How much money do you need for a trip to Japan in 2026?

It all depends on how many days you're going for and what level of comfort you need. Flights from Russia to Japan aren't cheap - that's the lion's share of your budget, especially if you're not booking tickets six months in advance. Then you need to factor in accommodation, food, transportation within the country, and entertainment. For a week, it's generally considered comfortable to budget around 100,000 to 150,000 rubles (excluding flights) - that's if you're not staying in luxury hotels but also not hunting for the cheapest hostels.

As for specific expenses on the ground: food in regular cafes is reasonably priced, roughly like in major Russian cities, and a weekly public transport pass is pretty affordable. If you decide to skip organized tours and explore the country on your own, it'll be cheaper. The main thing is to account for a visa and travel insurance - that costs money too.

Of course, a lot depends on personal preferences: some people are fine sleeping in capsule hotels and eating at chain restaurants, others look for authentic places and are willing to splurge. If you want concrete numbers, try finding fresh travel reports in blogs or on YouTube - people usually lay out honestly what their trip actually cost.

I've been to Japan a couple of times and each trip ended up with a totally different budget. The first time I was kind of rushing with my spending, the second time I planned ahead. The main thing I figured out is that people aren't wrong when they say the flight is half your expenses. But there's something a lot of people forget about: traveling between cities in Japan is actually super cheap.

If you go for the minimum level - hostels, local food (ramen, donburi, supermarkets) - you won't need to set aside that much for a week once you've paid for the flight. But if you want nicer hotels, decent restaurants, guided tours - then your on-the-ground expenses will go up noticeably. Plus the season matters: summer and cherry blossom season are pricier, fall and winter are cheaper.

My advice: if budget is tight, cut down the number of days or save up for the ticket rather than skimping on accommodation there. A uncomfortable place where you can't sleep properly will ruin your whole trip. And definitely factor a JR Pass into your budget - if you're traveling between prefectures, it's cheaper than any individual tickets.