eddiebrown

Hello,

I'm planning a trip 2021 to Japan from May 1st to June 18th and wanted get some ideas on the perfect first time to Japan 1.5 month itinerary.
My budget is $3K USD.
I like urban cities, countryside, history, museums, zoo, views, bodies of water. I'm pretty much open to everything as long as it doesn't involve cats (allergic)

janisj

"My budget is $3K USD." . . . even assuming that does not include airfare, that is only $66/¥7,000 per day. Rail travel alone (via JR passes) will eat up a third of that.

If your budget is that low -- I'd plan a shorter trip.

eddiebrown

In your opinion then how much should my budget be?

janisj

. . . I see you were planning a 3 week/$1000 trip to Spain this year but the pandemic will prevent that. That budget was pretty much impossible and this one is worse. Sorry

janisj

we were posting the same time . . . I can't tell you what your budget should be, but not counting airfare I'd personally want $800+ to $1000-ish per week minimum . . . and that would be pretty basic.

eddiebrown

yea, the Spain trip was cancelled by my airline. I'm going to go during Christmas this year now

eddiebrown

I'm not talking about airfare. I'm talking about sleeping (Airbnb, Hostels, Hotels) transportation to different areas, food, nightlife and attractions

thursdaysd

In 2016 I spent five weeks in Japan at the end of a longer trip. I stayed in lower end hotels - Toyoko Inn, Dormy Inn style - in en-suite singles. I mostly ate economically - bento boxes, station restaurants, department store take out - with a few higher end meals. I traveled by train. My average daily cost was $170. Doing Japan for less you will need to sleep in capsule hotels or dorms and eat a lot of ramen.

See also: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/money-costs

janisj

As I mentioned -- I assumed that was not counting airfare. Your budget is still way too low IMO. thursdaysd is not a 'luxury traveler' and as you can see her modest budget was almost 3 times what you plan on spending. I'm pretty sure she didn't include a lot of nightlife

eddiebrown

$170 a day? That seems way way too high. I spent $3,400 on a 16 day Italy trip including airfare and the Spain trip I had booked was coming out to $2,500 for 16 days with airfare. I can make Japan happen for $4,000.

Leave the cost out of this. What should my itinerary look like for such a trip?

​​​​​​​What did your itineraries look like?

janisj

You said 'leave the cost out of it' on your Spain thread too. That plan/budget would not have been doable either but you didn't get to take that trip so you didn't have to figure that out.

$4000 is a 'little' more doable - about $85 per day . . . so about half of what thrusdaysd spent. There is a LOT of difference between a 16 day trip to Italy and a 45 day trip to Japan. I possibly could do 16 days in Italy for even less than $3400 including airfare.

As I suggested -- if your budget is that low, plan a much shorter trip -- like 3 weeks.

thursdaysd

Did you look at the Lonely Planet link I posted? As I said, you can certainly do Japan for less (and also for a great deal more), but it will be a bare bones existence.

The itinerary for my 2016 trip was a bit off the usual tourist routes, and I haven't blogged it. My 2010 trip was more mainstream, you can start here and use the links at the top of the page: https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...ping-to-kyoto/

[@janisj - lol. You are correct. Also not a lot of alcohol.]

crellston

I have a quick look at this guy’s other post. Is it just me or does anyone else think he is a complete time waster?

thursdaysd

Probably, but not a lot going on here right now.

[Hope you two are OK and staying safe.]

crellston

We are fine thanks Thursdaysd. Has been a difficult time as our house and pet sitting plans have been thrown into disarray as people here have cancelled travel plans we have been left technically homeless. Managed to find an AirBnb in Olney for where we are at present and then we have managed to secure a place in Suffolk for a couple of months. Hopefully but the next of June things will be a little clearer re lockdowns, travel restrictions etc.

How about you? I presume you are back home in North/South Carolina? Hope you are keeping well and safe.

thursdaysd

Yes, I am locked down in NC. Being doubly at high risk I am going out only for exercise and pick up, although I did go grocery shopping Wednesday - small local store I knew to be likely empty early afternoon, mask and gloves. Not sure what I will do when mosquito season starts, as I am a mosquito magnet. May have to resort to trekking up and down stairs, as I can get bitten just going to the mail box (no letter boxes in the doors here).

crellston

Very wise to stay in as much as possible. Seems strange to be avoiding all social contact but if that’s what it takes, so be it. As you know mozzies are not a problem here, but the unseasonably hot weather may well prove to be. The police are already out in force telling people, quite rightly, not to linger outside more than is necessary or permitted. Hopefully people will take heed or I can see much stricter rules being imposed.

thursdaysd

Interesting. I don't think the police are involved yet in NC. Certainly not in my neighborhood, but it is a very quiet subdivision. I was walking through neighboring subdivisions but am sticking to mine now - at least NC is beautiful in the spring. I have read some of the descriptions of what the disease feels like if you are unlucky, and really, really don't want that. I hope your housing situation will be OK after June, wonder if somewhere like South Korea will be letting foreigners in then. I have moved all appointments to July except my hairdresser and will move that, too.

thursdaysd

I'm organizing some papers and came across the itinerary for my 2016 trip.

Kyoto - four nights
Nara - three nights
Kurashiki - one night
Matsue - four nights
Yamaguchi - three nights
Kochi - four nights
Matsuyama - five nights
Nagasaki - four nights
Fukuoka - two nights
Kamakura - two nights
Narita - one night

Adastra2200

I calculate your budget at about US$ 70/day - and when you say "I", that means solo travel, right?. That is doable, if you are OK with the most absolute budget accommodations, food, and not traveling too far. Japan does not have to cost you your soul at all. There are some very inexpensive places to stay, mostly in Tokyo and Osaka, for even $30 a night - nothing fancy of course; quite spartan, but clean, quiet and comfortable enough. For food, a lot of it could be getting something at a supermarket or convenience store, a cheap noodle place, fast food or a department store basement bento. The next thing is transport. A full rail pass and roaming around the country is probably out of the picture. But you can fly to Kansai for even ¥7700 one way, or less still on a low cost carrier. Or take an overnight bus for just a few thousand yen. I doubt I'd sleep much at all that way, but it's up to you. Or even fly up to Aomori or Akita for ¥5500 one way, or even Hokkaido or Okinawa for around the same on Peach or Jet Star.
So doable? Yes. But ideal? Good Lord, no. But if you are OK with going 1-Star the whole way, then better that way than never going at all.