the capital city area (near Tokyo) | The best Japanese hotels and Ryokans

We chose the plan with a private open-air bath for our anniversary trip. It was so luxurious to enjoy the hot spring anytime while overlooking the beautiful river view without worrying about other guests. Although dinner was served in the dining hall, the Kaiseki dinner, made with seasonal ingredients, was truly gourmet and elegant. It was the ultimate Japanese retreat—perfect for couples seeking privacy, great food, and a relaxing soak.

I think the Asakusa View Hotel is a safe and good choice. It's one of the larger hotels in the Asakusa area, and there's always someone at the reception desk desk. Security is also solid, so even women traveling alone don't have to worry. The breakfast buffet has a great view and is very popular, with both Japanese and Western food to choose from. You can also eat and drink in the hotel, which is convenient when you get tired from walking around, and you can enjoy your stay at the hotel. The staff are also used to dealing with foreigners, so they'll be happy to help you if you have any problems.

Hotel Emion Tokyo Bay boasts a large public bath with natural onsen(hot spring). It is very convenient as there are limousine buses from Narita Airport and Haneda Airport. A free shuttle bus to Disney Resort is available, a special privilege reserved for guests. The hotel also has Italian and Japanese restaurants, and if you book a plan with breakfast included, you can enjoy both Japanese and Western cuisine. I highly recommend trying the Japanese home-style dish "nikujaga" (meat and potato stew)!

The location is within walking distance of Hakone Yumoto Station. It is a little independent guest cottages from the Hakone Open-Air Museum, but it is about 40 minutes by train or bus. This is Ryokan (Japanese inn) you can enjoy the great outdoors and hot springs of Hakone. We enjoyed the hot springs from our own source in the open-air bath in the sky and the various indoor baths. The open-air bath in particular was really spacious, and we felt close to the trees and could see the mountains and sky well, giving us a sense of openness and a sense of extraordinary. We also had a Japanese-style circular open-air bath and a Lying-down bath for lying down, where we could take a bath while looking at the night sky of Hakone. The vast garden was also very beautiful, and the shrine and the forest were integrated, creating a mysterious space. There was also a waterfall, and I felt like my body and mind were purified. There are various types of rooms, from standard twins to Japanese-style rooms and Japanese-style rooms with open-air baths.

The price of the accommodation varies depending on the date and the room. The cheapest price here is about 15,000 yen per person for one night with two meals. You can stay in a special room in the main building or in the annex for less than 30,000 yen. All rooms have an open-air bath. There are Japanese-style Japanese and Western room and Japanese-Western style rooms, and sofas and massage chairs are also available. The hot spring has an indoor bath and a large public bath, and you can bathe while drinking sake. Dinner is creative Japanese cuisine in a semi-private dining room. The sashimi is rainbow trout and rock trout caught in the Arakawa River. The thick Chichibu shiitake mushrooms are grilled and eaten. Breakfast is a tiered box and steamed in a bamboo steamer with side dishes.

The Sheraton is a huge hotel, but the bell desk staff made us feel instantly relieved. They took charge of our mountain of luggage quickly and with a big smile. Then, they suggested, "While you wait for your room to be ready, why not relax at the café over there?" They even used a hotel map to show us exactly where to go, which was super clear and helpful. Later, when we asked for directions to the Disney Resort Line station, they didn't just point the way. They gave us specific, practical details, like the monorail's arrival times. I was genuinely touched by their professional service. You can tell they are always thinking one step ahead to make sure guests don't feel lost or overwhelmed in such a massive hotel.

My top recommendation has to be The Prince Park Tower Tokyo. If you're looking for a hotel where you can relax and enjoy elegant views of Tokyo Tower, this is the absolute perfect choice. The nighttime cityscape from our room was absolutely breathtaking.The room itself was spacious, and the bed was so comfortable it made for a wonderfully relaxing stay. One of the best features is the "view bath," which lets you soak in the tub while gazing out at the scenery. I highly recommend booking a plan that guarantees a room with a view bath so you don't miss out on this incredible experience!

If you want to go to Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya, and Akihabara, I recommend a hotel in the Shinjuku area. Harajuku and Shibuya can be reached in 2-3 stops on the Yamanote Line, and Akihabara can be reached in 9 stops on the Sobu Line. It's convenient because there are no transfers. This hotel can be accessed from Shinjuku Station via an underground passage without going above ground. It's in Kabukicho, so it's close to restaurants and Don Quijote. There is also a McDonald's near the hotel. The original Japanese teriyaki burger is delicious, so please try it! From Narita Airport, you can take a limousine bus to the west exit of Shinjuku Station, but you must make a reservation, or you can take the Skyliner or Keisei Narita Airport Line to Nippori, then transfer to the Yamanote Line and access Shinjuku without transferring. If you take the limousine bus to Tokyo Station, you can access it from Tokyo Station on the Chuo Line without transferring. The hotel is clean and there is nothing particularly inconvenient about it. Although it is a hotel in Shinjuku, the room was quiet so I was able to sleep soundly.

