Costs in Japan

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 11:36:05 -0400, "Robert"
wrote:

I am looking to visit Japan. this will be my 1st time.
First "warning" I been hearing about is of course - Costs, that EVERYTHING
is
sooooo expensive.

Can someone plz give me an idea just how expensive tthings are there.
Just daily ordinary things a tourist would want to consume or buy.
a list would be great. You can list either Yens or $.

As long as you don't insist on renting a car or staying in a large
Western-style hotel room in a central city, you can visit Japan on a
moderate budget. It's not necessarily more expensive than traveling
in Europe or the US, but you do need to plan things carefully. There
are inexpensive hotels, which you should book well in advance.
Familiarize yourself with public transportation in the places you
visit so don't have to take taxis at all except in the middle of the
night. Always check the price of a restaurant before you enter it.
Restaurants that cost US $200 or more per person certainly exist, but
there are excellent sushi, tempura, sukiyaki, and teppanyaki
restaurants in the US $20-30 per person price range also. (And
excellent inexpensive Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, and Thai food is
available in the major cities.) And even many of the expensive
restaurants charge only 10-30% as much for lunch as they do for dinner
while serving essentially the same food, so you can eat at many of the
best places if you look for lunch specials. Bars and clubs are very
expensive - $25-30 cover charges at clubs are not unusual, and $6 per
drink is the minimum even in dive bars, with nicer bars often charging
$10 per drink or more. Museums can charge as much as $10, or even
more for special exhibitions, but temples, shrines, and gardens are
normally free or cheap.

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 11:36:05 -0400, "Robert"
wrote:

I am looking to visit Japan. this will be my 1st time.
First "warning" I been hearing about is of course - Costs, that EVERYTHING
is
sooooo expensive.

Can someone plz give me an idea just how expensive tthings are there.
Just daily ordinary things a tourist would want to consume or buy.
a list would be great. You can list either Yens or $.

As long as you don't insist on renting a car or staying in a large
Western-style hotel room in a central city, you can visit Japan on a
moderate budget. It's not necessarily more expensive than traveling
in Europe or the US, but you do need to plan things carefully. There
are inexpensive hotels, which you should book well in advance.
Familiarize yourself with public transportation in the places you
visit so don't have to take taxis at all except in the middle of the
night. Always check the price of a restaurant before you enter it.
Restaurants that cost US $200 or more per person certainly exist, but
there are excellent sushi, tempura, sukiyaki, and teppanyaki
restaurants in the US $20-30 per person price range also. (And
excellent inexpensive Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, and Thai food is
available in the major cities.) And even many of the expensive
restaurants charge only 10-30% as much for lunch as they do for dinner
while serving essentially the same food, so you can eat at many of the
best places if you look for lunch specials. Bars and clubs are very
expensive - $25-30 cover charges at clubs are not unusual, and $6 per
drink is the minimum even in dive bars, with nicer bars often charging
$10 per drink or more. Museums can charge as much as $10, or even
more for special exhibitions, but temples, shrines, and gardens are
normally free or cheap.

"Iceman" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 11:36:05 -0400, "Robert"
wrote:

I am looking to visit Japan. this will be my 1st time.
First "warning" I been hearing about is of course - Costs, that
EVERYTHING
is
sooooo expensive.

Can someone plz give me an idea just how expensive tthings are there.
Just daily ordinary things a tourist would want to consume or buy.
a list would be great. You can list either Yens or $.

snip

Museums can charge as much as $10, or even
more for special exhibitions, but temples, shrines, and gardens are
normally free or cheap.

Most temples (and some Shinto shrines) that are popular with tourists
('tourist-temple' or kankoji-in) almost always charge entrance fee of
between 400 and 1,000 yen ($3.50-$9), as do most private gardens.

Alec

"Iceman" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 11:36:05 -0400, "Robert"
wrote:

I am looking to visit Japan. this will be my 1st time.
First "warning" I been hearing about is of course - Costs, that
EVERYTHING
is
sooooo expensive.

Can someone plz give me an idea just how expensive tthings are there.
Just daily ordinary things a tourist would want to consume or buy.
a list would be great. You can list either Yens or $.

snip

Museums can charge as much as $10, or even
more for special exhibitions, but temples, shrines, and gardens are
normally free or cheap.

Most temples (and some Shinto shrines) that are popular with tourists
('tourist-temple' or kankoji-in) almost always charge entrance fee of
between 400 and 1,000 yen ($3.50-$9), as do most private gardens.

Alec

"Gerry"
Costs also go down if you down live there. I find Tokyo less expensive
than most major cities in the USA, certainly not so expensive as New
York. So costs can be relative.

wow, what contrast...I am in NY sure housing is expensive but really only
if you are talking about the most desired spots in Manhattan.
Food - very plenty & good & very inexpensive.

Back to your statement - then why on earth I kept hearing
"Tokyo is the most expensive city to LIVE....."
I am confused.

"Gerry" wrote in message
.. .
In article , PeterL
wrote:

Can someone plz give me an idea just how expensive tthings are
there. Just daily ordinary things a tourist would want to consume
or buy. a list would be great. You can list either Yens or $.

Tokyo is one of the most expensive city to live in in the world.
Other major cities are also very expensive. Cost go down when you
are out in the country.

Costs also go down if you down live there. I find Tokyo less expensive
than most major cities in the USA, certainly not so expensive as New
York. So costs can be relative.


Most major cities in the USA? You've got to be kdding.

No one can give you a list of items and their costs. I can tell you
that you can spend $10 US for one apple in Tokyo. But then again you
don't have to.

