English

Accommodation in Japan

Type of accommodation in Japan

TOP > accommodation in Japan

Accommodation in Japan

This page is for explaining the different types of accommodation in Japan for foreign visitors. In Japan, there are many kinds of accommodation from Western style luxury hotel to Japanese style inn. The facilities in the room are different by the types.
To avoid the mistake, I will introduce various kinds of accommodation.

City Hotel
Western style big luxury hotel situated in the city.
The western hotels like Hyatt and Hilton belong to this category, so you can stay feeling as you are in the West. It usually has restaurant, banquet hall, shops and fitness club.
Mostly twin rooms and meals are not included.

Business Hotel
Wester style hotel in the city for the businessman.
The room rate is not expensive but the serive is limited. The room is small but functional equipped bathtub and toilet, toothbrush, razor, yukata (Japanese pajama) and so on.
Mostly single rooms. Light breakfast is normally included.

Ryokan
This is Japanese style hotel. Location, size and rates are varied.
You have to take off your shoes at the entrance hall and wear slippers. The room is tatami-floored (straw mat) and there are low table and cushions. No chairs.
There is no bed and Japanese style bedding will be prepared only for the night.
In many cases, there are no bathtub and toilet in the room and you have to use the public large bathtub and toilets.
Normally dinner and breakfast are included (no choice menu) and served at the banquet room at fixed time. (Meals are sometimes served in the luxury ryokan.)

Onsen (hot spring) Ryokan
This is a type of Ryokan (see above) which is located in the hot spring area and it has large public bath.
Some ryokans have special bath like outdoor hot spring.
There are guests who stay long period for the health care. You have to pay hot spring tax other than room charge.

Minshuku (Guest House)
It is a kind of Japanese style inn in the touristic area. The inn is as small as the private risidence and the room rate is not expensive.
Normally it is family-operated and you can feel the homelike atomosphere.
They sometimes engaged in the agriculture or fishing, and in this case, they serve flesh vegetables or fish.
Usually there is no room key.

Pension, Petit Hotel
It is a small size accommodation in the touristic area, normally run by the family.
It is like Minshuku, but the building is sofisticated western style. Inside is also western style and room has beds, but in many cases you have to take off your shoes and wear slippers.
Usually western dinner and breakfast are included (no choice menu) and served at the fixed time.
Room rate is cheaper than hotel but more than Minshuku.

Youth Hostel
It is a low price accommodation for the young people like the youth hostel in other countries. You don't have to be a member to stay and there is no age limit.
Basically rooms are dormitory (4-8 guests in one room) and seperated by the gender.
Normally breakfast is included but dinner is option.
Some youth hostels have meeting time or chat room for the communication.
The number of youth hostel is decreasing (about 300 in 2007).

Holiday Rental Home
There are 2 types, to rent a whole house and to rent a room of the appartment.
Kitchen and refrigerator are included to cook by yourself. It is suitable for the long stay because you can stay at your own pace.
If you use with many people, the cost per person will be reduced.

Capsule Hotel
This is unique style of hotel in Japan located in the city center with a tiny capsule shaped bed.
It is cheaper than business hotel. Businessmen who missed the last train by the overtime work or too much drink use this type of hotel.
The private space is only the bed size and equipped blanket, TV. clock, yukata (Japanese pajama).
You have to use public bath and toilet.

Love Hotel
You will find this type of hotel in the amusement center or at the exit of highway. The targets of these hotels are couples.
It was used to be called Motel and now, it is also called Fashion Hotel or Boutique Hotel.
The room is decoration for the couple use.
You can use the room not only overnight but also by the hourly base.

Other accommodations
There are also many different accommodations. For example,
Temple, Cottage for mountain climbers, government-operated hotel and so on.

If you want to book a hotel in Japan, please check the following site.
You can find the hotel all over Japan with discount rate.
RAKUTEN TRAVEL

If you have a plan to visit Tokyo, here is the listing of Tokyo hotels with review from people who have stayed there.