Truth is that I'm planning of going Japan for a vacation before I headed back to Singapore to re-start my life in Singapore. I'm not intending to tell my parent as I already can guess what kind of answer will they give me. They always reject any of my idea regarding to vacation. They never understand why are vacation so important that I'm willing to spend so much money on it. Truth is I don't understand how can they go on working for so long with no vacation in between. Thinking of the life that went through, I NEVER WANT TO BE LIKE THAT. Therefore no matter what are they going to say, I decided to go on this trip without them knowing about it at all. Hope below article can really help me to save some cash for this trip !!
Cut and paste from - https://sg.news.yahoo.com/photos/experience-japan-without-breaking-the-bank-slideshow/1-flight-tickets-photo-1416970350523.html
Two’s company, three’s a crowd. If you think that paying a visit to the Land of the Rising Sun is out of your reach because of budget constraints, think again. Now that Japan has slipped into recession and the yen has depreciated against the other major currencies in the world, perhaps you might want to reconsider your stance on flying over, and I have some tips that might help ease the pinch on your wallet throughout your stay in Nihon-koku, whether you are traveling solo or as a couple. By Edwin Kee
Cut and paste from - https://sg.news.yahoo.com/photos/experience-japan-without-breaking-the-bank-slideshow/1-flight-tickets-photo-1416970350523.html
Experience Japan without breaking the bank
Two’s company, three’s a crowd. If you think that paying a visit to the Land of the Rising Sun is out of your reach because of budget constraints, think again. Now that Japan has slipped into recession and the yen has depreciated against the other major currencies in the world, perhaps you might want to reconsider your stance on flying over, and I have some tips that might help ease the pinch on your wallet throughout your stay in Nihon-koku, whether you are traveling solo or as a couple. By Edwin Kee
1. Flight tickets
There is the famous proverb that goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Making your way to Japan (and back, of course) is half the job done, and you can always keep a keen eye out on the various airlines as well as travel fairs. Sometimes, full service airlines do have an all-in fare that is comparable to that of budget airlines after you take the other details such as luggage and meals on-board into consideration. Not only that, a connecting flight from a different country might cost less than a direct flight, which leaves you with the opportunity to explore another country even if it is for an overnight stay (or two).
There is the famous proverb that goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Making your way to Japan (and back, of course) is half the job done, and you can always keep a keen eye out on the various airlines as well as travel fairs. Sometimes, full service airlines do have an all-in fare that is comparable to that of budget airlines after you take the other details such as luggage and meals on-board into consideration. Not only that, a connecting flight from a different country might cost less than a direct flight, which leaves you with the opportunity to explore another country even if it is for an overnight stay (or two).
2. Purchase travel passes
Getting around in Japan is easy and convenient - if you are not going to rely on taxis, of course, since those can induce a heart attack when you see the meter ticking faster than Usain Bolt crossing the finish line in a 100 meter race. Most cities or prefectures that you go to would have day passes on sale that are cheaper than ala carte ticket purchases, allowing you to hop on the different modes of transport (a mixture of rail, trams, ferries and buses in some cases) throughout the entire day so that you can cover all the sights without sweating over the fare. If you intend to visit different cities outside of Tokyo, it would be advisable to pick up the corresponding Japan Rail Pass, as it offers unlimited ride on the applicable shinkansen (bullet train) and other JR modes of transport. Alternatively, take an overnight bus if you have the time to spare - not only are you able to spend an entire day at the city of your choice and sleep your way through to the next city, arriving early the next morning, you also save on a night’s accommodation.
Getting around in Japan is easy and convenient - if you are not going to rely on taxis, of course, since those can induce a heart attack when you see the meter ticking faster than Usain Bolt crossing the finish line in a 100 meter race. Most cities or prefectures that you go to would have day passes on sale that are cheaper than ala carte ticket purchases, allowing you to hop on the different modes of transport (a mixture of rail, trams, ferries and buses in some cases) throughout the entire day so that you can cover all the sights without sweating over the fare. If you intend to visit different cities outside of Tokyo, it would be advisable to pick up the corresponding Japan Rail Pass, as it offers unlimited ride on the applicable shinkansen (bullet train) and other JR modes of transport. Alternatively, take an overnight bus if you have the time to spare - not only are you able to spend an entire day at the city of your choice and sleep your way through to the next city, arriving early the next morning, you also save on a night’s accommodation.
