Kansai
Squat and concrete, family-run Denyō doesn't look like much but delivers on dinner, which features fresh local specialities such as ise-ebi (spiny lobster…
Must-see hotels in Japan
Ōsumi Islands
With two homely, fully equipped bungalows near the local break, this place is (as you might guess) on the east coast of Tanegashima. Reservations are…
Kansai
This long-time traveller favourite is a reliable choice and has friendly, English-speaking staff. Rooms have toilet and sink, and the communal onsen bath…
Kōbe
One of Japan's most historic hotels (1870), in Kyū-Kyoryuchi (the former foreigners' settlement), the Oriental was rebuilt after the 1995 earthquake and…
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…
Kyūshū
Choose a colourful yukata (cotton kimono) at check-in to wander this giant, recently renovated resort hotel with expansive indoor and outdoor onsen. A few…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Kakunodate is still a largely agricultural community, and this working farm nestled among rice paddies 3km north of the train station provides an…
Nara
This welcoming little ryokan, conveniently located in Naramachi, has Japanese-style rooms with toilets (and some with bathroom). It's warm, homey and well…
Yufuin Country Road Youth Hostel
Kyūshū
John Denver fans will love staying here on a forested hillside overlooking the town. Especially pretty at night, this first-rate 25-bed hostel has its own…
Kii Peninsula
Miyoshiya is a simple travellers' ryokan from the 1940s, and the knowledgeable English-speaking owner makes a stay here worth it. Most of the Japanese…
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…
Fukuoka
Don't be put off by the windowless, colonnaded facade of burnt-orange stone and copper-green rebar. The lobby is as glossy as black lipstick, and the 62…
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…
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…
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,…
Sapporo
If you're a man of simple needs who doesn't get scared easily by small spaces, this XY chromosome–only capsule hotel offers your standard berth plus a…
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…
Beppu
There's new-wave decor at this hostel, which is spread over two buildings about a two-minute walk from each other. There's an English-speaking staff, a…
Kansai
Right on Yanagi-dōri, conveniently located for Kinosaki's soto-yu (public bathhouses), this long-running ryokan (350 years!) is well kept and welcoming…
Osaka
Opposite an elementary school, Mitsuwaya has wooden bunk dorms with lots of power points, shelves, a storage locker and privacy curtains. It's full of…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Fukudaya offers the ryokan experience, with futon bedding on tatami (woven reed mats); some rooms have private bathrooms (single/double from ¥9000/12,000)…
Ueno & Yanesen
Falling somewhere between a boutique hotel and a hostel, this place has a hip, modern vibe with a spacious lounge, a kitchen, a roof terrace – even a yoga…
Central Honshū
This recently built chain ryokan has traditional service, modern technology and intimate personal touches. Seventy-two rooms in a variety of sizes and…
Osaka
Minami's most elegant hotel, with stunning views and direct connections to KIX airport via Nankai line trains that depart from Namba Station below the…
Western Honshū
You'll find a warm welcome and simple tatami rooms at this family-run inn, opposite a shrine. The owners speak a little English and can collect you from…
Kagoshima
At this hotel in Tenmonkan, rooms are business-hotel-size but futuristic in style and amenities, with custom-designed beds, fluffy white duvets, massage…
Kyūshū
For the no-holds-barred Yufuin splurge, look no further. From Kinrin-ko, enter the kayabuki (thatched-roof) gate to this campus of craftsman-style wooden…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
A traditional Japanese design with a contemporary spin in the public areas and the reasonably spacious hotel rooms put Niwa well ahead of the usual bland…
Western Honshū
Opposite Matsue Station, Urban Hotel is a total ugly duckling, resembling a tenement from the outside, but transforming into a sleek, modern hotel inside,…
Ueno & Yanesen
Although it's a little out of the way in a residential neighbourhood, this beautifully crafted wooden ryokan is an old-world oasis in the middle of Tokyo…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
This small ryokan is the most modern in Nyūtō Onsen. The stylish lodging combines urbane sensibility with a forest setting; think a Parisian apartment…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
The stunning location, only a short stroll from Jodogahama beach, is the biggest draw for this elegant oceanfront hotel. Most rooms are Japanese-style,…
Hokkaidō
Among the fields of Biei's pretty Patchwork Road, charming Potato-no-Oka, though small, has a big variety of accommodation, including dorm rooms, private…
Hokkaidō
Expect a warm welcome at this humble wooden hostel, a 10-minute walk uphill from the bus station. There are bunk-bed dorms and a few private family rooms …
Matsumoto
Nestled quietly in the mountains above Matsumoto is one of Japan's most exclusive ryokan, revered since 1931. A variety of room types await: many have…
Kansai
This is a great budget choice, with owners who love welcoming foreign guests. Rooms are simple (with shared facilities) but well cared for, and the onsen…
Central Honshū
Day bathers (adult/child ¥700/300) at the town's only onsen can choose from a sauna, a small rotemburo (outdoor bath) and a large communal bath from 10am…
Kii Peninsula
A boon for budget travellers, this light and clean guesthouse has capsule-style bunks and a few private rooms, all with shared facilities. It's also a few…
Shikoku
Run by the local outfit Happy Raft, these five small guesthouses can each accommodate up to 10 and all come with a kitchen, a stocked bathroom and fans…
Kyūshū
The designers of this 1935 luxury hotel clearly had a Swiss chalet in mind. A destination in itself, with lots of history on the walls, this landmark…
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