Travel Guide for Lodging in Japan
Photographer: Conor Bodily
How to begin selecting your lodging:
Before you can decide between a capsule hotel, a ryokan, a Japanese hotel, an American-esc hotel, or even an Airbnb, there are a few important points to consider. It’s very important to consider things such as proximity to trains and events, as well as safety precautions and the ability of staff to speak English. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to start by basing your lodging off of these first few points and consider how they will play into the rest of your travel plans. Often, you can narrow down much of your search by eliminating options that don’t fit within these parameters.
-Proximity to a local train or subway station:
-Safety:
We’ll address safety concerns in Japan in a future article and include the link here when it’s available. But for the time being, I’ll just briefly mention that for the most part Japan is a very safe place. You’ll want to follow the standard precautions that apply to traveling internationally, but as long as you’re doing that, Japan is very safe. However, just to air on the side of caution, it’s always smart to choose lodging that is on well-lit roads in the more populated parts of town, even more so if you’re drinking late at night. Again, just be aware and follow normal safety precautions.
-English speaking:
Alright, I’ll be honest, I haven’t ever stayed at a place that didn’t see me, a 6’3” blue-eyed white dude, and didn’t first try to communicate with me in some level of broken English. After staying in a number of places, it’s easy to tell how well prepared the reception employees are to speak English by seeing how frantic they get when they see me walking in through the door and their obvious relief once I begin speaking Japanese. That being said, as frantic as some reception workers may seem, and as broken as their English may seem, almost every form of lodging has someone on staff who can communicate… more or less. So, if you don’t speak Japanese, you can get by without problem in most cases. However, it never hurts to double check online before making a reservation.
Different Forms of Lodging
-Capsule Hotels: Photographer: John Sorenson
It’s probably safe to assume that you’ve at least heard of the capsule hotels in Japan. When I talk to people about staying in a capsule hotel, they expect some kind of uncomfortable tube of some sort, or a two-foot wide five-foot long box that fits into a giant dresser where humans take the place of tube-socks. I mean, they aren’t entirely wrong, but it’s not as bad as one would expect. Plus, there is a wide range of capsule hotels to choose from with varying levels of comfort.
I’ve stayed in capsule hotels maybe seven or eight times last summer. They’re a great option if you’re traveling on a budget. A lot of places can get down to around $25 a night. And if you don’t plan on spending much time in your lodging and just need a place to crash for the night, this might honestly be your first choice. The price can range – I’ve stayed at the cheapest places that were around $25 and also some of the nicer $65 capsule hotels that are more along the lines of small individual rooms.
Photographer: John Sorenson
Here’s what you need to know before staying in capsule hotels:
Main points to consider:
– Probably the cheapest option. – Small but comfortable individual spaces.
-Communal facilities. -Great for travelers who only want to sleep, wash up, and leave.
-Won’t have quick access to luggage. -People taller than 6’5” should avoid.
-Not ideal for large individuals. -Light sleepers may be disturbed by neighbors.
Ryokans:
At first, I was a bit hesitant to stay at ryokans. When I asked Japanese friends what ryokans were, they described them as old-fashioned Japanese-style hotels. They mentioned that they may or may not have Wi-Fi and may or may not have air conditioning. Because of the way they portrayed ryokans, I got the impression that they weren’t well equipped and weren’t aimed at serving the modern traveler. However, once I stayed at my first ryokan, I realized that this was completely incorrect. After doing a little more research and experiencing ryokans in a few different areas, I’ve come to the conclusion that they are just as well equipped as the majority of hotels in Japan and have just about everything a modern traveler needs – including air conditioning and Wi-Fi. And the best part about staying in a ryokan is the Japanese-style experience. If I could recommend any type of hotel to a friend, I’d say that ryokans are my number-one pick.
