Cheap Domestic Flights From Tokyo

Above, Fukuoka Tower. Low-cost carriers can take you
 to Fukuoka fast and cheaply. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During G-TOUR in 2004, our tour group made its way down to Kyoto and Osaka as our last stops/stays during the tour.

On the last day of G-TOUR, we flew back to Tokyo's Narita International Airport aboard an All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 747. At the time, I thought it odd that what was a short commuter hop from Osaka to Tokyo would be aboard such a jumbo jet. But, the plane was filled to capacity.

There are several ways to make a commute from cities far from Tokyo (Japan is roughly the size of California). Some are more convenient and cheaper than others.

Next month, I will be commuting from Tokyo (and back) to Atami, Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto via shinkansen. I prefer to relax aboard the train and watching the countryside go by.

Tokyo Cheapo has an article on a cheap way to get from Tokyo to other Japanese cities for those who are in a little bit more in a hurry.

They begin with:

Some places Japan are just too far for us cheapos to take a loooong bus ride to, and then you have the places that you can’t even reach by bus from Tokyo, such as Okinawa. Besides, overnight buses aren’t for everyone, as they can be uncomfortable. Fortunately, there’s some middle ground between buses (usually the cheapest but most time-consuming option) and the very expensive but fast shinkansen: low-cost carriers (LCCs), a boon to many travelers in the recent decade.

 To read more about the low-cost carriers, go here.