To Japan self-tips. Tours and museums: guide or translator? What is Japan Rail Pass? Does he need

Japan is a country with a unique and mysterious culture. It combines a high level of technological development and a deep respect for tradition. This state is one of the most popular, but at the same time expensive tourist destinations. In the article, we will figure out how much a trip to Japan from Russia costs, what expenses will have to be provided for by a tourist who is going to visit the country on his own.

To visit Japan, Russian citizens open a visa. To do this, they apply to the Consular Section of the Embassy of the country.

An application for a visa is considered within a few days and is issued on the 4th day from the date of application. The term for consideration of papers increases if the time of the application coincided with the holidays of the Russian Federation or Japan.

Citizens of Russia do not need to pay to get a visa to Japan consular fee. However, among the necessary papers for issuing an entry permit, it is necessary to have round-trip tickets (with a closed date of departure), book a hotel room for the entire period of stay. In addition, the applicant must have a guarantor in the country of visit.

Finding a guarantor on your own is problematic. For an individual trip, it is better to use the services of an intermediary company to obtain a visa. Such firms are engaged in the preparation of all the papers necessary for filing an application. Applying for a visa through an intermediary firm will increase the chances of obtaining it. The cost of the service is 10,000 rubles.

Flights

The cost of air tickets from Moscow or St. Petersburg is usually lower than from airports in other cities of the country. However, the situation is the opposite with tickets to Japan: at airports in other cities, they will cost less than in Moscow.

On average, the cost of tickets to Japan in the capital is 4-6 thousand higher than in Khabarovsk or Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Choosing budget options, Russian citizens fly from Vladivostok or Novosibirsk.

To purchase a ticket to Japan for more than favorable price, look through the cost of air tickets through search engines. Most comfortable:

1. skyscanner.

To choose the most successful option, use both search engines, comparing their prices. It is important to be able to see how much tickets to Japan cost with different departure dates in order to choose the best option.

A one-way ticket to Japan from Moscow costs 15-16 thousand rubles.

airport tax

This fee is paid by citizens who fly from international airports receiving side.

Accommodation

You can search for a hotel or hotel using the Hotellook service. It gives information about prices in various types of housing: from cheap hotels before expensive hotels. An important distinguishing feature of the service is that it shows the ratings of the guests of the establishments, their photos. The presence of the “compare prices” function will also help tourists.

Depending on the star rating of the hotel, you can choose a room that will be in the price range from 2,500 rubles to 9,000 rubles for two or more. If the tourist is not embarrassed by the neighborhood with students, you can stay in a student hotel, the cost of a room per day is lower there: 1000 rubles.

Nutrition

Food is one of the most important items of expenditure when traveling to the Land of the Rising Sun. Approximate cost per product cheap places Catering:

1. A cup of coffee - 60 rubles.
2. Hamburger - 30 rubles.
3. Dinner in a cheap restaurant - 236 rubles.
4. Dinner at a restaurant serving meals national cuisine costs 700 rubles per person.

Tips

Leaving a tip is not accepted. Even if you offer them locals they will be rejected.

5-10% tips are already added to the check for hotel services.

Transport

Traveling around the country is convenient and profitable railway. The tourist will help to save, bought ticket. Its cost is approximately 12,000 rubles for 10 days.

You can travel around the country by bus or by plane. domestic airlines countries. However, these modes of transportation cost more than rail transport.

It is not advisable to rent a car, as there are a lot of traffic jams in the city, getting by bus will be much faster. Using a taxi is expensive. In the hours from 23.00 to 6.00, taxi workers make a surcharge on the cost of 30%.

Telephone communications

To use the phone in the territory of the visited state, it is necessary that it works in 3G mode.

Those wishing to communicate international lines, it is important to know that calls are cheaper at night, on weekends and holidays.

It is important to note

Japan - dear country. Its visit requires rather big investments. To be able to save on the trip, you need to properly organize your trip. The average cost of the trip will be about 125,000 rubles:

1. The cost of round-trip air tickets is 47,000-48,000 rubles.
2. Visa about 20,000.
3. Accommodation at the hotel 2300 rubles per day.
4. Meals: approximately 1300 rubles per day.
5. Visiting attractions 1400 rubles per day.
6. Use of public transport at least 260 rubles per day.

It is easy to fall in love with this country after visiting it once. You may want to stay there forever. Find out in our article.

How much does it cost to go to Japan? Here are the prices for tickets, hotel, food, transport, visa and attractions. We calculate the cost of a trip to Japan in 2019 in rubles.

Exchange rate: 100 yen (JPY) ≈ 55 RUB.

