Japan on a budget

Cheapest months to go

Peak is March, April, May, October, November. The weeks either side of that window usually carry most of the weather with much less of the price.

Getting around for less

Realistic options in Japan:

• High-speed rail links the main cities along the Honshu corridor
• Dense urban transit and IC cards cover metros, buses and local trains
• Domestic flights are the sensible option for Hokkaido and Okinawa
• A rental car helps in rural regions and on the smaller islands

Where to base yourself

Fewer bases means fewer paid transfers. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka cover a lot between them.