I recommend this hotel, located about 20 minutes by car from Naritasan towards Narita Airport. In addition to a large natural hot spring bath and an open-air bath, there are also herbal baths, saunas and massage facilities. There is a free shuttle bus from JR Narita Station and it is easily accessible from Naritasan.

The hotel's services were incredibly satisfying. We were impressed by the free amenities, including the complimentary private onsen and the delicious late-night yonaki soba (ramen). The dinner was a spectacular creative Kaiseki course that was both generous and extremely flavorful—truly fitting for an anniversary celebration. The quality of the services and the superb dining, combined with the room's private tub, made this a genuinely luxurious Hakone ryokan experience.

If you're looking for top-tier Japanese service, you have to check out the Hotel Okura Group. This hotel near the Disney parks has incredibly spacious rooms, and the bathrooms are all marble, giving it a really luxurious feel. For a truly Japanese experience, they also offer washitsu (Japanese-style rooms) where you can experience the traditional lifestyle of sleeping on a futon on tatami mats. Plus, guests in the washitsu get exclusive access to an onsen (hot spring)-style public bath. Depending on the time of day, you might even be ableto reserve it for private use! Here’s a great tip: There's a Disney store right in the hotel that sells official park merchandise and souvenirs. It’s so convenient! You can check out what to buy right after you check in. The food is fantastic, too. I especially recommend the breakfast buffet. It has a huge spread of both Japanese and Western dishes, but the absolute must-try is the Okura's traditional French toast!

This hotel is 800m away from Kamogawa Sea World. With the ocean right in front of you, you can enjoy a resort atmosphere. In addition, since it's summer vacation, there is a hands-on craft corner, so it's perfect for making memories of your trip. They also lend out yukatas in children's sizes and baby beds, although the number is limited. Of course, they also have food for children, and they will reheat baby food if you ask, so if you're going with children, it's a good idea to stay at this safe inn.

I highly recommend Hotel Green Plaza Hakone. Their proudest feature is the breathtaking view of Mt. Fuji from their open-air bath, which is incredibly popular with international guests. Dinner is a buffet featuring Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine, so your friend can enjoy fresh sushi and seasonal tempura, or find plenty of options if they're not yet accustomed to Japanese food. The hotel is also ideally located just a three-minute walk from Ubako Station on the Hakone Ropeway, making it a great base for sightseeing.

There are few hotels around Meiji Shrine, so you have to go to Shibuya or Shinjuku, but this Dormy Inn is a 10-minute walk from Harajuku Station, so it's also recommended for sightseeing in Harajuku. There is a large public bath on the second floor, and in addition to the indoor bath, there is also a high-temperature sauna and a cold bath, so if you like saunas, this is the place to stay. There are only twin rooms, so you will probably have to stay in more than one room, but you can stretch your legs out in the large bath, and there are plenty of free services, such as a free midnight snack (Dormy Inn's specialty Yonakisoba (noodles sold by a hawker at night)) and free ice cream after the bath.

For me, the breakfast restaurant is where Hilton Tokyo Bay's spirit of "Omotenashi" (Japanese hospitality) truly shines. The venue is huge and very popular, so it can get quite crowded during peak times. However, the staff manages the crowd incredibly efficiently. The process of getting seated is surprisingly smooth and stress-free. The buffet stations are refilled instantly, often before they even run out, and they clear your finished plates at just the right moment. Honestly, I was just really impressed by their overall attention to detail. You can tell they genuinely care about each guest, as they never lose their smile, no matter how busy it gets.

This hotel is close to Seibu Tokorozawa Station, three stations from Seibu Kyujo-mae Station. It's close to the downtown area, so there are convenience stores and plenty of izakayas. When there are concerts or events at the Belluna Dome, special trains run late into the night, so you don't have to worry about transportation.

This is a cheap business hotel in the Ariake/Toyosu area, and it offers a free shuttle bus to Disneyland and DisneySea. Even if you stay until the very last minute of the park's closing time, you can stay at the hotel without having to wait another day. Most of the room types are basic, but the price is kept down considerably, so this is a hotel we would especially recommend to those who value value for money!

There are many hotels around the Imperial Palace, but the accommodation costs are generally high. It can't be helped, since it's right in the center of the city. I recommend "Rem Hibiya." You can stay here for a reasonable price compared to other hotels. Please consider it.

What's special about this hotel is that it offers a variety of unique rooms you can choose based on your children's ages. For example, the "Kiddy Suite" was perfect for our little one. The floors are made of cork, there are very few steps, and the beds are low to the ground, so we could relax without having to worry about safety. The room also came stocked with toys and picture books, and our child was happily entertained the whole time! If you have slightly older kids, the "Grande" room with its bunk beds is a great choice for a sense of adventure. Choosing a room where your child can be the star makes for a truly wonderful travel memory.