How much does it cost to fly to Japan

Usually it is more profitable to fly abroad from Moscow. However, with Japan it is different: the cheapest tickets are from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Vladivostok (from 11,000 rubles), as well as Khabarovsk and Vladivostok (from 13,000 rubles). You can fly to Japan relatively inexpensively from Irkutsk - from 17,000 rubles, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (from 18,000 rubles) and Novosibirsk (24,000 rubles).

Price direct flight from Moscow to Tokyo - from 36,000 rubles, with a transfer - from 30,000. Ticket prices from St. Petersburg start at 33,000 rubles.

Japan visa cost

You need a visa to travel to Japan from Russia. Good news: the rules have been simplified, and the Russians no longer need a guarantor to get it! But the citizens of the CIS, alas, need to look for a guarantor.

A visa is free if you apply for it yourself at the consulate or embassy. But they are in Moscow, St. Petersburg and cities Far East. Residents of other cities will have to pay visa centers for sending documents.

Japanese visa (Photo © Max Braun / flickr.com)

Hotel prices in Japan in 2019

We recommend looking for accommodation in Japan, from cheap capsule hotels to elite ryokans, on Roomguru - it compares the prices of different services.

• Capsule hotels in Tokyo cost from $16 per person.
• A double room in a guesthouse in Tokyo costs from US$27 per night.
• In a 2 * hotel - from $ 45 per day (for example, in Hotel Meigetsu).
• In a 3* hotel - from $55 (Hotel Mystays Asakusa-bashi).
• In a 5* hotel - from $100 (Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo).

The cost of traveling to Japan will increase if you choose to live in ryokan(ryokan) - a traditional Japanese-style inn. In ryokans, the floor is paved with tatami, instead of beds there are futons, and guests are given national slippers and bathrobes. Sometimes there is an onsen - hot spring. The cheapest ones in Tokyo cost $70-80 for two, usually with a shared bathroom. From $100 are ryokans with their own bathroom. $150-300 - spacious ryokans with onsen in other cities of Japan.

Advice: In large cities, it is not necessary to live in the center. The main thing - close to the subway.

(Photo © Toshihiro Gamo / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Food prices in Japan in 2019

Food in Japan is delicious, fresh and relatively inexpensive! Dishes are prepared from natural, minimally processed ingredients. Rice, noodles, seafood and meat are the basis of the diet. As in China, there is no language problem when ordering dishes: the cafe has realistic food models, the menu has a photo.

To correctly calculate the cost of a trip to Japan, you need to know the approximate cost of food. On average, breakfast will cost about 400-500 ¥ per person - about the same price, for example, udon noodles with tofu, ramen, curry rice. Tea or water is provided free of charge. Some establishments serve combo breakfasts for ¥300-400.

For a hearty lunch or dinner in a cafe, it will take 1000-1500 ¥ per person. And if you are used to eating a little, then for two! In general, in inexpensive establishments, a dish costs an average of 500-800 ¥, in a restaurant - from 1000 ¥.

Unusual and tasty food can be in conveyor restaurant(kaitenzushi). You are sitting at a table, and ready meals are passing by on a conveyor belt. A plate with two rolls or sushi costs from ¥105. The price of a dish can be found by the color of the dishes. At the end, they count on empty plates. Tea and ginger - free and unlimited. Restaurant chain examples: Sushizanmai, Kappa-sushi, Hamazushi, Sushiro.

How to save money on food in Japan:

• In supermarkets from 20:00 or 21:00, 20-50% discounts on ready-made food or products whose expiration date is running out. Examples: Seiyu, Ito-Yokado, OK-mart.
• Buy bento - lunch box, lunch in a box. Inexpensive, convenient and very popular in Japan. It costs from 300 to 1000 ¥ depending on the content.
• You can eat inexpensively in restaurants of Indian, Chinese, Korean and other cuisines, which are focused on local residents.
• Delicious and cheap - family restaurants(family restaurant).
• As a last resort, you can buy ready-made inexpensive food in round-the-clock minimarkets (combines) Lawson, 7 Eleven, Family Mart. However, there it is more expensive than in ordinary supermarkets.

A Japanese woman tries Russian sushi. What rolls are not in Japan

If you want to cut down on the cost of a self-guided trip to Japan, cook your own. For example, cook breakfasts and dinners, and have lunch in a cafe. Vegetables and fruits in Japan are expensive, they are usually sold by the piece. Meat is also expensive.

