By far your biggest outlays are likely to be accommodation and transport. In the case of accommodation , you can keep costs down by staying in hostels or cheap Japanese inns and by sharing a room with two or more people . As an approximate guide, the average price of staying in a youth hostel dorm is ¥3000 (£17/US$25); for a double room in a basic Japanese inn, expect to pay from around ¥5000 (£29/US$42) per person; while a similar room in a moderately comfortable business hotel will set you back upwards of ¥6000 per person (£34/US$51).

As regards transport , the best strategy for most travellers is to buy a Japan Rail Pass before departure, though it's also worth investigating special deals on internal flights. Within the country, all sorts of discount fares and excursion tickets are available, while overnight ferries and buses are an economical, if not always comfortable, way of getting around .

By staying in youth hostels and eating in the cheapest local restaurants, the absolute minimum daily budget for food and accommodation alone is ¥5000 (£29/US$42). By the time you've added in some transport costs, a few entry tickets, meals in better-class restaurants and one or two nights in a ryokan or business hotel, you'll be reaching a more realistic expenditure of at least ¥8000-10,000 (approximately £46-55/US$68-85) per day.

Holders of international student cards are eligible for discounts on transport and some admission fees. If you're planning to stay in hostels, it's worth buying a Hostelling International card in your home country; not only does the card qualify you for slight reductions at some hostels , but you can also take advantage of discount tour packages offered by the Japan Youth Hostel Association . Before setting off, it's also worth reading JNTO's Your Traveling Companion , full of useful information and tips on how to save money - and ask if there are there are any discount " Welcome Card " schemes operating in the areas you intend visiting .