Budget Japan Itinerary - 5D4N in Tokyo for Family of 5 for Under $7,000

TOKYO – So you’re gearing up for a family getaway and everyone’s keen on visiting Tokyo. Even your two sulky teenagers light up when they hear you and your spouse discussing the destination. And your six-year-old? He just can’t wait to catch Pikachu in the flesh.

But wait, isn’t Japan terribly expensive? Will you have to break the bank bringing your family of five on this holiday? Well, not really. Like any popular destination in the world, Tokyo is suited to all kinds of travellers with all kinds of budgets.

To give you an idea of how affordable Tokyo can be, we’ve put together a budget breakdown for a five-day vacation to Tokyo for a family of four adults and one child.

(Note: We set the date for our imaginary getaway from 24 to 28 Sep 2020. Travel during other periods may result in a higher or lower budget.)

Flights – Approx $3,500

Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash

Far and away the most expensive portion of your Japan getaway is the plane tickets to get there and back. Even on budget airlines, you should expect to fork out about $3,500 for round-trip plane tickets.

Garner some savings on your flight by looking out for flash sales or two-to-fly promotions. If you have any discount vouchers, promo codes or air miles about to expire, now’s the time to use them.

Accommodations – Approx $1,500

Photo by Tony Yakovlenko on Unsplash.

Next to flights, the other large expense in a holiday is accommodations. Surprisingly, accommodations for your family of five can be had rather affordably… if you know where to look.

Did you know that Changi Recommends now has hotel listings too, and prices that give you savings beyond your expectations? Here, let us show you.

For your Tokyo getaway, how about four nights in a spacious apartment that comes with two double beds, one sofa bed and full amenities – at under $1,000.

There are many other great selections on the site so do check out www.changihotels.com. And here’s a tip: sign up for free on the site to unlock up to 60% savings!

Meals – Approx $1,200

Photo by Moujib Aghrout on Unsplash.

There is a great many options for travellers when it comes to meals in Tokyo. From top-end restaurants to mass market franchises, to even convenience store bentos, you’ll find plenty of mouthwatering and satisfying choices.

An average budget of about $50 per adult per day (approx 4,000 yen) will allow you and your family to sample a large selection of Tokyo’s cuisine. Mix and match between chain restaurants, vending machine stalls, street food and izakayas (pub grub) and you won’t go wrong.

WiFi Connection – Approx $10 or less

Staying connected to a data network while on holiday is essential, as doing so will let you look up important information on the go. Additionally, you can use Google Maps to navigate to the best food haunts, look up places to visit, stay in touch via WhatsApp, and even perform a quick translation!

But of course, the No 1 use for a data connection is to post selfies, wefies, #familygoals, #foodporn and livestream videos. Because if a holiday isn’t documented on social media, did the holiday actually happen?

The good news is, staying connected while in Japan won’t cost you too much. ChangiWiFi lets you have a reliable and fast 4G connection, with unlimited daily data – from just $2.25 per day.

And the best part? One ChangiWiFi router supports up to 5 connections, so no need to squabble over who’s hogging the data.

Transport – Approx $200

The most cost-efficient and convenient way to get around Tokyo is by subway. Thankfully subway rides are affordable, with each trip ranging between $2 and $4 (170 to 310 yen).

If your itinerary involves many subway stops, pick up a Tokyo Metro 24-hour ticket, which gives you unlimited rides across the nine Tokyo Metro subway lines for around $8 (600 yen).

Photo by Lu on Unsplash.

Shopping – Approx $500

The last part of your budget would go to shopping, attractions and miscellaneous expenses. This is the ‘fun’ part of the holiday budget, as you can use it to buy whatever you want.

We recommend holding off splurging until you get a handle on the kind of souvenirs you want to bring back. A great many first-timers tend to overestimate the allure of Japanese snacks and candies, causing them to overspend.