Here are the prices for food in stores in Japan in 2019:

• bread - 70-130¥;
• sandwiches - 180-350¥;
• milk (1 l) - 180¥;
• eggs (10 pcs) - ¥230-250;
• shrimp (1 kg) - 1000 ¥;
• scallops (1 kg) - 1000¥;
• potatoes (1 kg) - 390¥;
• tomatoes (1 kg) - 730¥;
• apples (1 kg) - 200-660¥;
• oranges (1 kg) - 580¥;
• beer - ¥80-200;
• ready-made salads - from ¥400;
• bento - ¥300-1000;
• sushi sets or rolls - ¥300-1500;
• desserts and pastries - ¥100-400.

Prices for attractions in Japan

In Japan, every prefecture, every city has its own wealth! We will focus on the sights of Tokyo. Here are the prices for some interesting places:

• Shinjuku Goen Imperial Park - ¥200;
• Ueno Zoo - ¥600 for adults, free for children;
• Tokyo National Museum- 620¥;
• Nezu Museum - ¥1000;
• Tokyo TV Tower - 1600¥.
• Hot springs (onsen) - 1500-2000 ¥.

In addition, many things in Tokyo can be visited for free. Among them Imperial Palace(book in advance), the Kaminarimon "Gate of Thunder", as well as some parks and temples.

(Photo © Loïc Lagarde / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Transport cost in Japan

Metro and trains. Without a train in Japan is difficult. Main railway company - Japan Rail ways (JR). Especially for tourists, she created a travel card JR Pass. It is valid for visitors only and is issued before traveling to Japan on the JR Pass website. The document will be sent by e-mail. Then, in Japan, at the subway station, find the counter of the company and exchange it for a travel card.

JR Pass is valid for all company transport: shinkansen, some subway lines and many suburban trains. This is a proprietary document and cannot be passed on to others. The most important thing is that it cannot be lost, because the card will not be reissued. It is expensive: for 7 days - $264, for 14 days - $422, for 21 days - $542.

The cost of a trip on the Japanese subway depends on the zones into which the subway lines in major cities of the country are divided. Trains run every 5 minutes, from 5:00 to 23:30, sometimes until midnight. The color of the wagon corresponds to the line it follows. The fare depends on the distance and the city. For example, in Tokyo it fluctuates in the range of ¥120-320 per trip. A 1-day pass costs ¥1000.

Buses inconvenient for the tourist, since the numbers and names of the routes are almost always written in hieroglyphs. On average, buses run from 7:00 to 21:00, but in some areas the departure is earlier (from 5:30), and ends later (until 23:30). The cost of one trip by bus and tram is 220-420¥.

Taxi in Japan - an expensive pleasure:

• landing - 580-720 ¥;
• for every 280 meters - 80¥;
• for every 135 seconds of downtime - 90¥.

Better take the subway! In addition, from 23:00 to 06:00, taxi drivers already carry at a night rate with a 30% extra charge.

If you want to get from the airport to your place of residence by taxi, and the hotel does not provide a transfer, we recommend ordering a car in advance at.

How much does a trip to Japan cost - 2019

Let's calculate how much independent trip to Japan from Russia in 2019 for two for 7 days (in rubles and dollars):

• tickets from Moscow to Tokyo - $910;
• budget hotel - $27;
• three meals a day - $44;
• JR Pass for 7 days - $264.

So, the minimum cost of a trip to Japan in 2019 for 7 days is $1671, that is 110 thousand rubles. Add to this the cost of sending documents to the embassy (if you live in the region), attractions and souvenirs.

Intro image source: © halfrain / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

May 24th, 2016 03:59 am

Before describing the beauty, unusualness and attractiveness of Japan, I would like to give a few practical advice and answer questions that I myself had when planning a trip to Japan.

1. Route through Japan. How to build? What to see? How to choose?

When planning my route, I focused on the historical sights of Japan, deciding that I would like to see Kyoto more than Hiroshima. Here, of course, everything is individual, but for example, here is my route for 10 days plus the day of arrival and the day of departure:

Arrival day and one full day in Tokyo - two days in Nikko - five days in Kyoto with trips to Himeji, Nara and Osaka - passing through Kamakura - a day and a half in Tokyo.

Great website in English detailed information about the sights of Japan, opening hours, recommendations on how to get there, etc. - http://www.japan-guide.com/ . It was this site that helped me plan the route by day, and it was from there that I printed out the name of all the places I needed in Japanese - it helped a lot when traveling in a taxi!

2. When to go to Japan?

Again, it's all very subjective! Traditionally, there are two periods when everyone aspires to Japan. The first, of course, is cherry blossom (as a rule, from the end of March to the beginning of April). The second is the time of "red leaves", in our opinion - golden autumn =)

It is very hot in Japan in summer and quite chilly in winter. The weather in May suited me completely - almost all days it was over 20C, we walked in T-shirts and shorts, and only a couple of days it rained.

