Does anyone know why all the hotels/ryokan seem to be fully booked for the weekend beginning 8th Decemeber?
Had to wait ages for Asia rooms to come back re reservations and now cannot seem to find anywhere to stay. Can anyone recommend anywhere. Thanks

These are 4 reservation services that can help you:

1. http://www.japanhotel.net/
2. Welcome Inns: http://www.itcj.jp/
3. www.mytrip.net/en/index.html
4. http://japaneseguesthouses.com/

I used #1 and 2, and both companies were very helpful. If you cannot find a hotel, JapanHotel.net will also do a search for you, to see if there are any rooms available on the days you need.

any thanks I'll try them. I don't know why everywhere seems to be booked up that weekend.
Thanks for your help

Probably not booked, but many japanese hotels sell blocks of rooms to wholesalers and agents. Asiarooms wasn't able to get you a room, but another agent may be able to, or you might be able to book directly yourself and perhaps save some money. I'd check all ways of booking to get the best rate and the best chance of success. A Japanese travel agency, like JTB, would be able to hellp you I'm sure.

A quick look on travelocity.com and expedia.com showed many places with available rooms for 4 days beginning Dec. 8.

In Kyoto on weekends it is sometimes difficult to find accommodation. We returned to Kyoto twice and both times we had trouble finding accommodation.

I checked www.toyoko-inn.com. They have several cheap, good, hotels in Kyoto and they have rooms from Dec 8 for at least 2 nights. Good luck. A tip-check the box for "All types of rooms" because twin & double are different room types & twins out book early. We found the rooms bigger in twin.

Many thanks again for all the invaluable help.
Have managed to get in ( some way out of Kyoto) at the Holiday Inn. Hope its ok?

Thaks again