"Rethink My Budget": SA Traveller Shares Travel Guide for Japan Trip Including Visa Costs, SA Reacts

• Sibongile Mafu, a South African TikToker, shared a detailed Japan travel guide for South Africans eyeing a trip
• She broke down the real costs, including visa fees that have jumped from R350 to over R1,800 for a single entry
• Mzansi viewers flooded the comments, with some already rethinking their budgets before their upcoming trips

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.

Japan visa costs have shot up

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.

What to know before you land

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.

View the TikTok video below:

Mzansi reacts to the Japan travel tips

South Africans in the comments on the page had plenty to say:

@don2gud4u wrote:

"Am I going to Japan? No. Did I watch and listen to this video to the end? Yes."

@LoLo shared:

"Went to Japan for 3 weeks last year Aug/Sep. Stayed at Dusit Thani in Kyoto after coming across one of your videos mentioning Dusit Thani here on TikTok. That hotel was sublime, the design, staff, turndown service etc. My husband and I still talk about their breakfast."

@Venessa | UGC & Lifestyle said:

"R160,000?! I'm going to Greece or Italy rather, thank you."

@Karen Emanuel King added:

"Have you added mind reader to your portfolio because I've been stalking your previous videos for this info. I'm going in March 2027."

@JJ said:

"Going next year in February. I have to rethink my budget now and get that Suica card."

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@Jeanette asked:

"What?! From R350 to R1,800?! Please educate me on this. What would be the reason for this?"

More Briefly News stories on visas

• Afrikaner H-2A farm workers appeal to Trump for faster visa processing and green cards, describing years of delays, family separation and consular hurdles.
• South Africans in the UK face strict Adult Dependent Relative visa rules when sponsoring parents, grandparents, adult children or siblings to join them.
• Content creator Sara Erb spent three hours at a Cape Town VFS centre, where a visa application process left her frustrated and South Africans divided.

Source: Briefly News