Food can be extremely expensive in Japan and the number of chain eateries and budget restaurants have risen. These days, even eating at fast food chains can get quite pricey. Plus, Japan aren't exactly known for their hefty meal portions. So here are a few cheap eateries that are recommended if you are on a budget, though most seem to be popular for their beef and rice bowls:

Matsuya

Matsuya is an extremely well known chain budget restaurant that usually serves beef and rice at 250YEN which is a good find. They also have curry, kimichi and pork with rice and several set meals that are less than 1000YEN. Matsuya is 24 hours and also serves breakfast.

Yoshinoya

While Yoshinoya are much more popular for the tastier beef and rice bowls, they also serve a variety of other types of meals that come in different sizes- Small, medium and large. Yoshinoya also has deep fried foods like tonkatsu and fried ebi among others like teriyaki chicken and curry rice.

Yayoi-Ken

Yayoi Ken serves mostly set meals under 1200YEN and are very popular for their rice-refills. This means, you can refill your rice as many times as you want and get your worth for your money. Most set meals are under 1000YEN and are quite huge in portion. They have a huge variety in their menu that comes with fish, chicken, beef and pork. It is certainly a good find for a hungry man. Please also do note that refilling of rice is self-service.

Suki-Ya

Suki-Ya is another popular eatery for Gyu-don (beef and rice bowl) and also offers different sizes for their meals. Albeit the same as Yoshinoya, they are known to be give their value for your money and usually have sit-in booth areas instead of the usual table at the counter type. They also tend to come up with seasonal promotions and menus which are worth checking out.

Japan has a tradition of holding a fireworks festival during the end of july-start of august period which is smack right in the middle of summer. It is a huge celebration in every part of Japan that has Yatai (street food stalls and games) covering the roads for miles and miles. And sure enough, you can expect thousands of people to be there.



Most men and women would dress in their respective kimono or yukata and would carry a fan (as the weather is very hot.. and also, it's part of the style!) as they walk around eating, playing games and stand around the river watching the boats sail pass. These boats are usually sponsored by several companies or universities and would have their staff or students sit on it and make a lot of noise.



Most people would be accessing the festival area via train and it is very common for trains to run extra-late and more frequently due to the high volume of passengers. Do expect an extremely huge crowd and that cellphone service might have some complications as well. It is also a known fact that pickpocketing will be a little more common in such situations, so be sure to keep your belongings safe.

There will also be a designated time for the fireworks to start, and you will see people reserving spots on the grass where they will drink beer, eat grilled meat and watch the fireworks with their loved ones. Do save a spot early (around 4-5pm) if you wish to have a picnic under the sky.