Budget

Lodging: Free, as this was part of our program fee - including two weeks of homestay
Food: About $500 - between $70-$100 a week, less if you want to eat poorly. I love food.
Incidentals: About $350 for gifts, an alarm clock, phone cards, and clothes - shopping is fun, if kind of expensive in Japan. Bring phone cards from home!

Lodging: About $1000 - Hotels were between $50-$100 a night depending on where you stayed - more expensive is not necessarily nicer!
Food: About $350 - Meals "on the outside" when you can't cook for yourself most of the time run about $5-$10 a meal.
Incidentals: About $400 for more gifts, some travel expenses (very few, due to JR Rail Pass), and bowling/theater passes