Certainly there are things that are much more expensive than others.
Fruit being one. Over all I find excellent food at far better prices
than the USA almost everywhere in Japan. Some very elegant bars the
costs can double. A couple of martini's can be 20 bucks with a table
charge thrown in. Best martini's I've ever had by the way.

There use to be a lot of bugaboo about costs in the 80's; a newspaper
cost 10 bucks and a hotel room $300 and canned soup cost 5 bucks and so
forth. That was a long long time ago.

--
Invest wisely: Over the past 75 years, stocks have averaged annual gains
of 2.3
percent under GOP administrations, compared with 9.5 under Democratic
ones.
-- Jerry Heaster

"Gerry" wrote in message
.. .
In article , PeterL
wrote:

Can someone plz give me an idea just how expensive tthings are
there. Just daily ordinary things a tourist would want to consume
or buy. a list would be great. You can list either Yens or $.

Tokyo is one of the most expensive city to live in in the world.
Other major cities are also very expensive. Cost go down when you
are out in the country.

Costs also go down if you down live there. I find Tokyo less expensive
than most major cities in the USA, certainly not so expensive as New
York. So costs can be relative.


Most major cities in the USA? You've got to be kdding.

No one can give you a list of items and their costs. I can tell you
that you can spend $10 US for one apple in Tokyo. But then again you
don't have to.

Certainly there are things that are much more expensive than others.
Fruit being one. Over all I find excellent food at far better prices
than the USA almost everywhere in Japan. Some very elegant bars the
costs can double. A couple of martini's can be 20 bucks with a table
charge thrown in. Best martini's I've ever had by the way.

There use to be a lot of bugaboo about costs in the 80's; a newspaper
cost 10 bucks and a hotel room $300 and canned soup cost 5 bucks and so
forth. That was a long long time ago.

--
Invest wisely: Over the past 75 years, stocks have averaged annual gains
of 2.3
percent under GOP administrations, compared with 9.5 under Democratic
ones.
-- Jerry Heaster

We have visited Japan several times and don't find it particularly
more expensive than most large cities. It is no where near as
expensive as Norway.

You just must use care on what you do. We are going to Tokyo again on
September 11 for a few days. We are staying at the same hotel we
normally use in Tokyo -- HI Crowne Plaza Metropolitan near Ikebukuro
station. Prepaid rate daily rate is 14000 yen (~$130) + 15% tax and
service charge. In the past breakfast has been included, but I am not
sure this time. Airport bus from NRT to Crowne Plaza is 3000 yen.

If you want to travel about the country you can pre buy the Japan rail
pass -- 7 day 28300 yen coach or 37800 yen first class. I really like
the first class and it is a real bargain.

Many of the large department store have food courts, generally in
basement or near the top. There is a large selection of food at very
reasonable prices.

It is not the place to buy fruit, go night clubbing, eat at fancy
restaurants or go shopping.

Japanese beer is good and is reasonably priced in grocery stores and
some bars.

Enjoy the temples, gardens and sights.

Have a good trip.



On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 11:36:05 -0400, "Robert"
wrote:

I am looking to visit Japan. this will be my 1st time.
First "warning" I been hearing about is of course - Costs, that EVERYTHING
is
sooooo expensive.

Can someone plz give me an idea just how expensive tthings are there.
Just daily ordinary things a tourist would want to consume or buy.
a list would be great. You can list either Yens or $.

thanks

We have visited Japan several times and don't find it particularly
more expensive than most large cities. It is no where near as
expensive as Norway.

You just must use care on what you do. We are going to Tokyo again on
September 11 for a few days. We are staying at the same hotel we
normally use in Tokyo -- HI Crowne Plaza Metropolitan near Ikebukuro
station. Prepaid rate daily rate is 14000 yen (~$130) + 15% tax and
service charge. In the past breakfast has been included, but I am not
sure this time. Airport bus from NRT to Crowne Plaza is 3000 yen.

If you want to travel about the country you can pre buy the Japan rail
pass -- 7 day 28300 yen coach or 37800 yen first class. I really like
the first class and it is a real bargain.

Many of the large department store have food courts, generally in
basement or near the top. There is a large selection of food at very
reasonable prices.

It is not the place to buy fruit, go night clubbing, eat at fancy
restaurants or go shopping.

Japanese beer is good and is reasonably priced in grocery stores and
some bars.

Enjoy the temples, gardens and sights.

Have a good trip.



On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 11:36:05 -0400, "Robert"
wrote:

I am looking to visit Japan. this will be my 1st time.
First "warning" I been hearing about is of course - Costs, that EVERYTHING
is
sooooo expensive.

Can someone plz give me an idea just how expensive tthings are there.
Just daily ordinary things a tourist would want to consume or buy.
a list would be great. You can list either Yens or $.

thanks

In article , Markku Grönroos
wrote:

Costs also go down if you down live there.

Many pardons. This should be "costs go down if you DON'T live there."
It is indeed cited as the most expensive city for people who LIVE
there. Some of the costs of housing, utilities, transportation; these
don't apply to tourists.

I find Tokyo less expensive
than most major cities in the USA, certainly not so expensive as New
York. So costs can be relative.

Well, for instance in the Economist they frequently publish "the cost of
living index" of cities around the world. For New York it is 100. Tokyo is
again and again the most expensive major city in the world (Oslo comes
close) by 135 or so.

I assume this is based on living there, not visiting there.

--
Invest wisely: Over the past 75 years, stocks have averaged annual gains of 2.3
percent under GOP administrations, compared with 9.5 under Democratic ones.
-- Jerry Heaster