How Much Does A Family Trip To Japan Cost (Our Real Budget Breakdown With Receipts)
Japan had always felt like a “once in a lifetime” trip for us, and when we started planning our first trip, it was one we weren’t sure we would be able to afford. I know many families feel exactly the same. But we’ve recently returned from our FOURTH trip to Japan, and this one was the longest trip so far, spending a month in the country. And it wasn’t as eye-wateringly expensive as you might expect.
To help you budget your own trip, here’s exactly what a full month of travelling around Japan cost us as a family of four. This includes flights, hotels, food, transport and everything in between.
No estimates. No guessing. Just real numbers with real receipts!
Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!
What Our One Month Japan Trip Cost (Family of Four)
Here’s a breakdown of exactly what we spent travelling around Japan for a month:
- Flights: £3,225
- Accommodation: £3,495
- Internal flights: £703
- Activities and tickets: £2,800
- Transport (trains and local travel): £300-600
- Food and daily spending: £2,900
👉 Total cost: £13,423 for a family of four
💡 Some experiences on this trip were gifted (including Universal Studios Japan, Sanrio Puroland and the Asakusa sumo dinner show). To give a realistic pictures, I’ve included their estimated value in the totals above.
WHAT WE ACTUALLY PAID
To be completely transparent, I want to be as honest as possible. Because some of our experiences were gifted, our actual spend in Japan was slightly lower, and we calcuated this to be £11,000. Our budget for the trip was £10,000, but we went over this because we chose two luxury hotel options. These were amazing experiences that we don’t regret!
Saving Money on Flights to Tokyo
We spent £3,225 on return flights from London Heathrow to Tokyo Haneda airport, with a short layover in Seoul. This was the price for a family of four: two adults, and two children aged 13 and 10.
We flew with Korean Air, not for the first time, and we LOVE this airline. It’s also consistently one of the most affordable family options.
👉 Korean Air Review 2026: Is Korean Air Good? Is It Really The Best Economy Class Airline?
We booked our flights 12 months in advance, because we wanted the exact dates locked in to get the best rates for our hotels, and we also find with long haul flights like this, either booking well in advance or booking at the last minute are the best ways to get the cheapest prices.
Accommodation: What We Spent on Hotels in Japan
Accommodation was one of our biggest costs during this trip, but also one of the areas where we made some very deliberate choices as a family. For example, we saved money on our longest stays in Tokyo and Osaka, but splurged on a resort in Okinawa, a partner hotel during our time at Tokyo Disney, and the Pokemon Room at the MIMARU Hotel in Kinchico, Tokyo, for the last two nights of our trip.
In total, we spent:
£3,495 on accommodation for 28 nights That’s an average of almost £125 per night for a family of four
Considering the quality, space, and locations we stayed in, this ended up being far better value than most people would expect. Japan has a reputation for expensive hotels, especially in Tokyo, but it’s definitely possible to save money on your hotels if you’re on a budget.
Our Japan Accommodation Breakdown
We stayed in a mix of hotels and apartments across Japan, depending on the type of stop and what we needed at that point in the trip. Apartments and apart-hotels are definitely the cheapest options for families, which you’ll see when you look at the costs below:
Tokyo Disney: Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel (3 nights)
£706.10
We started our trip at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel, and this was one of our favourite stays. On check-in, we were upgraded to a Park View room, and this made all the difference: watching the fireworks snuggled up together on our balcony was so magical.
The Sheraton is a Tokyo Disney Official Partner Hotel, which meant we had easy access to both parks via the Disney Resort Line. After a long travel day, being able to get straight into the Disney bubble made a huge difference, and we stayed in the Disney bubble the whole time we were there.
The rooms were spacious (by Tokyo standards), the facilities were excellent, and it felt like a proper resort stay. It was such a decadent, luxurious way to start our stay on a high, and the boys loved every minute!
I’ve written a full review of the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay that you can read here.
Tokyo: Petit Grande Miyabi (6 nights)
£1,171.47
After our Disney days we moved into central Tokyo, and we opted to stay in the Sumo District for an authentic, local feel in the Petit Grande Miyabi hotel. This spot is also just a 5 minute walk from the metro station and made it so easy getting around the city. This was our main Tokyo base, and we chose an apartment-style stay so we’d have more space.
After staying in Japan before, we knew that standard hotel rooms can feel quite tight as a family of four. This wasn’t as big an apartment space as we were hoping for, but the location worked well for getting around the city, and having the small kitchenette.
