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Japanese public Holidays images

Japanese public Holidays

Who doesn't love Public Holidays, especially those Japanese salarymen who have to work so hard all the time. It's a nice break for family to have an outing and dining when they couldn't be together so often. The most important Japanese holiday are as follows. Normally people are avoiding travel to…(241 words)

JennyS image

JennyS

 
Nabe parties and Barbecue parties. images

Nabe parties and Barbecue parties.

Japan has a big restaurant industry with all kind of cuisines of the world, besides many good 24 hour options of packaged food from convenience stores, bento shops and super markets. More over as Japanese homes, especially in Tokyo, tend to be small, home parties are not so common and people tend t…(210 words)

Sanjeev Sinha image

Sanjeev Sinha

Hot pot dish Tokyo Restaurant Convenience store Bento (box meal)
Enjoy “Setsubun” (Bean throwing ceremony)! images

Enjoy “Setsubun” (Bean throwing ceremony)!

“Setsubun” is the day before the first day of spring, which falls on February 3rd. In the evening of this day, we throw roasted soy beans inside and outside our houses with a cry of "Fuku wa uchi, Oni wa soto!" meaning "Out with the devil! In with good fortune!" Sometimes, we pick someone to play a…(101 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Setsubun Event Holidays Surgical mask Spring
Monthly/weekly mansions images

Monthly/weekly mansions

Many years ago I was in a situation where I needed a place to stay for a few months. Regular hotels would be too expensive so I looked around and discovered monthly weekly mansions. These are apartments that allow you two rent by the week or the month and only require identification unlike regular …(101 words)

Kenji image

Kenji

 
The must-do of Japan: get a "hair-spa" images

The must-do of Japan: get a "hair-spa"

Or when you want to relax, enjoy time for yourself, get a nice hair brushing, refresh, get rid of your jet lag, all you need to do is pick up one of the numerous hair salons and ask for a head-spa.It takes 2 hours of your time, but, it is totally worth it. The hairdressers in Japan are doing ma…(187 words)

Claire image

Claire

Hair Zone Beauty
Hoeiso ryokan in Hakone images

Hoeiso ryokan in Hakone

Hoeiso is a ryokan, a Japanese traditional style inn, situated in the beautiful green mountains of Hakone, right by a river. Hoesio is a family owned Ryokan, opened in 1956, with around 20 rooms that are big enough to fit a family. Enjoy indoor and outdoor onsen, and feast on traditional Japanese d…(170 words)

Emelie Fågelstedt image

Emelie Fågelstedt

Hakone Japanese inn Bus English Mount Fuji Onsen Outdoor recreation Park River
Business Hotels images

Business Hotels

Business hotels are much cheaper than regular hotels. They tend to be located near stations, convention centers, and facilties where meetings and events are held. The rooms tend to be much smaller and less "plush" than regular hotels. For example, there may be a refrigerator in the room for your…(133 words)

Andrea Miyata image

Andrea Miyata

Train
Traditional Japanese lodging images

Traditional Japanese lodging

The two most common traditional Japanese lodging facilities are ryokan and minshuku. The biggest differences between the two is usually the price and type of services offered. A ryokan is a full service facility, usually accompanied by a fairly high price. Many ryokan are located in popular tour…(98 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Japanese inn Onsen Lodging Minshuku
It is priced per person images

It is priced per person

Japanese ryokan fare is provided per person, not per room. I sounds unreasonable and sometimes too expensive, but the fare includes gastronomic dinner served in a guest room and breakfast as well. At the end, considering all the services and meals rendered they are not necessarily that expensive.(48 words)

taro image

taro

Japanese inn
Hydrangea images

Hydrangea

Viewing the hydrangea is one of the ways to spend the early summer season. You can either see them on the streets, or visit some locations famous for hydrangea. Meigetsu-in and Hase-dera are two of the many famous temples in Kamakura. The best time to visit is from mid-June to early-July. However, …(61 words)

