Japan’s post COVID reopening: How I went to Japan for 25 percent off
As of writing, this is my current test of the lessons learned in Mexico and Thailand. It’s the first true test of my “6 month policy”. The hope is that unlike the other trips- where I cobbled together info from past Social Media posts, receipts, and vague memories - I should have a more accurate recall of prices and experiences on the journey. Welcome to Geoarbitrage Experiment 3- The return to Asia.
My last contract was 6 months doing home health visits in the East Bay near Oakland, California. After a quick Thanksgiving week in my hometown of Cleveland, I’d set off to another round of east Asia for the winter. I’d planned to live out the winter in Vietnam and/or the Philippines due to their lower cost of living; but 4 realizations made me adjust the plan...I went to Japan for 3 weeks
Most flights to SE Asia had layovers in Tokyo or Seoul anyway. It saved me the hassle of taking a 5+ hour flight after a 13 hour flight from the US.
Japan had recently reopened their borders to foreign tourists the month before. My thought was fewer tourists=more deals.
The exchange rate of dollars to yen was the highest it’s been in decades. At some points, it was 25% more than normal...basically the whole country was “on sale”.
As a self described anime/gaming/manga fan, I’d always wanted to visit Japan at some point. Yes, I’d wanted to nerd out!
Thus, the plan was set: extend the layover in Japan to 3 weeks, then move on to longer stays in the more cost effective countries in Southeast Asia. Namely, a week in Vietnam, and 4 months in the Philippines, with possible weekend trips in other countries.
Geoarbitrage Experiment 3a- Japan
As mentioned in the previous post, I’d spent 3 weeks in Japan while the US dollar was elevated to up to 148 JPY/USD. Over the last 5 years, the yen has averaged ~105/dollar. That means that in dollar terms, everything in the country was 25% off. Japan is a relatively expensive country, so the plan was to limit the time there and move on from there. This meant there was no time to waste. I spent a week each in the 3 major cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka) and averaged over 10 miles on foot per day.
The cost report here won’t be totally accurate due to currency fluctuations and the return of tourist demand. As of writing the exchange rate is trending back downward, but still a relatively high 125/USD..
USD to JPY was at a 25 year high
Housing- Tokyo, unsurprisingly, was easily the most expensive of the three cities. I stayed in the APA hotel in the Asakusa District. The hotel was a decent 3 star hotel, with the usual features and easy subway access. It cost me around $65/night for a week. Kyoto and Osaka each had plenty of Ryokan (Japanese style inn/guesthouses) in local neighborhoods. Using Airbnb, I was able to book them for ~$35/night
Transport- Japan has both a cheap and extensive rail network. Just make sure you use the right passes for the right lines! Generally, they are split between:
City bus and subway operated by the respective cities. Expect 24 hour passes to be in the $5-7 range, or you can buy single ride tickets whose costs vary by distance
JR- They have intercity and intracity routes (don’t confuse them with the subway tickets..they don’t accept each other’s tickets)
Shinkansen- The legendary bullet train, with the max speed of 200 MPH. A one way ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto costs 14,000 JPY ($100) and takes 2 hours.
Food- I’d say food was similar in price to most US cities. A ramen meal or Okonomiyaki, Yakinuki, Bento (lunch box), etc can be in the $5-9 range at a diner type place. Sit down meals generally in the $20+ range.
For a lifelong anime and gaming nerd like me, most of Japan was a blast. I avoided the expensive bars and theaters and hit the streets. Tokyo has the anime/gaming nerd district of Akihabara, the Vegas-like lights of Shinjuku (the world’s busiest train station) and Shibuya (busiest pedestrian crossing), and the Imperial Palace. Kyoto- the historic capital of Japan- was home to some of the most majestic temples and hot springs in the country. Osaka, the “kitchen of Japan” and serves as home of the country’s comedy. There’s tons of variety
One thing to note is the ridiculous safety in this country. Boasting a homicide rate of 0.3/100,000, nearly nonexistent gun ownership, and an aging population, Japan is consistently rated as one of the safest countries in the world to visit. I watched kids under 10 riding the subway alone, and crossed paths with 80 year old ladies walking alone at midnight. If you are a novice traveler, worried about personal security abroad, Japan is a good place to get your feet wet. Just make sure to bring a translation app and plenty of cash.
