Japan Travel Cost: Accommodation JAPAN # 3: Japan Travel Guide
Where to stay in Japan a guide to accommodation options.
Simon enjoying a Japanese feast our Minshuku or traditional inn.
Japan is expensive and one of your biggest expenses will be hosting Even a budget hotel room in Japan costs as much as a five star hotel in Thailand, but the country is an interesting and rewarding place to travel is worth it the expense If you are on a budget then find the cheapest accommodation will be a priority, but we also recommend you spend a little more if you can and stay in a traditional Japanese inn at least once sleep on a futon in a tatami room is a quintessential Japanese experience and of shame to miss.
After the house sat in Kyoto, we traveled across the country with a Japan Rail Pass and tried a range of accommodation prices can be high, but the standards are too and we didn t have a bad experience Wherever we AC had stayed and all, but the traditional inn and temple had WiFi It is a good idea to book accommodation in advance, because you could end up paying a fortune if the budget places are reserved when you get there .
Here are several accommodation options and we tried some original options we would like next time.
You might assume that hostels are cheaper to stay in Japan, but in reality our cheapest accommodation was in a business hotel booked online see below There are some advantages to staying in hostels you get generally much better facilities with a kitchen that can save you money eating outside, common area to relax and socialize in, WiFi, computers, bicycles and laundry hire staff is also much more likely to speak English which is not widely spoken elsewhere and be able to help you with information about the region.
We stayed at the Inn House K Hiroshima and although the room was small most are in Japan, it was very clean, comfortable and had a private well equipped private bathroom with towels, shampoo and soap Kitchen was clean and well equipped and staff were home we loved the map they provided details about the restaurants in the area, we found a great little hotel okonomiyaki that way.
Our friend raved about all hostels House K s she remained in Japan, and we have also heard good things about the chain of the inn J Hopper You can find more about hostels and Agoda.
cost of beds in dorm rooms are about 2300 yen 3000 US 29 50-38 50 A double room with private bathroom is 5600-7000 yen US 72-90 per room and en suite doubles around 7800 yen US 100.
Recommended for travelers budget, especially if you are traveling alone or if you want to prepare your meals.
We found some good deals in major cities by booking online business hotel on booking sites like and the rooms are small but clean, WiFi and generally as they are intended for entrepreneurs who could miss the last train are equipped with everything you might need towels, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, comb, dress they always have a private bathroom and include a work desk and refrigerator There's not much atmosphere and staff can not speak English, but they are a good budget option for a few nights.
Prices range from cost but we paid 5600 yen US 72-106 8300 per room by booking online.
A ryokan is a traditional inn and a minshuku is a ryokans more basic, version, family-run are very expensive, but are worth trying at least once for a true Japanese experience You will sleep in a room tatami futon on a stack of thin mattresses that are set aside during the day leaving a minimalist space in general, the furniture is a coffee table where you sit on cushions to drink green tea, and sometimes meals are served There are sliding doors and if you are lucky, the more expensive places, overlooking an elegant garden.
Private bathrooms are rare even in the most expensive places, so swimming is held communally Japanese style Instead of shower stalls, you will find separate male and en women where you take an outdoor shower clean before entering a hot, relaxing bath There are large set bathing time in the evening, the idea of taking a bath naked with strangers not panic if we were rather pleased when no one else was there when we took ours Some ryokan can arrange a private bath time After your bath, you can relax in the provided yukata cotton kimono.
Dinner and breakfast are typically provided and is part of the reason why the room price is high The food is excellent and you will be served a multi-course Japanese kaiseki traditional gastronomic feast Even breakfast is an adventure that we stayed in a minshuku in Tsumago and ate rice, miso soup, a canned table vinegar and cold vegetables, algae and salad.
We didn t have WiFi in our Minshuku but some of the more expensive ryokan do as you pay for the experience but it is a good chance to go for a day or two.
A useful resource for finding ryokan or minshuku is Japan Pensions Select a location you like their detailed descriptions and they will book for you without charging a booking fee, which is really helpful that English is often limited these traditional places They also have some good information about the ryokan etiquette and what to expect from a stay is important to book in advance traditional inns that meals must be prepared for you can also get tourist offices to help you reserve a spot.
If you can not afford a ryokan so many hostels offer tatami mat room for the same price as Western style rooms so you can get a taste of traditional experience on a budget.
Our cost Minshuku Tsumago in a small traditional village is US Yen 17430 223 for both of us with meals, and it was pretty basic the most luxurious ryokan cost much more The site lists Japanese Ryokan B & B 14 000 179 yen per couple on the whole to a stunning 220,000 yen US in 2820 the average price is 30,000,384 yen 50 per couple.
Recommended for those who wish to experience traditional Japan and can afford it, we wouldn t have wanted to stay in a ryokan every night, but we're really glad we did once.
For a really interesting lodging experience, you can stay in a Japanese Buddhist temple The style of play is similar to ryokan you go to sleep on futons on tatami mat rooms, share communal bathrooms and eating several festivals food for dinner and breakfast the difference is that you will be served meals vegan ryori Shojin and you will be encouraged to participate in the early morning chanting and meditation ceremony with the monks.
Simon drinking green tea in her yukata after bathing in Haryoin temple.
The most popular places for housing the temple are Kyoto and Koya-san, a pretty village temple in the mountains a few hours outside of Osaka You can book the Japanese temple remains in the House.
Cost We stayed at the cheaper temple in Koya-san, Haryo-which cost 13650 Yen 175 for both of us with meals, it was pretty basic and most modern that attractive temple, so if you can I recommend you make splurge on one of the other temples that cost about 23,000 yen 295 uS per couple that said, if you can not afford to Haryo we enjoyed our experience.
Recommended for anyone looking for an interesting Japanese experience.
