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SAN FRANCISCO – March 5, 2003 The Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) announced record-low rates for travel and accommodations in Japan. A recent Business Travel News article quoting JNTO’s announcement notes that business hotel rates in and around Tokyo are now running as low as $70.00 per night.
One shutters to think about the condition of such accommodations in New York or San Francisco – however, Japan accommodations are almost always immaculate, safe, well-maintained and usually within a few steps of public transportation. For trips abroad, business travelers typically choose international, four-star chain hotels to ensure safety, cleanliness and logistical convenience – traits which are found at nearly any hotel in Japan. Consequently, many affordable options are frequently overlooked.
For leisure travelers, staying at an exquisite ryokan is not only an exquisite cultural experience, it is often MORE affordable than a Western-style hotel, especially if meals are included. Rates at the renowned Motonago Ryokan in Kyoto’s celebrated Gion district were recently as low as $130.00 per night, which includes dinner and breakfast.
Japan’s 12-year recession has brought prices throughout the country to record lows – ‘toast & coffee’ sets at a local café can often be found for under $2.00; camera film costs about $5.00 a roll; cheeseburgers are going for less than a dollar; and a pork cutlet dinner set including soup, salad and rice are around $15.00.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, travel writer for The New York Times, recently wrote about her Italian feast in Kobe where one night she and her husband ‘gorged’ on a carafe of wine, prosciutto, garden vegetables, seafood linguine and fresh bread for under $80.00. In the heyday of the Bubble Economy, meals like this would have easily cleared $200.00 per person.
Transportation costs are no exception – the best deals for visitors are the 7-day and 14-day Japan Railways rail passes, which allows unlimited travel on all JR commuter trains and nearly all shinkansen (bullet trains), which covers many of the same routes as domestic air – in roughly the same amount of time. The price of one 7-day pass is currently $232.00. This price is approximately the same as the price of one round-trip shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Osaka. Travelers planning multiple stops in Japan benefit greatly from the savings afforded by the rail pass, which must be purchased prior to arrival in the country. Few flat-rate passes like this are available, and none is more useful and affordable than the JR Rail Pass.
So what about Japan’s notoriously expensive taxis?
Unlike other countries, taxis in Japan are a high-end form of transportation. They quickly become exorbitant when used for traversing longer distances. Take for example, transportation from Narita Airport to Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station, a distance of about 50 miles. These taxi rides can cost unsuspecting travelers anywhere from $160.00 to $200.00 – outrageous when compared to $50.00 for the 40-mile trip from Newark Airport into midtown Manhattan.
Visitors should think of Japanese taxis as miniature limousines. They are slightly larger than most sedans on the road. Drivers are mature, formal, unfailingly polite, and uniformed in black ties and white gloves. Vehicles are well-maintained and interiors are immaculate. In a country where space and privacy comes at a high premium, taxis are more easily afforded by groups traveling short distances – a group of 3 to 4 people traveling a couple of miles across town might cost around $3 – 4 per person.
With escalating safety concerns throughout the world, travel agencies are taking advantage of Japan’s affordability, rich cultural attractions and enviable safety record. London’s AsiaWorld may soon launch a brochure devoted entirely to the country, and Cox & Kings travel agency is reportedly featuring Japan for the first time this year. Given the current challenges facing the travel industry to deliver safe, affordable and enriching travel experiences, Japan deserves ample consideration.
Gregory Howell & Associates, Inc., dba G H A Travel, is a full-service travel management company specializing in the development, planning and execution of customized travel programs and events for corporations, organizations and individuals to Japan.
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If you would like more information on this topic, please contact Jennifer Hale at (800) 442-2240 or via email at Jennifer@ghatravel.com.
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