How much does a trip to Japan cost in 2027?

Blog · Updated 3 November 2026

A 14-day trip to Japan from Europe costs about €2,000 per person on a tight budget, about €2,800 mid-range and about €4,600 or more if you want good hotels and restaurants. All included: flights, accommodation, trains, food, entry fees, eSIM and insurance.

Budget by trip length and travel style

Average price per person, flying from Europe, two people sharing a room, mid-season. These are the same figures our budget calculator gives.

Budget: business hotel or capsule, konbini food and ramen. Mid-range: 3–4 star hotel, the odd ryokan and ordinary restaurants. Luxury: 4–5 star hotels, ryokan with dinner and fine dining.

14-day mid-range breakdown

Here is how the €2,800 per person for the classic Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka route adds up:

Flights: €700 to €1,100

Several major European hubs have direct flights to Tokyo, and from most other airports you fly with one stop. In mid-season, allow about €820 return.

• Book 3 to 5 months ahead. Earlier for cherry blossom season.
• Look for a multi-city flight: flying into Tokyo and home from Osaka (KIX) usually costs the same and saves you the train back to Tokyo.
• Avoid the pricey dates: Easter, Japan’s Golden Week (29 April to 5 May 2027), August and Christmas.

Accommodation: the cost that varies most

Guide price per night for a double room:

Note for Kyoto: since 1 March 2026 the tourist tax rises with the room price. You pay ¥200 per person per night where rooms cost under ¥6,000, ¥400 from ¥6,000 to ¥19,999 and ¥1,000 from ¥20,000 to ¥49,999. You pay it at the hotel.

Tip: Osaka is 30 minutes from Kyoto and cheaper. Many travellers stay there and visit Kyoto on day trips.

Food: from €17 a day

Eating in Japan is cheap and good. Per person per day:

• Budget (¥3,000 ≈ €17): breakfast from the konbini (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart), ramen or gyudon for lunch and a simple dinner.
• Mid-range (¥5,500 ≈ €31): ordinary restaurants, set lunches and the odd izakaya.
• Luxury (¥11,000 ≈ €63): top-quality sushi, Kobe beef or kaiseki.

A bowl of ramen costs ¥1,000–1,500, and a set lunch ¥1,000–2,000. There is no tipping.

Transport: trains, metro and the JR Pass

The bullet train (shinkansen) from Tokyo to Kyoto costs about ¥14,500 (≈ €83) with a reserved seat and takes about 2 hr 15 min. For the classic 14-day route, trains between cities come to about ¥32,000 (≈ €183) with single tickets.

The 14-day JR Pass costs ¥84,000 since 1 October 2026, so it isn’t worth it for that route. We run the numbers in Is the JR Pass worth it?

For the metro and buses, use an IC card (Suica, PASMO or ICOCA), which you can also keep on your phone. Allow about ¥900 a day.

Other costs to add

• Travel insurance: about €80 for 14 days. Healthcare in Japan is very expensive for tourists: don’t travel without it. Compare insurance in the travel kit.
• eSIM with data: about €44 for 14 days. Activate it before you leave and you’re online when you land.
• Departure tax: since 1 July 2026 it is ¥3,000 per person. It is usually already included in your air fare.
• Entry fees: most temples cost ¥400–1,000. Experiences like teamLab or the theme parks cost a lot more.

How to pay and how much cash to take

At €1 ≈ ¥175, ¥10,000 is about €57. You can now pay by card almost everywhere, but some temples, food stalls and small restaurants only take cash.

• Bring a card with no foreign transaction fees.
• Withdraw yen at 7-Eleven or post office (Japan Post) ATMs, which accept foreign cards.
• Always carry about ¥10,000–20,000 in cash.
• When paying by card, choose to pay in yen, not your home currency: the shop’s exchange rate is usually worse.

10 tips to spend less

1. Travel in January–February or June: fewer crowds and lower hotel prices.
2. Book a multi-city Tokyo–Osaka flight.
3. Stay in Osaka and visit Kyoto as a day trip.
4. Have breakfast at the konbini: it’s good and costs €3–5.
5. Eat the set lunch (teishoku): the same food, much cheaper than at dinner.
6. Don’t buy the JR Pass without doing the maths.
7. Use free viewpoints, like the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, instead of paid towers.
8. Claim tax-free from ¥5,000 per shop per day. Since 1 November 2026 you pay the price with tax and get the tax back later: at the airport you validate your purchases with your passport at a kiosk. Carry them in your hand luggage, not in the hold.
9. Drink tap water: it’s safe all over Japan.
10. Book a ryokan for just one night for the experience, not the whole trip.

FAQs

Guide prices, checked in November 2026. Always check the final price before booking. Some links are affiliate links: if you buy through them, Tabiruta earns a commission at no extra cost to you.