Plan your Japan trip without
the overwhelm
3 week Japan travel budget guide
Planning a three week trip to Japan often raises one big question: how much will it really cost. The answer depends on your travel style, but Japan can work for many budgets. Here is a clear breakdown of the main expenses for a 21 day trip, plus simple ways to save without cutting the experience short.
Accommodation: The biggest part of your budget
Accommodation costs vary a lot depending on comfort level and location.
Budget options like hostels and capsule hotels usually range from 30 to 50 dollars per night. Mid range options such as business hotels or small Airbnbs sit between 70 and 120 dollars per night. Luxury stays like ryokan and higher end hotels often start around 200 dollars per night.
Estimated cost for 21 nights
Budget: 630 to 1,050 dollars
Mid range: 1,470 to 2,520 dollars
Luxury: 4,200 dollars and above
Ways to save
Use capsule hotels or hostels in big cities.
Book Airbnbs with a kitchen to reduce food costs.
Transportation: Efficient but easy to underestimate
Japan’s transport system is excellent, but long distance travel can add up.
A 21 day Japan Rail Pass costs around 540 dollars. Daily city transport usually costs between 5 and 10 dollars. Regional trips and day excursions range from 20 to 50 dollars each.
Estimated total for 3 weeks
Around 700 to 800 dollars
Ways to save
Only buy a Japan Rail Pass if you change regions several times.
Use regional passes when staying in one area.
Walk or rent bikes in compact cities like Kyoto.
Food: Good meals at every price level
Japan is one of the easiest countries to eat well on a budget. Budget meals cost about 10 to 20 dollars per day. Mid range dining sits between 25 and 50 dollars per day. Luxury meals like kaiseki or omakase often exceed 100 dollars per meal.
Estimated cost for 3 weeks
Budget: 210 to 420 dollars
Mid range: 525 to 1,050 dollars
Luxury: 2,100 dollars and more
Ways to save
Buy bento boxes at stations or department stores.
Eat at izakaya for affordable food and drinks.
See here the cheapest restaurant in Japan.
Activities and sightseeing
Many attractions in Japan are affordable, but experiences add up. Temple and museum entries usually cost 5 to 10 dollars. Cultural activities range from 30 to 100 dollars. Guided tours can cost 100 to 200 dollars.
Estimated total
Budget: 150 to 300 dollars
Mid range: 400 to 600 dollars
Luxury: 1,000 dollars and more
Ways to save
Use city passes for museums and transport.
Visit parks, shrines, and neighborhoods that are free.
Extra expenses to plan for
Souvenirs usually cost between 50 and 150 dollars.
Snacks and small extras average 5 to 10 dollars per day.
Estimated total
Budget: 150 to 300 dollars
Mid range: 300 to 500 dollars
Sample budgets for 3 weeks in Japan
Budget traveler
Accommodation: 1,000 dollars
Transport: 750 dollars
Food: 300 dollars
Activities: 200 dollars
Extras: 200 dollars
Total: around 2,450 dollars
Mid range traveler
Accommodation: 2,000 dollars
Transport: 750 dollars
Food: 800 dollars
Activities: 500 dollars
Extras: 400 dollars
Total: around 4,450 dollars
Luxury traveler
Accommodation: 5,000 dollars
Transport: 800 dollars
Food: 2,000 dollars
Activities: 1,500 dollars
Extras: 500 dollars
Total: around 9,800 dollars
How to save on a 3 week trip to Japan
Use regional passes when possible.
Travel during quieter months like May, September, or early December.
Mix paid experiences with free attractions.
Decide early what matters most to you, comfort, food, or activities.
If you want a clear itinerary that already balances costs and time, my guides are designed to help you plan without overspending.
Plan Your Japan Trip More Easily
If you're going to Jpaan you're probably facing :
Too much information
How to organize
Don’t know where to go
Train system feels confusing
Afraid of missing places
Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but don’t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and it’s hard to know what actually fits in one day.
This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.
With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pac
I created my Japan Travel Guide to help you organize your trip in a clear, realistic way.
Details on what you'll have
Best of both world : touristy & off the beaten path places
+ 1000 things to do, filterable by category & tags
Lifetime access to my itinerary and all future updates.
10 to 30 days curated itineraries, fully customizable
Kanto (Tokyo & surroundings) Day by Day customizable Itinerary (10 to 15 days)
Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara...) Day by day Itinerary customizable (13 to 15 days)
Tokyo Guide by Neighborhood (23 special ward)
15+ additional day trips detailed for exploring nearby destinations from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto.
Interactive map with all key spots marked & filterable by category & tags
Benefit from in-depth practical advice (navigation, accomodation, restaurants, cultural experiences)
PDF & Excel sheets (with less updates than online version)
What it looks like on the app :
If you prefer something fully tailored, I also offer a 100% custom travel planning service.
I design a day-by-day itinerary based on your dates, interests, budget, travel pace, and priorities. You simply follow the plan and enjoy your trip.
And if you like flexible, editable itineraries, you can also find my ready-made itineraries on Holicay.
They’re ideal if you want a solid base you can customize with your travel companions.
Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie, the creator behind @tabimawari.
I lived in Kyoto, learned Japanese, and keep returning to explore Japan beyond the obvious.
Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but don’t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and it’s hard to know what actually fits in one day.
This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.
With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pace.
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Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie.
French islander from Reunion island, Japan lover, and travel planner behind Tabimawari.
I spent a year living in Kyoto, learning Japanese and falling in love with the culture. Since then, I’ve kept going back, exploring every corner from Tokyo to the tiniest hidden towns.
I created these guides after spending months planning, testing, and fine-tuning every detail so you don’t have to. Inside, you’ll find:
✅ Interactive maps
✅ Step-by-step directions
✅ Local spots + travel tips
✅ Offline use
Each guide is made with care, based on real-life travel, not generic blog advice.
This is what I wish I had on my first trip to Japan and now it’s yours.
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