The Japan Myth and the Reality
Japan is cheaper than its reputation, and dearer in the places you might not expect. A bowl of ramen costs $6–9 (¥900–1,300; ≈ €5.36–8.04 / £4.72–7.09), a convenience-store onigiri around $1–1.35 (¥150–200; ≈ €0.89–1.21 / £0.79–1.06), and a set lunch in a mid-range restaurant $8–12 (¥1,200–1,800; ≈ €7.14–11 / £6.30–9.45). Then there is the other end: a night in a ryokan with a kaiseki dinner runs to $255–510 (£200–400; ≈ €230–470) per person, and the Shinkansen is priced like the engineering marvel it is. Both halves of the reputation are true. Neither tells you what a fortnight costs.
The yen has been weak against the pound, dollar and euro for several years, which flatters visitors: the same ¥1,000 note feels cheaper than it did in 2019. Treat the conversions below as estimates at roughly ¥150 to the dollar (about ¥190 to the pound), as of October 2026, and check the live rate before you budget. Exchange rates move. Prices in yen move far more slowly.
The Real Daily Budget Breakdown
Budget: $40–60 (¥6,000–9,000; ≈ €35–55 / £30–45) a day. That means a hostel dorm, convenience-store breakfasts, ramen or a teishoku set for lunch, and cheap standing-bar dinners. It is achievable, and rare for a G7 country. Mid-range: $80–135 (¥12,000–20,000; ≈ €70–120 / £65–105) a day, covering a private room in a business hotel, a mix of sit-down meals and convenience-store food, and a few paid entrances. Most independent travellers end up here. Splurge: $200–535 (¥30,000–80,000; ≈ €180–480 / £155–420) a day, which buys a ryokan with meals, Shinkansen seats whenever you like, and a sushi counter with a waiting list. The top end is genuinely extraordinary. It is also where the money disappears.
The Full 2-Week Cost Breakdown (Mid-Range)
- Flights: roughly $635–1,140 (£500–900; ≈ €580–1,050) return from the UK, as of October 2026. Book three to four months ahead. Direct flights on Japan Airlines or ANA cost more; one-stop routes via Hong Kong, Seoul or the Gulf can come in nearer $510–760 (£400–600; ≈ €470–700) in quieter months
- Rail: do the sums before you buy a pass. Japan Rail raised prices in October 2023, and the 14-day Japan Rail Pass is now about $535 (¥80,000; ≈ €480 / £420), far above the old figure still quoted on many sites. The itinerary below, with Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka to Hiroshima and Hiroshima back to Tokyo, can cost less as individual tickets. A 7-day pass or separate tickets is often the better deal. Check current fares on the official JR sites
- Accommodation (14 nights): $53–100 (¥8,000–15,000; ≈ €45–90 / £40–80) a night. The low end gets you a hostel private room; the high end, a clean, well-placed business hotel, sometimes with breakfast. Prices climb in cherry blossom season (late March to early April) and in autumn colour (mid-November)
- Food (14 days): $17–33 (¥2,500–5,000; ≈ €15–30 / £13–25) a day. Combine a convenience-store breakfast ($2.65–4, ¥400–600; ≈ €2.37–3.57 / £2.09–3.15), a ramen, soba or donburi lunch ($5–8, ¥800–1,200; ≈ €4.46–7.14 / £3.94–6.30), and a sit-down dinner ($10–20, ¥1,500–3,000; ≈ €8.93–18 / £7.87–16). Carry some cash: plenty of small restaurants still do not take cards
- Activities and entrance fees: $13–27 (¥2,000–4,000; ≈ €12–25 / £10–20) a day. Most temples and shrines are free or $3.35–5 (¥500–800; ≈ €2.99–4.46 / £2.64–3.94). Entrance fees change, so treat the figures in the itinerary below as guides
- Total for two weeks, mid-range: about $2,290–3,560 (£1,800–2,800; ≈ €2,100–3,300) all in, flights included. Subtract the rail pass if the arithmetic says you should skip it
The Classic 2-Week Japan Itinerary
Days 1–4: Tokyo
- Day 1: Arrive at Narita or Haneda. If you have bought a rail pass, activate it at the airport office; if not, buy a Suica or Pasmo card for local trains