Rena image

Rena

Kamakura Hydrangea Summer
Delicious foods images

Delicious foods

A variety of delicious foods are harvested during Autumn in Japan. You can go out to rice paddy, fields and mountains to enjoy harvesting rice, mushrooms and potato. To cook and eat such foods with your friends is an awesome way to enjoy the season.(45 words)

OKAKI-sun image

OKAKI-sun

Autumn
Hiking and Onsen ( Hot Spring) images

Hiking and Onsen ( Hot Spring)

Autumn is great season for hiking, what's so special about hiking in Japan is not only you enjoy autumn leaves, you get an opportunity to visit onsen (Hot spring). Of course, you have to choose place where onsen is available but it's so refreshing to have onsen especially after spending a day in hi…(54 words)

yukiroryo image

yukiroryo

Onsen Hiking Spring Autumn
Some of the best food in Japan images

Some of the best food in Japan

The high class hotels such as Pan Pacific and Intercontinental in Minatomirai have quality food from Japan, Italy, France and China with amazing service. If you're willing to pay the price for some of the best food in Japan, I suggest going to a restaurant in a hotel. For celebrations, my family of…(83 words)

RieS image

RieS

Restaurant Yokohama Hotel
My recommend sites for reserve a hotel in Japan images

My recommend sites for reserve a hotel in Japan

You'll make a reservation a hotel on 'expedia.co.jp ' & 'hotels.com' & 'ikyu.com(It's a site for reserve a hotel in japanese, but can translate in English)'.(30 words)

Kommy image

Kommy

Hotel
Fancy hotels in Tokyo images

Fancy hotels in Tokyo

Hotel Okura and the Imperial Palace hotel are 2 out of the many, very fancy hotels in Tokyo. The restaurants at either hotels are excellent offering a variety of food. From Chinese, American, French and Italian.(35 words)

Jules image

Jules

Tokyo Hotel
2000 Yen: One Night, Unlimited Manga images

2000 Yen: One Night, Unlimited Manga

It is debatable as to whether a manga kissa can be considered a "lodging facility". The original idea of a manga kissa began as a cafe where you can relax and read manga. Now, you can pretty much do anything at a manga kissa. First of all, you are assigned a comfortable and private little booth wit…(149 words)

GenS image

GenS

Manga Comic cafe Tokyo Hotel Lodging Arcade Computer Japan Cafe
Experience the Unique Joy of a Traditional Japanese Hotel images

Experience the Unique Joy of a Traditional Japanese Hotel

If you stay at a ryokan (traditional japanese-style hotel), you will come across many unique services. The two I enjoy the most are the baths and the yukata. Any ryokan will have a large bath for all of the customers to share. The bigger ryokan will have an actual hotspring while others may just ha…(138 words)

GenS image

GenS

Yukata (Light kimono) Japanese inn Traditional Hotel Lodging Table tennis Japan
New Year's like a true local images

New Year's like a true local

If you want to have a relaxing winter, I recommend staying at a ryokan with a “kotatsu.” Kotatsu are tables with a futon and a heater that keep your feet (and therefore your body) warm during the cold winter months. Families often stay under this and eat mikan (a type of tangerine sold during the w…(108 words)

RieS image

RieS

New year Music Japanese inn Rice cracker Futon Mandarin orange Winter
Make Mochi! A Fun New Years Family Event in Japan images

Make Mochi! A Fun New Years Family Event in Japan

In my opinion, there is nothing better to do in Japan during winter than participate in "mochi-tsuki" and eat fresh and delicious mochi. Mochi-tsuki is a Japanese New Year's tradition and events will be held around the first of January. Usually "Mochi-tsuki" is hosted by the neighbourhood communit…(123 words)

GenS image

GenS

Mochi (Rice cake) Japan Event Jinjya (Shrine) Japanese New Year New year Winter Art
Easy as pie! images

Easy as pie!