I’ve stayed at maybe five or six ryokans last summer. A few of them around the $35-$45 price range, and a few that were over $200 a night. The $35-$45 ryokans provided a small room (by American standards) that were equipped with a futon, small table with cushions to sit on, a small TV (only Japanese channels), and a personal sink. The bathroom was shared by three or four guests and had a male and female individual shared bath (used one at a time, but shared by a few rooms), which were basically personal onsens that were large and beautiful. In my experience, the best bathing experiences in any type of hotel have always been in ryokans – grade A top notch. The futons were always super plush and extremely comfortable in my experience.
Here’s what you need to know before staying in ryokans:
Main points to consider:
-Best choice for the full Japanese experience. – Expect to sleep on futons.
-Wide price range for most any budget. – Classic style for modern traveler.
-Learn Japanese manners and indoor customs. -TV is small and in Japanese.
Japanese Hotels:
I spent the majority of my travels in Japanese hotels. I consider Japanese hotels to be American-style hotels that are run by Japanese companies. This basically means that guests are offered a bed (not a futon), a large TV with some channels in English, and personal bathrooms that include a toilet, sink, shower, and tub. These Japanese hotels are often a bit smaller than American hotels, but very comfortable for those expecting an experience similar to Western standards. Price range generally starts at $35 for a basic individual room to $300 for the more expensive hotels. I’ve never stayed at a hotel for over $100 a night and usually stayed around the $35-$50 range. Really great quality all around.
There isn’t much to say that’s unique about Japanese hotels. I’ve never had a bad experience in even the cheapest ones.
Here’s what you need to know before staying in Japanese Hotels:
Main points to consider:
– Great options for those who just want a standard hotel room.
-Many rooms are very inexpensive. -Very private compared to other options.
American Hotels in Japan:
Alright, so in the locations with a high number of tourists there are usually a few American brand-name hotels such as Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, and Hilton. I’ve stayed at two of these because the people traveling with me were new to Japan and were worried about Japanese hotels. They offer large rooms, large beds, large bathrooms, and everything you would expect from an expensive American hotel. In my opinion, they are super overpriced and price gouge you at every available opportunity. They don’t even offer complimentary Wi-Fi after you spent hundreds of dollars to stay there. Cheap bastards. The only real reason to stay here is if you really don’t want to get out of your comfort zone and are willing to pay out the ass for it. Great quality, very comfortable, but just not worth it. I mean, you’re staying in Japan – so stay in Japan!
Here’s what you need to know before staying in American hotels in Japan:
Main points to consider:
-I can’t find any super valid reason to stay in these, but that’s just me.
Airbnb Japan:
At the latter end of my travels in Japan, I stayed in a handful of Airbnb. If you’re not familiar with Airbnb, the idea is that you rent out an apartment or house that is owned and operated by locals rather than businesses. I’ve found that Airbnb in Japan is fantastic in larger cities where tourists are expected to visit… with the exception of Tokyo. Small cities and rural areas, not so much. The advantages in Airbnb are usually found in the decent price range and the amount of space provided. Cities like Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima offer great prices for 2+ visitors – I paid an average of $35 a night per person for my friend and I to stay in two large apartments and a home. The locations were excellent and were furnished with large TVs, couches, a kitchen area, bathroom, and whatever else is usually expected at an Airbnb. All three of our hosts spoke English (or could at least type in English) and were very courteous. All three experiences were excellent.
I wouldn’t recommend staying in an Airbnb in Tokyo. The options available in Tokyo are more expensive than cheap hotel rooms and are often shared with other people (the owners) with a lot less space. Many of the reasons why someone would want to use Airbnb are inapplicable in Tokyo. Rural areas and small cities/towns have similar issues; it’s harder to find places that offer an entire apartment for a reasonable price range. But for the usual tourist locations and larger cities, I would highly recommend staying in an Airbnb.
Here’s what you need to know before staying in Airbnb Japan:
Main points to consider:
-If space is a consideration, this is a great option. -Hosts often speak English.
-Great for experiencing Japanese housing. – Typically inexpensive.
Conclusion:
This is primarily based on personal experience, so your experience may vary. Hope this helps and happy travels!