Published on : Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Compared with the start of 2016, the pound to yen ratio has been slightly less favourable to UK tourists heading out to traverse the land of the rising sun.
However, whilst the exchange rates have altered slightly and the Japan Rail Pass prices have risen, Japan is still a very good value long-haul destination. Whether it’s eating out, travelling via underground, or holing up in a cosy Japanese inn – the economical prices of Japanese holidays still come as a shock to most travellers who hold on to the image of ‘expensive Japan’.
Travellers looking to book their holidays over the next few months should take a look at these sale offers and tips for making the most of your pounds when travelling to Japan:
Good news for family travellers! If you, your other halves and young ones are planning on packing your suitcases to head east, take a look at this new family-focused Japan tour from The Dragon Trip. Aimed at families visiting Japan for the first time, the tour will ensure that all ages are kept suitably entertained in the usual Dragon Trip style, with lots of cultural activities jam-packed into the schedule, including Arashiyama’s monkey park, a visit to see the sumo wrestlers in Tokyo, a trip to Disneyland and the Studio Ghibli museum. Their 13 day trip costs as little as £1,649 for 3-6 people.
Or, to get a luxury bang for your buck, InsideJapan Tours are currently offering their Deluxe 10 Night City Break for £3,170pp, saving you a whopping £488pp. Stay at some of the finest hotels in Japan, including the Andaz in Tokyo and the Hyatt Regency in Kyoto, with private guides in these modern and ancient capitals as an extra treat, ensuring you leave Japan with a thorough understanding of the temples, traditions and people which will have made your Japan experience so memorable. Travellers must visit before the end of September 2016 to take advantage of these extra-low prices.
Alternatively, for backpackers hoping to explore Japan in the coming months as part of a gap year or well-earned time off, STA’s Japan on a Shoestring tour is another great value option that has remained within a comfortable price bracket. At just £1349, you’ll get 8 nights’ accommodation, all domestic transportation, street food crawls, and guided walks through the best of Kyoto’s ancient monuments. Find out more about this tour on STA’s website.
Most importantly, flights to Japan have continued to remain excellent value, with return tickets to Japan consistently beneath the £500 mark with KLM and Air France. For up to date prices and sale offers, keep an eye on our latest offers page.
If you’re already booked and paid up and are counting down the days until you arrive in Japan, take a look at our tips for saving some money whilst out there:
– Night buses in Japan are an excellent for those on a very tight budget, as they’ll save you the price of one nights’ accommodation, and are much cheaper than the equivalent train journey.
– Eating breakfast and lunch at the konbini (such as Lawson, 7/11 or Family Mart) may sound like delving into gastronomic unhappiness, but it’s quite the opposite. Fresh ingredients, an enormous variety of food for all meals, and healthy options for both meat and non-meat eaters make convenience store food in Japan an ideal option (whether you’re on a budget or not!) Expect to pay around 300 yen (£2) for a breakfast bread and juice, or 500yen (£3.70) for a drink and noodle salad at lunch time.
– Hostels and sharing accommodation in Japan are very wallet-friendly – with shared rooms in hostels at around 3,000 yen (£22) per night. A low-cost accommodation boom in the last year has meant that these options usually have clean, new facilities and a modern feel to them. Take a look at some of our suggestions here.
– Despite having risen in price, the JR Rail Pass is still fantastic value – especially when you calculate the costs of paying individual rail ticket prices.
– Purchasing a pocket Wi-Fi for your trip will mean there’s no need to incur expensive roaming fees. Whether you’re at the top of a mountain or in the busy streets of Tokyo, these portable Wi-Fi companions will help make sure you don’t get lost (and can catch Japanese Pokemon to your heart’s content).
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