If you really wanna be cheap then just go to a pc cafe. Its only 500 yen for a couple of hours. Some even have showers and beds. Sure it was weird staying there, but it was the best bargain I ever had. Also no reservation needed!
I've done that and completely forgot about it. For Fukuoka I highly suggest Cybac. It's was 900 when I did it, but same idea. There's one in Tenjin and a few others spread around the city. Comes with shower, foot massage, and free beverages. I'm not sure there's any football worth seeing in Fuku -- could be a stayover in lieu of seeing an afternoon game in Oita or Tosu though (in both cases you'd have to stop off in Fukuoka/Hakata at the end of the Sanyo Shinkansen anyway) Like Basse suggested with Hokkaido -- I think Kyushu offers a different feel from Honshu. Maybe not quite the same since it's still highly populated like Honshu, but I like it.
Thanks guys, I won't forget. 'Cause some friends told that Kyoto is the pearl of Japan, I think I will look for a cheap place to sleep here. And look for ways to increase my money account ...
One thing about the aforementioned JR Rail Passes - they're only good for 7, 14, or 21 days depending on the type you get. If you're going to be spending a week in Kanto, for example, it's not really worth it, BUT if there's one week that you were gonna do a lot of Shinkansen-ing (for example, go to a J1 match on Sunday, then a Nabisco match on Wednesday, then another J1 match on Saturday), it might prove to be a pretty good deal (for example you could hop from Kanto to Kansai to Kyushuu and then hoof it up to Niigata if you chose).
Unfortunately my home is small, and we are 4 already, but definitely let me know when you are in Kyoto.
1) Get a Japan Rail Pass 2) Load up on hostels (I recommend K's House [Hiroshima, Kyoto] and Hotel Juyoh [Tokyo] for starters) 3) Learn to love konbini food 4) Perfect your 'baka gaijin' face, and don't be afraid to use it if all else fails
When I lived in Kyoto the Fujiyama cafe on Teramachi was fabulous for a few winks but that was almost 7 years ago... Although I've never been without a home in Japan my main study in university here was religious history and I visited many temples. Priests are fantastically wealthy and have spare rooms, and if you befriend them in the evening on the grounds and talk about your Japan journey, you'll likely be invited in for a meal and a night stay for free. Make sure to be there close to sundown! I never partook but many frugal friends did.
heh, #4 does work great when you're in a pinch Great info on the temples Vendo -- I never imagined trying that.
If worst comes to worst you could always sleep at the train station. Although I'm not sure if it's a safe (or if its still allowed) as when my dad did it 30 years ago.
I hasten to add, though, that it is always a weapon of last resort. You never know if you'll run into an English-capable person at an inopportune time.