Looking for tips/advice on backpacking in Japan on the cheap(ish)

June 18, 2024 5:00 PM

Want to leave the States for July, thinking of spending the month backpacking in Japan, and visiting a friend there before flying out to Nepal. Never been to Japan, and haven't backpacked around youth hostels (in London/Ireland) since 2000. Looking for advice, encouragement, helpful tips.

I am moving out of my apartment at the end of June.

I will be flying to Nepal on August 4th.

Instead of the hassle of renting a new room for the 35 days til I leave, I’d rather spend that time and rent going towards flying somewhere and backpacking around.

I happen to have a student friend who is moving to Osaka, Japan in July. I have never been there and thought it might be nice to backpack around the more rural parts (Hokkaido?/Tottori?), and then spend my last week in Osaka with their family before heading to Nepal.

I am wondering what I can expect to pay for youth hostel places in Japan, if they peppered about the rural areas, and if they are relatively easy to procure (not booked up months in advance or something).

In addition, since I would be flying to Nepal directly from Japan, I would need to bring my big suitcase of Nepal stuff with me (in addition to my backpacking backpack). I am hoping there is a reasonably low-cost way to store the suitcase while I am backpacking (hopefully in, or near the Osaka airport).

Has anyone done something similar, and/or have experience/tips on backpacking cheapishly in Japan?

posted by blueberry to Travel & Transportation around Japan (4 answers total)

I went to Japan as a grad student back in 2012 and booked accommodation on Hostelworld. I didn't go anywhere rural, but Nagoya isn't really on the tourist trail and there were options. I would expect most places on Hostelworld to also be on Booking.com, and between the two that should answer your cost and availability questions.
posted by hoyland at 5:19 PM on June 18, 2024

I looked into stored-luggage options for Kyoto, which is not far from Osaka and has similar infrastructure, last summer. Generally, locker storage at the train station is limited to ~72 hours, and at the airport to 7 days. So you may need to look into a baggage storage service in Osaka if you want more than that (but I'm sure one exists).
posted by graphweaver at 6:43 PM on June 18, 2024

From the airport you can have your luggage delivered to pretty much any place in Japan. You could have your Nepal suitcase sent to your friend's house and then take it with you when you fly out.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 7:48 PM on June 18, 2024 [4 favorites]

HostelWorld is great but book your weekends in advance or you'll find yourself with the fuzzy end of the lollipop.

The K's House chain of hostels is exceptionally good.

Don't be afraid to take buses instead of the trains, they take a little longer but they're much cheaper and very well maintained.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 8:13 PM on June 18, 2024 [2 favorites]