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A South African TikToker has given fellow travellers a no-nonsense breakdown of what it really costs and takes to visit Japan, and the comment section has not stopped buzzing since.
Sibongile Mafu, who posts under @sboshmafu, shared the video on 11 November 2026. She drew on her own 2025 solo trip to walk South Africans through everything from visa applications to city recommendations.
One of the first things Sibongile flagged was the sharp rise in visa fees. When she applied for her e-visa in 2025, she paid only R350. That figure has since climbed significantly. A single-entry visa now costs just over R1,800, while a multi-entry visa runs just over R3,600, depending on the exchange rate.
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She urged viewers to apply online well in advance and to only pay once the application is approved. Beyond the visa, she recommended booking flights and accommodation as early as possible, noting that two connecting flights are typically required from South Africa, which adds to the overall cost. For a 10- to 14-day trip, she suggested budgeting between R70,000 and R80,000 as a reasonable starting point.
Sibongile also introduced viewers to the Suica card, a reloadable transit card that can be loaded onto a smartphone wallet and used for public transport and convenience stores across Japan. She described it as essential for getting around.
She recommended filling out immigration and customs forms online before boarding, so there is no scrambling at the airport upon arrival. For solo travellers landing late at night, she advised pre-booking an airport transfer and hotel to ensure a smooth arrival.
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On city choices, she highlighted Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka as the ideal starting trio. Tokyo offers variety and scale, Kyoto leans cultural, and Osaka was her favourite for affordable shopping and food. As for language barriers, she said technology and the widespread availability of English menus make navigating Japan far more manageable than many expect.
South Africans in the comments on the page had plenty to say:
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Tendani Mungoni Tendani Mungoni is a Human Interest Writer at Briefly News (joined in 2026). She is a Film and Television graduate from the University of the Witwatersrand (2020). Mungoni began her journalism career as a Multimedia Journalist at Media24’s YOU Magazine. She was a Writer at TheSoul Publishing and Music in Africa. To reach her, contact: [email protected]
