Should you visit Nara or Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park?
Should I visit Nara or Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Nara
As Japan's first capital, Nara offers a world of tradition and culture second only to the city of Kyoto. It is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are largely concentrated in the area of Nara Park. Here, it is also common to see many deer wandering freely amongst the temples and shrines.
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
Spanning the Japanese prefectures of Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Kanagawa and Tokyo, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is a natural area with beautiful scenery as well as a number of popular tourist spots. Some of its highlights include Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands, offering a geographic range of natural hot springs, coastlines, mountainous areas, lakes, and more than 1,000 volcanic islands.
Which city is cheaper, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Nara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Nara is $96, while the average daily cost in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is $98. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Nara and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $58. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Nara the cost is $116 on average.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $116 in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Nara $58
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $58
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Nara
$116
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
$116
Food
Nara food costs typically run travelers around $31 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
On average, meal and food prices in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park cost around $22 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $8.80.
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nara.
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Cooking Japanese rice in traditional oven at Shikano-fune, Kamado:
$38
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Nara is $6.87 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $29 per person, per day on transportation in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
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Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Nara $6.87
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Nara or Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park?
Prices for flights to both Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and Nara change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Nara's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $8.83 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $13 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
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Entertainment
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Nara $8.83
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $13
Tours and Activities in Nara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nara are as follows:
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1-Day Nara and Uji Private Custom Tour from Osaka by Chartered Vehicle:
$831
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All must-sees in 3 hours - Nara Park Classic Tour!:
$30
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Deer City Nara Walking & Izakaya Hopping Tour:
$167
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Discover Traditional Nara Walking Tour (Full day):
$118
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Discover Traditional Nara Walking Tour (Half day):
$91
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Full-Day Private Guided Tour to Nara Temples:
$246
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Gigantic Todai-ji Temple Early Bird Tour:
$96
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Hand Painted Yuzen Dyeing Experience:
$383
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Heijo Palace Walking Tour (Half Day):
$43
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Heijo Palace and Yamato Koriyama Walking Tour (Full Day):
$107
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Japanese Calligraphy Experience in Nara:
$35
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Nara - Craft Beer and Sake Walking Tour:
$98
Alcohol
The average person spends about $12 on alcoholic beverages in Nara per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $9.34.
When comparing the travel costs between Nara and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, we can see that Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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