My friend Matthew Baxter, who writes at his blog Supercheapjapan has just published his first book. Congratulations! I’ve read the book and I love it, he does what I can’t do when it comes to travel writing: he explains all the details and tricks to move around not only cheaply but also to enjoy every place like the locals would do.
To celebrate the launch I invited him to write an invited blogpost here about drinking on a budget in Japan.
Enter Matthew Baxter:

Many people would think that drinking out in Tokyo is expensive, just like in other major Asian cities such as Hong Kong or Singapore. In fact it?s actually surprisingly cheap to get your beer in the Land of the Rising Sun. In my new book, Super Cheap Japan: Budget Travel in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima and Surrounding Areas, I have made a guide to show exactly how you can travel on a budget in Japan. Through my experiences writing the book, I occasionally enjoyed a few drinks, but as I didn?t have much money, I found the best ways to do it cheaply.  

Drinking in an all-you-can-drink bar
The best place to start your night out shouldn?t be the bar, but the nearest convenience store. Unlike many countries, convenience stores in Japan sell a wide selection of beers, spirits and ciders, as well as Japanese drinks such as shochu and high-balls. Prices are low, with a large selection and cans in sale for only a few dollars. Supermarkets have an even bigger range, especially ones specialising i...