3. How to travel by train and metro? Why do I need a Suica card?

Japan has a very developed network of railway transport, which, unlike Russia, is owned not by Russian Railways alone, but by several private companies, which, of course, have their own trains and platforms and their own tickets. IN big cities to this are added the lines of the underground and elevated metro and monorail, which can drive the unprepared traveler crazy.

To prevent this from happening, the Japanese made a website where you can get directions by specifying the destination stations. The smart system will offer you several route options, calculated by minutes, with platforms, lines, travel time and cost. The name of this router is http://www.hyperdia.com . Unfortunately, their iPhone application cannot be downloaded in Russia, so you have to use the site.

Cost of travel to public transport in Japan it depends on the distance travelled. At each station, above the ticket machines hang giant cards with indication of the cost of travel to different stations. Looking at these cards, you feel dizzy, you want to hide in a corner and, clasping your arms around yourself, cry =)) Therefore, to make your site easier, you need to purchase a card on which a certain amount of money is put and debited when passing turnstiles - and you do not need to rack your brains over the cost tickets and waste time buying tickets at a vending machine or ticket office. The most common such card is Suica. It can also be used to pay in supermarkets like a regular credit card, spend the balance at the airport or return it after receiving a deposit of 500 yen (~ 300 rubles).

Suica balance is replenished through machines at any metro station.

For big cities with tons of subway lines like Tokyo or Kyoto, the Suica card is indispensable!

4. What is Japan rail pass? Is he needed?

As I mentioned, the railway network in Japan is owned by different companies, but JR is considered the largest carrier. Their branches cover almost all of Japan, they are the "owners" of high-speed trains, the so-called. shinsansen.
Transport in Japan is very expensive. For example, a Tokyo-Kyoto trip will cost ~ 8,500 rubles one way per person!

To alleviate the plight of travelers, JR offer the so-called. Japan Rail Pass - Peculiar all inclusive 7 or 14 day pass that allows unlimited use of JR lines.

The JR Pass voucher can only be purchased Foreign citizens and only outside of Japan. There are several authorized offices that sell passes, it seems that there are even offices in Moscow. But I ordered online here https://www.japan-rail-pass.com. Vouchers delivered by Fedex 3 days after purchase!

Upon arrival at the airport, vouchers must be exchanged directly for a JR Pass at the JR East counter.

The cost of the pass is rather big - $260 for a week or $420 for 14 days. It is easy to understand whether the cost of a pass in your case can be paid off - make a route of your movements on the website http://www.hyperdia.com and calculate the total cost of tickets that you will have to buy without a pass. In principle, the pass pays off with the Tokyo-Kyoto-Tokyo route alone. If the cost turns out to be slightly less than or equal (or even more so) than the cost of the JR Pass - feel free to buy it! The pass saves a lot of time - show it to the controller when passing through the turnstile and go! No cashiers, no tickets, no queues..

By the way, JR Pass also covers the cost of an express from Tokyo (Narita) Airport to the city, and it costs about 1,500 rubles!

However, it is worth remembering that some trains (especially high-speed or long distance) require seat reservation - in this case, you just need to go to the ticket office, show a printout of your route (I just took a screenshot from the hyperdia website and showed it to the cashier on the phone) and you will be given free tickets indicating the car and seats.

A few words about the Green JR Pass - such a pass gives you the right to travel in extra-comfort carriages. The seats in such cars are wider and more comfortable, there is more legroom and fewer people. But in general, there is not much difference. Our trip fell on the peak season (public holidays "Golden Week", when the Japanese massively travel around their country), and besides, we had men under two meters tall in our company, so we bought a Green JR Pass, which cost ~ 150 dollars more expensive (~$90 cheaper for a week pass).

JR Pass is also sold for children aged 6-11 and costs 2 times cheaper than an adult ticket.

Conveniently, JR Pass does not have to be activated by the date of the voucher exchange at the airport - you can specify any date! For example, if your trip will last 10 days, but only days 3-9 will be active for movement between cities, feel free to activate the pass from the 3rd day and in this case, a week pass will be enough for you.

5. How is the Internet access? Do our mobile phones work in Japan?

We had MTS and Megafon on iPhone and Samsung phones - cellular worked great everywhere!

In my opinion, Mobile Internet essential when traveling in Japan! Plot a route? Check train departure time? Read about the attraction? This almost always requires the Internet! You can get it in two ways - by renting a phone with a Japanese SIM card or a portable wi-fi router. All these services are offered immediately at the airport.