➡ Here’s the booking link for the Petit Grande Miyabi hotel to check real time prices and availability
Osaka: Rakuten Stay (9 nights)
£444.64
Osaka was where we really saved money. Firstly, because accommodation in Osaka is much cheaper than in Tokyo. Secondly, because we chose to stay in a less desirable part of the city centre because we wanted to save a little money.
Just like in Tokyo, we opted for a larger apartment-style property with a small kitchenette so that we could prep our konbini snacks. This worked out at under £50 per night for the four of us, making it easily the best value of the entire trip. We would definitely choose to stay here again.
The one thing we always make sure of is that we’re close to a metro station, and this was just a five minute walk from the station, giving us a comfortable base for exploring:
- Universal Studios Japan
- Kyoto
- Nara
Okinawa: Hinode Resort & Hot Spring Hotel (4 nights)
£461.74
Okinawa was a completely different vibe to the rest of Japan, and we wanted somewhere that felt like a bit of a break, as well as a resort experience, but without breaking the bank. For the small amount we paid, I genuinely cannot emphasise enough how good the Hinode Resort and Hot Spring Hotel was.
As well as room in a great location, right in the heart of Naha, the resort also included:
- Free drinks, ice cream, and snacks
- On-site hot springs and a swimming pool
- a relaxed, resort-style atmosphere in a great location
👉You can read our full review of the Okinawa Hinode Resort and Hot Spring Hotel here
Final Tokyo stay: Mimaru Tokyo Kinshicho (2 nights)
£711.88
We returned to Tokyo before flying back to the UK, and our last two nights were the most expensive. But that’s because we splurged on a Pokemon room in the Mimaru Tokyo Kinshicho hotel. If you’re travelling to Japan with kids, you’ve probably already heard of them.
Mimaru hotels are designed specifically for families, and it shows:
- larger rooms
- multiple beds
- space for luggage
- really practical layouts
But what they’re really famous for is offering perfectly decorated Pokemon rooms. This lived up to all of our expectations. It was the perfect place to end the trip and worth every penny for our Pokemon-mad boys, even though it was definitely a splurge!
👉 Pokemon Room Review: MIMARU Tokyo Kinshicho. Our Honest Family Review From 2026
Transport Within Japan
I know that getting around Japan is one of those things that peple worry about, and it has a reputation for being complicated and confusing. But honestly? Once you get the hang of it, it’s so straight forward. On this trip we used public transport exclusively, and didn’t take taxis at all.
If it’s your first time in Japan, I hope it reassures you to know that everything is clean, safe, and runs incredibly efficiently. But how much does it cost? Here’s exactly what we spent travelling around Japan as a family of four.
Shinkansen (Bullet Train): Tokyo to Osaka
Because we flew between Osaka, Okinawa and Tokyo, we only needed a one-way Shinkansen journey on this trip. We did it this way to avoid the expense of a return shinkansen ticket (because they’re alot more pricey now than they were on our first Japan visit)
We travelled from Tokyo to Osaka on the bullet train, and if you get the chance to have a ride, I do recommend it. There’s something really special about whizzing through the Japanese countryside at breakneck speeds. The trains are comfortable, and very easy to navigate, even with luggage and kids.
Cost for our family of four: £273.28
Worth noting that children are classed as under 12, so this is the price for 3 adults and one child
👉 We booked our shinkansen tickets through Klook for the best prices and convenience
🎁 Use code THATMUMTRAVEL5KLOOK for an extra reader-exclusive discount
💡 Mum Tip: booked reserved seats so we could all sit together, which I’d definitely recommend when travelling as a family.
👉How to Get from Tokyo to Osaka with Kids: The Complete Family Guide
Internal Flights: Osaka → Okinawa → Tokyo
For the first time, we decided we wanted to see the beautiful islands of Okinawa on this trip to Japan. A journey you can only take if you fly!
We flew:
- Osaka → Okinawa
- Okinawa → Tokyo
Total cost for all 4 of us: £703 and we flew with ANA
This was one of our bigger transport costs, and heading to Okinawa isn’t something most visitors choose to do, especially on a first trip. But it was such an incredible experience, and a real different pace from the bigger cities like Tokyo and Osaka. We saw some of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever been to during this trip.
👉 Check out our Okinawa Family Travel Guide hub here
Car Hire in Okinawa
Okinawa is very different from mainland Japan,, in that the public transport system isn’t as regular or as extensive. It also doesn’t reach some of the most remote (and the most beautiful) beaches, so hiring a car made exploring the main island so much easier.
