Planning my first trip to Japan in the next few months. I've read through a lot of the older threads but wanted to check if the info is still current.
My main questions:
- Best area to stay for easy access to the scene?
- Realistic daily budget?
- Any areas to avoid?
- How welcoming are the locals to foreign visitors?
I'm coming from Canada and have experience in Latin America but this would be my first time in Japan.
Thanks for any help!
Japan day vs night comparison
Started by DCExplorer · 6 Mar 2026 · 1901 views
Posts: 1,993
Rep: 0
Joined: Jan 2026
Location: Washington, DC
6 Mar 2026 at 17:29
0
Posts: 1,951
Rep: 0
Joined: Dec 2025
Location: Dallas, TX
7 Mar 2026 at 03:25
Hmm, I had a different experience. Prices were lower when I went. Maybe timing matters.
0
Posts: 1,861
Rep: 0
Joined: Mar 2026
Location: Calgary, Canada
7 Mar 2026 at 06:22
Thanks for the write-up. Very helpful for my upcoming trip.
Calgary Kevin — Calgary, Canada
0
Posts: 1,876
Rep: 0
Joined: Mar 2026
Location: Halifax, Canada
7 Mar 2026 at 09:05
Agreed on all points. Make sure to bring small bills.
0
Posts: 1,951
Rep: 0
Joined: Dec 2025
Location: Dallas, TX
7 Mar 2026 at 16:26
100% agree. The variety is hard to beat.
0
Posts: 1,928
Rep: 0
Joined: Jan 2026
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
7 Mar 2026 at 18:40
Any restaurant recs for the daytime?
Winnipeg, Canada | Member since 2024
0
Posts: 1,877
Rep: 0
Joined: Feb 2026
Location: Dublin, Ireland
8 Mar 2026 at 00:52
Can confirm. Was there 2 weeks ago and everything checks out.
Dublin, Ireland | 34 countries visited
0
Posts: 1,901
Rep: 0
Joined: Mar 2026
Location: Sacramento, CA
8 Mar 2026 at 01:10
What was your total spend roughly? Trying to budget for mine.
Sacramento Sal — Sacramento, CA
0
Posts: 1,852
Rep: 0
Joined: Jan 2026
Location: Miami, FL
8 Mar 2026 at 07:59
I was there in February and prices were slightly higher.
Spent about $88/day all-in. Quality was excellent.
My tip: midweek is golden hour.
Spent about $88/day all-in. Quality was excellent.
My tip: midweek is golden hour.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice." — Miami, FL
0
Posts: 1,832
Rep: 0
Joined: Mar 2026
Location: Edmonton, Canada
8 Mar 2026 at 14:56
Interesting take but I think you overpaid. Try using a different site next time.
Do your research, respect the locals, stay safe. — Northern Lights
0
Posts: 1,852
Rep: 0
Joined: Feb 2026
Location: Newark, NJ
8 Mar 2026 at 22:39
Agreed on all points. Make sure to use a VPN.
0
Posts: 1,915
Rep: 0
Joined: Mar 2026
Location: Ottawa, Canada
9 Mar 2026 at 07:45
Quick question — how was the Uber availability?
Ottawa, Canada | 18 countries visited
0
Posts: 1,865
Rep: 0
Joined: Jan 2026
Location: Birmingham, UK
9 Mar 2026 at 12:16
Thanks for the write-up. Very helpful for my upcoming trip.
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."
0
Posts: 1,830
Rep: 0
Joined: Jan 2026
Location: Toronto, Canada
9 Mar 2026 at 20:11
I was there in March and prices were exactly as described.
Spent about $136/day all-in. Quality was excellent.
My tip: the late night crowd is different.
Spent about $136/day all-in. Quality was excellent.
My tip: the late night crowd is different.
0
Posts: 1,894
Rep: 0
Joined: Mar 2026
Location: Phoenix, AZ
9 Mar 2026 at 23:09
I was there in March and prices were great value.
Spent about $80/day all-in. Quality was excellent.
My tip: midweek is golden hour.
Spent about $80/day all-in. Quality was excellent.
My tip: midweek is golden hour.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice." — Phoenix, AZ
0
Posts: 1,909
Rep: 0
Joined: Mar 2026
Location: Detroit, MI
9 Mar 2026 at 23:42
This matches my experience. Japan is one of my favorites.
Detroit, MI | 12 countries visited
0
Posts: 1,839
Rep: 0
Joined: Feb 2026
Location: Leeds, UK
10 Mar 2026 at 01:47
Did you feel safe walking around at night?
Yorkshire Lad — Leeds, UK
0
Posts: 1,951
Rep: 0
Joined: Feb 2026
Location: Seattle, WA
10 Mar 2026 at 11:32
I was there in February and prices were exactly as described.
Spent about $112/day all-in. Quality was above average.
My tip: midweek is golden hour.
Spent about $112/day all-in. Quality was above average.
My tip: midweek is golden hour.
0
Posts: 1,924
Rep: 0
Joined: Feb 2026
Location: Austin, TX
10 Mar 2026 at 14:50
What was your total spend roughly? Trying to budget for mine.
Austin Alex — Austin, TX
0
Posts: 1,839
Rep: 0
Joined: Feb 2026
Location: Leeds, UK
10 Mar 2026 at 18:53
With respect, my experience was more mixed. But maybe I went at the wrong time.
Yorkshire Lad — Leeds, UK
0