I decided to leave my phone - it's more comfortable and convenient for me. But I ordered a wi-fi router (in order to save time) online in advance here: https://www.econnectjapan.com/. The envelope was waiting for me at the hotel reception, the kit included an additional charger (very necessary thing, since the charging of the router itself is enough for half a day), as well as an envelope with a return address, in which on the last day I just put the router with all the bells and whistles, sealed it and threw it into the first mailbox I came across.

Router with maximum speed(you could at least download a movie!), the ability to connect up to 10 devices cost me ~ 3,600 rubles for 12 days of use. Behind early booking give discounts.

6. Luggage delivery within Japan? Is it true that you can send luggage to the next hotel, and go yourself with a minimum of things?

I don't know other countries, except Switzerland, where there is such a mega convenient and inexpensive (this does not apply to Switzerland =) way to move luggage between cities.

Imagine - in the morning you check-out at a hotel in Tokyo and move to Kyoto, deciding to visit a few more interesting places along the way. And all this time you are dragging a suitcase with you, rushing around the stations with it in search of the right line, looking for a luggage room of the right size so that waypoints destination at least the city is normal to see ... Represented? Now think about how much your life has become better, because you travel light - with a backpack or handbag, and your Tokyo hotel sent your suitcase to the Kyoto one!

This amazing service costs ~ 900 rubles for a large 25 kg suitcase. You can drop off your suitcase directly at the reception of most hotels or at any collection point (http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/en/), and you can also pick it up at your next hotel or selected collection point.

The only negative is that you need to give your suitcase before 12 noon on the day following the day of your check-in at the next place.

7. Is it possible to pay credit cards in Japan? How to withdraw cash from an ATM in Japan?

Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere except for some taxis, restaurants and souvenir shops. Of course, paying in cash is much faster and more convenient - for example, when buying tickets to temples.

There are currency exchange points, but they still need to be looked for. And if you fall in the period public holidays, then the opening of the bank will have to wait =)

We are proponents of cash withdrawals from ATMs. What a shock we had when the cash began to run out, and the ATMs of different banks into which we tried to put our cards were either only in Japanese (!), Or they rejected the operation under various pretexts like "wrong pin", " authorization failed", "try later"!

An Internet friend helped, who said that Japanese ATMs work on some other platform that is not compatible with the platform of European banks and therefore they do not consider our bank cards as human! =)) There are only a few banks whose ATMs are kind to tourists , - the largest of them is 7 Bank, which is owned by - ta-da-dam! - Seven-Eleven supermarket chain, so almost every supermarket has an ATM suitable for international cards!

8. Tax free in Japan

VAT in Japan is small, about 8% (but still money!) and is provided for purchases over 5,000 yen.
Tax Free can be provided in two ways. 1) In small stores, a discount is made immediately at the checkout and you pay a smaller amount. 2) In large department stores, after paying for the goods at full price, you must go to the counter tax free and get a cash refund.

In both cases, a receipt will be attached to your passport with a stapler (!) and stamped, and the goods will be packed in sealed bags as in duty free(Clothes are placed in a regular bag). Further, according to the rules kindly given in the brochure that you will be given in the store, shopping bags (without unpacking!) must be presented at the airport (before check-in - if you check in your luggage) or after passport control(if you take the purchase in hand luggage).

In practice, which is confirmed by my experience and the reviews of other travelers that I have studied on this issue, no one looks at purchases, and you can either tear off checks from your passport yourself or go to the Customs window after passing through security and good Japanese customs officers, who, in theory, should check your purchases, take the checks from your passport (even despite the list and the cost of what you bought!), smile and let go in peace.

I took out all my purchases from the bags, took off the packaging and other tinsel that took up space (I bought mostly cosmetics), packed it into a suitcase, which I put in my luggage. I did not have any problems with the return of tax free.

9. Visa to Japan

About getting a visa to Japan, I already wrote a separate post on my blog, who are interested and relevant - come in =)

Question, how to travel cheap to japanis of interest to many. The Land of the Rising Sun is a distant and expensive destination, so you are unlikely to be able to travel on a budget. However, it is still possible and even quite realistic to save on some details. That's what our tips for today are for. Don't forget to use them when it's time to travel.

Cheap flights to Japan: myth or reality?

A direct flight from Moscow to Tokyo cannot be cheap by definition. Aeroflot, although not a monopoly on this route, but the price is set by “be healthy”, especially if the trip is planned in the high season, that is, from April to May. Want to save? Buy tickets in advance. Then the winnings can be up to 30% of the cost. Yes, and there will certainly be places for the dates you need. Choose flights in March and June - they are cheaper. It is also worth considering flights with transfers - even if the connections are long, the difference in price is noticeable.

