What are the cheapest ways to travel from Korea to Japan, and what are the visa requirements?

Japan is one of the easiest and cheapest international trips from Korea, which is a real perk of living here. Flying is usually fastest and often cheapest: low-cost carriers like Jeju Air, T'way, Jin Air, Air Busan, and Peach run constant flights from Seoul (Incheon and Gimpo) and Busan to Fukuoka, Osaka, and Tokyo, and booking a few weeks ahead on a weekday can get round trips from around 100,000 to 200,000 won. Gimpo to Haneda and Gimpo to Osaka are super convenient city-center routes. From Busan there are also overnight ferries to Fukuoka that save a night's accommodation; the fast JR Kyushu ferry (Queen Beetle) stopped running in 2024, so check current sailings before planning around a ferry.

On visas, most Western passport holders and many others get visa-free short-stay entry to Japan (typically up to 90 days), but this depends entirely on your nationality, so check Japan's entry rules for your passport before booking, and fill out the Visit Japan Web arrival and customs forms in advance to speed through the airport. A few money tips: Japan is still fairly cash-friendly, so carry some yen, get an IC card like Suica or ICOCA for trains, and check whether a regional rail pass fits your route. Since you live in Korea, keep your ARC and a valid re-entry status so you get back in smoothly, and if your visa is single-entry, confirm your re-entry permit before leaving. For a weekend, Fukuoka and Osaka are the least travel-heavy picks.