The process of checking-in is similar to that of hotels in other countries. You should go to the front desk and tell them your name and other information to do with your reservation. From that point onwards, the employees will guide you on the use of the room ticket, meals, how to get around, when …(94 words)

RieS image

RieS

Ticket
Stay in a Japanese Hotel Without the Extra Costs images

Stay in a Japanese Hotel Without the Extra Costs

If you are interested in saving some money on accommodation but you still want to stay at a minshuku (Japanese bed and breakfast), consider doing "sudomari". Typically, a stay at a minshuku will include at least one meal. Although this meal will probably be very delicious, made using the best local…(96 words)

GenS image

GenS

Hotel Minshuku activities breakfast Japanese inn
Try a Family-Run Bed and Breakfast in Japan images

Try a Family-Run Bed and Breakfast in Japan

"Minshuku" or Japanese bed and breakfasts have similar origins to bed and breakfasts. Minshuku began with families living by tourist areas providing one or more of their extra rooms as accommodation for tourists. Thus, minshuku were family-run and toilet and bathing facilities would be shared among…(104 words)

GenS image

GenS

Minshuku Japan Hotel Toilet
Find Out Why Family-Run Hotels are So Comfortable in Japan! images

Find Out Why Family-Run Hotels are So Comfortable in Japan!

There aren't any strict manners that you wouldn't have to follow at a regular hotel but do at a Japanese bed and breakfast or minshuku. However, the unique aspects of a minshuku create some space for extra things you could be mindful about. First of all, minshuku are almost always family run. They …(173 words)

GenS image

GenS

Hotel Japan Etiquette Minshuku Gym Eat Pool
Business vs Economy images

Business vs Economy

Serviced apartments in Tokyo tend to be some of the nicest options you could possibly have for housing. Many foreign businessmen choose a serviced apartment over a long term hotel stay, for obvious reasons of comfort, and avoiding the logistics of moving into a new place, dealing with Japanese real…(143 words)

KurtisW image

KurtisW

Tokyo Hotel Transportation
Tokyo area resorts images

Tokyo area resorts

There are a very wide variety of resorts around Tokyo. Of course, the accessibility varies greatly, when even getting across Tokyo itself by public transportation can take well over an hour.For the resort areas closest to Tokyo, most residents on the west side show a preference for Hakone, whi…(184 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Tokyo Train Transportation Hakone Lake Hiking Nikko Lake Yamanaka
Serviced Apartments and Share Houses images

Serviced Apartments and Share Houses

For short stays in Tokyo, and indeed for the rest of Japan, hotels are very convenient. However, you should be aware that hotels in Japan typically charge per head, and not per room (there are exceptions), so hotels can become an expensive proposition.The alternative to hotels, are serviced or fu…(254 words)

StevieB image

StevieB

Tokyo Hotel Lodging
PIPING HOT YAKIIMO! images

PIPING HOT YAKIIMO!

Other than observing the leaves change color from green to brown, red and yellow, to me autumn means delicious food. My favorite thing to do in autumn is to wait for the yakiimo (cooked sweet potato) truck come around town, selling piping hot sweet potato. The smell of the sweet potato wafts to you…(102 words)

RieS image

RieS

Convenience store Autumn
Stay in Minatomirai images

Stay in Minatomirai

One of the nicest hotels are Pan Pacific and Intercontinental Hotel in Yokohama, Japan. Although not in Tokyo, it is right smack in the middle of Minatomirai, a district with a breathtaking night view and amazing experiences. From these hotels, you can easily access any of the main facilities/build…(118 words)

RieS image

RieS

Tokyo Yokohama Shopping Hotel Shinjuku Shibuya Ginza Roppongi Kamakura Enoshima Island
Go for some magic at Tokyo Disney Resort images

Go for some magic at Tokyo Disney Resort

The resort that I would like to go to the most would be the Disney Resort. This way, I can go to Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea one after another as well as enjoy the services offered at the Disney Resort. There are three hotels with different themes - one in Disneyland, one that has an old-fashion…(108 words)

RieS image

RieS

Tokyo Tokyo Disneyland
Just go to the website! images

Just go to the website!

The easiest way would be to go to the hotel's website. The big hotels usually have their sites in English as well. If you see an "English" link on the website, press that. If not, try to look for 予約 on the website. From there it is straightforward. You just have to input the days that you wan…(119 words)

RieS image

RieS

Yokohama Hotel
Oakwood Residences-Great for senior executives staying in Japan for 1-6mons! images

Oakwood Residences-Great for senior executives staying in Japan for 1-6mons!

