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Old 02-16-2006, 05:35 PM   #1
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Some hints & tips given by our very own U2fan, who's currently living in Japan. I'm posting this on her behalf :


Here are some examples of prices: (with exact conversion to US dollars)

1/2 gallon of milk: 189 yen = $1.59
6 pieces of bread (they don`t really do loaves here): 190 yen = $1.60
ramen noodles at a noodle bar (lunch; dinner is more expensive): 750 yen = $6.32
typical ticket on metro: 160 yen-290 yen = $1.35-$2.44
bus ticket: 200 yen = $1.68
minimum to get in a cab: 660 yen = $5.56
typical entrance to a club: 3000 yen = $25.27
mixed drink: 1000 yen and up = $8.43+

These prices might not look that expensive but trust me, they really are. I won`t even get into how much clothing, movies, and NICE meals are here. Not to mention rent and utilities, etc. And travel around Japan is SUPER expensive. Let`s put it this way: it would be cheaper for me to fly to Thailand and spend two weeks there than it would be to travel somewhere in Japan for just 3 days.

The only thing that surprisingly and disappointingly is cheap----------cigarettes! There are vending machines all over which sell cigarettes for typically 250 yen = $2.11! Too bad I`m not a smoker.... blink.gif

I don`t know about hostels really since I have not stayed in one here. I just did a search and only 8 came up in all of Tokyo. It makes sense there are not many since Japan is not exactly on the Asian backpacking route since it`s off the mainland and just too expensive. For a 10 bed mixed dorm, two of them are currently $20 US/night and others were upwards of $30 and others over $30 for the same....actually cheaper than I thought they would be.... doh.gif

Yeah, you really don`t see backpackers here. Gaijin (or foreigners) who are here are usually here 1) working or 2) studying.....

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Old 02-17-2006, 05:55 AM   #2
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Yeah, Japan is definitely not a low-budget destination. It cost us more to take the train (or fly - it wasn't much more expensive by air) from our town up north in Aomori Prefecture to Tokyo than it did to travel from Tokyo to Korea! Some things were dirt cheap, though, and I can't praise the 100 Yen stores enough - way better than Dollar Stores - you can get really nice stuff there for next to nothing.

We stayed in a hostel in Hakodate, on Hokkaido. I can't remember which one (and can't find the name anywhere handy) but it was probably around $50 or $60 for us to book all four beds in one room. Turns out we had the place pretty much to ourselves, and the hosts were utterly charming. They totally doted on our blue eyed daughters! We didn't see many other gai-jin, it's true.

Hakodate is cool because it has such a mix of influences - you see the traditional and more modern Japanese architecture, but also turn-of-the-century British and there's a Russian Orthodox Church as well as the Catholic church run by a French priest. He was utterly ecstatic when we walked in. We were pretty pleased to find someone we could talk to, too, and he gave us all kinds of tips about the town. Never know when French will come in handy!

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Old 02-17-2006, 07:01 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally posted by atchoum@Feb 16 2006, 07:35 PM
1/2 gallon of milk: 189 yen = $1.59
[snapback]103095[/snapback]
Actually, that is cheap compared to the US - which would be at least $2-$3.
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Old 02-17-2006, 11:23 PM   #4
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That was a mistake on my part. It is less than a 1/2 gallon; don`t know exactly what it is since the system is different here and well, everything is in Japanese.
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Old 07-01-2006, 02:06 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally posted by U2fan@Feb 18 2006, 02:23 AM
That was a mistake on my part. It is less than a 1/2 gallon; don`t know exactly what it is since the system is different here and well, everything is in Japanese.
[snapback]103267[/snapback]

Maybe 2 liters? Thats almost exactly 1/2 gallon and should look about the same size.
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Old 07-01-2006, 02:06 AM   #6
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oops.. didn't see how old this thread was.. sorry.
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Old 07-06-2006, 09:55 AM   #7
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^^^ Don't apologize, Tpunks always need good advice ! So thanks for the clarification.
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Old 07-08-2006, 08:49 PM   #8
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Well in that case...


2 liters equals 0.5278 gallons.

But then again I'm just speculating about it being 2 liters since I've yet to go to Japan.. I'll let you know next summer..
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Old 10-27-2006, 03:11 AM   #9
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Japan rocks!Such a waste not to visit just becuase of cost! It is so full of contradictions, so different to western countries yet they adore them, the people are so welcoming and hospitable cant say enough about my time there! Honestly its one of those places where just walk down the round can be entertaining cos things are so crazy different!
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Old 11-05-2006, 07:30 PM   #10
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^^^ lol so true.

a french guy i met in japan once said to me " it doesnt matter what i do in japan. it doesnt matter how silly, beacuse its ok. im gaijin. its cool' haha

oi, and regarding prices... its really not that expensive.

rent $100,000yen per month in your own studi apartment (on short term basis, its cheaper if your going for a year+ ) or a gaijun house share monthly $30,000+

a big mac was 300yen (i think)

food is super cheap, just go to the supermarkets, and noodle houses.

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