Japan is renown as a notoriously expensive tourist destination, but it’s still possible to find cheap accommodation if you know where to look
Not all hotels in Japan are as expensive as you’d think. If you must stay at the Park Hyatt Tokyo (where Lost in Translation was filmed), then yes, it is going to hurt – a lot. But if you want to get a real taste of Japan – and affordable accomodation – then I would recommend staying at a ryokan, or Japanese Inn. There are many different varieties of these inns and they are all over Japan. Take a look at this list of ryokan on Japanese Guesthouses.com
I stayed at the Kimi Ryokan in Tokyo when I first came to Japan and I can say that it is a great little place. I was a little nervous about the shared baths (only one person at a time) and communal bathrooms at first but it was fine. This place is very clean and only about 10 minutes from Ikebukuro JR Station.
It’s a great area and easy to get around and the staff speak good English and are very helpful. You can take the bus from Tokyo International Airport to The Metropolitan Hotel and walk about 5 additional minutes to get to Kimi Ryokan for about 3,000 ye,. It’ll take about 2 hours. The bus is the best way to get from the airport and you won’t have to change and deal with the crowded stations and be able to sit in air conditioned luxury after your long journey.
Prices for the Kimi Ryokan at the time of writing are around 4,500 Yen for a single, 6500 Yen for a medium sized room for two people and 7500 Yen for a large room for two people, including tax.
More cheap Japan accommodation
JapaneseGuesthouses.com also provides a list of Category D accommodation (Category D is 7,000-10, 000 yen per person) that lets you search by location and price range and gives you a map and directions on how to get there along with a super-cool list of amenities.
Japan does have regular “western style” accommodation as well. Japanhotel.net also lets you search by location, gives a handy map w/directions, and lists some of the amenities of each place. I must admit that the western style accommodation isn’t that great but if you want to mix and match your stay in Japan with a little ryokan action and some western accommodation that might make it less intimidating.
Japan Hot Springs And Hi Tech Toilets
One other thing about the ryokans is the hot springs or onsens. You will have to be brave and not afraid to be naked in front of a bunch of strangers. It’s really worth it-I promise. Most of these hot springs are fuelled by natural springs and are believed to be the cure to many ailments. Once I got used to the idea of being without my clothes on- I really enjoyed it. You have to at least give it a try. Don’t forget that there are special slippers for every room that you enter in Japan. Don’t make the mistake of not changing out of the room slippers into the special bathroom slippers when going into the bathroom. You will surely get into trouble and people will probably scare and maybe even point. Remember that they are just trying to help.
I must say Japanese toilets are the most high-tech bathroom experience in the world. There is a real obsession with cleanliness – you can even sit on toilet seats that are warmed while others have a button you can push to play the sounds of the ocean for you while you do your business. It can also lead to some novel signs on the wall, like How To Wash Your Buttocks.
Japan Bus And Train Schedules
No matter where you decide to stay during your time in Japan you can check out the bus/train schedule using the Narita Airport site. Japan is a great place to travel whether you are with a group or on your own. It’s extremely safe for even for single female travelers. Just use common sense and you shouldn’t have any problems. Happy travels.
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