I said most of what I needed to say about my cousin’s stay in Japan I believe. Now on to little things here and there about her stay that I feel I need to tell you about.
TIPS# 1
Tips about trying to say money whiling traveling Japan: FOOD!!!!
So when you’re in Japan, other than the fact that EVERYTHING is expensive, depending on the country you’re from, there is a way to save money during your time there.
The first step is food. Food is one of the best ways to learn about a country’s culture and one of the greatest ways to feel happy. I mean it’s true right?? You get depressed, you eat. You’re boyfriend/ girlfriend cooks you this amazing breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you eat. You’re hungry, you eat. And comes after the first bite?? This burst of Happiness from eating something sooo delicious!! Yes, now to save money on food. You’re going to have to choose at what time of day did you want to eat out at a restaurant: breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Alternating? Well once you decide that, you have two times of day where you’re to have to eat elsewhere.
Places I recommend:
#1 100 Yen Shop
The “hyaku en shappu” (Japanese pronunciation for the store) you can find breakfast food, lunch food, and diner food and other random things for only 105 yen. This is equivalent to 1.34 US dollars. Yah I know, the price changes once you enter inside lol. I guess you can compare this to the 99 Cents Store within the states. It’s very convenient prices for when you’re traveling or when you are living in Japan, doing study abroad, teaching and stuff. The 100 yen shop was the go to store when I was at the International Christian Univerisity. It was right down the street. I also continuously used this store when I was traveling Kansai and staying in Asakusa.
#2 Conbini (Convenience store)
Conbini’s in Japan range from 7 Eleven to Family Mart to Sunkus to DailyMart to other shops, but these are the main ones. It’s there that you can pick up cheap food, and not just warm-up sh*t. My cousin and I always stopped by 7 eleven to pick up an onigiri, rice ball, for breakfast. It’s quick to eat and filling-ish lol. Also onigiri’s usually have some sort of surprise in the middle, for example, tuna. We always got the tuna onigiri. The prices range from 105- less than 300 yen. It really all depends on what’s inside. ^^
#3 Fast Food
Fast food may not be the healthiest choice, but it does save money. I can’t really speak for many places for being low [rices, but I will mention the places I have gone that had a menu similar to the states “1 Dollar Menu”. First off is McDonalds. This do have a 10o yen menu, but I think the 120 yen menu is way better. The breakfast menu for those two prices are good too. Second is Lotteria. I LOVE Lotteria. I usually got some sort of pie, or the ebi (shrimp) burger. It was sooo delicious. My absolute fav!!
#4 Side shops/ restaurants that don’t look too fancy
Let me tell you, I didn’t have to go to some top notch restaurant to get some authentic Japanese food. There are splenty of not-so-top-notch looking restaurants that see amazing Japanese food like udon, ramen, katsudon, and many more. You just have to look around. I prmise you will find something good, filling, and cheap to eat!!
PLACES TO CHECK OUT: These are chain restaurants (SUPER CHEAP) throughout Tokyo, and probably Japan that I recommend.
Matsuya, Sukiya, Yoshinoya: These are two different chains, but they sell practically the same types of foods. (i.e.beef bowls)
Gusto: This restaurant is a 24hr restaurant. They have something called, “drink bar,” where you can have access to all non-alcohalic drinks, limitless time, for like 4 bucks. It’s a good place to study!! The also have pretty cheap meals too. Check it out!!
Tales From Japan 