Japan Guide: Where to Stay

Where to Stay - Tokyo

Capsule Hotels are great - read more about my experiences here:

Capsule Hotel - Brilliant or Terrifying?

Capsule Hotel: Bather Tested, Claustrophobic Approved!

Of major importance is to note that most capsule hotels are only for men, so if you are a woman or will be traveling with women, make sure to find accommodations that allow women. A lot of people have a visceral reaction to the idea of capsule hotels, but I would challenge you to at least try it for a night as part of your Japanese experience - you will likely be pleasantly surprised!

Whether or not you stay in a capsule hotel or a traditional hotel, location is also key in Japan. I would also recommend staying fairly close to the train stations, especially those for the JR line. You'll know they are JR line stations if you look for public transit directions on google and they have a line that starts with "J", like "JK" for example. This will allow you to easily access the rest of Tokyo easily, and you won't have to drag your bags too far to get to your hotel.

The Akihabara District is popular with gamers and fans of nerdy things like Anime, Pokemon, etc. We really liked our hotel here, the Remm Akihabara hotel. It was right next to the station, near food and a convenience store, and easy to find.

The Shibuya District is the high fashion district, with artists on the streets just about every night, trying to be discovered, and infamous for its "Shibuya Scramble" - one of the busier pedestrian crossings you'll see.

Shinjuku is another vibrant area with lots of shopping and food.

I would just recommend that wherever you are looking, look for pictures to make sure you're comfortable with what you're getting. Rooms are very small typically. I prefer to use Travelocity to book hotels, it has treated me well. I don't care for hotel breakfasts here (usually fish or unappetizing sausages and seaweed wraps or whatever). We like picking up breakfast (and sometimes dessert or nightcaps) at local Family Marts or 7 Elevens, they're virtually everywhere and a lot of the food is labeled in English. Look for unique Kit Kat flavors there, too! There are also McDonald's and Burger Kings around, so breakfast is pretty easy.

Where to Stay - elsewhere

I want to put in a plug for one of the most amazing experiences we had in Japan that most people aren't really aware of. We stayed on the island of Miyajima,

just off the shore of Hiroshima. You'll take a ferry from Hiroshima to get there, and will immediately be greeted by the deer who often walk into the ferry station to look for snacks in newcomers' bags. We had booked a pretty neat room at Miyajima Grand Arimoto, and our room included a private onsen (hot spring bath). The food was incredible in Miyajima, and while it had some touristy parts of it, it felt like it catered to Japanese tourists rather than tourists from outside the country. Miyajima is one of my happiest places on this Earth, and I hope more people will get to experience its magic and beauty. Read more about my Miyajima experience here. 

More Japan Guide

Getting There / What To Bring 
Training It - The Best Way to Get Around in Japan (Trains) 
Where to Stay
Eating Out
Things To Do 
Key Phrases