- Day 2: Shinjuku and Harajuku. Meiji Shrine is free, Takeshita Street is a short and noisy walk, and Shinjuku Gyoen garden costs $3.35 (¥500; ≈ €2.99 / £2.64)
- Day 3: Asakusa. Senso-ji is free, and the Nakamise shopping street leads to it. Tokyo Skytree is optional at $14 (¥2,100; ≈ €13 / £11) and the queue is long. Spend the evening around Shibuya Crossing and the izakayas behind it
- Day 4: Akihabara for electronics, Ueno for museums (Tokyo National Museum $7 (¥1,000; ≈ €6.25 / £5.51)), then Yanaka for the old low-rise streets that survived the bombing and the developers
Days 5–6: Nikko Day Trip + Hakone
- Day 5: Nikko by train from Tokyo, about two hours each way. The UNESCO-listed shrines and cedar avenues are worth the early start
- Day 6: Hakone, for onsen, the open-air sculpture museum ($11, ¥1,600; ≈ €9.82 / £8.66) and Mt Fuji, weather permitting. Fuji hides behind cloud more often than the postcards admit, so treat a clear view as a bonus. Hakone has its own transport passes, and the JR Pass does not cover most of them. A public onsen costs $5–13 (¥800–2,000; ≈ €4.46–12 / £3.94–10)
Days 7–9: Kyoto
- Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto: about 2 hours 15 minutes. A single reserved ticket costs roughly $93 (¥14,000; ≈ €85 / £75)
- Day 7: Arashiyama. The bamboo grove is free and crowded by mid-morning, Tenryu-ji garden costs $3.35 (¥500; ≈ €2.99 / £2.64), and Togetsukyo bridge is a short walk
- Day 8: Fushimi Inari is free. Arrive before 8am or accept the crowds. Then Nishiki Market, and an evening walk through Gion
- Day 9: A tea ceremony (book ahead; prices vary), Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion ($3.35, ¥500; ≈ €2.99 / £2.64), and the rock garden at Ryoan-ji ($4, ¥600; ≈ €3.57 / £3.15)
Days 10–12: Osaka + Nara
- Day 10: Osaka. Eat takoyaki and okonomiyaki around Dotonbori, then see Osaka Castle ($4, ¥600; ≈ €3.57 / £3.15) and the Shinsekai district
- Day 11: Nara day trip. The deer park is free, and Todai-ji ($4, ¥600; ≈ €3.57 / £3.15) houses one of the largest bronze Buddha statues in the world. Do not feed the deer anything except the official crackers
- Day 12: Back in Osaka for Kuromon Market and the Umeda Sky Building ($10, ¥1,500; ≈ €8.93 / £7.87), then a last izakaya evening
Days 13–14: Hiroshima + Departure
- Shinkansen from Osaka to Hiroshima: about 1 hour 30 minutes on the faster services
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum costs $1.35 (¥200; ≈ €1.21 / £1.06). Give it two hours. It is the most sobering museum on this itinerary, and the least expensive
- Miyajima Island: the floating torii gate, Itsukushima Shrine (about $2–3.35, ¥300–500; ≈ €1.79–2.99 / £1.57–2.64), deer, and the Mount Misen hike or ropeway (about $12, ¥1,840; ≈ €11 / £9.45 return). Check fees and ferry times locally, as the island has added a small visitor charge in recent years
- Fly home from Hiroshima or Osaka (KIX or ITM), or take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo for your departure. The Tokyo run is long and dear, so compare it with a cheap domestic flight
Safety Advisory
Japan is among the safest major destinations for visitors, and serious crime against tourists is rare. The FCDO's travel advice, which you should read before you book and again before you fly, has not carried warnings for the usual tourist areas. The real risks are natural. Japan sits on several tectonic plates, and earthquakes are routine. Most are minor, but know the drill: stay away from windows, get under a sturdy table, and wait for the shaking to stop before moving. If you are on the coast and feel a strong or long quake, move to higher ground without waiting for a warning. Japan's preparedness is among the best in the world, so follow local instructions and the alerts on your phone. Typhoons are a late-summer and autumn risk, and can halt trains with little notice. Buy travel insurance that covers them.