Whether for a vacation or for a longer visit, both seasoned and casual travellers need to be able to properly plan and prepare their budget to be able to enjoy traveling. Of course, there are usually a few places you can go to for free, but alas, you still need money for food, transportation, and maybe even a souvenir.
To be honest, Japan isn’t the cheapest place to travel to, but that doesn’t mean its the most expensive! There are a few places that locals go to to save money. We can’t really give you an in-dept, step-by-step guide. Japan is huge and there are just so many places you can discover! Hopefully this short guide will help!
Saving money on food
Food in Japan is definitely something you’d want to spend money on because its just so good. Food doesn’t have to be expensive to be good! Here are a few tips to help you save on coin, while enjoying a scrumptious, Japanese meal!
Buy snacks and drinks from 300 or 100 yen stores
Hyakuen stores (100 yen stores) are a godsend. You literally buy everything from kitchenware, food, to phone chargers here! And you guessed it, everything is 100 yen(without tax). They also sell snacks, instant noodles and drinks here so if you plan on going on a picnic or traveling in Japan, better stock-up at the closest 100 yen store near you!
Convenience stores
Convenience stores in Japan are as what its called, convenient! They have a printing/photocopy/fax service, international atms, coffee (mostly lawson and 7-eleven have this), postage services, and so much more. Im getting excited just by thinking about it! The biggest convenience stores in Japan are Lawson, 7-eleven and Family mart.
You can buy snacks, sandwiches, cold and hot drinks, instant noodles, and meals that only need heating up! Most convenience stores have microwaves to heat up meals and are usually done by the cashiers while you pay. They usually also have an electric kettle so you can “cook” your cup noodles straight away!
Grocery stores and supermarkets
Always look for the food area where there are tons of cooked and ready-to-eat food! From sashimi, tempura, to plain rice, they have it all! Snacks, sandwiches, bread, and drinks here are cheaper than convenience stores so try it! (Utensils are pretty much free as well so don’t be shy to take as many as you need!) Supermarkets and grocery stores are usually trying to get rid of food items before closing so make sure to check out the closest supermarket near you. You can get ready to eat meals 30 to even 70% off when you buy at a later time!
Japanese restaurant chains (Washoku) (ex: Matsuya, Yoshinoya, genki sushi, Sukiya)
Authentic Japanese food is actually quite pricey but there are a few places you can go to that wont hurt your wallet! While eating at these places, you will usually see salarymen/women and younger people. The food isn’t amazing and you obviously wont see any “wagyu meat” at these restaurants, but you will definitely leave satisfied and full!
Family restaurants (ex: Gusto, Saizerya, Dennys, Jonathans)
Family restaurants in Japan are great because the service is good and the food is a fusion between western international food and japanese food! Not the cheapest, but a god experience nonetheless! Drinks are usually expensive but most family restaurants have “drink bars” usually ranging from 200 yen to 400 yen which gives you the freedom to drink as much as you can with a huge variety of hot and cold drinks. There are dozens of good family restaurants in Japan but the most popular are Gusto, Saizerya, Jonathans and Dennys.