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…
Must-see hotels in Japan
Aomori Prefecture
One of our favourite hotels in Tōhoku sits by the trailhead for the lovely Oirase Keiryū hike. It's just the place to relax after tackling the trail in…
Ueno & Yanesen
Sawanoya is a gem in quiet Yanaka, run by a very friendly family and with all the traditional hospitality you would expect of a ryokan. The shared cypress…
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…
Kii Peninsula
This pretty hillside temple, set around a garden, offers both simple but nicely done-up rooms and pricier en-suite rooms with newly updated facilities. It…
Central Honshū
Opposite Fukuji-Onsen-shimo bus stop, the entrance to Yumoto Chōza is reached by a rustic covered walkway, as if to take you back in time. Bold, dark…
Ehime Prefecture
Easy on the eyes and the budget, Dōgo Yaya is aesthetically pleasing as well as a smashing deal. The 68 rooms of various layouts are models of clean,…
Miyajima
The Iwasō, open since 1854, offers a grand ryokan experience amid exquisite gardens. There are three wings; a stay in a lovely 'Hanare' cottage will set…
Central Honshū
Remote, rustic and supremely photogenic, this lodging is one of Japan's finest onsen ryokan, with a stunning 1896 wooden bathhouse. From Gokan Station …
Apartment Hotel Mimaru Akasaka
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Opened in 2018, Mimaru has beautifully designed rooms with fully equipped kitchens and proper bathrooms (no pokey unit baths!). Its apartment studios,…
Onomichi Guesthouse Anago no Nedoko
Hiroshima Region
Within a traditional old wooden house restored as part of an NPO project to give life to vacant dwellings, Anago is a budget option with character. As…
Niigata Prefecture
Sleek, modern architecture meets industrial chic at Urashima, housed in a former fishmongers redesigned by two prominent Japanese architects. The result…
Hokkaidō
A cross between a youth hostel and a ryokan, this mountain lodge near the lower terminal of the ropeway offers comfortable Japanese- and Western-style…
Hokkaidō
This unique spot in the Ainu kotan at the southern end of Kussharo-ko is run by Ainu musician Atuy. It has just a handful of rooms decorated with…
Hiroshima Region
As young people abandoned the island, an Ōmi-shima family converted a deserted schoolhouse into this boutique guesthouse under the guidance of famous…
Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps
This compact, family-run establishment extends the feeling of family to its guests and welcomes visitors from around the world. Beautifully designed and…
Tokyo
The Bakurochō area has exploded with flashpacker hostels in the last few years – this is one of the biggest and the best. The trendy young staff are very…
Tokushima & the Anan Coast
This place only has basic surfer accommodation, but all are welcome. Rooms are simple, with beds, air-con and nothing else. Shared male and female…
Western Honshū
A refined inn on the edge of the lake, Minamikan has a choice of 'modern', 'retro' and 'classic' rooms, all with broad views across the water. The top-end…
Tokushima & the Anan Coast
The delightful owner readily welcomes foreigners to her charming place, which has a dozen large, good-value tatami rooms. There's free wi-fi, laundry…
Niigata Prefecture
This sumptuous ryokan perfects the aesthetic of an old-time travellers' inn with dim lighting and dark wood, while maintaining modern conveniences. Rooms…
Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast
Remote Lamp no Yado is a place all its own: a 13-room wooden village beneath a cliff (busy with tour buses, a snack hall and a vast asphalt parking lot)…
Amami Islands
While tightly knitted together, these stunning, architect-designed, fully self-contained waterfront villas retain a sense of privacy and rate among the…
Nagano Region
Six generations of the Suzuki family have maintained this traditional inn just inside Zenkō-ji's Niō-mon gate. Look for the statue of Enmei Jizō and the…
Tsumago
The owner of this unpretentious, welcoming inn speaks some English, Italian and Spanish. It's a great place to have your first ryokan experience, as most…
Aomori Prefecture
Straight from an ukiyo-e (woodblock print), Sukayu's cavernous, dark-wooded bathhouse is a delight for the senses. The water is hot, acidic and sulphurous…
Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps
Awanoyu Ryokan typifies mountain onsen ryokan (hot-spring inns). Uphill from Shirahone, it has been an inn since 1912 (the current building dates from…
Osaka
Opened in 2017, the Conrad has injected some much-needed contemporary glamour into Osaka's hotel scene. Occupying floors 33 to 40 of the Festival Tower…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Mustard is the most exciting of Shibuya's new crop of hotels. The glossy white interior is the work of design firm Tripstar, and there are a variety of…
Western Honshū
By the canal in the heart of the historic district, this is the best ryokan in town, incorporating several beautifully restored Edo-period buildings. The…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
Five different artists and artist groups have brought their creative visions to the studio apartments here. Designs are influenced by colourful street art…
Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps
Sophisticated, sexy and stylish, this stunning property has it all, year-round: location, amenities, views. Room types range from the sublime (Western…
Naha
New in 2017, this lovable private hotel has simple polished concrete rooms with exceedingly comfortable full-sized beds, ample balconies, functional…
Ueno & Yanesen
Opened in November 2018, this super-stylish hotel ups the ante on midrange digs around Ueno. Fronted by attractive greenery and with a very pleasant…
Kanazawa
Ecofriendly, communal, arty, funky – it's hard to tell what's hip and what's hype. Either way, this brilliantly located guesthouse will suit those who don…
Kyūshū
Deep in the gorge, this romantic riverside ryokan is worth the 1.5km trip from the town centre for peace and pampering. Seven atmospheric common baths (in…
Kagawa Prefecture
Wakabaya's many pluses include an English-speaking owner, reasonable rates, clean rooms and bathroom facilities, a living room and a kitchen, a washing…
Shikoku
Sitting along a canal near Engyōjiguchi (円行寺口) Station, this immaculate wood-panelled hostel has simple, comfortable rooms and a welcoming, homely vibe…
Ginza & Tsukiji
One of the cheapest places to sleep in chic Ginza is this capsule hotel, which is suitably contemporary in its stylings. For a bit more headroom than in…
Worldtrek Diner & Guesthouse Pise
Nagano Region
There's lots going on here on the main road up to Zenkō-ji, with mixed and female-only dorms, twin and family rooms, a super-cool cafe and a bar with a…
