japan are located in walking distance from train stations.
Commuting | The Japan Rail Pass System
When traveling from one destination to another, commuting is primarily done through a train system. Before you fly off to Japan, you must reserve yourself a Japan Rail Pass (Aka the JR Pass) which can be found on www.japan-rail-pass.com The Japan Rail Pass offers you access to either a swipe card or access to tickets (depending on what package you get) that you can use to travel from one station to the next. Taking the JR train system is also another way to save money when commuting in Japan as it is a cheaper and more convenient option than taking the taxi from one destination to another.
In commuting, each train station will have a big JR symbol on it along with the name of the location you are in. Now this is where Google Maps comes in handy: if you are looking to visit a specific location, just enter the name of it on your Maps app and it will give you directions on how to get there via train. You may notice that in your directions there will be color coated lines specifying which train to use to get to your destination.
Here is the full list of how the line system works and what line each color represents1. But of course, if any questions do come up regarding how to get from your current location to the next, there is always an information kiosk available in every station that offer customer service and a map guide.
Restaurants | Finding Cheap & Delicious Eateries
One of the most exciting parts that makes up for any trip is the food. Luckily for you, finding the perfect restaurant to eat in is not hard at all. It's very rare you'll find a restaurant in Japan with just "okay" and "overpriced" food. One thing you should know about food in Japan is that food primarily inexpensive and great in quality.
I found the best foods in Japan to be local. Remember, location is key when finding the best restaurant. Anywhere near a train station, within the cities, and especially near homes are the best places to find cheap and delicious food.
Take this restaurant, for example. Found inside Nakano Broadway, this delicious restaurant opens at six in the morning serving fresh ramen and curry dishes at approximately 500 yen (about five dollars) per person.This hidden gem is located inside the Nakano Broadway plaza across from the Nakano Broadway station.
But this hidden gem was not the only delicious restaurant in the plaza; the entire plaza was filled with the best quality and cheap foods you can find. Not to mention, it covers all the criteria in finding the perfect restaurant; near a train station, within the city, and near by residents.
The Best Time to Visit Japan | Spring & Winter Seasons
Something you should always take account for before visiting a country is when the best time to book your trip is. Plane tickets tend to be a lot cheaper during Spring, Winter and late Fall. These are convenient seasons to book your trip both in terms of price, weather, and events.
Spring time in Japan is perfect if you're looking to see Sakura Season; the season in which cherry blossoms bloom all around Japan. The only downfall to visiting Japan during Sakura season is in visiting theme parks such as Tokyo Disneyland/Disney Sea or Universal Studios Osaka. Because Sakura season is a vacation period for Japanese students, theme parks will be a lot busier. In that case, the best time to visit theme parks in Japan would be during the Winter or Fall season.
As for the Winter season, getting to experience the Christmas lights and Japan's love for the Christmas season is always so exciting to see and a perfect way to spend the holiday season. Every street is uniquely decorated with Christmas lights, every shop you enter and attraction you walk through just screams Christmas, with mascots singing & dancing to Christmas tunes. It's no doubt this is the perfect place to visit during the holiday season. Christmas decorations and specialty related events occur starting November all the way through January.