Vacation rentals can be a good option in Kyoto and Tokyo where hotel prices are high we stayed in a one bedroom apartment in Tokyo that wasn t much more than a small private room in a hostel with shared bathroom our apartment HomeAway was very comfortable, well equipped and we enjoyed our stay in an area being 15 minute walk from downtown Tokyo madness of having our own kitchen allowed us to save the money on food in restaurants.
You can also find good value apartments on Airbnb Sign up here for 25 your first stay.
Our apartment was Tokyo cost 9167 yen 120 US per night.
Yep, you guessed the name Love Hotels are for Japanese couples seeking a little privacy They are common in big cities and aren t as dodgy as you expect Often, the rooms are great for the price and you can enjoy the fun room themes you can recognize them by Love Hotels garish decoration and external signs giving prizes to rest a few hours or overnight, usually 9 or 22 hours.
We didn t have the chance to stay at one of us, but I heard they are a good option, especially if you arrive late in a city and do not have a pre-booked accommodation.
A cost night cost about 8000 yen US 102 50.
Recommended for couples on a budget, especially if you arrive late at night.
Capsule hotels are intended for entrepreneurs who have missed the last train home rooms or sleeping pods are tiny, not much bigger than a coffin, providing just enough space to sleep, but are equipped with a TV, light and alarm Bathrooms are shared, and luggage are stored in lockers most capsule hotels allow the men we didn t try, but it would be a strange place for a night and meet with Japanese salarymen.
Manga Kissa is a manga cafe where young Japanese drag to read comic books and use the Internet There are usually video games, cheap and showers too private cabins food can be rented with a computer chair and comfortable, reclining, many people remain in the overnight, especially if they've missed the train.
Cost 1500 2500 -32 US 19 yen for one night.
Recommended for individual travelers who need a cheap hotel late at night.
House is don t come to Japan very often, but we were fortunate Being able to stay in a house in Kyoto free for more than three weeks in exchange for treating cats was a lot for us and allowed us to save a lot of money free hosting is just one of the advantages of the house sat well and we also liked living in a quiet residential area and having our own kitchen.
Our favorite housesitting site is trustworthy housesitters Sign up and they'll send you daily emails with a wide range of housesits worldwide.
Recommended for everyone, especially couples and families.
If you can not find a sit home in Japan is another way to find free housing is not only get a free place to stay on the couch of a person or in their spare room, but it is a great way to meet local people and get advice about their city.
We have had wonderful experiences with couchsurfing in the past but it is difficult to find locations in Japanese cities we visited that had space for a couple couchsurfing The community is not as big in Japan as in other countries that may be due to language problems and a lack of space if you are traveling alone you might have more luck, especially in large cities.
Japan accommodation options really interesting and it is a good idea to try some of them for a varied trip.
Planning a trip in 2017 See our speed and Resources page for our favorite tools to help you plan the perfect trip.
Where are your favorite places to stay in Japan Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
Enter your email to sign up for our monthly newsletter and free ebook South America Highlights.
I found ridiculously good deals on online hotel reservation for our trip in January many places were offering up to 40 minutes off if we had booked a month in advance and spent 4 nights capture to be you had to pay in full when you made your reservation.
I am also terribly nervous about shared bathroom in a ryokan haha we are staying in a little, although I found one that had attached Western bathroom for a good treatment.
I am pleased that you have found Ashley deals This will be the advantage moves outside of peak periods we generally prefer not reserve seats in advance especially pay up front, but in Japan was often necessary to get the best deals the standard is high so we never looked anywhere we have booked an incredible journey and good luck with communal bathroom.
The shared bathrooms are the best part of staying in a ryokan You choose the ryokan based bath and food Staying in your room for a western bath is a shame.
I got lucky when spending 3 weeks in Japan since now my brother-in-law lived in Kanagawa, we could stay with her for free We had a fun trip to Kyoto and stayed in a hotel that was a package deal with the Shinkansen fare once more in a cabin in Karuizawa we'll never really try one of these options.
free accommodation in Japan is lucky You save so that way we have done with our sit home in Kyoto.
I think the price information may be a little outdated Housing is high enough where I went last year with the price of 7 overnight at 40 a night and we were in a double room with bathroom I think this calls for another trip for both of you in Japan.
Thank you for your very helpful guide to accommodation in Japan, I will keep in my favorites, I'm single, middle-aged, nature loving, man oriented mind I think of a two-week stay in Japan, but I do not know where to go, I do not know the language and culture or geography It's just a place on a map for me Can you disabuse me of stereotyping and give me back and essential donts regarding the behavior that I'm a Yorkshireman after all Sean E Yorks UK.
Could you send me your newsletter and Ta Sean.
I take my school with her 15-year daughter in Japan in July and is the Japanese half She traveled to Tokyo last year and we loved it We have about 10 days, and I would stay in Tokyo and Kyoto Where should we go, can you give us an idea of some sites to see we're both foodies and also i want her to see the experience of his ideas of Japanese heritage.
Here's a summary of what we did, with links to all our messages should give you some ideas.
This is a good site very well, I like the depth that you are what helps me so much that I was not too excited about planning this trip, but now that I know I can be looking and how much it may cost, I get really, really excited Thank you.
U can tell if it is cheap airbnb all other places mentioned above, I ask because I want to visit Japan and would like would be a cheaper option hotel or inn airbnb.
I agree with you on how Japan is expensive, especially accommodation in Tokyo.
But if you look carefully, I think you can find a lot in different areas, for example, I live in a guesthouse in Asakusa I am a student and for me is the best place to stay in Tokyo My guest house not very expensive, the neighborhood is really nice, cheap restaurants, and we feel a different culture, more traditional _.
Where to stay in Japan a guide to accommodation options, stay, Japan, guide.