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Time Out
2 days ago
- Time Out
These are the most affordable destinations to visit across Japan
While Tokyo was recently ranked as one of the most affordable travel destinations worldwide, several other cities in Japan are apparently – and somewhat surprisingly – even more budget-friendly than the capital. After analysing travel costs in 18 cities across Japan, experts at UK-based but Japan-focused travel agency JR Pass revealed Nara as the most cost-effective city for travellers. This ranking was based on factors like average prices for restaurants, hotels, rail travel passes and attractions, with data taken from July 2024. In the study, Nara received a cost efficiency score of 9.1 out of ten. While the temple-filled city has higher attraction costs, it is also one of the cheapest places to dine, with average dinner prices around ¥2,878 and hotel stays averaging at ¥11,600 per night. Other cities and areas near the top of the ranking include Chiba (No 2), which had the cheapest hotel and travel prices overall; Kumamoto (No 3), which offered the lowest rail travel costs; Okinawa (No 4), known for its stunning marine life; and Hiroshima (No 5), renowned for its plentiful heritage sites. Here's a breakdown of the top ten most cost-effective cities/areas and their overall cost efficiency score: Nara (9.1/10) Chiba (8.9/10) Kumamoto (8.3/10) Okinawa (8/10) Hiroshima (7.9/10) Yokohama (7.9/10) Kawasaki (7.7/10) Nagoya (7.6/10) Kochi (7.3/10) Kitakyushu (7.3/10) While Tokyo didn't make the list this time around, nearby locales like Chiba and Yokohama offer more budget-friendly options just a short trip away. This ranking might even inspire you to explore some of Japan's underrated destinations, where you can experience more of the country without the crowds. For more details on this year's ranking, visit the JR Pass website.
Time Out
7 days ago
- Time Out
The 15 food capitals of the world right now, revealed
What are the culinary capitals of the world? We have some ideas: our annual list of the world's best cities for food is based on a survey of 18,500 locals, who all shared their take on the quality and affordability of their city's dining scene. While we think locals know best, Japanese rail ticket provider JR Pass has carried out some pretty comprehensive research to unveil its own ranking of the world's best food cities – it wouldn't hurt to look, would it? The study evaluated everything from the number of five-star restaurants, Michelin-guide spots, food-based attractions and national dishes to the Global Food Security Index and the average meal price for two, crowning (drum roll, please) Paris as the foodie champion. No, we aren't shocked either. The French capital has more Michelin-guide and five-star rated restaurants than any other city on the ranking, proudly serves a whopping 12 national dishes and averages a fairly reasonable £58.85 for a two-person meal. Want to know our favourite food spots in the French capital? Time Out Paris has roundups of the best cheap eats, veggie spots, bistros, romantic spaces, brunch stops and top restaurants overall – tuck in. In second place was Athens, and in third place was Tokyo, but the likes of Ljubljana, Seoul and Reykjavik also made this ranking. Read on for the top 15. These are the world's 15 top foodie capitals, according to JR Pass Paris Athens Tokyo Zurich Amsterdam Prague Brussels Dublin Madrid Ljubljana London Seoul Copenhagen Reykjavik Riga Fill your boots with more food news Whether it's news of a new Aperol spritz index or snaps from the World Food Photography Awards, a shiny new list of the best pizzerias, or the best restaurants on the planet overall, we can bet Time Out's travel news page will keep you satisfied. Check out our roundup of the best cities in the world for food in 2025. Did you see that this popular travel destination will soon ban smoking in most public places? Plus: .
