Japan is a large, diverse country with many cultures. This is not just a Japanese country or Japanese culture, but also Chinese, Korean, American, and European influences.
This is what makes Japan so expensive! While most things are affordable, you have to look for them and know how to budget.
For example, while kombu {a seaweed} is inexpensive in a box of three salmon fillets, it would be very difficult to budget for three salmon fillets when you need them the next day.
Some things are luxury items and can cost hundreds of dollars. While these things may be worth it in the end, first you must know what they are costed for and what they are for.
This article will talk about some of the more expensive things in Japan and why they are so expensive.
Contents:
Yen depreciation it
Recently, the value of the dollar has fallen, making Japanese products costlier in foreign markets. This has caused some people to question the value of the yen against the dollar, and whether Japan is really that expensive.
This is a good thing! If you are worried about price trends, buying expensive things now will help you stay informed and in touch with current trends.
For instance, high-end watches are becoming popular nowadays. You can buy a very expensive watch now for around $3,000! These watches are not going to last very long before they need to be replaced, which is another cost-saving measure.
Another trend that people are moving towards is buying cheap but nice phones.
Limited inventory it
One of the biggest problems that Expensive Japans owners face is limited inventory. Due to its high cost, Japan is rarely the only place you can get what you want!
Many times, new owners of Expensive Japans are first time users. They do not have experience in buying Japanese items or how to purchase them. This can be frustrating because there are not many reviews or positive comments about this site.
Some people say they did not receive their order in time due to this fact, but ultimately it is your own fault for ordering before you have all the answers to how to order and what to order!
This article will go into detail and answer some of the most common questions about Expensive Japans.
Japan’s economy it
Despite being one of the world’s most expensive places to live, Japan is still a very affordable country to visit. While the cost of staying in a hotel in Japan is still fairly high, seeing the capital Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto will alone cost you less than US$100 (about €110 or £130).
Many of the highlights in Japan are free to visit. They include Mount Fuji, Nara City and Kyoto. Many sights such as temples and historic sites are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Despite having such free attractions, visiting Japan can be costly. With all the sights and activities included in an itinerary-style Japanese tour, you will spend close to US$1,000! However, with some research and planning, you can make a cheap Japanese tour for yourself.
This article will talk about some ways to make a cheap Japanese itinerary-style tour so that you can see all of the major cities that are on offer on your trip.
Tourism it
Recent developments include mass transit systems and the integration of automobiles and public transportation.
Japan has an extensive rail system that links many cities making it an easy place to travel. Its islands make it an appealing tourist destination, especially in summer when beaches are prevalent.
Its numerous bridges and viaducts make it a challenge to navigate, so be prepared with your climbing gear! Some of these bridges have been labeled as National Treasures.
As mentioned before, its islands make for a very appealing tourist destination with many interesting sites to visit. Since they are small, cute, and in proportion to their size, they tend to draw a lot of people.
These sites are expensive to visit due to currency exchange fees, so be prepared to save up.
Foreign workers it
As mentioned earlier, foreigners can work in Japan for a few years before they have to move back to their home country. This is for two main reasons: the government offers them immigration and citizenship in their home country, and the cost of living is high enough that they need to be formally registered as employees.
The second category of immigrants is those who qualify for legal status but not citizenship. These include refugees and displaced people, as well as people brought in military service.
Military-law immigrants are still required to have a job or a family member to take care of since they do not officially join the military.
If you are an immigrant who costs money, see if you can apply for help with your application for citizenship or immigration, respectively.
Rare items it
While most of us can’t afford to go to Japan, there are a few things that should be done in the country. You can find some rare items there, and expensive ones!
First, let’s discuss why rare items are expensive in Japan. As we mentioned earlier, cost-cutting measures have been happening in the fashion industry. Producers have found new ways to charge higher prices for their products due to imported materials and manufacturing techniques.
The average person does not need these new features or charges higher for them. Therefore, the producers don’t pay royalties on sales!
Then, we come to energy-saving devices. Many people purchase these due to Japanese influence of appearances being important. People also believe that looking good makes them feel better about themselves, and might buy these without thinking about cost.
Limited space it
As mentioned earlier, Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world. It is also one of the most expensive. Because Tokyo houses such a large population, it is very limited in space.
Like New York or London, there are areas controlled by luxury brands and high end stores everywhere. But in comparison to other cities with a similar size population, like Sao Paulo or Guangzhou, Tokyo feels like an oversize luxury brand store.
This has real side effects. People who live and work in downtown Tokyo are forced to travel long distances for their activities. They must often sit in plane or train seats for hours before takeoff and after landing, because there are not enough seats on public transportation systems.
This can be costly! Many people choose to visit places like Disneyland Paris or Almond Airline City due to this limited mobility factor.
Transportation it
The cost of living in Japan is definitely not cheap. While most people look at Japan and think high quality goods and services, they do not realize that it is in fact the expensive countries are!
Unlike the United States, where you can find something inexpensive every once in a while, in Japan you will find things expensive every which means that you will have to pay more for them. For example, one dozen eggs costs around 200-250 yen ($2-2.5), a bottle of water costs around 100 yen ($1), and a box of condoms costs around 40 yen ($0.35).
These prices may seem low to U.S. people, who are used to higher prices in the United States.