20 Lodgings in Japan

This is an inn where you can enjoy dishes with wild greens, such as flower tempura, and wild boar nabe (hot pot). You can visit the inn just for a meal, or while taking a stroll. Their oxygen (rice bran) bath is available by reservation only, and guests can use it at a discounted price.

An inn near Marine Park in Katsuura registered in Minami-Boso Quasi-National Park. The area is cool in summer and warm in winter. Its specialty is cuisine cooked generously with fresh local seafood.

Boasting a range of hot-spring baths with mountain views, in-room Japanese meals and massages, Yaeikan is 650 metres from Hakone-Yumoto Train Station. The softly lit rooms have a traditional decor and an LCD TV. Each room at Yaeikan Ryokan includes air conditioning, a fridge and an electric kettle with green tea. Guests sleep in futon beds on a tatami (woven-straw) floor. Rooms have an en suite toilet, and bathrooms are shared. Hakone Open-Air Museum is about 9 km from the hotel. Lake Ashino, Hakone Shrine and Onshi Hakone Park are all a 30-minute drive. The hotel has free on-site parking. You can relax in an open-air or indoor hot-spring bath, unwind in the garden or check out the hotel’s shop. Two hot-spring baths can be reserved for private use, free of charge. Breakfast and dinner are served.

A traditional Japanese ryokan in the area where a famous historical figure, Hideyoshi Toyotomi visited. Even the elevator is decorated in Japanese style with tatami mat on floor. About 10 different unique baths including a large bath, an open-air bath, a pot bathtub and a cave bath are available.

Directly connected to Shibuya Train Station, Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu offers easy transportation links, 2 high-floor restaurants and comfortable rooms with free Wi-Fi access and a satellite flat-screen TV. Overlooking Shibuya Scramble intersection, the hotel is just a 3-minute walk to the famous Shibuya 109 Building. The Harajuku area and Yoyogi Park are a 15-minute walk away. Shibuya Station’s 6 train lines and 3 subway lines offer convenient transport. Rooms at Hotel Shibuya Excel feature a calm, sophisticated decor. Each is fitted with a satellite TV, minibar and en suite bathroom with hairdryer. Guests can sip a fresh cup of tea and enjoy city views. Excel Tokyu Shibuya Hotel’s 24-hour front desk offers fax/photocopying services and luggage storage. Guests can relax with a massage or sleep in and have an in-room breakfast. The lobby has free Wi-Fi. Shunsai Japanese Restaurant and French Restaurant A Bientot offer fine dining with panoramic 25th-floor views of Tokyo. The spacious and bright Estacion Cafe serves coffee and cake.

An inn located in an area away from the hustle and bustle of Gora Station. It has nine guestrooms designed with the combination of Japanese and Western styles, each of which has an open-air bath. There are also indoor baths for each gender. It is an ideal hidden inn for adults.

A calm traditional Japanese style inn with a garden. Its wooden building creates warm ambiance. Authentic Japanese cuisine is served in a traditional, Nekoashi-zen (a tray with cat like four legs). Enjoy thoroughly a good old Edo spirit (the Edo Period, when a family of Tokugawa ruled in Japan, for 265 years from 1603). The main building has been listed as a tangible cultural property.

Enjoy nature to your heart’s content in Hinohara, a countryside village of Tokyo.

Just a 7-minute walk from Higashiyama Subway Station and Heian Shrine, the completely non-smoking Kyoto Travellers Inn offers bicycle rental, a restaurant and rooms with a flat-screen TV and free internet. The cosy rooms at Travellers Inn Kyoto include a refrigerator and private bathroom. Guests can choose a classical Western room with sofa or traditional Japanese room with futon bedding and tatami floor. Kyoto Municipal Zoo is just a 3-minute walk from the hotel, and Nanzen-ji Temple is only a 10-minute walk. Yasaka Shrine and the Gion area are about a 15-minute walk away. Guests can unwind with a massage or soak in the hot public bath. The friendly English-speaking staff offer luggage storage and laundry services. Free WiFi is available in public areas. A designated smoking area is also available for smokers. The hotel’s restaurant is open for all meals and serves Japanese and Western dishes.

