Niseko
Not for the budget minded, the AYA Niseko is there when you need to splurge and pamper yourself. Parents will love the kiddie playroom, and heck, they'll…
Must-see hotels in Japan
Shikoku
If you've got the funds, this is the place to stay. Extremely foreigner-friendly with a multilingual website, a mix of tatami and Western-style rooms,…
Western Honshū
Amazing views of the straits and welcoming service make this one of the best youth hostels in western Honshū. You can take a bus from the station to the…
Shimanto-no-yado Iyashi-no-sato
Shikoku
Describing itself as a 'resort-type ecology hotel', this lovely spot out on a hill near Shimoda Port at the mouth of Shimanto-gawa features beautiful,…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
While the beloved original 1962 hotel has been demolished to make way for a new building (set to open in September 2019), the Ōkura's elegant South Wing…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
This classy seaside ryokan has inimitable, understated Japanese style. Elegant rooms are furnished sparingly with high-quality art and homewares. The…
New Tomakomai Prince Hotel "Wa~Nagomi~"
Hokkaidō
With a Zen-inspired entry and a breakfast that is worthy of spots several times the price, the Prince Nagomi is a true find. Though it has business hotel…
Matsumoto
Few inns have more heart than this simple, traditional charmer, meticulously kept by its friendly owner. The spotless lodgings have shiny dark-wood floors…
Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast
This opulent ryokan along the scenic Kakusenkei Gorge has only 10 rooms, centred on a delicate garden courtyard. Some rooms have views over the gorge and…
Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps
This friendly lodge, west of Kappa-bashi, dates from the early 20th century. The main-building rooms are a mix of Japanese and Western styles. The dorm…
Nagano Region
On Chūō-dōri a few blocks south of Zenkō-ji, this ryokan has been in the family for 130 years and offers a friendly welcome to foreigners. The rustic,…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Kudos to the Park Hotel for commissioning 31 artists to decorate 31 of its 31st-floor rooms. The results are very impressive with all-Japanese themes…
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 …
Takayama
You'll be impressed by the friendly, professional staff at this wonderful hybrid of a boutique hotel and a traditional ryokan, whose all-tatami rooms are…
Nagano Region
Delightful, original, stylish and enchanting: all describe this gem in the heart of Obuse. Twelve rooms – huge by Japanese standards – beautifully…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
A standout among Tokyo's new breed of flashpacker digs, Unplan offers comfy dorms in Scandinavian wood tones. The private rooms are very pleasant, and a…
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,…
Nagano Region
In a great spot in front of the Ichinose bus stop, and with English-speaking staff and a friendly atmosphere, this inn is popular with overseas guests…
Nagano Region
This wonderful ryokan, the oldest in town, has a wide range of inviting traditional room types, many with private bathrooms and great views. The communal…
Southern Higashiyama
The Seikōrō is a classic ryokan with a grandly decorated and homey lobby. It’s spacious, with excellent, comfortable rooms, attentive service and a fairly…
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…
Nagano Region
As the name suggests, these fully self-contained cabins, in a forested setting five minutes' walk from Naka-Karuizawa Station, have rustic appeal. This is…
Hokkaidō
This new hostel offers great service, friendly staff, and dorm bunks that have solid privacy curtains and still smell like fresh cut wood. It's got a big…
Matsumoto
Between Nakamachi and the river, this creaky wooden ryokan dates from 1868 and has lots of traditional charm, including a bamboo garden and a coffee shop…
Kyūshū
This lovely, family-run traditional ryokan is nestled among cypress and bamboo. A variety of onsen make it a lovely spot for dippers, and one of the…
Beppu
In-room onsen with water views, gorgeous common baths, savvy contemporary design, excellent restaurants and oodles of personal service make this Beppu's…
Hokkaidō
Make the most of your foray into the mountains: this inn, only open 123 days each year, is like staying at a mountain hut without having to walk five…
Hakone
Established in 1890 and lovingly maintained, Fukuzumirō embodies the aesthetics and spirit of a traditional inn. There's intricately carved, original…
Kyūshū
This cheerful, busy resort is the place to stay, especially with kids in tow. English-speaking staff are welcoming, and there's a large family-friendly…
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
For a secluded and romantic experience, head to Soraniwa on the south coast. This small, stylish cafe-hotel is run by a young couple transplanted from the…
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 …
Kyūshū
Gracious and friendly, this modern minshuku is a one-stop shop: a place to stay, a (guests-only) bar, a lunchtime cafe and a surf-rental outlet (boards…
Hokkaidō
This old-style resort is the fanciest spot in town and sprawls over three buildings. The honkan (main hall) rooms are the cheapest but don't have lake…
Kyūshū
This friendly onsen hotel boasts some excellent facilities, including mountain-view rooms (mostly Japanese style), coin laundry, and English-speaking…
Kushiro-shitsugen Tōro Youth Hostel
Hokkaidō
This hostel, run partly on solar power, was designed with birdwatchers in mind. A porch (partly glassed in) looks directly over the marshes and there are…
Hokkaidō
Run by local adventure guide Watanabe Toshiya, Rera Mosir is the best place on the island for active types – whether you're here to climb Rishiri-zan in…
Western Honshū
At this waterfront ryokan, you can laze about in the outdoor saltwater bath while watching boats sail by. The rooms are spacious, the shared indoor…
Kyūshū
Crisp, comfy and contemporary, this stylish new hotel sits behind a black-box facade. Most of its 68 rooms are Western style (twin-bed rooms are…
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…
Fukuoka
The 3m-tall sculpture of a cat in a diving suit standing guard outside is your first clue that this place is not like the others. Spanking-new, 164-bed,…
- placement: fullWidth
- path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
- possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
- targeting:
{ "position": "superzone" }