3. Lunch sets are your friends
Most of the time, lunch sets offer a whole lot more value for your hard earned money than dinner, since eating establishments tend to throw in an additional salad or appetizer, or even a cup of coffee. Do take note that most of the time, iced water or generic green tea is free, and you will have to help yourself to those, so not ordering drinks at your meal is acceptable (and agreeable to your bank account, too). Most of the time, food portions in Japan can be seen from the plastic food replicas that are on display outside of the restaurant, and they follow the WYSIWYG formula - what you see is what you get. Hence, couples can opt to share a meal and leave satisfied.
Most of the time, lunch sets offer a whole lot more value for your hard earned money than dinner, since eating establishments tend to throw in an additional salad or appetizer, or even a cup of coffee. Do take note that most of the time, iced water or generic green tea is free, and you will have to help yourself to those, so not ordering drinks at your meal is acceptable (and agreeable to your bank account, too). Most of the time, food portions in Japan can be seen from the plastic food replicas that are on display outside of the restaurant, and they follow the WYSIWYG formula - what you see is what you get. Hence, couples can opt to share a meal and leave satisfied.
4. Drop by grocery stores in the evening for food markdowns
Wastage is largely frowned upon in Japan, which is a good habit to cultivate. Hence, grocery and department stores that sell food tend to mark down the prices of near-expired food products, and there is a wide selection to choose from which you can purchase for your dinner, as well as some pastry for breakfast the next morning. Naturally speaking, the later it gets, the lower the chances of you picking up good bargains since most of them would have been snapped up already by other bargain hunters. This allows you to vary your meals if you want something different. Apart from that, there is the convenience of microwave ovens in most establishments that let you warm up your food - handy when the mercury drops.
Wastage is largely frowned upon in Japan, which is a good habit to cultivate. Hence, grocery and department stores that sell food tend to mark down the prices of near-expired food products, and there is a wide selection to choose from which you can purchase for your dinner, as well as some pastry for breakfast the next morning. Naturally speaking, the later it gets, the lower the chances of you picking up good bargains since most of them would have been snapped up already by other bargain hunters. This allows you to vary your meals if you want something different. Apart from that, there is the convenience of microwave ovens in most establishments that let you warm up your food - handy when the mercury drops.
5. Pick up souvenirs at the airport before departing
Now this might seem to be a rather strange practice, but there are stores in Japan’s Narita Airport after the security clearance and immigration area which offer tax free purchases, helping you skip on the 8% tax levied on all purchases. Not only does this help you maximise the amount of yen that you spend, you will also be able to pick up some of the items in a fresher condition - right before you fly home, which is essential for some of the more easily perishable delicacies such as the famed Tokyo Banana.
There you have it - I sincerely hope that you would have found some of these tips useful, and it does help if you were to arm yourself with a smattering of the basic Japanese greetings. A little bit of banter goes a long way in making your holiday more enjoyable, and the Japanese are a polite and hospitable people who would go great lengths to help you have a memorable trip.
Now this might seem to be a rather strange practice, but there are stores in Japan’s Narita Airport after the security clearance and immigration area which offer tax free purchases, helping you skip on the 8% tax levied on all purchases. Not only does this help you maximise the amount of yen that you spend, you will also be able to pick up some of the items in a fresher condition - right before you fly home, which is essential for some of the more easily perishable delicacies such as the famed Tokyo Banana.
There you have it - I sincerely hope that you would have found some of these tips useful, and it does help if you were to arm yourself with a smattering of the basic Japanese greetings. A little bit of banter goes a long way in making your holiday more enjoyable, and the Japanese are a polite and hospitable people who would go great lengths to help you have a memorable trip.
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