Offering sea views, Plaza Awajishima in Minamiawaji features accommodation, a spa and wellness centre, a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, massage services and a bar. This ryokan provides free private parking and a 24-hour front desk. The accommodation offers a sauna, hot spring bath, family-friendly restaurant and free WiFi. The units in the ryokan are equipped with a kettle. Complete with a private bathroom fitted with a bath and slippers, all units at the ryokan have a flat-screen TV and air conditioning, and selected rooms also feature a terrace. The units are equipped with heating facilities. The ryokan offers a buffet or à la carte breakfast. Tokushima Awaodori Airport is 37 km from the property.

Set in Zao and only 38 km from Sendai City Community Support Center, かっぱの宿旅館三治郎 offers accommodation with mountain views, free WiFi and free private parking. The ryokan provides a spa experience, with its sauna, hot spring bath and public bath. The accommodation features a lift, full-day security and luggage storage for guests. All units come with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a fridge, a kettle, a bidet, a hair dryer and a tatami. At the ryokan, units are equipped with bed linen and towels. There is a coffee shop on-site. The ryokan is located in a geothermal area, with a number of hot springs nearby for guests to relax in. The Site of Sendai Castle is 38 km from the ryokan, while Sakuraoka Daijingu is 38 km from the property. Sendai Airport is 33 km away.

Located in the Nanki Katsuura hot-spring area, guests at Hotel Urashima can enjoy natural Bokido cave hot-spring baths. The hotel offers 4 other public hot-spring baths. The property offers free shuttle service by car or ferry for limited hours per day, both a 10-minute ride from JR Kii Katsuura Station. Free WiFi is available in the public areas. The air-conditioned rooms feature tatami (woven-straw) floors and Japanese futon bedding. A TV, fridge and an electric kettle with green tea bags are included in each. Rooms come with a private toilet but bathrooms are shared. An outdoor swimming pool is open during the summer and a coin launderette is provided for guests to use. Local gifts can be purchased at the souvenir shop and a karaoke room is available as well. A breakfast and dinner buffet are served at the hotel’s dining room. Urashima Hotel is a 15-minute walk from Katsuura Fishing Port and a 20-minute drive from Taiji Whale Museum.

Set on 28-36th floors of Sendai's tallest building, The Westin Sendai offers a luxurious accommodation just a 10-minute walk from JR Sendai Station. Guests can work out in the free-use gym or receive rejuvenating massages at the on-site salon. 2 restaurants and a bar are available on site. Wi-Fi is provided at an additional charge. Fitted with chic furnishings and floor-to-ceiling windows, rooms come with modern facilities like satellite LCD TV. A fridge, an electric kettle and minibar are included. The large en suite bathroom has a bath tub, a shower booth and free toiletries. Sendai Westin Hotel’s 24-hour front desk can arrange luggage storage and laundry services. The Flow Spa offers a variety of treatments, sauna and a relaxation lounge. Souvenir items can be purchased at the gift shop. Stylish Restaurant Symphony serves sophisticated Western cuisine, while traditional Japanese dishes can be savoured at Ichimuan restaurant, which is located on the top floor. Horizon Lounge & Bar offers afternoon tea, light meals and evening drinks. The Westin Hotel is a 10-minute drive to Rakuten Kobo Stadium Miyagi (formerly Kleenex Stadium Miyagi), and a 20-minute drive to Aoba Castle Park. Sendai Airport is located a 50-minute drive from the property.

Why not rejuvenate yourself in the tranquil forest of Nasu Kougen?

Located right in front of Matsushima Bay, Komatsukan Kofu-tei offers accommodations with free wired internet access. Guests can refresh in the public hot-spring baths and enjoy traditional multi-course meals in their rooms. A free shuttle is available from JR Matsushima Kaigan Train Station, which is a 5-minute drive away. The air-conditioned rooms feature a TV, a fridge and an electric kettle with green tea bags. Most rooms have tatami (woven-straw) floors and Japanese futon bedding, while some rooms come with a private open-air bath. The en suite bathroom comes with a hairdryer. Guests can enjoy the public indoor/outdoor hot-spring baths or reserve a hot-spring bath for private use. Massages can be requested for an extra cost and local souvenirs can be purchased at the gift shop. Luggage storage and laptop rentals are available at the front desk. Local fresh seafood and ingredients are offered in the traditional multi-course meals. Kofutei Komatsukan is a 10-minute walk from Godaido Shrine and a 15-minute walk from Zugan-ji Temple.

