By the time this entry is scheduled to be posted, I would have just landed in Osaka and about to kickstart my 10-day Japan adventure!
Many would know Japan is an expensive place to travel to, but also a beautiful and amazing place to be at. To fit well into my budget and my 'thrifty solivagant' concept, the following are some tips towards an exciting trip without burning a hole in the pocket.
1) Length of Trip
I first created a Google My Map and pin down all the places that I potentially wanted to visit. Googled and read lots of articles - places to go in Osaka, Kyoto, Nara; cafes to go in Osaka, Kyoto, Nara; and so on. Colour coded them with a corresponding symbol, like a coffee cup symbol for cafes, and a star symbol for attractions. Then, I rearranged the places according to their locations and roughly plan out day-to-day itineraries by grouping the places together. For the number of places that I plan to visit, 10 days was a good length.
2) Flight
For flight, I looked up on Skyscanner, one of the portals to compare prices amongst a wide range of airline companies. Months ahead when I searched, Cathay Pacific was one of the best options, transiting at Hong Kong Airport. A 2-way ticket cost about S$1,000. However, a riot soon broke out in Hong Kong, even forcing the airport to shut down for days. My next best option is to go on Jetstar which costs about S$900, transiting at Taoyuan Airport.
Then, I went to Jetstar official website to check out the actual pricing for my choice of flight timings. Since I am travelling during the peak period of Autumn, I knew flight prices are definitely going to cost a lot more then usual. By going for Jetstar, it gives me some spare cash and I used that to add-on a MAX bundle (+S$180 for 2-way), which includes 30kg check-in baggage, food and drinks, any seat selection and airport lounge access. By taking a transit flight, it means it comes with 4 in-flight meals. On my previous experiences, the usual economy flight is a snack + meal per way. However on Jetstar, since it’s a budget flight, most passengers are not getting food. This allows you to pre-select your meal choices upon booking, either a snack or a full meal. Snack options include croissant, cakes, and so on. Full meal comes with Udders ice cream and bottled water, options include chicken rice, fried rice, and so on. Of course I will select full meal for all 4 choices. Other than that, I’m also given the choice to choose any seats upon booking, and I chose a window seat on the first row - first to board, first to alight; extra legroom too.
3) Accommodation
For accommodation, I always try to look for something around $40-60/night, since I'm travelling alone. My first option is always Airbnb, and then Agoda - one of the portals to look for an ideal accommodation based on preference and budget. I managed to find a sharing 2-storey house that fits into my budget, priced at $340 (includes cleaning fee and other charges) for 9 nights, which is an average of $37/night. It’s a pretty good deal, considering even capsule hotels in Japan can cost more than $50/night. You get your own private room and everything else in the house is shared with other rooms. It’s about a 10mins bus ride to Osaka Station. The bus stop and convenience store is right in front of the house, so not that inconvenient. The room comes with a double bed, TV and aircon. The host also provides shampoo, conditioner, body wash and bath towels - less to pack, unless you are staying in a pretty expensive hotel.
This is also a really good deal if you are travelling as a group. You can also book the entire apartment, and this sleeps 12pax comfortably.
4) Planning the Actual Itinerary
With the help of Google maps and a rough idea of where to go each day, I start to research for information. Lots of changes went through from the initial planning, as certain places are closed on certain days, some places start late, and so on. I did all the planning on Google Docs. After I have listed down all the required information, I added in the required travelling time and cost using Google maps, and managed to rearrange the places around to make out an extra day, which allows me to visit Universal Studios Japan (USJ) - initially not planned.
5) Public Transport
It was a tedious process having to jot down all the possible travelling routes and cost. My friend visited Tokyo and Osaka back in June, which she strongly encouraged me to get any transport passes offered as it is much more affordable than to pay for individual trips. For the region that I am visiting for my trip, here are the available passes to purchase from on Klook:
> 'Osaka Unlimited Travel Pass' is for unlimited rides on metro and buses within Osaka. > 'Kansai Thru Pass' is for unlimited rides on subway, monorail, trains and buses within Kansai region, excludes JR operated, special buses like Kansai Aiport Limousine Bus, etc; includes travelling between Kansai Airport and Osaka. If you are travelling around Osaka, then the 'Osaka Unlimited Travel Pass' is really affordable and is a must get! Priced at just $10.40 for a 1-day pass, and $16.80 for a 2-day pass.
> check out the route coverage + you get discounts for 30 popular attractions! If you are travelling out of Osaka, within the Kansai region, then the ‘Kansai Thru Pass’ makes it really affordable. On top of just subways and buses in Osaka, it also includes trains, monorails, etc.
After tabulating all the required travelling costs using Google maps, I realised it is true that it is definitely a lot cheaper to get the travel passes. The following is my transport calculation: Day 1 (Osaka): ¥2,900 = $37.50 Day 2 (Nara, Osaka): ¥2,580 = $33.40 Day 3 (Kyoto): ¥2,680 = $34.70
Kansai Thru Pass 3-day: $69 SAVE $36.60 - - - Day 4 (Osaka): ¥1,550 = $20.10 Day 5 (Osaka): ¥640 = $11.40
Osaka Unlimited Travel Pass 2-day: $16.80 SAVE $14.30 - - - Day 6 (Kyoto): ¥2,860 = $37 Day 7 (Kyoto): ¥2,350 = $30.40
Kansai Thru Pass 2-day: $56 SAVE $11.40 - - - Day 8 (Kyoto): ¥3,920 = $50.70 Day 9 (Osaka): ¥3,360 = $43.50 Day 10 (Osaka): ¥1,810 = $23.40
Kansai Thru Pass 3-day: $69 SAVE $48.60 TOTAL SAVINGS: $110.90 > This is just the amount of savings for transport! Savings are even more if you add in the many attraction discounts you can get with the Osaka Pass! 6) Universal Studios Japan USJ is definitely one of the most visited attraction of Osaka! Thanks to Klook's USJ guide, I learnt that the best days to visit USJ is on Wednesdays and Thursdays. This place is so popular that their tickets do get sold out! To avoid disappointment, especially during peak periods, you can purchase your tickets in advance and Klook is one of the portal to do so. Also, by purchasing the ticket in advance, you get to skip the long queue!
