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Ways to travel

Backpacking Japan

One bag, a small budget and plenty of ground to cover: unlimited-ride tickets, overnight buses, where to leave your pack, and the kinds of budget places to stay.

Good to know

Getting around cheaply

  • The Seishun 18 Kippu gives unlimited rides on JR local and rapid trains nationwide (non-reserved ordinary seats) for three or five consecutive days. It is sold and valid only in set periods each season.
  • You choose the start date when you buy a Seishun 18 Kippu. One ticket cannot be shared between people, and it is not valid on Shinkansen or limited express trains.
  • The Japan Rail Pass comes in 7-, 14- and 21-day versions. You can check on this site whether it pays off for the trips you plan.
  • Overnight highway buses and long-distance ferries move you while you sleep. See the “Overnight travel” theme for details.

Storing and sending your pack

  • Coin lockers of various sizes are found at most stations and tourist facilities, and many take IC transit cards. In busy places they fill up quickly.
  • Busta Shinjuku, Tokyo's expressway bus terminal, has a waiting room, an information counter and coin lockers.
  • You can also send a bag ahead to your next stop. There are size and weight limits, and valuables, liquids and some other items are not accepted.

Budget places to stay

  • Lodgings where guests share sleeping space are called “simple lodgings” under the Inns and Hotels Act. Capsule hotels, youth hostels and mountain huts are examples.
  • Youth hostels across Japan can be found on the Japan Youth Hostels association's official site.
  • Campsites can be searched by facilities on the Japan Auto Camping Federation's site.
  • Michi-no-Eki roadside stations and expressway service areas are rest facilities, not places to spend the night instead of a room. See the “Road trips” theme for details.

Official information

These open external sites. Check prices, times and dates there.

Event dates, operating days, reservation rules and opening hours can change. Please check the official information before you go.

Checked against official information on Nov 15, 2026.

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