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Contents📖 ~6 min read
4 friends in Japan — splitting bills, sharing rooms, group savings
Spoke article for a group of four friends. Unlike families, every person here is an adult — every wallet separate — but lodging and the night-out drinks bill are massively cheaper when shared. Japan has built-in "group optimization" with quad rooms, nomihodai (all-you-can-drink), and large-plate izakaya food. Plan on ¥8,000-13,000 per person per day (budget) or ¥15,000-22,000 (standard). The keys to controlling cost: warikan etiquette, settling up via Wise/Revolut, and understanding nomihodai math.
Quad room (4 in a single room) = ¥18,000-32,000/night → ¥4,500-8,000 per person
Two business-hotel rooms (twins × 2 = ¥6,000-9,000 per person) costs 20-30% more
Japanese-style ryokan rooms with futons can sleep 4-6 — perfect for groups
Hotel chains with 4-person rooms
Dormy Inn: Many triples/quads, onsen included, optional breakfast ¥1,500
Tokyu Stay: Some locations have quads with kitchens for self-catering
APA Hotel: Some quads, often in central locations
Kyoto / Hakone ryokan: Japanese-style rooms sleep 4-6, with meals included
Airbnb pros and traps
Pros: Group-friendly kitchens for self-catering, big living room
Traps: New short-term-rental law means hosts collect lodging tax; many properties are far from stations; check-in is often via key box (no human contact)
Recommended: Airbnb for 3+ nights in one city; business hotels for 1-2 night stops
A: Quad rooms or Japanese-style rooms are totally fine. Cramming 4 into a business-hotel twin typically breaks the booking terms (ask about extra beds).
Q: Can foreigners use PayPay?
A: A Japanese phone number is required, so as a tourist effectively no. Use Wise / Revolut P2P transfers instead.
Q: Is it OK to drink yourself sick at nomihodai?
A: The staff hates it — don't. Last orders are usually at 90 minutes; everyone leaves at 2 hours.
Q: How do we handle someone leaving the drinks party early?
A: Even split, or pay-for-what-you-drank by self-report. Younger Japanese tend to prefer the second.