Types of Accommodation in Japan

 Why visit Japan?

When I was in high school, stories by one of my teachers about Japan made me long for the time I would visit the country. It took me about five years from the time I developed an interest in visiting the country to the time I actually made my first visit.

What fascinated me about Japan during my tender age and continues to make my heart skip a beat due to excitement when I think about Japan is the desire to explore Japanese history and culture at the country’s variety of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, indulge in the diverse Japanese cuisine, experience rides on the lightning-fast trains, and sample the country's adventure experiences such as skiing in the countryside, as well as the exotic and festival-laden accommodation.

In this article, I will concentrate on my experience with accommodation when I visited Japan.

Accommodation in Japan

Are you thinking of visiting Japan for either business purposes or to ease your nerves with a relaxing holiday? I bet accommodation will be a significant component in your planning for the visit. Let me share with you my experience so that it can help you in your accommodation-related decisions.

When I first visited the country, I didn’t find much information to help me choose the types of accommodation to meet my adventure tourism needs. I only knew that I wanted to be in Nozawa Onsen so as to have a fun-filled holiday mixed with some ski lessons.

The types of accommodation I found in Japan

As you may have correctly predicted, Japan offers a wide range of types of accommodation, embracing Japanese styles, Western styles, an amalgamation of the two, and some unique lodgings. I will share some helpful insights about each of these so that it helps you when you next make your trip to Japan.

A Japanese type of accommodation
If you’re like me, you don’t want to get yourself a type of accommodation that reminds you of the one you have left at home! You definitely want something different or one that will make your visit to Japan authentic.

If you opt for this, then the Japanese type of accommodation would spice you up. In this category, you will be spoilt for choice between the Ryokan and the Minshuku.

Ryokan are traditional Japanese-style inns where you can expect to get Japanese-style rooms for your accommodation. If you opt to stay in a Ryokan, you can expect the accommodation to include dinner and breakfast.

When I landed in Japan and told my guide that I wanted to go and immerse myself in the wonders of Nozawa Onsen, he informed me that the best accommodation Nozawa Onsen is known for is inns, lodges, and hotels of either Ryokan or Minshuku design.

It was during my further probe into the Ryokan type of traditional Japanese accommodation that he challenged me to sample the Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort accommodation. The style, service, and customer-focus that I found in this resort significantly catapulted my love for Japan.

Besides the Ryokan type of accommodation, which I recommend to any first-time traveler in Japan because of the opportunity it gives to experience a traditional Japanese lifestyle, the Nozawa Onsen accommodation landscape also has another traditional Japanese accommodation known as Minshuku.

Minshuku are basically Japanese-style bed and breakfast lodgings that are normally family-run. These types of accommodation offer Japanese-style rooms and often include one or two meals in their price.

Western type of accommodation
If you want to stay in western-type accommodation, you’ll be adequately treated to your desires when you are in Japan. The country has western-style hotels, including various international Japanese hotel chains that can be found across the country, especially in the country’s larger cities.

Besides the international hotel chains, if you’re in Nozawa Onsen, you can indulge in amazing Nozawa Onsen luxury accommodation such as that provided by Tanuki Luxury Apartments, Tanuki Luxury Ski Lodge, and Schneider Hotel. These offer Western-style accommodation to travelers who find that the other types of accommodation Nozawa Onsen offers may not adequately meet their customized accommodation needs.

There are also business hotels that offer small and simple Western-style rooms with snacks and drinks provided by vending machines. It is appropriate to mention here that some business hotel chains, such as APA Hotel, Super Hotel, Toyoko Inn, and Route Inn, operate a good number of hotels across Japan.

Other Western-type accommodations you will find in Japan are pensions, hostels, and dormitories. Pensions are comparable to the Minshuku I described earlier, except that they offer rooms in Western-style rather than Japanese-style. You’ll find this type of accommodation in the mountainous resort towns of Japan as well as in the country’s countryside. Dormitories offer lodging and meals at the lowest budget level. If you are a young person looking for low-cost western-style accommodation in Japan, you can contact Japan Youth Hostels, which operates hundreds of hostels throughout the country.

Japanese and Western type of accommodation
If you want accommodation that has a mix of traditional Japanese and Western distinctiveness, you can opt for vacation rentals such as those provided by Airbnb and other vacation rental services. Apartments and rooms with traditional or modern interiors, as well as restored historic houses, feature prominently in this league of accommodations.

Unique lodgings
Japan also has a number of unique lodgings to cater to the specialized needs of travelers. These include capsule hotels, temple lodgings, love hotels, overnight buses, and manga cafes.

Capsule hotels mainly target male clients in need of nothing but a bed. A television, a shared bathroom, and coin-operated lockers are usually provided. Temple lodgings Shukubo) are available for use by tourists that want to spend the night at the Buddhist temple. A stay at the shukubo often includes two vegetarian meals and the opportunity to attend the morning prayers.

Manga cafes are often open for 24 hours and provide various amenities that make them an option for low-budget overnight stays. They provide their customers with seats or booths to read manga (Japanese comics) and surf the Internet.

Love hotels are not meant as tourist lodges but are visited by couples who wish to enjoy some undisturbed time together. Rooms in love hotels can be rented for about 2 to 3 hours during the day or for an overnight stay. Overnight buses combine cheap transportation with one night's worth of accommodation.

Need more information about accommodationin Japan?

You can reach out for more information and help about finding the accommodation that best suits your needs when you visit Japan. If you’re interested in Nozawa Onsen luxury, Nozawa Onsen accommodation ski-in ski-out, or any other service relating to your accommodation in Japan,click here for directions on how you can be assisted today!