Visiting Japan? Here Are 9 Unique Stays in Japan You’ll Love!

I came to Japan back during the first George Bush presidency, so I’ve been here a long time. Over the years, I’ve traveled extensively around my adopted country, hitchhiking to Aomori or using cheap “Seishun 18” train tickets to visit Hiroshima for $24. Since I hate staying in boring hotels or vanilla ryokan inns, I’ve made a point to seek out fun and unusual places to stay in Japan, which I’m going to share in this post. So, keep reading for nine unique stays in Japan that I recommend!

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unusual places to stay in Japan -- Machiya

Going to Kyoto? Make Sure to Stay in a Machiya

If you want a really unique experience in Kyoto, I recommend you consider staying in a machiya. These are traditional Japanese townhomes in Kyoto that were built in the late 1800s or early 1900s, which housed local families for decades. They’ve been renovated by companies like Machiya Residence Inn to offer all the conveniences you could want, while keeping the Meiji-era charm. Despite being an amazing way to stay in Kyoto, the reservations aren’t overly expensive, at around $200 a night. I imagine you need to make your reservation well in advance, however.

The only downside to staying in an old machiya hidden in the winding, ancient streets in Kyoto is that you might have trouble getting back home after a few hours of exploring. So make sure to mark your starting point with your phone before heading out.

Sky Spa Yokohama | Unique Stays In Japan

How to Stay in Central Yokohama for Just US$17??

This weekend, I went to Yokohama to attend an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Kimagure Orange Road anime and manga. I didn’t want to stay in a boring hotel, so I asked my wife to find an interesting capsule hotel that had baths and saunas attached. She found Sky Spa YOKOHAMA, an amazing collection of baths and saunas with a restaurant, mobile work space, and capsule hotel. And it’s right in the heart of sprawling Yokohama, next to the station.

While my bill — counting the capsule hotel room, since I love staying in them — was around $90, I noticed in the shared rest area, several men were snoring away on reclining chairs. The cost to sleep overnight at a 24-hour “Sauna” is 2600 yen, about US$17 at the current exchange rate.

If you want to make use of cheap Sauna establishments, they’re pretty common in any Japanese city. Just look for サウナ on any building, or use Google Maps. While most of these places are for men only, Sky Spa YOKOHAMA also has a ladies’ capsule hotel option available.

Want a unique place to stay in Japan? Try a Pension inn!

More Unusual Places to Stay in Japan: Traditional Japanese Minshuku

Back in the pre-internet days, the main resource for traveling around Japan were the Lonely Planet books, which gave suggestions on worthwhile sightseeing spots as well as places to stay. I learned pretty quickly that it was a drag to stay in a ryokan inn filled only with foreign visitors, so I started buying Japanese-language travel guides to find more “authentic” stay options. I learned that staying at minshuku, low-end Japanese inns, can be an amazing way to experience a more “real” Japan and meet some interesting people.

A variation on minshuku are “pensions.” This isn’t a government-backed retirement system, but a French word meaning a family-run guesthouse. They’re basically the same thing as minshuku, but with a more Western feel. When I made my most recent visit to the original “anime holy land” around Lake Kizaki, Nagano, I stayed in a lovely pension inn run by an elderly couple.

Unique Places To Stay In Japan | Shukubo

Would You Stay at a Buddhist Temple?

Want another unusual place to stay in Japan? How about trying shukubō, staying in a Buddhist temple? You’ll be given a simple tatami room and served unique Buddhist food designed to resemble meat in appearance and texture, but it’s 100% vegetarian. If you like, you’ll be invited to take part in the morning prayers. You might want to avoid staying in these temples during Japan’s hot summer, as there won’t be air conditioning. I speak from experience.

A variation of this is to stay in a temple-style Airbnb. Among the challenges Japan faces is a lack of a younger generation to take over the family business. Supposedly, there are 12,000 temples across Japan that are in danger of closing because they lack a Buddhist priest to continue operating. This has led to a unique “business opportunity” in the form of companies converting real temples into Airbnb-type offerings. So if you want the aesthetics of a temple without the prayers and incense, that’s an option too.

Here’s a useful website from the Japanese government with advice on staying in Buddhist temples. The most popular and English-friendly temple seems to be Koyasan in nearby Wakayama.

unusual places to stay in Japan: Dormy Inn

One hotel chain I nearly always stay at is Dormy Inn. This is an affordable hotel with locations in every major Japanese city, making it super convenient when traveling. I love that they always have a big bath and sauna, allowing me to get clean after a sweaty day of sightseeing. The rooms are small and simple, but the price is reasonable at around $120 a night.

And if you want to experience bathing culture in the heart of Kyoto, Dormy Inn has opened a huge “premium” location right next to Kyoto Station. It offers something like 18 different baths and saunas to explore. It might not be the most traditional way to experience Japan, but I personally love it.

unusual places to stay in Japan -- Hotel Queen Elizabeth

Another Unique Stay in Japan: Love Hotels

Another unusual place to stay in Japan would be a love hotel. These are convenient places where you can “rest” for 2–3 hours, or “stay” overnight, together with that special person. They’re often themed with fun props, have big beds and jacuzzis, and lots of fun amenities. But I’ve heard you shouldn’t use the free condoms the management provide, as previous guests might have poked a hole in them as a cruel joke.

Love hotels might be one of the few areas of Japan that aren’t actively courting foreign tourists, so I wouldn’t expect a ton of English instructions. But no one cares if you visit, as long as you’re quiet and respectful. In general, check-in is done in a way that maximizes privacy, with payment done through a touch screen or a pneumatic tube, so you never have to meet another person. Only two people are allowed inside during use.

Staying in a love hotel would certainly be an unusual place to stay in Japan!

Unusual Places To Stay In Japan Key Camper

Why Not Rent a Kei Camper?

I love the way YouTube is changing our shared popular culture, allowing us to learn about new and interesting things available in other countries. If you’re a fan of Japanese “Kei” vans and campers, why not rent a tiny camper and drive around Japan? You could have some fun adventures!

Unique Places To Stay In Japan Manga Cafe

unusual places to stay in Japan? How about a manga cafe?

Manga Cafés

A manga cafe is a fun way to pass the time, reading the hundreds of volumes of Japanese-language titles provided for you, browsing the internet on their Wi-Fi, and perhaps getting some gaming done on a rented PC. You can also stay overnight in one for around $19, as in this YouTube video I found. Note that most of these establishments expect you to pay a fee to join their membership program when you go.

A Note on Manners and Overtourism

If you check certain corners of Reddit, you’ll see discussion about how Japan is “tired of” so many foreigners coming to their country. While overtourism is seemingly causing friction in all countries, Japan is happy to have people from other countries take an interest in their culture. They just want visitors to follow the rules.

I was reading the internet and came across a comment from someone who wanted to visit Japan but felt it might be intrusive or rude for her to come here. I read this out loud to Mrs. J-List, and her response surprised me. “What are you saying? You’re exactly the kind of person we want visiting our country. Someone who worries about not causing inconvenience to others and will take steps to avoid that? Please, come to Japan!”

Some general guidelines to have a successful visit to Japan:

The Japanese understand you’re excited to be visiting their country, and they’re happy to have you here, no matter where you’re from. No one cares if you make the wrong number of claps when visiting a Shinto shrine.
Foreigners can often be loud and rowdy when in a group. It’s best to be aware of the noise level around you and match that.
Mind your space. Areas can be quite cramped in Japanese cities, so be careful to avoid having too much luggage with you.
Japan has some interesting trash rules, and often you’re asked to take your garbage with you. Please follow this advice.
Japanese people are super into giving and receiving gifts. If you’ll be visiting anyone you know here, plan ahead and bring some gifts from your home country.
If there’s a single “golden rule” that makes Japanese society peaceful and harmonious, it’s this: don’t cause meiwaku (nuisance, inconvenience) to others. Sometimes, visitors from mainland China will visit Japan during the sakura season and climb the trees to cut branches down to take home with them. This is a good example of something to avoid doing in Japan!

Thanks for reading this blog post exploring some unusual places to stay in Japan. Have you been to Japan before? What did you find here? Tell us in the comments below!

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