Movement within the country

During your stay in Japan, you will most likely have to use the services of Shinkansen - new high speed trains. Traveling on them without a travel card is an expensive pleasure. Since we are talking about how to travel to Japan cheaply, it is worth considering purchasing a weekly JR-pass. People with tourist visa must have time to buy it before arriving in Japan - the ticket is not available in the country. Cost of travel to conventional wagons cheaper than in comfortable "green". If the distance is not long, then it is quite comfortable to sit in a carriage of a lower class. To not overpay.

A budget tourist will have to forget about a taxi - 15 minutes of travel, and 600 rubles are gone. It is better to study the area on a Google map and walk. It is also convenient to move around the city by bicycle (if it is not the rainy season). In any metropolis, a two-wheeled horse can be rented from railway station. This pleasure will cost 400 rubles. It is significantly cheaper than using public transport and, needless to say, healthier.

Want to know another wayhow to travel cheap to japan? Hitchhiking within the country. You will need knowledge in English, because the Japanese are ready for anything for a couple of hours, that is, they will take you wherever you say. For a better understanding of how to do this properly, read one of the many books for hitchhikers on Japan.

Budget accommodation options

Housing in the country is divided into two types: European and traditional (ryokan). Believe me, a European should spend one night in an authentic oriental atmosphere, even if such an overnight stay will cost more. So, let's look at options where you can stay cheap in Japan.

• Capsule hotels. Originally created for Japanese businessmen who were late for night Train, and were forced to wait for the morning flight. In a hotel of this type, a capsule with a door awaits you, behind which there is a full-fledged sleeping area. Often this is all that is required for healthy sleep. Sometimes the price includes the use of a shower or bath.
• Internet cafe. The prospect of spending the night at a table in front of a computer monitor is not very attractive. This will not happen! Try to visit the cafe closer to midnight. Until eight o'clock in the morning you will have the right to lie down on the sofa. Some of these establishments have their own shower, which will also be useful.
• Business hotel. Budget rooms are designed primarily for employees of Japanese companies who came on a business trip, so the staff most likely will not speak English. Near the business hotel, it is easy to find a budget cafe or snack bar.
• Hostel. A common occurrence in the entire civilized world. A bed on the outskirts is really cheap to buy. However, you will have to spend money on travel from the center to a remote sleeping area and back. Many chain hostels offer card discounts regular customer. If you travel a lot in Europe and Asia, it makes sense to think about purchasing such a card.
• Camping. They are scattered throughout the country and are a favorite weekend getaway. Spending the night in a house or tent is associated with an escape from civilization, with solitude with nature. A place in a campsite will cost several times cheaper than a hotel room. However, you will need to have an awning with you, and sometimes a rented vehicle. Otherwise, how to get there?

Where to eat cheap

Noodle bars. Nightly fast food stalls are an economical option for a late dinner. They offer large portions of ramen (traditional noodles) at a fairly affordable price. The Noodle Bar is recognizable by its long benches, where people are leaning over dishes that steam up and give off a mouth-watering aroma.

Eateries. Izakaya is a local eatery with a traditional low prices. It is served as a meal. Japanese cuisine, and European. Yakitoriya is a mini-restaurant where you can really taste excellent shish kebab of chicken meat and vegetables. As a rule, yakitori are located near railway stations. The menu lists the cost of one kebab, not portions.

Sushi cafe. A feature of inexpensive establishments is the presence of a conveyor from which everyone takes their favorite dish. The cost of food can be recognized by the color of the plate - the list is indicated on the scoreboard or wall. These establishments are designed for local population so don't expect to find English titles dishes.

Purchased food from supermarkets. If you rent a house with a kitchen, then you can pay attention to semi-finished products. To satisfy your hunger, it is enough to buy a pack of dumplings, meatballs or fish sticks.

Food vending machines. To enjoy a snack with black coffee, there is no need to go to any establishment. Take advantage of the services of vending machines, which are found almost everywhere.

Fast food. Fast food chains in Japan are extremely popular. In addition to the usual McDonald's, the country boasts its own fast food restaurant called MOS Burger. Here the traveler will taste hamburgers and other delights of the capitalist world.

Food courts and markets. Food courts are catering areas inside malls or airports. They have dishes of rice, vegetables, fruits. There are also many street stalls in the markets offering fragrant fresh delicacies. Bakeries and bakeries are options for those with a sweet tooth. They offer muffins and cakes that are, well...very sweet!

Ready meals in stores. Many Japanese outlets offer takeaway food. It is possible to buy ready meals or semi-finished products in them, ask them to heat the food in the microwave and wrap it, putting a set of disposable dishes and chopsticks in the bag. Some establishments are equipped with food counters.

