Love Hotel Hill

Lonely Planet review

If you think that Japan is all about raked pebble gardens, geisha in kimono and Zen meditation, make a point of taking a stroll through Love Hotel Hill. Offering one of the largest concentrations of love hotels (see for more details) in Tokyo, this famous hill is where most men and women out on the prowl hope the night will end.

Depending on your tastes, you can bed down in a variety of themed hotels ranging from miniature Gothic castles and kitschy Arabian palaces to traditional Japanese-themed inns and Balinese-inspired resorts. Although choosing where to go is the best part of visiting a love hotel (well, aside from the actual act itself), our personal favourite is a particular Caribbean-themed love hotel with fake palm trees at bedside - we'll leave it to you to find it!

To reach Love Hotel Hill, take the road up Dōgenzaka to the left of the Shibuya 109 building. At the top of the hill, on the side streets that run off the main road, is the main concentration of love hotels. Of course, the best way to get around this area is to meet a nice Japanese guy or girl to show you around!

Also take note that should you need a little help enhancing your love life, nearby Love Hotel Hill is a variety of shops selling all sorts of herbal and chemical love tonics. Even if you read Japanese, it's hard to know what the heck is in these things, though our sources tell us that these drugs will knock the socks off you and your partner.