Located right in front of Shirahama Beach, Shiraraso Grand Hotel offers both Japanese-style accommodations and Western rooms with a tatami area. Rooms come with ocean views and Japanese Yukata robes. Guest can relax in the indoor/outdoor hot-spring baths and request relaxing massages for an extra charge. The hotel is a 10-minute drive or bus ride from JR Shirahama Train Station. Free WiFi is available in all areas. In the room, guests can sit by the seating area with low tables and enjoy watching the TV. The en suite bathroom comes with a hairdryer. An outdoor swimming pool is open during the summer season and guests can purchase local products at the souvenir shop. Private reservable hot-spring baths can be requested and a game room is available as well. Free Wi-Fi is available in the public areas. Guests can enjoy diving in the area throughout the year, and beach illumination lights attract tourists from December to February. A traditional multi-course dinner and a Japanese breakfast set are served at the dining room. Fresh local seafood dishes are offered at Isokaze restaurant. Hotel Grand Shiraraso is a 15-minute drive from Adventure World. The Sandanbeki Caves and Toretore Market are located a 10-minute drive away. Nanki Shirahama Airport is a 15-minute drive away.

Hotel New Awaji offers spacious rooms with beautiful sea views, some with a private outdoor bath. It features public hot spring baths, an outdoor sea-side pool and 5 dining options. Rooms at Hotel New Awaji have tatami-mat flooring and traditional futon bedding. They are fitted with an LCD TV and a fridge. Some rooms have a terrace and a private open-air bath. Guests can relax with various types of massages including Thai, Hawaiian and Thalassotherapy. Hotel New Awaji has a playground and offers bicycle rentals. Guests with a dinner-inclusive rate can enjoy traditional Japanese meals, prepared with fresh seafood and Awaji beef, in the room. Home-made pastry can be enjoyed in tea lounge Seagull, while night lounge Hibiscus offers karaoke and Bar Awaji features jazz music. Hotel New Awaji is a 10-minute ride from the Sumoto Express Bus Centre, with the hotel’s complimentary shuttle. Sumoto-jo Castle is a 10-minute drive away.

Built in the Meiji era and registered as a cultural asset, Toshiharu Ryokan offers traditional accommodation just a 3-minute walk from Gojo Station and 1 subway stop from JR Kyoto Train Station. Massages are available. Guests at Ryokan Toshiharu sleep in Japanese futon bedding on a tatami (woven-straw) floor, and have air conditioning. Green tea and a Yukata robe are provided, and some rooms look out on a small garden. The ryokan is 1 km from Higashi Hongan-ji Temple and about a 15-minute walk from Gojo-Ohashi Bridge and the Kamogawa River. Daimaru Department Store is 900 metres away. Although shared, baths are reserved and then used privately in turns. For breakfast, guests can choose to savour a Japanese served at an additional charge.

Boasting a spacious garden overlooking the Kumano-Nada Sea and the gentle mountains along the coast, Yado Kayuu features hot-spring baths, a summertime outdoor pool, tennis courts and Japanese rooms with sea views. Traditional Kaiseki Japanese cuisine is available for dinner. Guests at Hana Irodori no Yado Kayuu sleep in futon bedding on a tatami (woven-straw) floor. Each air-conditioned room has an en suite bathroom and an electric kettle. Slippers are also provided. The hotel is a 15-minute drive from JR Kii-Katsuura Train Station on the Kisei Line, and a free shuttle is offered. It is a 10-minute walk to the Taijicho Whale Museum and Taiji Kujirahama Park.

Offering public baths, OYO旅館 奈良白鹿荘 Nara is just a 2-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Train Station. The air-conditioned rooms feature free Wi-Fi and a full private bathroom. The Japanese rooms at OYO旅館 奈良白鹿荘 Nara Ryokan have tatami (woven-straw) floors, shoji paper screens and traditional futon beds. Each comes with a fridge and satellite TV. Kofuku-ji Temple and Nara National Museum are both a 10-minute walk. Todaiji Temple is 1.2 km away and OYO旅館 奈良白鹿荘 Nara is a 10-minute walk from Isuien. Bicycle rental is offered, allowing for fun and easy exploration. Kansai Airport is a 100-minute bus ride away. A Japanese breakfast is served in the banquet hall. Dinner is served in guests’ rooms.