Tokushima & the Anan Coast
An informal vibe pervades this neat family hotel tucked off the main drag. The narrow rooms are well appointed, with spacious bathrooms and firm beds…
Must-see hotels in Japan
Izu Peninsula
A bit too far up the hill for beach views, this homely guesthouse has been welcoming visitors for almost 30 years. The English-speaking owner is a good…
Hiroshima
Off Namiki-dōri, this traditional ryokan offers good-sized tatami rooms with en suite, as well as large public baths for soaking, a peaceful garden and…
Hokkaidō
This homey spot, in the yellow building right next to JR Ōnuma Kōen Station, is a good place to stay. The owner speaks English and greets international…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Right in the heart of the modest action, Yoshida-ya has a more international feel than most due to the presence of young, foreign adventurers and helpful…
Otaru
This is a reliable higher-end option, in a restored warehouse along the canal. Rooms are priced according to size and view – the larger, canal-facing…
Western Honshū
This grand complex has it all: tennis courts, open-air onsen, swimming pool, restaurants, and sunset views from spacious Western- and Japanese-style…
Aomori Prefecture
In the hip part of Dote-machi is this discreet business hotel, where the concrete facade belies the personal touches awaiting inside. Pillow menus, a…
Western Honshū
This welcoming ryokan in a converted building right in the historic area has tatami rooms overlooking a garden, and meals featuring local seafood. Prices…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Here's a model for independent business hotels in Japan: homely touches, bright interiors, light and fresh meals and enough floor space to stretch. It's a…
Ebino-Kōgen Campground & Lodge
Kyūshū
A pretty stream runs through the middle of this delightful campground with onsen (open 5pm to 8pm), 500m from the Eco Museum Centre. Rates rise in July…
Central Honshū
The most appealing features of this above-average business hotel about 10 minutes' walk west of the train station are its exceptionally friendly and…
Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps
Popular with families, this casual boutique hotel has spacious rooms with neutral decor and its own bar and restaurant. It has a good location in Echoland…
Amami Islands
Offering free pick-up from the port or airport, this downtown Wadomari hotel has rooms in a quiet building set back from the street. Don't be put off by…
Nagasaki
On the main drag, this hotel has 153 sleek rooms with dark-wood panelling and separate shower, tub and vanity. Staff are used to foreign guests. There's a…
Wakoto Peninsula Lakeside Campground
Hokkaidō
This campground, with gravel tent sites, is on the quiet southern shore of Kussharo-ko, near the start of the Wakoto Peninsula Nature Trail. Note that…
Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast
This comfortable business hotel is a good resting point if you're driving to the Noto Peninsula from Toyama or Gokayama. It's in the car park of a…
Ueno & Yanesen
A short walk from Ueno Station, this business hotel is a convenient base, close by Ueno sights. Rooms are basic and fairly charmless, though the common…
Osaka
Perfect for those looking for a budget stay in the heart of Shinsaibashi. Rooms are cramped and some are a little scuffed up, but who cares when you're…
Hokkaidō
There's not tons of character here, but you can't go wrong with a Toyoko Inn. Kushiro's is a five-minute walk south of JR Kushiro Station along Kita-Ōdōri…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Check in here is supervised by humanoid robots. The compact rooms are more pedestrian but do feature one colourfully painted wall, a huge TV, a closet…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
This well-maintained and -managed hotel opened in 2013. Rooms are small, but more than adequate for the price and the breakfasts are substantial. There…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
This modest, very welcoming ryokan servicing the Tazawa-ko ski fields is well priced and perfect for families. Some of the spacious rooms (only eight…
Western Honshū
A Western-style chain hotel near Shin-Yamaguchi Station with comfortable beds and low-key modern styling. A good Western/Japanese buffet-style breakfast…
Central Honshū
A short walk from JR Takasaki Station on an elevated walkway, this business hotel has friendly staff, comfortable beds and oddly large TVs for its…
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
This friendly, family-run complex of self-contained pink and green cabins and clean campgrounds is an inexpensive option on Shimoji-jima. Check in at the…
Yokohama
One of the better cheapo hostels in the neighbourhood, Zen has boxy Japanese and Western-style rooms, a few sporting design makeovers by artists. A shared…
Shikoku
Right in front of Nakamura Station and extremely convenient, there's nothing particularly special at this multi-storey red-brick place, but the rooms tick…
Aomori Prefecture
The Richmond is a reputable brand that adds a welcome sense of affordable refinement to the Aomori hotel landscape. Try to nab one of the rooms at the top…
Hokkaidō
On a sandy bit on the lake's west shore among trees, this is the nicer of Shikotsu-ko's two campgrounds. There are showers and cooking facilities; four…
Route Inn Grantia Shiretoko-Shari Eki Mae
Hokkaidō
This is a convenient place to stay if you're relying on public transport – it's right in front of the train and bus stations in Shari. It's a modern tower…
Asakusa & Sumida River
The opposite of the big, social hostel, Retro Metro, with just two small dorm rooms, will appeal to travellers looking for a quieter and calmer place to…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
This very comfortable independent hotel is in a fun part of the city next to popular izakaya and a high school. English-language TV, locally sourced…
Osaka
Close enough to JR Osaka and Hankyū Umeda Stations to be convenient (about a 15-minute walk) but far enough away to be reasonably priced, Sunroute is a…
Takayama
This glorified business hotel has a slightly clinical feel for a 'spa hotel' but offers comfortable beds, bright rooms and a fantastic rooftop onsen with…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
This is a lovely rural escape, with a number of piping-hot baths and a separate building for Japanese-style accommodation. Delicious meals are included…
Nagoya
Located adjacent to Kanayama Station, this solid international hotel offers decent-size, standard business rooms with a view. Significantly lower rates…
Naha
Steps from Kokusai-dōri, this bare-bones, Southeast Asian–themed guesthouse has dorms and tiny private rooms with a tropical ambience, all with shared…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Wonderfully located just across the road from Shirahama beach, this unassuming ryokan provides a very hospitable atmosphere, has a private bookable…
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
Set back in the village of Aharen, this minshuku offers basic Japanese-style rooms and reasonable rates. Staff will pick you up for free at the port if…
