A kaiseki meal in Japan typically ranges from ¥10,000 to over ¥40,000 per person for dinner at high-end restaurants, excluding drinks. More affordable options are available, particularly at lunch, where courses often start around ¥4,000 to ¥8,000. For a more accessible experience, some places offer, or bento-style, sets for ¥2,000–¥4,000.
In short, per-person daily budgets range broadly, roughly $50–100 (frugal) to $150–250 (mid) to $500+ (luxury) per day. As above, budget travellers might manage on roughly ¥8,000–10,000 ($50–$70) per day with hostels and convenience store food. A mid-range traveller often plans ¥20,000–30,000 ($130–$200) per day.
Typically, even at high-end sushi restaurants in Tokyo, an omakase course runs around ¥50,000 per person; in winter, Japanese restaurants serving rare ingredients like Matsuba crab or wild fugu sometimes reach ¥100,000 per person (＊2).
For some of us, leftovers are inevitable. This is especially true if you tend to eat with your eyes first and serve yourself more than you can finish. But since kaiseki dishes are just the right amount, it's expected to be finished and leave a clean plate.
The one-third rule refers to the business practice that is unique to the food industry, in which the best before date is divided into 3 parts and food manufacturers and wholesalers deliver products to retailers before the end of the first part period.
The "Rule of 5" in Japanese food, known as Gomi Goshiki Goho (五味五色五法), is a traditional principle of washoku emphasizing balance through five flavors, five colors, and five cooking methods to create harmonious, nutritious, and aesthetically pleasing meals. It also extends to five senses (gokan) and even five attitudes for a holistic dining experience.
Travelers can wear shorts in hot weather, but don't wear cut-offs, board shorts, etc. Most Japanese women don't show their shoulders, belly or cleavage.
Traditionally, 4 is unlucky because it is sometimes pronounced shi, which is the word for death. Sometimes levels or rooms with 4 do not exist in hospitals or hotels.
While holding hands is generally fine in Japan, kissing in public is strongly frowned upon and considered awkward or inappropriate, making it best to save passionate displays for private settings like hotels or homes, as it goes against traditional Japanese modesty and personal space norms, even if younger people are slightly more tolerant.
Blowing your nose at the table, burping and audible munching are considered bad manners in Japan. On the other hand, it is considered good style to empty your dishes to the last grain of rice.
While kaiseki and omakase are both refined ways to enjoy Japanese cuisine, they refer to different things. Kaiseki is a style of traditional Japanese multi-course dining that focuses on seasonality and presentation. Omakase is a style of ordering food, where the customer leaves the food selection to the chef.
How much cash to bring to Japan 2 weeks from the UK?
(You'll use cards, Suica, or QR code payments, so that 20,000 yen won't go down much.) If your cash runs low, just withdraw the amount you need from an ATM and you should be fine. Credit cards can be used in most places, so I think 100,000 yen would be enough for a two-week trip.
How much money do I need to save for 2 weeks in Japan?
For this length of trip, I would budget $4 – 6k AUD for a couple of budget to mid-range travellers looking to spend 2 weeks in Japan (excluding flights and travel insurance). Here's the average cost of a trip to Japan for a typical mid-range traveller: Accommodation: $100 – 250 per day. Food & Drinks: $70 – 150 per day.