It will, of course, be about independent organization trips. When I had to deal with this, I did not find any generalized information, and collected everything in parts. A lot of time was wasted.

And although Japan is not the most popular destination, I decided not to be lazy and write something like an instruction based on own experience. All information below is designed for a tourist who is going to visit the Country rising sun for the first time to make a general impression. I very much welcome additions and amendments to my description - the material collected in this way will become very valuable)

When to plan a trip?

The most unfortunate months are August (heat and humidity) and June (rains).

The most popular month is April, cherry blossom. Accompanied by crowds of tourists.

From May 1 to May 7, the Japanese have something like their "set" May holidays, so the Japanese themselves massively travel around the country.

The Japanese do not particularly celebrate the New Year, and on the first day all shops, etc., do not work.

In general, flowering is very japanese theme. One fades, the other blooms, and so almost all year round. In Japan, the temperature practically does not fall below zero, so you can come in winter.

On beach holiday especially do not count, among the Japanese this is somehow not accepted, no matter how surprising.

Tickets

Every journey starts with tickets. I usually open the ticket search engine and search for right direction without date. I look at tickets both ways. Starting from the price, I choose the dates of the trip. The difference in price depending on the date can be very significant. When the dates are agreed with the family, I check the return conditions and book the tickets.

Travel dates

If you are not very limited in time, I would recommend starting from the terms for which a visa is issued. The shortest visa is 15 days. Our trip was 10 days long, and we had only a superficial look at three cities: Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.

Accommodation

The easiest option, but also the most costly in terms of effort, time and money, is to stay, for example, in Tokyo for the entire duration of the trip, and then travel from there. But this way you will be limited by the range of travel. For example, the trip from Tokyo to Kyoto high-speed train(shinkansen) takes about 3 hours one way. Distance - 540 km.

Absolutely not a budget option- pay two prices for the same night different cities, i.e. stop in Tokyo, and go to Kyoto for two days with an overnight stay.

I am writing all this because 90% of first-time tourists to Japan "want" exactly Tokyo and Kyoto. And they even go to Kyoto for one day, which is not very practical.

So, in order to choose a hotel, you will have to draw up a program in advance.

If you are writing the program yourself, the following order is convenient:

1. Read materials on Japan, the Internet and travel guides to help. In order to understand briefly what's what, you can go through the websites of travel agencies, see their program. Believe me, even the minimum set of destinations will suffice.
2. When the main cities that you want to visit are indicated, pay attention to the structure of these cities. For example, Tokyo is made up of several very different districts. In each area, among other things, the opening hours of shops, restaurants, etc. are different. Decide what you are most interested in seeing and where to walk in the evening. Based on this, it makes sense to choose a hotel. In any case, you will not lose, because with Japanese public transport you can get anywhere in the city very quickly.

I will not name specific places, I can only recommend taking a closer look at the hotels located right at the major stations. It is very convenient, we stayed in one in Kyoto. Another type of accommodation is a stop at a ryokan. It's kind of like a hotel and a colorful local dwelling two in one. We did not decide on this option, it is very exotic for the first time. The most budget option capsule hotel. But there, apart from a bed in a capsule, a shared shower and a left-luggage office, you will not be offered anything.

By the way, lockers are located at all major stations, so when moving between cities, you can not carry all your luggage with you, but leave some in the locker (of course, if you plan to return)).

Visa

This is the most delicate and unreasonably expensive issue when organizing a trip to Japan. Unfortunately, if you do not have acquaintances in Japan - and not just acquaintances, but also ready to start collecting paperwork - you will not make a visa on your own. I saw a set of documents that gets to the embassy: these are 5 or 6 sheets of A4, covered with rows of hieroglyphs)

The main condition for obtaining a Japanese visa is the presence of the so-called "guarantor" in the Land of the Rising Sun, which ensures the organization of your stay in the country, as well as timely departure home.

As a rule, a travel agent acts as a guarantor, but it can also be a private person. Russian travel agencies cooperate with travel agents, which are practically in without fail should sell you a tour - book tickets and hotels, make an excursion program.

Fortunately, there are companies that are ready to assist with self-booking. But you must provide them with hotel and flight reservations (or they will make you temporary reservations themselves). The company will draw up a program based on your reservation, you fill out a questionnaire, after which the documents will be sent to the embassy.

