Where to Stay in Japan
Area-by-area hotel guides for Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hakone and Hiroshima with Miyajima, plus the planning guides that go with them.
Picking the right area matters more than picking the right hotel. A base near a good station saves hours of travel, and in places like Hakone the choice between a ryokan and a city hotel changes the whole trip. These are our area guides for the cities most first-time visitors use.
Moving hotels often? Read the luggage forwarding guide before you decide how many bases to use.
Area guides
- Where to Stay in Tokyo: The Best Areas for a First Visit
The best Tokyo neighbourhoods to stay in, from Shinjuku and Shibuya to Ginza, Asakusa and Ueno, with what each is like, typical prices and which one suits your trip. - Where to Stay in Kyoto: The Best Areas for Every Traveller
Where to stay in Kyoto, from Kyoto Station and downtown Kawaramachi to Gion, Higashiyama and Arashiyama, with the pros and cons of each area and tips on the city's hotel tax. - Where to Stay in Osaka: Best Areas for Every Type of Trip
Where to stay in Osaka: Namba, Umeda, Shin-Osaka, Tennoji and Universal City compared, with the best area for families, couples, solo travellers and day trips to Kyoto and Nara. - Where to Stay in Hakone: Best Areas, Ryokan and Onsen
Where to stay in Hakone: Hakone-Yumoto, Gora, Miyanoshita, Sengokuhara and Lake Ashi compared, plus how ryokan stays work, private onsen baths and how many nights to book. - Where to Stay in Hiroshima and Miyajima: Which Is Better?
Hiroshima city or Miyajima island? Compare the station area, Hondori and a Miyajima ryokan, with how to reach the floating torii, ferry tips and how many nights you need.
Planning around your hotels
- Luggage in Japan: Forwarding, Lockers and Shinkansen Baggage Rules
How to send your suitcase ahead with takkyubin luggage forwarding, what it costs, coin lockers, and the Shinkansen oversized baggage reservation rule. - Japan Itineraries: 7, 10 and 14 Days for a First Trip
Three tried and tested Japan itineraries for 7, 10 and 14 days, with day-by-day plans, where to sleep, travel times between cities and whether a JR Pass makes sense. - Japan Honeymoon Itinerary: 10 Romantic Nights in Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Miyajima
A 10-night Japan honeymoon itinerary: Tokyo, a Hakone ryokan with a private onsen, Kyoto, Miyajima and Osaka, with romantic dinners, best months, booking tips and budget. - Accessible Travel in Japan: Wheelchairs, Strollers and Step-Free Routes
How to travel Japan with a wheelchair, limited mobility or a stroller: station help, Shinkansen wheelchair spaces, accessible taxis, hotels, toilets and which sights are step-free.
Keep planning
New to all this? Follow our trip planning checklist in booking order. See all of our Plan Your Trip guides, or build a day-by-day route with the free itinerary maker. Every guide is checked against official sources and says when it was last updated. Something missing? Tell us.