Many people still think of Japan as an extremely expensive country where you’d need thousands of euros to travel. Fortunately, Japan’s economy has been struggling for decades, and the yen has hit historic lows (for example, it has weakened by 13% against the forint this year - almost as much as the US dollar). Since there was virtually no inflation for about 25 years, Japan’s overall price level has now become lower than Hungary’s in many respects. To give just a few examples: you can easily have lunch for 6-7 euros, drinks like cola, water, or canned coffee are 30–40% cheaper in supermarkets, and there’s no tourist surcharge anywhere - whether you buy a drink on the most expensive street in Tokyo or 100 km away, you’ll pay the same price.

This was my fifth visit to the island nation, and I still have to say that in terms of value for money, it’s the best place for a 14–17 day trip. The only expensive part is the flight (this time it cost about 800 euros with a Chinese airline, though it used to be around 1000-1100 EUR per person). Accommodation for two in 3-star hotels costs around 90-100 euros per night, so overall - especially considering that these are the two biggest expenses - a trip to Japan can be cheaper than one to a Western European destination.

So what’s so great about Japan? The reliability and quality of the services. Every hotel has a large self-check-in machine — the receptionist will assist you if needed, but you handle everything yourself. Everything is clearly marked in English, and since COVID, Japan’s payment system has also improved a lot. Previously, many places accepted only cash, but now, in larger cities, foreign cards work almost everywhere except with small street vendors (I used Wise, but I assume Revolut works too). Withdrawing cash also costs less than 1% in fees, so it’s enough to exchange a small amount of yen in advance on Wise or Revolut and use that during your trip.

Another impressive thing is the transportation. Over 12 days, we spent a total of about 200 EUR for two people - and traveled nearly 1,000 km. Calculated per passenger-kilometer, it’s barely more expensive than the Hungarian railway. Except here, there are no delays, and even regular commuter trains travel at 120–150 km/h (and they cover the entire country). We didn’t use the shinkansen bullet train this time — we only traveled around the Tokyo area — but even that is quite affordable: about 70-75 EUR per person for a 500 km trip in 2.5 hours. If only Europe had such an efficient high-speed rail network (instead of just a few routes between major cities, like the Eurostar between London and Paris).

So if someone wants to travel to Japan for only slightly more than the price of a Western European vacation, now’s the time - and you can experience what it’s like when a country truly works. It’s also important to note that for local Japanese people, things aren’t as rosy as they appear to tourists — the country is clearly facing challenges (falling wages, rising public debt, an aging population, etc.). But these are issues beneath the surface; on the surface, Japan remains a genuine tourist paradise. Hopefully it stays that way for years to come, because I definitely plan to return for a sixth visit.