japan travel guide | travel info | part of luketravels.com

Japan is probably the most expensive country in the world to travel, but there are ways of keeping the outlays to an almost bearable level. A skeleton daily budget, assuming you stay in the cheapest hostels, eat modestly and travel short distances, would work out to US$50. Add about US$10 for extras like snacks, drinks, admission fees and entertainment. Staying in Japanese style B&Bs or business hotels and eating in restaurants can easily have the ticker tipping US$100.

Long-distance travel is a real budget buster in Japan - if you intend traveling widely in a short space of time, it's well worth investing in a rail pass. At the other end of the spectrum, high rollers will have no problems off-loading their cash. Japan specializes in establishments catering to the ostentatious flattery of business accounts - the higher the bill, the greater the prestige of the guests.

Japan has one of the world's best transport systems, and getting around is usually a breeze, with the train being overwhelmingly the popular option. Although traveling around Japan is expensive when compared to other Asian countries, there are a variety of passes that can be used to limit the damage. Japan's railways are fast, highly efficient and cover the majority of the country, making this the transport mode of choice for most visitors. The first and most confusing aspect of Japan's railway system that you will encounter is the overlap of several private railway networks with the JR network. Tokyo also has two separate metro systems to add to the confusion.