Accommodation

Western style hotels
The standard category is similar to tourist class hotels (3 stars), where we put the location as the highest priority, so you have the best options for sightseeing. Expect rooms to be small but clean and functional. All rooms have a private bathroom, Wi-Fi, empty refrigerator, water boiler, hairdryer and air conditioner. Simple English is spoken at the reception. Facilities include a breakfast area but generally do not include any onsite shops, gyms, wellness, bars, or restaurants.

Japanese ryokan
A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn. Rooms are fitted with Japanese tatami mats, and you sleep on the floor on a futon mattress. Rooms are equipped with a toilet, while the bath is the facility's hot-spring baths (both indoor and outdoor). Dinner and breakfast are often included, where dinner is kaiseki, a traditional Japanese tasting menu with local ingredients and specialities.

Japanese minshuku
A minshuku is an authentic experience and is a small family run bed and breakfast in Japan, often located in small villages in the countryside. Expect simple accommodation (2-star) with basic facilities. Rooms are fitted with traditional tatami mats, and you need to make your own bed.

Western style hotel
The standard category is similar to tourist class hotels (3 stars), where we put the location as the highest priority, so you have the best options for sightseeing. Expect rooms to be small but clean and functional. All rooms have a private bathroom, Wi-Fi, empty refrigerator, water boiler, hairdryer and air conditioner. Simple English is spoken at the reception. Facilities include a breakfast area but generally do not include any onsite shops, gyms, wellness, bars, or restaurants.

Single, twin, double, triple, family or any other specific needs. We will do our utmost to deliver according to your needs.

It is possible to comply with specific hotel requests based on availability.

Western style hotels
The superior category is a more upgraded experience (4 star) with more centrally located hotels. Expect bigger rooms. These hotels generally offer more onsite facilities such as shops, restaurants and bars. Some also have a gym and pool facilities which usually incur an additional charge.

Japanese ryokan
With a superior room, you get a more luxurious room, always with private bathrooms and some even equipped with private hot springs. In some Japanese style ryokans, you can rent your own hot-spring bath for private bathing too (chargeable).

Budget

• Hostels
• Guesthouses
• Capsule hotels

Accommodation in this category generally has basic amenities and shared spaces.

Moderate

• Business hotels
• Ryokans (traditional inns with tatami mats and futons)
• Minshuku (family-run homestays)

Luxury

• Luxury hotels
• Boutique hotels
• Traditional ryokans with private onsen (hot springs)

A ryokan and a minshuku are both traditional Japanese accommodations offering unique experiences.

A ryokan, a centuries-old traditional Japanese inn, features rooms arranged in the traditional Japanese style, often with tatami flooring and futons. Ranging from basic to luxurious, Ryokans provide amenities similar to hotels and are common throughout Japan.

In contrast, a minshuku resembles a bed and breakfast found in smaller villages, usually run by families in older buildings. Smaller and more affordable than Ryokans, minshukus offer a hands-off approach for guests to enjoy peace and quiet. However, some minshukus may have curfews or restrictions.

The authenticity of experience is a key difference between the two. While minshukus may offer a more modest experience compared to ryokans, they still provide a genuine experience.

Choosing between a ryokan and a minshuku depends on preferences, budget, and the desired experience during a stay in Japan.

Tokyo
Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, and Ginza are popular choices, offering a blend of modernity, entertainment, and cultural experiences.

Kyoto
Stay in Gion or near Kawaramachi for a traditional atmosphere, or near Kyoto Station for easy access to transportation and a range of accommodations.

Osaka
Consider areas like Namba, Umeda, and Shinsaibashi for convenient access to shopping, dining, and transportation hubs.

It is not an option to share rooms with other participants not stated on the invoice before departure.

Check-in at accommodations in Japan is usually in the afternoon at 15:00 and early check-in is often not possible. Local rejections may occur.

We always strive to offer the best possible locations. However, it will always vary based on several variables. The location of all products will be clarified before payment of the deposit.

Check-out time at accommodations in Japan is usually in the morning at 10:00, and late check-out is often not possible. Local rejections may occur.

The vast majority of forms of accommodation in Japan have air conditioning or a temperate indoor climate. There may be specific exceptions.

Food and drink are generally not included in the trip's price unless otherwise stated in your travel documents, including confirmation and itinerary. 

At most city hotels, you have the option of purchasing catering for direct payment to the hotel. We do not automatically include this because there can be great variation in the selection of food depending on the place. 

Therefore, we recommend that you either only buy the food after you have seen what it looks like or, as we recommend in the larger cities, that you go for a walk in the local area to try some of the different cafes and restaurants.

However, in smaller towns where there are not many dining options and at many temples, ryokans and minshukus, we have often booked the stay with either breakfast or half board (breakfast and dinner). This also applies to the places where we think the catering is in such a traditional form that it is something we want our guests to try. Be aware that these are fixed menus that often cannot be customized or changed.

Many hotels now have internet, and often there is free Wi-Fi in the lobby. Most of the time, the internet is free, but some hotels charge for it. At the ryokan and minshuku (traditional hotels), there is usually no or limited internet. Kyoto city offers free internet at various tourist spots in the city, and more and more cafes throughout Japan provide free Wi-Fi, like Starbucks.