🏨 Where to Stay in Japan: How to Choose and Book Your Accommodation
Picking where to sleep in Japan can feel like a lot.
Business hotel or ryokan? Do you need a Japanese booking site? What’s with the extra tax at check-in? I’ve put together everything I wish every traveler knew before booking. Let’s go through it.
Business hotels vs. ryokan: what to expect
Business hotels
These are the backbone of travel in Japan. They’re clean, well located (often right next to the station), and good value, but the rooms are compact.
The room. A typical 3-star double is about 13 to 21 m², and size varies a lot between Standard, Superior, and Deluxe. Two people usually share one bed.
Check the window. Many business hotels have windows that don’t open, so read the room details before you book.
Noise near stations. A hotel right next to a major station can be noisy.
That said, the hotel we stayed at next to JR Akihabara Station was surprisingly quiet, and we could see the station from our window!
The bathroom. Most have a small all-in-one “unit bath” with the toilet, sink, and tub in one compact space. It’s tiny, but very practical.
What’s provided. Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and hand/face wash are always there. Hotels in Japan also usually offer pajamas, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a hairbrush, a hair dryer, shower caps, cotton swabs, tea, and coffee.
The amenity bar. Lately, many hotels have switched to an amenity bar to be more eco-friendly.
Instead of putting everything in your room, they let you pick up only what you need from the lobby.
The key card slot. Most hotels have a power-saving system. When you enter, put your room key in the slot by the door to turn on the lights, TV, and air conditioning. When you leave and take your key, most of the power turns off, though the fridge usually stays on. If your lights won’t come on, that’s why!
Ryokan (traditional Japanese inns)
A ryokan is a big part of the experience, and a little different from a regular hotel.
The room. A standard ryokan room has tatami floors and a low table, and usually no beds.
While you’re enjoying dinner, the staff prepare your futon bedding on the tatami. Rates often depend on the view (mountain or ocean, for example), and you’ll often find a local sweet and tea waiting in your room to help you relax before your onsen bath.
Yukata. You’ll usually find a yukata waiting for you. You can wear it around the ryokan: to the public bath, to dinner and breakfast, or just while relaxing.
It’s all part of the experience. (Tip: wrap the left side over the right.)
Pricing. Ryokan usually charge per person, not per room, so sharing a room often brings the price per person down.
Traveling solo? Ryokan aren’t always solo-traveler friendly. This is because many long-established, traditional ryokan were designed with families and groups in mind, so their rooms are built for 2 to 4 guests and they often have few or no single rooms.
That said, some ryokan will accept a solo traveler if you pay the 2-person rate. You’ll need to contact the ryokan directly to check.
Traveling with 3 or more people
Regular hotels usually offer triple rooms, family rooms, connecting rooms, or double rooms with a sofa bed.
Business hotels are different. They focus on convenience, so many only have compact single or double rooms and don’t offer larger options.
With a group of 3+, you may need to book two rooms.
Ryokan: always check the room’s maximum occupancy.
They have a variety of room sizes, and many standard rooms sleep up to 4 guests. If the room has beds, they’ll set up futons for the extra guests.
💡 Tips for booking on Japanese websites
Sometimes the best option, or even the only option, is to book directly through a Japanese website.
Don’t worry if the site is entirely in Japanese! You can still make the reservation yourself by using Google Chrome’s built-in translation.
Entering your name in Japanese
Japanese websites may ask for your name in Japanese. Foreign names are generally written in katakana, one of the Japanese writing systems.
Use Google Translate to convert your name and copy the result into the form.
For example:
John Smith → ジョン・スミス
One thing to keep in mind: Japanese names are written surname first, then given name, and reservation forms often follow that order. Don’t worry about getting it perfect. For most reservations, a small mistake in name order won’t cause any problems.
Don’t forget the taxes
宿泊税 (shukuhaku-zei), the accommodation tax
A small extra charge at check-in, on top of your room rate.
Paid directly to the hotel (cash or card), not through your booking site
Charged per person, per night, and rates vary by city
入湯税 (nyūtō-zei), the onsen bathing tax
A separate small tax if your ryokan or hotel has real hot spring baths.
Usually ¥150 to ¥300 per person, per night
Goes toward maintaining the hot springs
Charged on top of the accommodation tax if the property has both
Budget a little extra per night, and you won’t be surprised.
Ship your luggage ahead
When I’m moving to another prefecture, I almost always ship my luggage ahead. Most hotels with a reception can help you send it with Yamato Transport, so it’s waiting for you at your next hotel. It makes traveling so much easier!
Send it a day or two ahead. Pack a small bag with a change of clothes and essentials for the night or two you’re without your suitcase.
Delivery usually takes about a day between nearby cities, and a bit longer for farther destinations like Hokkaido, Kyushu, or Okinawa. Sending it early means your bags will be there when you arrive, and you can ask the front desk to confirm the timing when you hand it over.
The price depends on the size of your suitcase.
For reference, I shipped two 140 cm suitcases (total dimensions) from Tokyo to Kyoto, and it cost around ¥5,000 altogether.
Need a hand?
If you’d rather not sort all this out yourself, that’s what we’re here for.
We plan custom trips and take care of the bookings so you can just enjoy Japan. Get in touch through the site!
