Osaka vs. Seoul” Gutsy Battle…What’s the Price? How satisfied are you? Which is better for a 3-day/2-night summer vacation?
It’s time to decide where to go on your “summer vacation”!
Domestic travel and “hotels” are very expensive these days. Hotel prices in Japan, especially in urban areas, are soaring.
Among them, hotels in Osaka are particularly expensive now. The reason for this is that since the opening of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, the number of visitors has been increasing day by day as its reputation has soared.
If it is expensive in Japan, one would like to think of going abroad, but this is also difficult due to the “weak yen. …… Under such circumstances, South Korea is a persistently popular overseas destination for Japanese. Moreover, the yen has been appreciating against the Korean won over the past few months, making it a good time to visit.
Summer vacation will soon be upon us. The two most interesting potential travel destinations are Osaka, which is currently hosting the World Expo, and Seoul, which is popular as a nearby overseas destination. We compared transportation, hotel, and food costs to see which is actually more economical and satisfying.
Transportation costs: “Shinkansen” fares remain the same throughout the year, and “airline tickets” are economical if LCCs and sales are used wisely on weekdays.
First, let’s look at transportation costs to destinations. The main means of getting to Osaka from the Tokyo metropolitan area are the Shinkansen, airplanes, and highway buses.
On the Shinkansen, a reserved seat on the “Nozomi” bullet train from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka costs 14,720 yen one way or 29,440 yen round trip. By plane, a one-way trip on the Haneda-Itami route, for example, can cost 7,000-8,000 yen if purchased early, but last minute travel costs about the same or slightly more than the Shinkansen. Express buses can be less than 5,000 yen one-way, but they are time-consuming and difficult to take if you are not confident in your physical strength.
On the other hand, the cheapest ticket for the Tokyo (Haneda/Narita) – Seoul (Incheon/Kimpo) route is about 30,000 yen round trip on a weekend in late July. On weekdays, such as mid-week, or early in the season, round-trip fares can be in the 20,000-yen range. While Shinkansen fares are almost fixed, it is quite possible that “going to Seoul is cheaper.
Hotels: In Osaka today, it is common to pay 20,000 yen per night for a business hotel.
Next, let’s look at the cost of “hotels” in Osaka. In Osaka, for example, “APA Hotel Higashi Umeda Minamimorimachi Ekimae” from 17,280 yen, “Ibis Budget Osaka Umeda” from 19,530 yen, “Smile Hotel Osaka Nakanoshima” from 22,000 yen, “Hotel Ribmax Umeda Doyama” from 23,800 yen, etc. for the weekend of July 26 (Saturday) to 27 (Sunday). (*All prices are per room per night for two persons, tax included, according to Rakuten Travel, June 13, 2012).
) These prices are normal for weekends in Osaka, even for business hotel chains that offer rooms for less than 10,000 yen in other domestic cities and during off-peak periods. The price per room is still good for two or more people, but the price for a single room is about the same, making it a very painful expense for solo travelers or those who want to travel separately.
And then there is the case of Seoul. Hotel Prince Seoul” in Myeongdong area, a popular downtown area for Japanese travelers, from 29,883 yen, “Koreana Hotel” from 30,277 yen, “Hotel Sky Park Myeongdong 3” from 25,077 yen, etc. (*All prices are per room per night for two persons, including taxes and fees, according to “Booking.com” on June 13. ).
If you don’t mind staying in Myeongdong, hotels are even cheaper. In the Dongdaemun area, which is convenient for sightseeing, Toyoko INN offers single rooms starting at approximately 7,000 yen per night, which is cheaper than those in Osaka, Tokyo, and Sapporo. In fact, Toyoko INN is so popular in Seoul that it is difficult to make reservations on weekends. There are other inexpensive hotels if one looks for them.
Food: Depends on location, there are ways to spend less even with rising prices
The cost of food in Korea is about the same as in Osaka and Seoul, but it depends on the store and other factors. For example, a tall-size Starbucks latte in Japan costs from 495 yen to 5200 won (about 520 yen) in Korea, and other drinks are more expensive in Korea.
Also, fashionable cafes that abound in Korea are popular among Japanese tourists, but when the author visited the popular “London Bagel Museum” in Anguk, Seoul, in March of this year, an eat-in bagel and mushroom soup cost 17,500 won (about 1,750 yen). A set meal for lunch would cost about 1,000 to 1,500 yen at the food court, and adding alcohol at night would cost even more for food. Prices in Korea have risen since before Corona.
However, there are many convenience stores in Korea, and coffee is available at chain stores everywhere, where a grande size Americano costs 1,500 won (about 150 yen). Food stalls where you can buy tteokbokki and kimpap are also alive and well.
Transportation in the city: Korea is inexpensive for transportation, and one-day passes are also a bargain.
Surprisingly, local transportation costs are high. Seoul is cheaper than Osaka.
