junnaI got asked how much did I spend on my 10-day trip to Japan a lot. So I figured I dedicate this post to sharing my travel expenses. I assure you that I will maintain the utmost transparency throughout this post, offering you a clear understanding of my financial journey during this memorable trip.
When I was in debts a few years ago, by the way you can listen here, travelling was never part of my plan. When I cleared my debts, built my emergency funds, got my life insurances, I started planning for it. I told myself that the very first country I would visit would be Japan.
Fast forward to 2024, here I am living my dream. It was such a deeply nostalgic and surreal experience that I will treasure forever. But going back to the question, how much did I spend on my 10-day trip to Japan?
Let’s get straight into it, shall we?
Pre-departure Expenses
Let me start by sharing my pre-departure expenses which are the following:
I booked my ticket via Cebu Pacific last June 12, 2023 when they had piso fare as part of the Independence celebration. Attic Tours is where I lodged my visa application. They have a branch in MOA and since I live nearby, I chose them. Both Reli Tours and Attic Tours in MOA were just beside each other. There’s no particular reason why I chose Attic Tours. Maybe because I watched too many Tiktok vlogs about Japan travel and Attic tours was mentioned too many times.
Anyways, I included obtaining a birth certificate as part of my pre-departure expenses because it’s required during visa application.
I knew that I will be doing a lot of shopping so I added prepaid baggage (20 kilos) on my flight from Narita to Manila.
Although getting travel insurance is not mandatory, I still recommend getting one rather than regretting it in the end. Thankfully, I did not use it. I added this for my peace of mind so I highly recommend getting one.
Accommodation Expenses
Next on my expenses is the accommodation. You’ll notice that the costs were relatively low as I opted for capsule hotels in Osaka and Tokyo. These accommodations catered to my basic needs and provided great convenience due to their proximity to train stations, convenience stores (Konbini), and popular tourist spots.
For example, my hotel in Tokyo is conveniently located at the heart of Kabukicho Tower. It takes merely a 3-minute stroll to reach the vibrant Kabukicho area. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay, particularly at night due to the lively atmosphere. Additionally, my capsule hotel in Osaka was exceptional, boasting a 2-minute walk to the famous Dotonbori district. The amenities provided were top-notch. I will delve deeper into these experiences in my upcoming blog post.
Transportation Costs
Moving on to the next expense is the transportation. As you can see, it’s a quite high. This is due to my bullet train rides to Gala Yuzawa, Tokyo-Osaka-Tokyo. On top of that, I had to buy another bus ticket going to Shinjuku because the one that I booked via Klook was not used.
When I was claiming my limousine bus ticket, the staff informed me that there were no more trips going to Kabukicho Tower. Therefore I had to book another bus going to Shinjuku statin which added to my transportation cost. This is totally fine because it was just 8-10 min ride via taxi from the drop off point going to my capsule hotel.
I tried to use google maps to get to my hotel but after almost an hour of walking and getting lost, I hailed a cab. I should have done this right after getting off the bus because in a matter of few minutes, I was outside my hotel.
Activities and Tours Expenses
All of my activities were pre-booked via Klook with the exception of Gala Yuzawa. I cancelled my Tokyo Sky Tree because I was too tired on the day I scheduled it. But that was totally fine.
Food, Pasalubong & Shopping
Regarding my food expense, I budgeted P15K but ended up spending only PHP 7,048.30.
This was due to the generous portion sizes in Japan, which allowed me to stretch a meal across multiple sittings. I indulged in various Japanese delicacies and snacks, ensuring my palate experienced a diverse range of flavors. My stomach was my only limitation!
In addition to food, I went on a shopping spree and purchased numerous items as souvenirs. Some of my favorite stops included Uniqlo, GU, ABC Mart, Murasaki Sports, EON, Atmos, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, and various drugstores. I also bought a few items at Don Quijote.
To summarize my overall expenses during my 10-day trip to Japan, please refer to the following breakdown:
