115 Best Hotels in Japan

Traditional and contemporary elements come together to make the Niwa Tokyo a prized little boutique hotel in the middle of the city. A small rock pond and massive paper lantern in the high-ceiling lobby welcome guests. Rooms are small (starting at 60 square feet) yet contain charming Japanese touches, such as shoji screens and carpeting made to look like tatami. The property is within minutes of Tokyo Dome, so catching the Giants during the baseball season is a snap.

Rising 35 stories over Meriken Park, this is one of the city's best lodgings. Beautifully furnished, the hotel lives up to the Okura chain's reputation for excellence. Rooms were designed by David Hicks, who has also done interiors for the British royal family. The hotel has a well-equipped health club and stunning views of the bay from the beautiful Sazanka Teppanyaki Restaurant on the 35th floor.

What puts Peace Island Miyakojima a cut above the rest are the amenities: all the rooms have their own washing machine, refrigerator, and microwave. It's filled with simple, functional rooms. It's particularly popular with scuba divers and families. In the center of Hirara, the Peace Island puts you within walking distance of the bars and restaurants.

Opened in 2021, this bright and airy hotel next to Inuyama Station offers simple, but smart Western-style rooms. Where it stands out is with its activities geared toward travelers after cultural experiences. On-site, the hotel runs tea ceremonies, sweets-making classes, and ceramic painting workshops for both guests and nonguests. It also offers history walks of Inuyama's old town and can arrange ukai tickets. 

The Hyatt is elegant but without a stratospheric price tag. It is located beside the quiet Tsuboya pottery district, which provides quick access to busy Kokusai Street. There's a great view of the city from Milano, the Italian restaurant on the 18th floor. Along with a sports gym, there's a rooftop pool surrounded by loungers, and a shallow kids' pool. Some of the suite rooms even have double beds—a rarity in Japan where twin rooms are the norm. The lounge area is quiet and relaxing, a great retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Snuggled amid the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, this hotel has Hyatt's trademark, atrium-style lobby—seven stories high, with glass elevators soaring upward—and as well as rooms that are spacious rooms, if somewhat unremarkable in design. Splurge for the club access deluxe rooms, which include breakfast, tea service, and other perks to go with your even-more-spacious room. Tocho-mae Station, beneath the hotel, allows swift access to the nightlife in Roppongi and Shiodome's business towers, but it's quite deep, so you might find that Shinjuku Station is an easier connector. The nearby park is great for a jog or a stroll and for watching people walk their dogs.

Along the Hirose River, this large ryokan has rooms that peer out over the stream and mountains, offering a 20-meter pool, table tennis, and a children's play area, as well as its original rotenburo. Some of it is a bit over the top, but that is the mood. Nevertheless, the reason to stay here is for the onsen. Although the rotenburo generally offers mixed-sex bathing, some hours are reserved for women only. Five different springs fill the four rocky baths, and you can see the warm water bubbling up from the bottom of the river while you’re soaking. Request a room with beds if you’re not interested in sleeping on futons. Some rooms even have private baths with views.

This traditional inn just up the road from Kazura-bashi has spacious rooms, an outdoor hot-spring bath, and unobstructed views of the valley, but the home-style feast you're served at dinner and breakfast are what you'll write home about. Two meals are included in most rates, but breakfast-only and dinner-only options are also available at a much lower rate.

Located right next to the station and directly accessible, this business hotel, a delight for trainspotters, is the most convenient accommodation in the city. Rooms are modern with subtle locomotive-themed decor. From the 12th-floor onsen you can soak while watching the trains pull in and out of the station. Also on the 12th floor is a small lounge with free coffee, books on Japan's train network, and great views across the city and ocean. At the "Pillow Corner" in the lobby, guests can select from 12 different types of pillow.

If the beauty of Arashiyama inspires you to spend the night in the area, consider this resort whose draws include its kimono-clad staff, modern amenities, multicourse meals, and spacious hot springs a short walk from the monkey park. In addition to the communal areas, there are five private thermal-water pools guests may use, three of them invitingly open-air. Other perks include complimentary ice-cream bars after your bath or massage.

Although some areas of this hotel are nondescript, it has a remarkable variety of contemporary accommodations, including fully accessible rooms and those with as many as four beds. It also has an impressive gym with city views and a seasonally open outdoor pool so you can swim among the skyscrapers.

A huge hotel with every imaginable amenity, the sleek Portopia Hotel rises high above the city. The restaurants and lounges on the top floors have panoramic views of Rokko-san and Osaka Bay. Ask for a room in the south wing if you want a balcony and ocean view. It's a bit isolated on man-made Port Island, but it has complimentary shuttle buses to and from Shin-Kobe Station throughout the day. The location is somewhat countered by the fact that everything from food—Chinese, Japanese, and French—to clothing is available inside the hotel.

Of the rustic ryokan in the Nyuto area, this one is the coziest, giving you access to the river and trails; the water in the onsen is milky white and cool enough that even babies can bathe in it. Descending the path affords you a view of thatched roofs and what could easily be mistaken for a tiny village. The front desk is there in what would be the town square, and so is a little café. In addition to three outdoor and five indoor pools, there's a waterfall to massage your shoulders. The accommodations are all tatami rooms, but some have beds. The two meals are typical local fare. Don't miss tasty, half-cooked onsen eggs at breakfast. Families often rent the cottage that has a fully equipped kitchen, dining area, and living room, but if you're interested in that, you'll have to call. Perhaps the best of all is how genuinely friendly and helpful the people are in this little getaway that's open only between mid-April and mid-November.

Built in 1913, but with a smart, new annex added in 2020, the Kusatsu Hotel is a blend of classic and contemporary ryokan; though meals are not obligatory, use of the hot springs is included with all rooms. Accommodation options include traditional tatami-mat rooms (with futon for sleeping) in the main building or rooms with beds and wood flooring that still manage to retain a traditional vibe. Meals (there are various plans available) are centered on multicourse kaiseki traditions, but there's also a laid-back café on-site. The several indoor and outdoor public baths, which were renovated in 2020, offer a classic way to unwind, especially after a day at the nearby Kusatsu Ski Resort.

Situated just across the road from the Imperial Palace and gardens, the Kyoto Garden Palace is a classically styled yet unfussy hotel, offering excellent Japanese hospitality plus quiet, clean, and comfortable rooms. The two excellent ground floor restaurants are great spots for lunch or dinner, and both have views of the serene interior garden. East-facing rooms overlook the famous palace and grounds.

Situated as it is on the upper 11 floors of the Marunouchi Oazo Building, with an underground walkway connected to Tokyo Station, this hotel offers both a convenient location and views of the city lights, which illuminate the quiet neutral hues and high ceilings in the guest rooms. Among the dining selections are Daian Club, featuring Wagyu beef, and the French restaurant pomme d'Adam, which specializes in dishes prepared with seasonal ingredients. If you need other options, a multitude of restaurants await in nearby skyscrapers.

This unpretentious ryokan welcomed its first guest, a monk from the nearby Higashi-Hongan-ji Temple, in 1884. The innkeepers are welcoming, the rooms, most of which have private baths, are pleasant, and the temple-facing location provides a special atmosphere. Ask about the studio apartments on the top floor for extended stays. After renovations, the interior has lost some of its 19th-century authenticity, though the improved convenience is worth it.

This large, slightly dated hotel sits on the island-studded bay near tourist attractions such as Zuigan-ji and offers lavish rooms, some with private rotenburo (open air bath) on their balconies as well as a communal, open-air onsen with perhaps the best view of all if you do not mind the tour buses parking in front. Each room has a slightly different view, but most face the sea. You can reserve a family onsen room if you are shy about the shared baths. There is also a very small pool and other on-site activities.

Both chic and reasonable, this hotel occupies the top nine floors of the 24-story Ginza Mitsui Building in a convenient location at the edge of the bustling neighborhood. Guest rooms have a soft modern style, incorporating earth tones with dashes of forest green. Little luxuries include cozy bedding and free Wi-Fi; View rooms offer city views from their bathrooms. Another great spot to take in the skyline? The Karin cocktail bar and E'Volta restaurant. Both are on the 16th floor and have wonderful panoramas of Tokyo.

This modern and comfortable hotel is an excellent base for exploring the area around Peace Memorial Park as well as the city's restaurants and nightlife. Rooms on the upper floors have excellent views over Hiroshima and the mountains beyond, as does the 25th-floor restaurant. The staff are friendly and helpful. 

Directly south of Kyoto Station, this refurbished hotel is more convenient than glamorous. Rooms are of standard size and comfortable enough but pretty much devoid of style. There are several restaurants and bars within, so you won't lack for food and drink. This is a decent place if you are on a package tour or if you can't find a room in this price range elsewhere.

Not only does the Mizno have a stylish lodge aesthetic and stunning views of Lake Kawaguchiko but nearly every part of the hotel—from the restaurant and rooftop bar to the guest rooms and private onsen—is designed to offer stellar Mt. Fuji views as well. In summer, make reservations for dinner on the terrace to watch the sun set over the lake.

Smack in the center of Ginza, this hotel was created in 2019 by budget Japanese retailer Muji, a company known for its natural toned, minimalist approach to interiors and fashion. That characteristic aesthetic runs through all of the smart, but compact singles and doubles, as well as the on-site library, bar, bakery, and Japanese restaurant. If you want to shop, the lower floors of the hotel's building house Muji's Ginza flagship store.

This classic hotel is a little worn around the edges after a century of operation, but it still has the best location in town—across the street from Toshogu—and the main building is a delightful, rambling Victorian structure that has hosted royalty and other important personages from around the world. Rooms vary a great deal, as do their prices: the more expensive rooms are spacious and comfortable, with wonderful high ceilings; in the annex the sound of the Daiya-gawa murmuring below the Sacred Bridge lulls you to sleep.

"Resort" is a misnomer for this small lodge, but the Nilaina has a perfect location, wooden decks where you can kick back, and a hot tub with an ocean view. The rooms could be more spacious—and there are only four of them—but they're smartly built, with excellent details like fancy baths and subtle lighting. They all look out onto the jungle. Snorkeling, hiking, and kayaking tours are on offer, but the diving and sailing tours on the hotel's 38-foot catamaran are unique to Nilaina. Call ahead to get free pickup from Uehara Port.

On the Shinano River, about 1½ km (1 mile) from the station, the 16-story high-rise affords views of the water from many of its rooms. The riverside La Shinano café is a great spot for afternoon cake or coffee. The service is attentive and the rooms—mostly Western in style but some Japanese—are comfortable. 

Opened in 2024, the OMO7 is a fashionable but budget-conscious outpost from luxury brand Hoshino Resorts. The airy rooms, which range from twins (bookable as singles) to suites that can fit a family of four, are all spacious by locals standards and feature light natural tones. On-site you'll also find a plush public hot-spring bath, restaurant serving breakfast and dinner buffets (for an extra fee), a café-bar, and staff who can help plan itineraries and arrange guided activities.

The windows in all six tatami rooms of this minshuku face the wooded valley, and although you can opt for a room-only stay, it's only an extra couple of thousand yen to book dinner and breakfast too, which is a good idea with nowhere to eat nearby. The chef prepares local specialties such as horse-meat sashimi, mountain vegetables, but more-familiar Japanese food is also on the menu. There are shared Japanese baths.

Antiques-filled nooks with chairs and coffee tables become cozy lounges in this old Tera-machi minshuku. In the mineral-water baths, a giant waterwheel turns hypnotically, complemented by recorded birdsong. Dinner hours are more flexible than those of the typical minshuku, and the food, including local specialties such as Hida-gyu beef and hobamiso, is superb. The rooms are all Japanese style, but there are no private baths. Yamakyu is east of the Enako-gawa, at the very top of Sanmachi-dori, a 20-minute walk from Takayama Station. There's an 11 pm curfew, but the staff will give you a key if you plan to be out later. Only Visa and MasterCard accepted (no Amex).

The main appeal of this manor in the woods is the hospitality of the Tatsuji family. Bright guest rooms with tall windows provide far-reaching views. The chef creates culinary wonders, from fresh bread to Mediterranean dishes with local produce. From Kumamoto, take the bus via Minami Aso and get off at Takamori. Call the pension, and they will have someone pick you up. You don't have to book the evening meal, but the relative isolation of the property, and the Tatsuji's family's culinary skills, mean that booking meals with your stay is the best option and something that almost all guests do. Vegetarian options are available on request. The hosts ask that you arrive before dinner, which is served promptly at 6:30.