This service is very expensive, because few people agree to apply for a visa separately, because it is not entirely legal. Mainly sell package tours. Japanese single visa for 15 days (this is the minimum) will cost about $250. If suddenly you have a guarantor, for 100 dollars the documents will be submitted for you. A visa is made in 5-7 working days, there are few refusals. There is a guarantor - consider there is a visa)

Movement

Car rent

Traveling through big cities Don't think about renting a car. We almost never saw traffic jams, but in addition to such a pleasant little thing as right-hand drive cars and left-hand traffic, there is still a problem with parking. Parking is scarce and very expensive.

Taxi

Taxi is also very expensive. When landing, the counter immediately displays from 580 (in Kyoto) to 710 (in Tokyo) yen, which is approximately 200 rubles. At the same time, the bill for a trip of about 20 minutes can usually be 1000-2000 yen (400-600 rubles). It seems that this is not much, but it is unlikely that you will go only two ways in a day)

A taxi from Narita Airport to Tokyo costs 24,000 yen (7,400 rubles).

There is also a shuttle bus from the airport that will take you to a specific area of ​​Tokyo. These areas are indicated on the electronic scoreboard at the bus stop. After arriving in the area, you will have to get to the hotel by metro.

In addition, you can get fast train(shinkansen), but for this you need to resolve the issue with the travel card (if you took care of this in advance, more on that below) right at the airport. I’ll make a reservation that this option didn’t suit us, because we planned to issue a JR Pass later, and it didn’t occur to us to pay for a one-way shinkansen after a night flight.

Public transport

The most popular mode of transportation within the city is by public transport, metro and bus. In Tokyo, a subway ticket costs 1,000 yen (about 300 rubles) per day per person. For this money you can move around the city unlimitedly.

Shinkansen and intercity trains

If you are planning trips between cities, it is most convenient to take care of this in advance. For non-residents of Japan, Japan Rail Pass is available, for which Exchange Order is exchanged directly in Japan. In Russian, this is called "Exchange order for receiving JR Pass". It can be purchased from several authorized agencies in Russia. Their list is on the official JR website. An Exchange Order is issued in one day. Validity - 7, 14 and 21 days.

When you arrive in Japan, you need to issue the pass itself (this requires a warrant and a passport).

In Tokyo, activation can be done at Narita Airport, at JR Tokio Station (I think the office is near the north entrance). The validity period of the travel card is calculated from the day of the first travel. You need to book a ticket for the shinkansen in advance if you want to reserve seats. On ordinary trains between nearby settlements You don't need to issue a ticket, you just need to show reverse side JR Pass to the ticket inspector at the turnstiles.

Again, if you are traveling for 10 days, it makes sense to purchase a JR Pass for a week, but plan your trips so that the movement between cities is within these 7 days (for example, we activated the Pass on the third day, so it was valid until the end of the trip) .

The JR Pass is only valid on JR lines, it is not valid on the subway and some other lines.

Currency

The currency in Japan is the Japanese yen.

Another surprise that awaits you in Japan is the meager number of currency exchange offices. You can change money at the airport and at major stations. You can also do this at the hotel and some souvenir shops, but the rate there, as a rule, is not very profitable.

A characteristic Japanese feature is a special relationship with Chinese banks and cards. I won’t say exactly what it is, but I didn’t manage to get cash) Bottom line: the easiest way is to have money on the card, and withdraw directly from an ATM, as well as pay bills with a card. Carrying Euros or dollars with you in cash, except as a "reserve", makes almost no sense.

Smoking

There is very little information on the web on this topic. However, smokers also want to relax for their own pleasure, so I will write a few words about the permission / prohibition of smoking. In this, Japan decided to turn its back on the rest of the world, and the opposite is true there. Smoking is prohibited on the streets. At the same time, there is a special smoking areas right on the streets. In 80% of restaurants - it is allowed. In those restaurants where it is forbidden, there is always a good smoking room. There are still restaurants where outwardly it seems that it is impossible, but if you ask, you can. There are also restaurants where you can eat after 17.00. IN shopping malls there are smokers too. And there are also smoking rooms at the stations - both inside the stations and directly on the platform. The greatest joy of a smoker is a smoking wagon in a shinkansen. They also deliver coffee there, and the seats rotate around the axis. My husband agreed to ride there the whole trip) In addition to the smoking car in the shinkansen, there are non-smoking cars with separate smoking rooms.

I highly recommend reading the Afisha guide to Japan. Especially the first few pages, which describe concepts characteristic of the country, their interpretation. Well, the guide itself interesting places is of course useful too. This will make it a little easier to navigate.

If I remember anything else, I'll update this post.

I hope this information will be useful to someone when collecting in Japan)

I understand that some things seem very complicated, but that's what Japan is for)) And if you mastered my cheat sheet, which will satisfy your informational hunger by about 20%, then everything will definitely be fine. You'll quickly figure everything out on the spot!