Oakwood are luxury serviced apartments for senior executives. great locations around the city. Amazing service. Lots of support staff. http://www.oakwood.com/serviced-apartments/international/JP/212/Tokyo.html(28 words)

LShannon image

LShannon

Tokyo City
Futon, Onsen, and Dinner in Japan images

Futon, Onsen, and Dinner in Japan

Futon, onsen, and dinner are the three reasons I choose to stay at ryokan over other lodging facilities. Usually at ryokan, you get to sleep in a tatami room in futon. Since I usually sleep on a bed at home, it is a great feeling to kind of return to my Japanese roots and sleep in a futon. Futon at…(238 words)

GenS image

GenS

Futon Onsen Japan Japanese inn Kimono Lodging Milk Sashimi (Raw fish) Yukata (Light kimono) Visit
Excellent quality for the price images

Excellent quality for the price

Japanese business hotels are intended for businesspeople on business trips. Most people in Japan when on business are riding the trains, so the hotels are generally located right outside the station.For about an average of 5,000 yen for one person per night, you can get a decent room, and often…(123 words)

KurtisW image

KurtisW

Hotel Ramen noodles
Upscale hotels, Business hotels, Dormitories, Youth Hostels are diff types of lodgings available in Japan images

Upscale hotels, Business hotels, Dormitories, Youth Hostels are diff types of lodgings available in Japan

Tokyo has many diff types of lodging facilities..It has the upscale 3 star or 5 star hotels like Ritz Carlton and Hyatt etc. Then there are business hotels like Hotel Villa Fontaine, Park Inn etc which are in the range of 7000 JPY - 10000 JPY depending on season etc. Then there are servic…(140 words)

suku image

suku

Tokyo Park Hotel Cherry blossom Lodging
Fancy Hotel images

Fancy Hotel

Mandarine Hotel In Ginza ~ Best View of Skytree ,Rainbow Bridge, Shinjuku ....All The Restaurants Are Fantastic Too(17 words)

ShelleySweeney image

ShelleySweeney

Tokyo Hotel Shinjuku Ginza
A Pension by any other name... images

A Pension by any other name...

The Japanese have a type of accomodation that is called a "pension." It is much like a minshuku, another type of hotel, but the pension usually has a Western feel, while a minshuku is usually quite Japanese. In general, pensions are found in the countryside and are much like a bed and breakfast. …(68 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Hotel Minshuku
Change slippers for the toilet! images

Change slippers for the toilet!

Do not wear your room slippers into the toilet area, this will really annoy people. Use the provided toilet slippers.(20 words)

Ray_Proper image

Ray_Proper

Etiquette Slippers
automatic check-in images

automatic check-in

some budget business hotels offer self-check in, there you will find a kiosk in the lobby, key in your reservation number, check the dates, insert cash (it also gives changes), collect the key card and you are good to go. No wonder some says you can get by in Tokyo for days without talking to a rea…(58 words)

cwljwc image

cwljwc

Tokyo
Cozy Places to Stay for Foreigners in Japan images

Cozy Places to Stay for Foreigners in Japan

The very strict laws about hotel licenses in Japan require all serviced apartments to rent from only one month or longer. These are fully furnished, have cleaning service and best of all a 24 hour toll-free hotline in English so that if you need assistance during your stay, there is always someone …(169 words)

 image

Stay Japan places to stay Tokyo Yokohama Hotel Nagoya Summer
Japanese Bed and Breakfast Manners images

Japanese Bed and Breakfast Manners

Japanese bed and breakfast facilities resemble their British bread and breakfast lodgings, but often with several differences. Many Japanese establishments offer both dinner and breakfast. Before arrival, make sure which meals are offered. More often than not, "breakfast" will beJapanese st…(177 words)

TimN image

TimN

Etiquette Hotel Miso Miso soup Shoes Yukata (Light kimono) Slippers Shizuoka Furo (Japanese bath)