Travel

In this part of our Japan Travel budget guide, we explore some of the cheaper transport options available in Japan, where the efficient transport system often comes with notoriously high price.
 
Overview

Thinking of a jungle in Japan, Tokyo’s busy cityscape springs to mind first, an ocean of grayish concrete, garish neon signs and masses of people everywhere. This is the jungle we are used to. Would you think of lush green vegetation sprouting wherever it pleases and of wild rivers not tamed by concrete barriers – in Japan??

Okinawa’s story is the story of baked goods. Not roast pork or pastries, but of ceramics, like the famous red roof tiles that grace the palaces and the everyman’s houses all throughout the archipelago.
 

OKINAWA SOGO UNDO KOEN: Through Sept. 30, close on Tuesdays; 25m indoor pool at 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekends in June & September, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., weekends in June and Sept.,  9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. daily in July and August, close on Tue., 50m outdoor pool at 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

If you're a budget-conscious traveller still intent on exploring the best that Okinawa has to offer, consider the Kitchen Hostel Aoi in Naha city. Its convenient location and comfortable low-cost rooms will allow you to stay in comfort and enjoy the region's sand and beaches.

One of the biggest perks (and my favorite part) of visiting any foreign country is tasting the local cuisine. It’s the best way to experience the most authentic dishes. I rarely eat food that’s not native to the country I’m traveling in.