How Much Does it Cost for a 1-week Vacation to Japan?

Planning a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun? Here’s how much a one-week trip to Japan costs, including flights, accommodations, meals and more.

The home of sushi, anime, feudal castles and sakura flowers, Japan is a top holiday destination among Singaporeans. Located just 7 hours away by plane, the country offers an exotic experience that has captivated legions of fans. 

Itching to experience Japan for yourself, but not sure how much it would cost? Read on for a quick primer on how much a typical one-week vacation to Japan would cost.

Table of contents

• Japan vacation cost breakdown
• How much does a trip to Japan cost for 1 week?
• How much money should you bring to Japan?
• How to save on travel expenses for a one-week vacation in Japan

Japan vacation cost breakdown 

The budget for a trip to Japan is best managed by splitting it up into sub-budgets, as follows:

• Plane tickets
• Travel insurance 
• Accommodation costs
• Meals 
• Transport 
• Shopping, attractions and other discretionary costs 

Plane tickets 

How much you pay for your flight to Japan will depend on a couple of factors, such as the airport you’re flying to, when you’re flying, and whether you choose a budget carrier or a full service airline. 

To give you a rough idea, here’re some flight prices we pulled from Skyscanner for a flight to Tokyo Narita International Airport. These are for round-trip, economy class tickets for one adult, departing on 1 August 2025, and returning on 8 August 2025.

A return flight ticket to Tokyo would cost anywhere from S$500 to over S$1,000, depending on the airline chosen. With such a large variance in ticket prices, it is essential to comparison shop for the best flight – best in terms of timing, service and cost. 

Surprisingly, while budget airlines offer the cheapest flights, full service airlines aren’t much more expensive. Cathay Pacific costs less than S$100 more than the cheapest option. ANA isn’t too far behind either, although you’d need to pay around S$180 more. 

The most expensive option we found was Singapore Airlines, which quoted a total cost of S$1,159.

Travel insurance 

Travel insurance is essential – just ask anyone who’ve had the misfortune of facing cancelled flights, losing their luggage, or even having to go to the hospital while overseas. 

The good news is, travel insurance is highly affordable and won’t take up too much of your budget. For our single-trip plan to cover our one-week Japan trip, MSIG’s Standard Plan starts from just S$30.60. It offers S$250,000 cover for overseas medical expenses, S$5,000 for trip cancellation, S$3,000 for lost luggage, and more.  

Accommodations

Here, too, you’ll find a range of options to suit different budgets. You can pick from different accommodations including hotels, Airbnbs, ryokans (traditional Japanese-style inns) and capsule hotels, just to name a few. 

See the following table for estimated costs per night for each of these options.

If it’s your first time in Tokyo and not sure what to expect, a hotel would probably be the safest – if conventional – choice. You can pick from several four-star hotels that offer affordable rooms with basic amenities, great for no-frills stays. 

But if you’re looking to pamper yourself, you’ll find no lack of options to do so. There are plenty of luxury hotels that will elevate your holiday experience to something approaching magical, provided you’re willing to splurge.

The same goes with ryokans, which are traditional guesthouses offering an authentic Japanese homestay experience. Expect tatami rooms, futons and hot spring baths – along with daily traditional Japanese breakfast. Ryokans are commonly enjoyed as part of a hot spring visit, with the higher end ones serving a gourmet dinner that comes included with the price. However, you can also find more budget friendly ryokans in the urban zones, catered to travellers.  

As for Airbnbs and capsule hotels, what you see is what you’ll get, pretty much. Both can offer great value-for-money, but come with limited amenities and facilities. 

Meals

Source: https://matcha-jp.com/en/2532

One thing that always surprises visitors (and perhaps also keeps them going back) is how affordable meals in Japan actually are. Between fast food chains and casual dining places, you’ll find plenty of cheap, delicious and healthy meals to savour, including sushi, rice bowls, ramen, curry and more. 

If you’re looking for something a little more balanced, head over to Japanese family restaurants for teishoku, meal sets served with a main dish (usually meat or fish) with rice, miso soup, and other side dishes like a salad.

For a quintessential Japanese dining experience, pay a visit to an izakaya after dark. These Japanese-style pubs offer alcohol and a variety of side dishes to go with, such as karaage, yakitori, stewed meats and seasoned vegetables. 

