4000USD for 10 days?

I did some research on this site regarding budgets, cheap places to stay, eat and some daydreaming of what I plan to do and what are my spending habits here at home and I've come up with a budget of my own and I'd like to see if it's "do-able" with people who have traveled there before. I've added about 100USD extra to each price to give me some room when it comes to currency convert fees and such.

Accommodations for 11 nights 700USD
Food 700USD
Rail pass 400USD
Airline ticket 1,000USD
Subways/bus fares 200USD
Do whatever money 500USD
Buffer 500USD
Total 4,000

I will mainly be eating, wander around, window shopping and taking lots of pictures. I want to go to a couple museums and temples so it shouldn't cost me very much. As for buying things and shopping it will most likely be on the last day I'm there if I have any money left. Simple things like a shirt, stuffed toy, keychains. I currently work 2 jobs that will hopefully get me this kind of money.

If anyone sees any mistakes or where I can save money do tell me.

It looks very reasonable to me, assuming that a rail pass is the best choice for your itinerary. Of course there are ways to save even more money for those willing to:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2028.html

as you may have already checked,
another way to look at is current USD 700.00 would be worth about 543.00 dollars (or 54300yen) in Japan right now.

But why the YEN has been strong?
In Japan, we have a huge earthquake and tsunami disaster, a nuclear accident, the slump in exports and DPJ...
Sorry, it's a moan.

So it's less than 5,000 yen/night for the hotel?? You won't be able to get anything else but hostels with shared bathrooms for that, especially in Tokyo.

If you were military or a US civilian you could stay on one of the several bases around Tokyo for 35 dollars a night.

4000 is reasonable, but 6000 for the unitiated would be best. always plan for the unexpected.

Where do you plan to go while in Japan, with that information a budget can be better defined.

If you are into eating ramen and curry - or going to Izakaya - a public night spot usually inexpensive, then you would save more money on food.

Bottle water is inexpensive, and fast food also - but the portions in some places like KFC are not the same

If you are flying into teh Kanto area and plan on staying within an hour or two from Tokyo - there is much to see and would fit in your budget.

One of the things not to do is drink heavily in Roppongi or get pulled into strip bars - or massage parlors. They seem freinedly but they are after your wallet and what is in it - especially inteh bar district.

Movies are 20 dollars or a bit more to get in - so if on a budget - save the movie going until you get home.

The trains and buses do not run all night - so ensure you know where you have to get to if you chose a speicifc hotel - taxis are expensive -

It all depends upon where you are staying in reality. That would determine the places you can visit. Unless you plan to chnage places to stay.

Two years ago $70 would be enough for hotels, but as the other poster said - with the yen rate now - plane on about $125 a night at teh low end for a business hotel- small rooms and no bar in thhe hotel.

Drop me a line if you need more information.

Yeah that's fine for my night stays. I will be only using them to sleep and I'll be gone all day it makes sense just to find a simple and cheap place to overnight. This is only for me

Might be an idea to come up with an itinerary and let us see it, especially as you say you are there for 10 days, but state that you have budgeted for 11 nights accommodation.

It would also be better to calulate your costs in Yen and then calculate the price in US Dollars.

Just stay away from a quirky department store called Tokyu Hands as it will suck all your money! We just love that store for all the weird and wonderful things available. :)

Not sure what Tokyonet is talking about. Using sites like Agoda you can find single room hotels in central Tokyo for around 4000 yen. It's just a case of finding the special deals.

Hmm's story is true.
I searched at rakuten travel and found some single room under 4000 yen surely.
There are in Asakusa-Iriya-Ueno area and Ikebukuro area.

@ ajapaneseboy - It's not the yen that's strong. It's the US dollar that's weak.

Two bits three bits a dollar, the what is strong or weak is immatreial. have lived in Japan when the yen rate wa 260 yen to the dollar, and now it is on the other shoe.

The idea here is to help someone out who has never been here and to ensure he has teh budget o do the travlelin' he wants..

"Not sure what Tokyonet is talking about. Using sites like Agoda you can find single room hotels in central Tokyo for around 4000 yen."

Those dirt cheap places are called hostels, not hotels in Japan.