We hired a car for 3 days, which gave us the freedom to visit places like the Okinawa Churaumi aquarium and the American Village without relying on public transport.
Cost: ~£180 total (including insurance and fuel)
👉 We booked this through Klook and it was so easy to collect the car from Naha airport
🎁 Use code THATMUMTRAVEL5KLOOK for an extra reader-exclusive discount
Driving was much easier than we expected, and I’d absolutely recommend this if you’re visiting Okinawa as a family.
👉 Check out Do You Need a Car in Okinawa? Our First Hand Experience and Honest Advice (2026)
Local Trains & Metro (Tokyo, Osaka & Kyoto)
For our day-to-day travel, we relied almost entirely on public transport. It’s so easy and convenient that there really is no better way to get around Japan’s biggest cities.
We used IC cards (Suica is our chosen brand), which you simply tap in and out. We topped these up every few days, but there was no need to buy individual tickets each time.
Total cost across the trip: ~£150–£200 for the family
This is one of those costs that builds up gradually, and public transport in Japan definitely isn’t the cheapest in the world, but I think it’s very reasonable considering how much you use it.
Is the Japan Rail Pass worth it?
We didn’t use a Japan Rail Pass for this trip, because we only did one long-distance train journey so it definitely wouldn’t have been worth it for us. But we have used the Japan Rail Pass before and saved money by having it. In truth? The JR Pass is only worth having if you plan to visit a lot of cities and spend a lot of time on trains during your trip.
If you’re planning multiple long-distance train journeys close together, it’s still worth looking into but it’s no longer the automatic saving it once was.
👉 When Is The JR Rail Pass Worth Buying If You’re Travelling To Japan
Food Costs
Food in Japan can be surprisingly affordable. It can also be quite expensive: It all depends on where you choose to eat. We mixed things up to get the best value from our trip, without feeling like we were scrimping or not trying all the experiences we wanted.
We ate a mix of:
- Convenience store breakfasts (almost every day)
- Quick lunches
- Sit down dinners
We had a daily budget of £100 per day for food and ‘bits and bobs’ and we managed to stick to this on most days. When we wanted a sit down meal without the price tag, we looked to family restaurants like Seizaria and sushi chains like Sushiru. The sushi was still better quality than anything we’d had at home, but for the same price as a McDonalds!
Mum Note: We did enjoy a couple of gifted meals. I am being as transparent as possible here, so you’ll know exactly what our trip cost, and how you could replicate it yourself.
Activities and Theme Parks
Take a deep breath, because this is going to be a big one! We did at least one, and often two, activities every day of our stay, because we love to be active and we didn’t want to miss a thing, so paying for those activities (and particularly the theme parks) took a big chunk of our budget.
Equally, we also did a lot of free activities during our visit. This included free shrine and temple visits, as well as exploring parks and playgrounds so the boys could run off some steam. Japan’s biggest cities, particularly Tokyo and Kyoto are home to an abundance of low-cost museums and galleries that are well worth your time if you’re travelling on a budget too.
Here’s exactly what we did and what we spent.
Theme Parks
These were some of our biggest expenses, but also some of the highlights of the trip. I know cutting some of the big ticket theme parks out would be the best way to save money on your trip though!
- Tokyo Disneyland – £180.54
- Tokyo DisneySea – £180.54
- Universal Studios Day 1 Without Express Pass – £167.72
- Universal Studios Day 1 With Express Pass – approx £700
Mum Note: We paid for one day at USJ without Express Passes and had one hosted day with Express Passes
Attractions & Experiences
- TeamLab Planets (Tokyo) – £66.02 (gifted)
- Asakusa Sumo Dinner Show – £332.90 (gifted)
- Mount Fuji Day Tour – £129.69
- Sanrio Puroland – £72 (gifted)
- Yomiuriland – £45.63
- Private Kyoto Sweet Making Class (Wabunka experience) – approx £500 (gifted)
- Kyoto Railway Museum – £12
- Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium – £27.20
- Tokyo Skytree – £57.62
- Dotonbori River Cruise – £50
- Cup Noodles Museum (Yokohama) – £25
👉 We booked most of our activities in advance through Klook, which we’ve used for years and consistently found to be the easiest platform to use in Japan
🎁 We have a reader exclusive discount code THATMUMTRAVEL5KLOOK for our readers
Free Things to Do in Japan (And Why This Matters)
One of the things that really surprised us about Japan is just how much there is to do for free.