And of course, when in Japan, wagyu is simply a must for beef lovers. Take your pick of any yakiniku or teppanyaki restaurant that catches your eye – you won’t go wrong. Just know that dinner menus usually come with a heftier price tag; opt for lunch to save some yen if you don’t mind a more pared down experience.

Transport

Sources: Tokyo Metro | Buses | Taxis

Assuming you’re spending the entirety of your trip in Tokyo, you can easily get around the city using the subway, public buses and taxis. 

For the most part, the subway will bring you where you want to go. Fares are affordable, ranging from S$1.60 to S$2,90 per trip, depending on distance. Alternatively, you can also try taking the public buses, most routes charge a flat rate no matter how far you travel. 

Taxis are another convenient option, but cost much more than buses or trains. They aren’t prohibitively expensive though, so don’t be afraid to hop into one if you’re lost or in a hurry. 

Discretionary spending (shopping, attractions, etc.)

Finally, don’t forget to budget for discretionary spending, such as shopping for gifts and souvenirs. Japan is well known for top quality packaging and gift presentation, honed through their centuries-old culture of omiyage (overseas gifts and souvenirs presented to family and colleagues after a holiday). 

Also, if you’re planning to visit ticketed attractions such as theme parks, museums, national heritage sites and such, be sure to research ahead to find out how they would cost. Whenever possible, pre-purchase your tickets online so you don’t have to waste time queueing. 

How much does a trip to Japan cost for 1 week?

Using the average prices we found – and rounded up for some wiggle room – we estimate that a one week vacation to Tokyo could cost just under S$2.500 per adult. This budget includes everything from flights to hotel accommodation, meals, transport via subway and a small sum for discretionary spending. 

Note that this is a rather no-frills budget. For example, we’re estimating S$50 per day for meals, which should cover three casual dining meals with room for the occasional restaurant meal. However, if you’re aiming for Michelin-starred places for every meal, then this budget will obviously fall short. 

Still, this budget serves as a basic framework, so feel free to tweak it to suit your preferences. 

How much money should you bring to Japan?

For major cities and metropolises like Tokyo, cashless payments such as QR codes and credit cards are widespread. Cash payments will likely be minimal, so you won’t need to bring too much cash. 

Note though that places such as temples, cafes, vending machines and other smaller or local establishments accept cash payments only, so it’s a good idea to keep some on you regardless. Perhaps a couple of hundred SGD would suffice. 

If you run out of cash, head over to your nearest 7-Eleven or post office to find ATMs that work with foreign cards. 

How to save on travel expenses for a one-week vacation in Japan

Avoid flying on weekends 

If possible, avoid flying on weekends or public holidays. This can help you save on airfares, and you may also find better selections in terms of what time you fly, and the seats available to you. 

Avoid peak periods too

For that matter, try to avoid travelling during Japan’s major holidays, such as Golden Week (late April through early May), or during sakura season. Not only will prices be inflated due to higher demand, you’re also likely to face overcrowding everywhere you go. 

Book your holiday early 

Last minute bookings rarely work out well. You’ll be forced to pay higher prices, and likely face poorer options for your flights or accommodations – sometimes both. 

If you’re quick, you can score some deals during online travel promotions. However, these usually come with multiple restrictions, so be sure to read the fine print to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. 

Use your air miles and hotel reward points

In the vast majority of cases, flights and accommodations make up the largest portion of your travel budget. That’s why it’s most productive to focus your money saving efforts in these areas. 

The best way to save on flight tickets is not to pay for them. Well, not with cash anyway. Instead get an air miles credit card and pay for your flights with miles. This will knock a chunk off your travel expenses, which means more money for shopping, attractions, or that fancy meal you’ve always wanted to try!

The same applies to hotels – why pay for rooms when you can redeem free nights, and maybe even enjoy upgrades and other perks? Between online travel booking platforms (Agoda, Hotels.com, etc,) and dedicated hotel loyalty programmes (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, etc.) there’s plenty of ways to save on hotels when you travel. 

Choose one that suits you best, and you’ll soon be enjoying free stays at your favourite hotels.