I calculated my prices in yen and then converted that to USD since that is the currency of my country. But I added 100USD to the prices just to give me room in case prices increase. Also I will be traveling in off peak season as to save some money.

day1 akihabara (check out a lot of the electronics stores)

day2 tokyo station (park, stores, explore the station)

day3 harajuku (watch funny dressed people)

day4 shizuoka (for green tea and sightseeing)

day5 sendai (markets, food, walk around)

day6 hiroshima (i want an all day train trip and do nothing)

day7 nagoya (train museum and nagoya castle)

day8 yokohama (beer village, ramen museum, waterfront exploring)

day9 nikko (hiking)

day10 odaiba (exploring and buy a few gifts for myself)

wow really, i am planing a trip to Japan for 30 days in march and i thought that i would be fine on $130 a day after flight and jr pass. so i guess this is way not enough or what?

If you are going by yourself and don't mind dorm style rooms, you can find hostels for as low as 1500 yen. Many of them have private rooms starting at 2500-3500 yen. Also, JR has a new 3 day Kanto pass for 8000 yen, it covers most trains, Shinkansen and private line FujiKyuko. In those 3 days you could do any of Nikko, Kamakura, Yokohama, Mount Fuji, etc.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_06.html

You can stay in Tokyo and do day trips or move around, there are hostels everywhere. As far as hotels go though, everyone is right it will be more expensive, even in the business hotels, check hostelworld.com, they have hostels, minshukus, and ryokan all over Japan.

You don't have a lot planned (a whole day for Tokyo Station?) I'm sure you mean to check out the area, but you can do more than one area of Tokyo in one day. If you are interested in museums parks and temples, or Tokyo Tower, Imperial Palace, Tsukiji fish market, etc, there is tons to do and see, more than just people watching. You can easily do Yokohama in a day trip from Tokyo too.

You can definitely do a trip on a budget, it just takes some planning. Figure out exactly where you want to go and then group your travels together according to what pass you get. I did a quick search and there are 10 day guided tours with luxury accommodations and airfare from LA for less than 5000 USD, so I'm sure you can do something on your own for 4000.

Tokyonet, don't be silly. A hostel is a hostel is a hostel. A hotel is a hotel, and you can get them cheap with the right website and booking well in advance. Last time in Tokyo I stayed in the Asakusa Vista Hotel for 3600 yen a night, down from the usual price of 11000, because I booked 4 months in advance.

I travelled 14 days in Japan this year Feb-Mar and I spent US$1,854 if 1 USD = S$1.24 today including air ticket ofUSD520.16.

I stayed mostly in hostels/guesthouses in female dorm except for 3 nights in Shinjuku Washington hotel which was USD102.15/night. The dorm per night is Yen1,500-Yen2,500/night. You can have a mix of hostels/guesthouses and hotels stay. Like 50-50 or 60-40 whatever you like it. Hostels/guesthouses are more fun as people mingle at kitchen and tv area. Got free wifi and internet.

I ate food mostly at Lawson's and Family Mart and they were as good as food served in restaurants back home.

Only on last day before departing Tokyo and Kyoto did I had really good meal, Shabu Shabu at Yen2,500 (USD32.

I also travelled from Tokyo to Kyoto on Willer Express that saved me accommodation as it was night bus and from purchasing JR pass.

Your budget is more than enough if you don't buy things first few days upon arriving and not dining/drinking/eating at Ronppongi or expensive restaurants. Typically each meal costs Yen 1,000 but at Lawson's, Famil Mart & 7-11 you can getit at USD10 (Yen 870 & less) each meal (bento) and you will be full.

You will love Japan. People so friendlt, helpful and kind. Beautiful country with lots of rich history. I'll be visiting Osaka in Feb.

Happy holidays!

Oh yeah, that is a good point, you can eat cheap at convenience stores. The first time I came to Japan I was with a Japanese friend who said "let's get lunch" and proceeded to take me to 7-11. I was horrified until I got there and saw that the obento is really good food compared to the stuff you see at convenience stores in the US. :) There are tons of places you can get nice meals not so expensive and if you want to splurge and drink and eat alot, there are lots of places that do nomihodai and tabehodai for really reasonable prices. Have a great time!