Budget Travel Hints
The Japan National Tourist Organisation has a useful little page of Budget Travel Hints. There’s a list of prices of common things in Japan, and information on dining out, transporation and accommodation.
Discount travel passes
Many kinds of discount travel pass are available for travel in Japan. Most are only for visitors, but some of them are available to all foreigners — even ones who live in Japan.
Japan Rail Pass
The Japan Rail Pass can be a good deal for visitors who plan on doing a lot of sightseeing in Japan. The JR Pass allows you unlimited travel on most JR trains throughout Japan, and also some buses and ferries. It is available only to people visiting Japan, so if you actually live in Japan you can’t get a JR Pass. Here is some more information about eligibility and how to get the pass.