Japan Accommodation

Types of Accommodation in Japan

Hotels | Business Hotels | Ryokan | Minshuku | Capsule Hotels | Youth Hostels

Hotels

Thousands of western style hotels can be found throughout Japan, but are mostly found in Japan’s cities.

Hotels in Japan include international chains as well as Japanese chains such as JAL, ANA and Nikko. There are luxury hotels and moderate hotels, all of which do not differ too much from their international counter parts, except that they may be a little smaller in cities like Tokyo due to limited space.

Room rates start from around jpy 20,000, more often than not hotel staff speak English and Japan's attention to service should always ensure a pleasurable stay.

Bussiness Hotels

Business hotels in japan are a good option for short stays or for those who want to avoid the higher rates of large city hotels.  There are always business hotels to be found near train stations and  if people are prepared to take a bus or taxi from the station, good rates can be found with rooms starting from JPY 4,500.

Rooms are small, but clean and provide all the necessities. There is usually a bed, TV, fridge and bathroom with shower and toilet. Some business hotels may provide breakfast, but don’t expect any fancy restaurants. At best, there may be a basic restaurant or simply snacks and refreshments available via vending machines.

At business hotels guests pay at check in. There should be information in English available at most places, but don't expect the staff to be able to speak a great deal of English.

As they are Japanese business hotels, guests will sometimes be required to remove their shoes at the building's entrance and wear slippers within the building.

Ryokan

Ryokan are Japanese style inns that capture the culture and traditions of years gone by while offering the service and comfort one would expect from modern accommodation.

Ryokan can vary from small wooden traditional buildings to the large concrete structures that are prevalent in many Japan cities. And while luxury ryokan do exist, they do not provide the mod cons of that of a luxury hotel, instead the focus is on service, atmosphere and relaxation.

Ryokan rooms are usually furnished with tatami flooring, a low table and cushions (zabuton) for sitting on. A tea set may also be provided for guests to enjoy some Japanese tea. Guests sleep on a futon which is rolled out and put away in an 'oshiire' (a closet for futons) each day by the Ryokan staff.

Breakfast and dinner is usually included in the room rate and , depending on the ryokan, meals are served in the guest's room or taken in a large communal dining area. It is often the food that the ryokan pride themselves on and is often why Japanese guests choose a particular ryokan. The meals served are traditionally Japanese, consisting of fish, rice and sweets fresh from the local area that the ryokan is located.

Besides the experience of sleeping on a futon in a tatami room and eating sashimi, guests also have the opportunity to enjoy an onsen (Japanese spa). Ryokan onsen can be either natural hot springs or man made. They are usually gender separated and communal, but for those that may be a little uncomfortable sharing a communial bath, there are (more expensive) ryokan that offer rooms with private baths.

There are about 55,000 ryokan in Japan, 1400 of which belong to the japan ryokan association. It is more common for ryokan to be located in scenic areas of Japan and probably a more memeorable experience to stay in such a place, but they do excist in japanese cities too with Kyoto being quite well known for its ryokan.

Minshuku

Minshuku are for budget travellers or those looking for a "Japanese experience". They can basically be described as Japanese style b&bs or budget ryokan.

In most cases minshuku are simply a room, section or floor of a family's home with a shared bathroom and common room. Like ryokan, rooms are simply furnished and guests are provided with a futon to sleep on which they may be required to put away and roll out themselves.

1 or 2 Japanese style meals are often included in the room rates and it is best not to expect the hosts to be able to speak much English.

Capsule Hotels

The Capsule hotel was conceived in the 1970's and predominantly built throughout the 1970's and 80's to accommodate the hardworking Japanese of the time.

They are incredibly cheap, often under JPY 2000, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for.  While capsule hotels are clean, sometimes with morning coffee and an internet connection available, guests are literally provided with a “capsule” just big enough to fit a bed.

The capsules are usually lined up in rows and have only a curtain for a door. Inside, the "rooms" may have a small TV and alarm clock built in. They are for necessity only, not for comfort, so don't expect a great night's sleep.

Capsule hotels are certainly an interesting experience even if only done once.

Youth Hostels

There are over 320 youth hostels in Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. They do not differ too much from international hostels, however breakfast and bathrooms may be Japanese style.

Rates are usually somewhere between JPY 2,500 and JPY 3,500. Membership is required to stay at all hostels in Japan which can be bought upon arrival at your first hostel in Japan if you don’t already have one.

Japanese Youth Hostels are safe, friendly and clean and are used to accommodating international travellers. For a more memorable experience try an accommodation option in some of the more scenic areas of Japan.

Japan Hostels commonly apply a pre-midnight curfew, so if you are looking to have a big night out, maybe a business hotel or even a capsule hotel is a better option.

Youth Hostels are a very economical accommodation choice and allow for travellers on a tight budget to get more out of their “travel dollar”.