Some of our favourite moments from the entire trip didn’t cost anything at all, and these experiences really helped balance out the cost of the bigger ticket items. Here’s a list of some of our favourite free or very low cost activities in Japan:
- Exploring Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa
- Walking through the incredible Fushimi Inari Shrine gates in Kyoto
- Visiting multiple shrines and temples across Osaka
- Watching the world-famous Shibuya Crossing
- Exploring Akihabara (twice!) for Pokémon, anime and gaming
- Shopping in Shibuya (Pokémon Centre & One Piece store)
- A full day trip to Nara (parks, deer and temples)
- Walking around Osaka Castle grounds
- Exploring Dotonbori at night
- Visiting American Village in Okinawa
- Beach days in Okinawa
- Parks and playgrounds in Kyoto and Tokyo
Was It Worth It?
This was our fourth trip to Japan, and despite that, I cannot emphasise enough how worth it it was to get out and explore over a longer period of time.
I’m not going to lie, this was one of the most expensive trips we’ve ever taken as a family. Japan doesn’t have to break the bank, but it certainly isn’t a budget destination, especially when you factor in flights, multiple hotels, and big ticket experiences like theme parks.
But it’s also one of the most incredible places we’ve ever visited, which is why we keep going back again and again.
What really stood out to me was the balance. Yes, we spent a lot on certain days, but some of our favourite moments didn’t cost a single penny. Walking through the torri gates at Fushimi Inari as the sun was rising, exploring temples in Osaka, watching the chaos of the Shibuya Crossing….those are the memories that have really stayed with us, and that I know i’ll remember when the boys have spread their wings and we’re watching them fly without us.
Travelling in Japan as a family just feels really easy. It’s safe, clean, efficient, and endlessly interesting for kids. Our boys were genuinely never bored, and that’s not something I can say about every trip. They keep asking when we’re going back to Japan – no other destination gets a look in any more!
Would I do it again knowing what it cost? Absolutely. In fact, we’re already talking about going back next summer! And next time i’ll probably spend just as much!
How To Do It Cheaper
Japan doesn’t have to cost what we spent. There are some really simple ways to bring the cost down significantly, depending on how you plan your trip.
- Avoid peak travel periods. We visited during cherry blossom season, which is one of the most expensive times to travel. Flights and hotels are noticeably higher than other times of year. Travelling in late May/early June, September, or January/February will make a huge difference to your overall cost.
- Be flexible with accommodation. This was one of our bigger costs. You can save a lot on this by staying slightly outside the major tourist areas, choosing business hotels over large family rooms, and reducing the number of hotel changes you make.
- Limit theme parks and big-ticket experiences. Theme parks were some of our most expensive days. You don’t need to do everything. Even choosing one day in each resort instead of two could help save hundreds of pounds.
- Eat like the locals. Food in Japan can be incredibly affordable if you want it to be. We regularly ate ramen, convenience store breakfasts, and in quick lunch spots to keep our costs down. And these were some of our favourite meals!
- Take advantage of free experiences. This is one of the biggest ways to save money, and one of the best parts of Japan. Some of our favourite days cost nothing at all. Visiting temples and shrines, playing in parks and playgrounds, then exploring different neighbourhoods doesn’t have to cost a penny.
Total Cost of Our Japan Trip (Quick Summary)
Flights: £3,225 Accommodation: £3,495 Internal flights: £703 Transport: £300–£600 Food & spending: £2,900 Activities: £2,800
Total: £13,423 for a family of four
Our actual out-of-pocket spend was closer to £11,000 due to some hosted experiences.
Final Thoughts and Further Reading
Japan definitely isn’t the cheapest destination. But it’s also not as out of reach as many people think. Our month-long trip to Japan cost around the same as a good two week all-inclusive break in the summer holidays.
Yes, we spent a lot of money on big experiences like theme parks and tours. But we balanced this with slower days, free activities, and simple meals. That mix is what made the trip feel both special and manageable.
If you’re planning your own trip then my biggest advice would be to prioritise what matters most to your family, and don’t feel like you have to do everything. Japan is one of those places where even the simplest days can end up being some of the most memorable.
If you’re starting to plan your own Japan itinerary, check out these guides which will help you make the most of your time and budget:
👉 Japan Family Travel Guide
👉 What To Pack For Japan: Japan Travel Essentials
👉The Ultimate Guide To Japan With Kids (2026 Japan Travel Guide)
👉 Best Japan Attractions You Can Book in Advance (2026 Guide)
👉 Japan With Kids: Ultimate Guide to Universal Studios Japan (Tips, Rides & How to Book Tickets)
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