Japan's Business Hotel Alternative

Above, the Tsukuba Hotel, a business hotel in the Ueno section of Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those of you who are considering a trip to Japan, but feel you cannot afford to stay at a hotel. Well, Japan has many options on accommodations, including the business hotel

Gaijinpot.com has an article on business hotels that prospective tourists should take a look into.

They begin with:

Visitors to Japan face a myriad of options for temporary accommodations. You could attempt to emulate the experience of Bill Murray in Lost in Translation by staying at the high end Park Hyatt in Shinjuku or splurge on a traditional Japanese ryokan which may cost ¥25,000/person/night (but typically includes two meals), go the budget route of staying at a capsule hotel for only ¥2000/night or even try your luck at one of the ubiquitous “love hotels” (best done with a fellow traveler!). 

While all of these would provide a unique experience and are, therefore, certainly recommended, where should you stay if you plan to visit the country on business and want a reliable, no frills hotel but don’t want to break the bank? The answer is to do what the locals do and book yourself into what’s simply called a “business hotel” to enjoy a terrific value. Business hotels are, by the way, not just for business, although don’t expect a pool!

To read more, go here. 

Tokyo's Creative Budget Hotels

Above, Akihabara's Electric Town. The article features a capsule hotel in the district. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The current boom in foreign tourism in Japan, hotel rooms (and space in general) are filling up.

Fortunately, creative minds in Japan are finding other ways to increase the number of accommodations available to tourists.

The Japan Times reported:

With Japan’s tourist numbers and hotel prices on the rise thanks to a weaker yen, developers are getting creative with a new niche line of stylish but cheap accommodations in bunks, cabins and pods of all shapes and sizes. 

Even a tiny double room in a hotel with limited service can set you back ¥30,000 ($240) a night in central Tokyo these days. But if you look a little more, you can bed down in comfort for a mere fraction of that.

To read more, go here. 

Gaijinpot's "10 Cheap Accommodation Options In Japan"

Above, the Hotel Asia Center of Japan in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When one is planning a vacation in Japan (or anywhere else, for that matter ), one of the things that are looked into are accommodations.

I usually first plan out what places I want to go to and then look into what's available for a place to stay.

As far as Tokyo is concerned, my favorite place is the Hotel Asia Center of Japan. Unfortunately, they were all booked up last year when I went to Japan. So, as a back-up, I stayed at the Tsukuba Hotel in Ueno. I stayed there in 2005.

Above, the Tsukuba Hotel last February. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Gaijinpot.com has a list of 10 cheap accommodation options that may come in handy for those who are planning their vacations.

The article begins with:

Finding a short term place to stay in Japan can be expensive. GaijinPot has a listing of short term apartments but if even these prices are too high for you, I have listed 10 options below for free or very cheap places to stay in Japan.

 To read more, go here.

What's A Japanese Business Hotel?

Above, the room of the business hotel I stayed in.  It was slightly
larger than my work cubicle back in the U.S.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

You've probably heard of Japanese business hotels, but wondered what they are and what amenities they have available for the traveler.

Above, the bath was just big enough for
one person.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Generally, these hotels are all over Japan and they provide the salaryman accommodations while away from home on business.

According to Japan-guide.com:

Business hotels can be found readily across Japan, providing economical and no-frills accommodation to travelers. The charge is typically between 5,000 and 10,000 yen per night for a single room, and many hotels also have a few twin or double rooms for typically 7,000 to 12,000 yen. Although rooms are relatively small, they are usually clean and well kept, with an attached bathroom.

Basic amenities such as soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, razors, cotton buds, shower caps and towels are normally provided. Most rooms also come with a television, an air conditioner, a telephone, a hairdryer, an empty refrigerator and a water boiler with complimentary green tea bags.

As the above states, the rooms are small. I stayed at one business hotel in Ueno, Tokyo in 2005, the Tsukuba Hotel. I stayed in the smallest hotel room I've ever seen. The accompanying photos attest to that. It could be a problem for one who is claustrophobic and can give the feeling of "bouncing off the walls." But I don't choose a hotel to just sit in after traveling thousands of miles. It served the purpose of a place to sleep and to clean up. Plus, it was cheap (about $50 U.S.). It was better than staying in one of Japan's famous capsule hotels. (It was in this hotel room that I experienced an earthquake for the first time in Japan.)

Above, a view looking towards the bathroom.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The only window in the room was in the bathroom, and that had a lovely view of the neighboring building just across a narrow passageway. In the lobby, a room was set up with two computers for Internet access for the hotel's guests to use (navigating the Japanese keyboards were a bit of a challenge).

Still, the management was quite efficient and helpful. I enjoyed my stay there.

So if you don't mind a small room, a business hotel is the economical way to go.

Japanese Capsule Hotels

You're in Tokyo, you find yourself stranded in the middle of the night as the subways and trains have stopped running.  You need to find a place to sleep off the cocktails you consumed during the evening.  What are you going to do?

Or, you are in Japan on an extremely tight budget and don't want to spend too much on a hotel room.  What are you going to do?

Here's a solution!

News On Japan has an article (with video) on uniquely Japanese places to stay: capsule hotels!

The article begins with:

Tokyo is known for being densely populated and crowded. Living space is at a premium; hotel rooms are small or expensive or both. Enter the capsule hotel, where a tube-like pod barely bigger than a coffin offers a bed for the night at low cost. 

Personally, I've never stayed in a capsule hotel, but I've heard of them for years.  To see the article and view the video, go here.