Budget-friendly vacation to Japan and estimated costs, perfect for spending the year-end!

What are the strategies for a budget-friendly vacation to Japan and the estimated costs? See the details below!

1. Look for promotional flight tickets far in advance

A budget-friendly strategy for a Japan vacation starts with promotional tickets. Make sure you book far in advance to get a low price. If you are lucky, round-trip tickets from Jakarta or Surabaya to Tokyo or Osaka can be found starting from Rp5–7 million per person, depending on the airline and promotion period.

For maximum savings, choose flights with short transits or be flexible with departure dates to cut costs. Also, monitor flash sales or credit cards that offer cashback for airline ticket purchases, such as Honest credit card. The Honest credit card often provides flight and hotel promotions, for example, discounts up to Rp800,000 for payments through Tiket.com using Honest Mastercard, or price cuts at various international hotels. With these promotions, you can allocate more of your budget for accommodation or exciting activities in Japan without sacrificing comfort.

What makes the Honest credit card even more suitable for traveling abroad is the No FX Fee feature (0% foreign transaction fee). Usually, if you use other cards, international transactions will incur a fee of about 2.5%–3.25% of the total transaction. With Honest, all international transactions are free of additional charges, from tickets, hotels, transportation, to dining. The card limit, which is easily approved up to Rp100 million, also makes budget management more flexible and practical.

Furthermore, this card is accepted at millions of international merchants, so you don't have to bother exchanging a lot of currency. Plus, there are cashback features and points in the Honest Card App that can be exchanged for additional discounts. With a combination of attractive promotions and zero foreign transaction fees, your trip to Japan becomes more economical, comfortable, and your focus will only be on enjoying the exciting experiences at every destination.

2. Choose affordable but comfortable accommodation

A vacation to Japan doesn't have to drain your wallet if you choose affordable accommodation. Instead of booking a hotel, you can choose other alternatives such as hostels, guesthouses, capsule hotels, or daily apartments, which are generally much more affordable. For hostels, the price per night usually starts from ¥2,000–¥3,500 (around Rp200,000–Rp350,000) depending on the city and facilities. Capsule hotels are slightly more expensive but still budget-friendly, usually ranging from ¥3,000–¥5,000 per night (around Rp300,000–Rp500,000).

If you prefer a private room but still want to save money, many guesthouses and small apartments offer prices of ¥4,000–¥8,000 (around Rp400,000–Rp800,000) per night. This is suitable for those who need a quiet room but still want to control their expenses. So, as long as you are flexible with the type of accommodation, you can still sleep comfortably without breaking your vacation budget.

3. Utilize public transportation and passes

Tips for a budget-friendly vacation abroad, including Japan, can be achieved by utilizing public transportation and the various passes available. Japan has an efficient transportation system, and if you choose the right pass, travel costs can be much cheaper. For example, the Tokyo Metro Pass starting from ¥800–¥1,500 (around Rp80,000–Rp150,000) for 24–72 hours of use is certainly much more economical than buying a single-trip ticket which averages ¥200–¥320 per trip.

If you want to explore more widely, there are regional JR Passes with prices starting from ¥5,000–¥20,000 (Rp500,000–Rp2,000,000) depending on the area, and this can save a lot if you travel around several cities at once to visit international tourist destinations for Christmas and New Year.

4. Eat affordably but deliciously

The cost of food for a Japan vacation can be more budget-friendly yet still delicious. You don't always have to eat at expensive restaurants; there are many budget-friendly options with consistently excellent quality. For instance, you can eat at konbini (convenience stores) like Lawson, FamilyMart, or 7-Eleven, with food prices starting from ¥300–¥700 (around Rp30,000–Rp70,000) for onigiri, bento, or premium instant ramen that tastes good.

If you want a warm and filling meal, try Japanese fast-food restaurants like Matsuya, Sukiya, or Yoshinoya. Menu items like gyudon, curry rice, or teishoku are usually priced at ¥400–¥800 (Rp40,000–Rp80,000), complete with a fairly large portion. In fact, many local ramen restaurants only cost ¥700–¥1,000 (Rp70,000–Rp100,000), so you can still try the distinctive local cuisine without breaking the bank.

5. Plan a smart itinerary

When creating an itinerary, start by determining the area you want to visit. For example, focus only on Tokyo if you have 3 days and 2 nights so you don't waste time (and money) moving between cities. Arrange daily activities that are close to each other.

To make it easier to visualize, you can use the cost estimate below as a reference, which can certainly be adjusted to your needs!

The total estimated cost for a 3-day, 2-night budget-friendly vacation to Japan is Rp5,700,000 – Rp8,850,000, which includes round-trip flight tickets, accommodation, transportation, meals, sightseeing tickets, and snacks and souvenirs.Well, those are the strategies for a budget-friendly vacation to Japan along with the estimated costs. Now, you can make your dream trip to the Land of the Sakura come true with a controlled budget!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is it better to travel independently or use a tour guide in Japan?

If this is your first time in Japan, using a tour guide is highly recommended to make the trip more focused. However, if you want to travel independently, it's best to prepare a detailed itinerary to avoid wasting time, money, and energy.

2. When is the best time to go to Japan?

The best time to go to Japan is recommended during spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) because, in those months, in addition to beautiful scenery, there are also many cultural festivals.

3. When is the least crowded month in Japan?

Japan is less crowded during the winter, between January and early March, because the New Year holiday has ended.