In Seoul, the first subway ride costs only 1,400 won (about 140 yen), which will get you to most major tourist spots. The fare will be raised to 1,550 won (about 155 yen with a transportation card) from June 28 this year, but it is still inexpensive. The “Climate Card,” available at subway station offices, allows unlimited rides on subways and buses in the Seoul area for 5,000 won (about 500 yen) for one day, 8,000 won (about 800 yen) for two days, or 10,000 won (about 1000 yen) for three days (excluding some areas).
In Osaka, the “Enjoy Eco Card” allows unlimited rides on the subway (Osaka Metro) and local buses (Osaka City Bus) for one day and costs 820 yen on weekdays / 620 yen on weekends and holidays. However, Yumeshima Station, where the Expo site is located, and Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway, which operates a direct service between the two stations, are not available.
Cabs are also cheaper than in Japan, with the first ride in Seoul costing 4,800 won (about 480 yen, for a regular cab). In addition, credit cards and the T-money transportation card can be used for payment, and ride-sharing services such as Uber and Kakao Taxi are as popular as in the West.
What is “Grand Green Osaka,” the hottest spot in Osaka?
The Expo is not the only highlight of a trip to Osaka. The author, a local resident, recommends “GRAND GREEN OSAKA. Development has been progressing at “Umekita,” the site of the former Umeda Freight Station on the north side of Osaka Station, and the grand opening of the South Wing took place on March 21 this year.
Its South Wing includes the “Time Out Market,” a food court where visitors can enjoy the cuisine and culture of famous restaurants opening for the first time in Asia, and the “Waldorf Astoria Osaka” and “Hotel Hankyu Respire Osaka” hotels. In addition, “Umekita Onsen Ren Wellbeing Park,” one of the largest urban spas in the Kansai region, offers natural hot springs, bedrock baths, swimming pools, and gymnasiums, and is particularly popular for its heated infinity pool where visitors can relax while enjoying a view of the Umeda skyline.
To the north of Osaka Station, the North Building and Umekita Park, which opened in September of last year, are spread out. The vast lawn and fountain plaza, with an area of 45,000 square meters, or about the size of the Tokyo Dome, is truly an urban oasis, and in addition to its excellent location, the surrounding area will be further enriched with gourmet restaurants, shopping spots, hotels, and other amenities over the next few years. It is a major hot spot
High-speed rail is also inexpensive in Korea! If you want to spend your time at a summery resort…
In Seoul, trends change at a dizzying pace. Sungsu-dong,” a former factory district with renovated cafes and stores, is popular now, but Iksundong, with its Hanok Village, and Yeonnam-dong, next to Hongdae, where young people gather and where the latest trends are reflected, are attracting attention as new These areas are attracting attention as new fashionable spots.
Another option is to go to the suburbs of Seoul. If you are looking for a resort-like atmosphere in the summer, Gangneung is the place to go. Gangneung is a city on the east coast of South Korea, about two hours from Seoul Station on the high-speed KTX train. The KTX opened in December 2005 before the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, making it possible to access the city in about half the time it used to take. Moreover, the one-way fare is 27,500 won (approx. 2,750 yen), which is considerably cheaper than Japan’s high-speed rail system.
Gangneung is home to the Gangneung Anmok Coffee Street along the sea, which is said to attract baristas from all over Korea, as well as the Jungjin Breakwater, which was the location for the Korean drama “Tteokkebi” and the music video by BTS. It is also a treasure trove of culinary delights, with tofu made with seawater as its specialty, seafood tofu dishes (sundubu), tofu ice cream, “janggalguksu” (seafood-flavored soup and noodles), and a microbrewery that even the members of BTS have visited.
A day trip from Seoul is possible, but a relaxing overnight stay is also a good option. You will definitely enjoy a trip that is different from the standard Seoul trip.
Osaka is expensive now, while travel costs in Seoul fluctuate depending on the time of year.
As mentioned earlier, Osaka is currently hosting the Expo. If you are interested, I recommend visiting at least once during the exhibition period. Just be prepared for the hotels to be expensive. If you do not plan to go to the Expo, it would be better to visit Osaka after the Expo is over.
In addition, there is usually business demand for domestic travel, especially in urban areas such as Osaka. Therefore, there are few sales of tour products by travel agencies, and prices do not fluctuate much.
In Seoul, on the other hand, prices soar on weekends when there are popular Japanese events and K-pop concerts, and are also higher during the Bon Festival and consecutive holidays in Japan. However, there are many sales of tour packages that include airline tickets and hotels, and three days and two nights in Seoul can be as low as 30,000 to 40,000 yen per person per room. Depending on the timing of your trip, you can get a better deal than in Japan.
Furthermore, for the month of June, there are now special lanes for Japanese and Koreans at immigration checkpoints in some Japanese and Korean airports (Haneda and Fukuoka / Seoul, Kimpo, and Busan). There is no possibility that this will be extended to include other airports in the future. Depending on the timing of your trip, you can travel to Seoul, Korea at a reasonable price, just like a domestic trip.
Prices and other information in this article are current as of June 13.
Interview and text by： Shikama Aki
