Izu Peninsula
Hugely popular with travellers, this 100-year-old riverside ryokan is an architectural treasure and an absolute steal. Japanese-style private rooms simply…
Must-see hotels in Around Tokyo
Hakone
The centrepiece of this impeccably designed hostel is the irori (sunken hearth) in the bar-lounge, around which communal feasts of grilled fish, rice and…
Fuji Five Lakes
Just about the only remaining Fuji oshi-no-ie (pilgrims' inn) you can still stay in. The young owner is both a carpenter (hence the lovingly restored 440…
Kamakura
A three-minute walk to the beach, this lovely guesthouse occupies a restored wooden building that's almost a century old, with paper lampshades and a…
Fuji Five Lakes
On a quiet backstreet, this excellent choice combines an old Japanese-style house (where guests have breakfast) and a new build behind it housing fabulous…
Izu Peninsula
Long beloved by Japanese artists and writers, this gem of an inn was founded in 1872 and has kept its traditional, wood-crafted heritage. The main bath…
Around Tokyo
A few steps south of Motomachi port, this hip hang-out has sunny capsule dorms with partial sea views, and smart private rooms with a fridge, safe and TV …
Izu Peninsula
A terrific budget choice just three minutes from the beach, Maruya rocks a hip open-plan lounge-kitchen fronting a corridor of lockable sleeping capsules,…
Hakone
A sociable hostel run by a team of friendly young staff, Tent offers Japanese-style futon dorms and private rooms in a stylishly renovated ryokan that has…
Hakone
Established in 1890 and lovingly maintained, Fukuzumirō embodies the aesthetics and spirit of a traditional inn. There's intricately carved, original…
Izu Peninsula
An idyllic retreat enveloped by greenery but only five minutes' walk from Ōhama beach. The old Japanese house here perfectly embodies the wabi-sabi …
Around Tokyo
A Never-Never Land of rustic wooden cabins, walkways and ladders perched on a leafy mountainside, Pelan Village offers an eco-retreat designed for self…
Izu Peninsula
A perfect hillside location means glorious sea views and easy beach access from this twee pension, which is all pink carpets, frilly lace and piped…
Fuji Five Lakes
Elegant and ultrastylish, Ubuya offers panoramic views of Mt Fuji reflected in the lake that are simply unbeatable. Splash out on the more expensive…
Izu Peninsula
In this unlikely corner of Japan, the Yamaguchi family (former expats in Mexico) welcomes guests to their inn with warm, uniquely Mexican-Japanese…
Kamakura
While it's away from the action, this traditional cypress home with cheap Japanese dorms and a common area with an irori (fireplace) make it a nice place…
Hakone
K's has the option of either Japanese-style futon dorms, capsules or bunks, along with neat tatami doubles. There's indoor and outdoor onsen, a shared…
Yokohama
Priced like a business hotel but with an attractive, modern aesthetic and English-speaking staff, Hotel Edit is an excellent choice, especially since it's…
Around Tokyo
Hoshino Resorts have given this 33-room mega-ryokan some contemporary sparkle, with spacious tatami rooms furnished with Western-style beds and lovely…
Izu Peninsula
Enjoy sensational sea views from the tatami guestrooms at this cliffside ryokan. A variety of baths are on offer, including a men's rotemburo (outdoor…
Fuji Five Lakes
Directly across from Kawaguchi-ko Station is this cosy inn offering 16 great-value tatami rooms, a mixed dorm, English-speaking staff, a downstairs cafe…
Nikkō
Only steps away from the trailhead to Kanman-ga-Fuchi Abyss, this tidy, comfortable inn offers Japanese- and Western-style rooms, plus river views from…
Around Tokyo
The 12 elegant rooms (Western-style on the 1st floor, Japanese-style on the 2nd) at this luxurious ryokan are decorated in natural tones, and each has a…
Izu Peninsula
A beautifully restored old house with mixed and female-only capsule-style dorms, one tatami twin and friendly young staff.
Izu Peninsula
Built in 1929, Kanaya Ryokan is fabulously traditional, although the cheapest rooms are relatively simple. The star attraction is the biggest all-wood …
Fuji Five Lakes
Kōan has two campgrounds on the lake, this one on the northeast corner has fine Fuji views, a jacuzzi, a helpful English-speaking owner and an attached…
Nikkō
The closest hostel to Tōshō-gū offers a riverside location and a relaxed, friendly vibe. As it's run single-handedly by the English-speaking Hiro, guests…
Nikkō
In the midst of mountains and rivers in the scenic Okukino region of 'secret onsen' is this rustic ryokan, a serene escape with milky sulphuric waters in…
Nikkō
This grand hotel from 1893 has hosted such notables as Albert Einstein, Helen Keller and King George V in its charming if slightly worn environs. The…
Hakone
Threadbare but exceedingly homely, this family-run guesthouse offers good-value tatami rooms, indoor and outdoor onsen with divine volcanic waters, and a…
Fuji Five Lakes
On Kawaguchi-ko's south shore, this sprawling vintage hotel (c 1932) offers either Mt Fuji or lake views from its Japanese-Western combo rooms. Some rooms…
Around Tokyo
Below Musashi Mitake-jinja, towards the back end of the village, this former pilgrims' inn brims with bric-a-brac and history – it's been in the same…
Around Tokyo
At the very south of the island, this well-maintained stretch of grass has a nice location overlooking the sea, as well as showers and a communal cooking…
Fuji Five Lakes
Offering views of Mt Fuji from the far side of Kawaguchi-ko, this homely complex has a wide range of accommodation, from basic twins to stylish suites,…
Around Tokyo
Bed down pilgrim-style on futon in tatami dorms (sleeping up to seven) at this hostel, a handsome old building that used to be a pilgrims' lodge. It's…
Nikkō
A Thai and Japanese couple run this comfortable guesthouse in a quiet spot close to the river, with just four rooms (tatami and Western-style) offering…
Fuji Five Lakes
Given its views of Fuji across the lake, this retro hotel is a steal. Rooms are smart, Western-style twins with plenty of space, and all face the lake…
Kamakura
Charming, slightly shabby and ultraconvenient, this hotel built in 1924 has both Western- and Japanese-style rooms, most of which share bathrooms. There's…
Around Tokyo
Right smack across from the Narita-san complex, this ryokan is a great choice for a last night preflight. Though aspects of its public spaces could use…
Yokohama
Dating from 1927, the New Grand has a prime waterfront location and elegant old-world charm, particularly in its original lobby and lavishly decorated…
