Japan Itinerary and Budget

I've been wanting to go to Japan for years now, but was always held back by the budget most of my friends are quoting. But with a number of articles shared over Facebook, and a short notice promo by Cebu Pacific, I just decided to give it a try, finally see what the buzz is all about and put a more realistic budget from my personal actual experience in Japan.

Below is our planned Japan Itinerary:

DAY 1
Arrival in Narita Airport
Travel to Hotel (Kabukicho Area, Shinjuku)
Check-in at Hotel
Travel to Asakusa (See Senso-ji Temple, See Geisha in Kannoura Treet [at the back of the temple], Nakamise Shopping Street, Sumida Park or Kototoi Bridge to take pictures of Tokyo Skytree)
Travel to Akihabara (Tokyo Anime Center, Electric Town)

DAY 2
Travel to Chuo
Watch Sumo Wrestlers' practice at Arashio Beya Stable
Tour around Tsukiji Fish Market
Hamarikyu Gardens
Shopping in Ginza (Uniqlo, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Dover Street Market, Tokyu Hands, Mitsukoshi, Shiseido)
Travel to Chiyoda
Hibiya Park
Imperial Palace
Travel to Minato
Tokyo Tower

DAY 3
Travel to Shibuya
Meiji Shrine
Yoyogi Park
Takeshita Street
Owl Cafe & Bar
Hachiko Memorial Status
Shibuya Crosswalk

DAY 4
Train to Keio Plaza
Viator Tour
Mt. Fuji Fifth Station
Lake Ashi
Hakone Ropeway
Shinkansen Train

DAY 5
Samurai Museum
Ninja Trick House
Piss Alley
Shinuku Gyoen National Garden
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (to view Mt. Fuji come at dusk to catch the sunset and the city burst into neon-lit action)

DAY 6
Shop for gifts and souvenirs
Travel back to Airport


Below is a summary of our expenses, which is actually a bit high:
CEB Roundtrip Airfare 6,816
VISA Application Fee      950
Travel Tax                      1,620
Accommodation           12,638.72
Load                               1,497.50
Entrance Fees, Tours      9,064.45
Transportation                3,872.46
Food                               9,757.78   

Total of 46,216.91

TIPS:
Below are some tips to make the most out of your trip in Japan, money-wise, time-wise, and energy-wise.

• Plan your trip - I know that some people do not like having itineraries, but you will save a lot by planning your trip and spending consecutive days in places within reach by the Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway. Buy the 72-hour Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway pass, which only costs 1,500 Yen / Php 715 / US$14. This, however, is not available in Tokyo Stations, and can only be bought in the Narita Airport.
• The train stations are huge. Though some stations are connected, some will still take a lot of walking to get to the exit or to transfer lines. If available, use the elevators available in each station. Note however, than in some stations, you may need to ride more than one elevator because you need to tap out before transferring.
• Learn about the different types of train passes. Tickets are sold through machines. You can choose English as a language first so you can understand what you are about to press :p Then, understand that there are different train lanes and different passes. The 3 day pass mentioned is not available in these machines so it's already out of the picture. The Tokyo Metro line is comprised of Ginza Line, Marunouchi Line, Hibiya Line, Tozai Line, Chiyoda Line, Yurakucho Line, Hanzomon Line, Namboku Line, and Fukutoshin Line. The Toei Subway has the Asakusa Line, Mita Line, Shinjuku Line, and Oedo Line. Living in the area of Shinjuku and going to different districts each day, we were able to ride on all lines except those in red fonts. So we were really able to maximize it! The 1 day pass for both lines cost 900 Yen. Take note that it's a one day pass (based on the date) and not a 24-hour pass (which starts counting the moment you use the ticket and valid for 24 hours) like the one available for Tokyo Metro Line only.
• If you are not delicate about sleeping terms and sharing comfort rooms and shower rooms with others, you can save a lot by choosing capsule as your accommodation, or even hotel rooms with common CR.
• Spend on your lunch, have dinner at convenience stores. Convenience stores offer a wide choice of satisfying but inexpensive food. Having more during lunch works in two ways ~ (1) some restaurants become more expensive at night (based on my net search lunch and dinner prices shown for the same restaurant are different, not sure though if it's only for some places that charge a seating fee) and  (2) you'll be needing much of the energy as you tour around anyway.
• Japan has potable water. You can drink straight from the faucet, which is a no-no in the Philippines. Instead of buying bottled water, which is quite expensive for me (500ml costs around 100 Yen), you can opt to bring your own jug and just fill it up before going out
• Internet seems necessary. You cannot download Japan's map. And map seems necessary when travelling in Japan. The public WIFI internet is a bit slow. We opt to get Globe's roaming data services which is at Php 599 per day, which is one of the reasons our expenses is a bit high. You can actually buy a sim or rent an internet stick. There are different choices in the airport, and they are all way cheaper than what Globe or even Smart if offering.
• If possible, buy your gifts and souvenirs in a single purchase. A number of stores offer Tax Free items, but with a minimum of 5,000 Yen.
• Some stores inside the airport offer tax free items, without any minimum purchase
• Below are some of the items I believe you should buy in Japan as they are cheaper: Shiseido, Casio, Seiko, Uniqlo, Royce