Travel to Japan on the Cheap - Tips And Tricks How to Get Around

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Robert_W_Mccormack]Robert W Mccormack

Travel in Japan is known to be incredibly expensive, in fact this country is notorious for sending home travelers with horror stories of having to spend $100 for a steak and even $50 for a beer. There are some travel tips and tricks which can be used to see Japan on the cheap, and if you don't have a small fortune to spend and it is your lifetime dream to see this country, you should collect as many of these as you can. For the purposes of this article we deal with transportation, how to get around more cheaply and see more; and this is intended as a guide.

It is important to remember that your sense of adventure, will be advantageous to saving money, and this is also dependent on the length of your stay. First off you are going to want to see as much as you can. If you can keep track of your own whereabouts at all times, you won't have to pay someone else to do this, i.e. a travel guide.

Whether you intend to stay in the Land of the Rising Sun for a few or many sunrises, you will need transportation. For a short stay, rent a bicycle, for a longer stay, buy one and sell it before you leave. Think that if you are in Japan for 2 weeks or more and you can buy a bike for $100 or less, and resell it for the same price, you will have paid very little for transport. You will have to register it at the local cop shop, but it saves you money on subway and other public transport. You can also rent a bike for around $10 - $30 a day!

Taxi fares are abominable, if you must use a taxi, try to share it with someone going your way, and never tip in Japan, there is no tipping! Trains will accommodate your bike when you travel with it, and they cost more than the subway. Buses are cheaper than subways, but they are not labeled in "Romaji" which is the alphabet, and subways are. Even resident foreigners hesitate to take the bus as a means of public transport. However if you are the adventurous type, these buses can take you to a great many places that the subways can't, and your bike can take you even further than the buses. Also it won't run out of gas! If you opt for public transport the bigger metropolitan areas multi-trip tickets and passes at cheaper rates. If you are a student, you may even qualify for larger discounts, so make sure you have your student ID card with you at all times. All public transport stations have information facilities for tourists whose staff are very helpful.

The whole of Japan is about the same size as California, to travel long distances you can take the Bullet train or Shinkansen, it is fast, but it is also pricey. There is a good deal of water between islands and your bike won't pedal on top of water. You can ride in the street if everyone else is, if not and they are using the pavement, you ride the pavements too, remember in Japan, they drive on the left.

Bob has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in travel and budget travel, you can also check out his latest website about

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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Travel-to-Japan-on-the-Cheap---Tips-And-Tricks-How-to-Get-Around&id=3600202] Travel to Japan on the Cheap - Tips And Tricks How to Get Around