Justin Youl comments

So very sad. I feel so sorry for her family & friends. Hopefully they will find the support needed to get thru this difficult time....

Holidaying in Japan is not only a joy but I think it is a cheap destination too! I am Australian & I would spend more holidaying locally than going to Japan! I went twice last year & found after buying a 1st class JR Pass that travel in luxury was cheap, reliable, fast, clean & efficient. Travelling on local lines is always affordable also. Food from local cafes was cheap, delicious & there were literally 100's of places to choose from. If you want to be more budget conscious then the local convenience store (7/11, Family Mart, Lawson's, Circle K etc) has literally everything you need at bargain prices, the service is friendly, efficient & there is always that bow of respect at the start/end of the transaction, try getting that level of service elsewhere in the world! I am flexible with accommodation & willing to shop around so I have found beautifully appointed hotels at a fraction of the prices here, & also Airbnb has some outstanding stays for the budget conscious. There is always the language barrier, nowhere as many Japanese people speak English as you would think, but hey you are in THEIR country so do your homework before going take pictures of addresses of where you need to go & people will go out of their way to help! You cannot compare a Japanese holiday with third world countries, that would not be fair, compare oranges with oranges & you will find it is a more affordable destination than most. Jetstar have really cheap flights going there, if you are flexible with dates, most THINK its expensive without doing their homework, I will be travelling back at least once if not twice this year. Do your homework like I did, I've been there I know how much it costs, not just commenting without really knowing...