Fair prices in জাপান — what things really cost

Hiroden runs on a flat fare regardless of distance within the city, paid as you get off. A one-day pass is worth it if you plan three or more rides in a day.

The JR ferry and the Matsudai ferry both make the short crossing; JR Pass holders ride the JR ferry free, though the separate island visitor tax still applies to everyone.

A full okonomiyaki meal with a drink easily fits this range. Prices are noticeably lower once you move away from the streetcar stops directly outside Peace Memorial Park.

It's cooked in layers on a large griddle, often at your table, and a single serving is a full meal on its own. Okonomimura, a multi-floor building packed with dedicated okonomiyaki restaurants, is the classic place to compare styles.

Convenience stores near Hiroshima Station and Peace Memorial Park offer cheap, reliable rice balls, bento and coffee for an easy meal on the move.

Taxis are metered with a modest initial fare, rising quickly after the first stretch. Useful late at night once the streetcars stop, but rail and tram cover most daytime trips more cheaply.

Chain cafes around Hiroshima Station and the Hondori shopping arcade are the cheapest option, with independent cafes costing a little more.

The JR Haruka Limited Express reaches Kyoto Station directly in about 75 minutes for ¥3,060 unreserved. Foreign passport holders can buy a discounted one-way ICOCA & Haruka ticket for roughly ¥2,200 — buy it at the JR counter in the airport for the best value.

A hot bowl of ramen, udon or a rice set at a local shop is one of the best-value meals anywhere, usually well under ¥1,000. Look for places with a ticket vending machine at the door and a queue of local office workers rather than the restaurants right beside the big sights.

A matcha latte or a coffee at an ordinary Kyoto cafe is normal value, but ceremonial-grade matcha at a famous teahouse costs several times more. Both are worth trying — just know which you are ordering, and step off the main tourist lanes for everyday prices.

Kyoto's city buses charge a flat fare of about ¥230 per ride regardless of distance, and the subway is similar. If you plan three or more rides in a day, the ¥1,100 Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass pays for itself; otherwise just tap an ICOCA or Suica IC card.

A bottle of water from a convenience store or vending machine costs only around ¥110, and Kyoto's tap water is clean and safe to drink, so a refillable bottle saves money over a trip. Vending machines are everywhere and honestly priced — there is no tourist markup.

A good dinner at a mid-range izakaya or restaurant is reasonable, and set lunch menus at the same places are far cheaper for the same kitchen. Note that many izakaya add a small otoshi (seat/appetiser) charge of a few hundred yen per person — this is normal, not a scam.

Kyoto taxis are metered, honest and start around ¥500, so a short hop across the centre is affordable, especially split between a few people late at night when buses stop. For longer trips the bus, subway or train is much cheaper; taxis are best for short distances or heavy bags.

There is no single direct rail line, so most travellers change once, typically via Tennoji or Osaka, for a journey of around an hour and a half. Trains are far cheaper than the airport limousine bus and taxis; a rail pass may cover the JR portions.

Both JR and Kintetsu run frequent trains from Kyoto in about 35 to 45 minutes. JR rapid trains are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, while Kintetsu (including a faster limited express with a supplement) is not, so pick the line that matches your pass and station.

Kintetsu from Osaka-Namba and JR from Osaka Station both reach Nara in around 35 to 50 minutes for a low fare. Kintetsu Nara Station is closer to the park, while JR Nara is about a kilometre further out.

Crackers are sold at a fixed official price from licensed stalls around the park, with proceeds going to a foundation that protects the deer. Do not pay more elsewhere, and never feed the deer your own snacks, which can make them sick.

A modest ticket covers the Great Buddha Hall; a combined ticket adds the temple museum. Buy at the gate, and consider going right at opening or late afternoon when the hall is quieter and the light is best.

A sit-down lunch of local specialities is good value away from the main park gates. Set lunch menus (teishoku) offer the best price, and no tipping is expected anywhere in Japan.

A flat-fare loop bus circles the main sights from the stations, handy in heat or with tired legs, though the core temples are walkable. Pay with an IC card or coins on boarding, and note the park is genuinely pleasant on foot.

Fares are set by distance across five zones. An IC card such as ICOCA lets you tap through gates on the subway, JR and buses without buying paper tickets each time.

The Nankai Rapi:t reaches Namba in about 34 minutes; the slower Nankai Airport Express is cheaper. JR Haruka runs to Shin-Osaka and Tennoji and has a discounted fare for foreign tourists.

Set lunch menus are excellent value, and Osaka's standing-and-eating culture means a proper meal doesn't always require a table. Prices are noticeably lower once you step away from the main Dotonbori strip.

Local neighbourhood stalls charge less than the famous names right on the Dotonbori canal. A serving is meant to be eaten hot and fresh, standing at the counter.

Convenience stores offer cheap, reliable rice balls, bento boxes and coffee, useful for an easy breakfast or a meal on the move between sights.

Taxis are metered and honest but pricier than the subway. A 20% surcharge applies late at night, so trains are the better value option after dark if they're still running.

Chain cafes are the cheapest option, while independent specialty coffee shops in areas like Nakazakicho cost more. Convenience-store coffee is a reliably cheap fallback.

Fares rise with distance across the network. A SAPICA IC card, or a compatible national card like Suica, lets you tap through subway, streetcar and bus without buying separate tickets.

The fastest Special Rapid service reaches Sapporo Station in around 37 minutes from New Chitose Airport. Seat reservations are optional and cost extra; standing or unreserved seating is perfectly workable for the short ride.

A hearty bowl of ramen or a soup curry set easily counts as a full meal here. Prices in Sapporo run a little lower than in Tokyo or Osaka for equivalent casual dining.

Miso ramen was invented in Sapporo, and the city takes it seriously enough that whole alleys are dedicated to competing ramen shops. A bowl with the usual toppings of corn, butter and bean sprouts is filling on its own.

Convenience stores are just as reliable in Sapporo as elsewhere in Japan for a cheap rice ball, bento or coffee, useful before an early train or a day trip out of the city.

Taxis are metered with a small initial fare for the first stretch, then charge in short increments after that. A 20% late-night surcharge applies between 10pm and 5am.

Chain cafes near the station and Odori Park are the cheapest option. Hokkaido's dairy industry also makes soft-serve and milk-based drinks an excellent, often similarly priced, alternative to coffee.

Buy a Suica or similar IC card and tap in and out. Fares vary by distance but most city hops are cheap, and one card works across subway, JR and buses.

The direct airport express reaches central stations comfortably. From Haneda the monorail or Keikyu line is cheaper and quicker, so check which airport you land at.

Set lunch menus are excellent value compared with dinner. Look for small counter restaurants with local diners rather than tourist-facing spots.

Many shops use a ticket-vending machine at the door where you pay first. A filling bowl is cheap, and there is no tipping in Japan.

Convenience stores offer surprisingly good, cheap meals, rice balls and coffee. A great budget option for breakfast or a quick lunch on the move.

Taxis are metered, honest and clean but pricier than trains. Doors open automatically; use them mainly late at night when trains have stopped.

Chain cafes are cheapest, while specialty coffee shops cost more. Convenience-store coffee is very cheap and reliably good.