Japan Prep || Post 4: Short-Term Housing

Wednesday December 9 2015

Last week I talked about long-term housing in Japan. This week I wanted to cover a range of short-term options that I've looked into as well. I will probably use some of these options when I activate my JR Rail Pass and discover a little more of rural Japan. I'm still unsure if I want to do this at the end of my trip, in the middle or at the start... The start would be ideal, as I can visit my friends in Kansai on my JR Pass and do all my adventuring afterwards. I could also split my trip, so that I can make friends in the beginning and then travel and then go somewhere else (maybe I'll have a better picture of where I want to be based by then). Budget determines most of this so I'll have to wait and see.

Anyways, short-term housing is definitely something I need to have on my radar for at least some of my trip. One of the institutions that have hostels all around Japan is Hostelling International or HI. They have a membership deal in which you pay around $90 and get membership prices that are about $5-$10 cheaper per night. Most hostels that I have looked at are around $35-$50 a night, with some including options for breakfast, and sometimes dinner, at a small cost. The Japanese website has an awesome map with heaps of hostels and some other really good information about your stay in Japan.

The other is the Japanese Inn Group. If I'm going to get the chance to stay in a Ryokan then this is probably how I'll do it. Some that I have looked at, including Uotoshi Ryokan and Ryokan Seifu-so, are fairly priced and have some interesting activities that you can do while you're there, like a traditional tea ceremony. I recently watched a video by John Daub creator of Only in Japan about Onsen (hot springs) and Sento (public baths). He visited a Ryokan in the middle of winter and it just looked awesome! You should check out some of his videos; They're super cheese (no, I don't mean cheesy, just cheese) but really good and informative.

Back on topic...

There are also some interesting overnight options in main areas, such as those famous capsule hotels, but my favourite is Manga Kissa, or Manga cafes-A kind of internet cafe for manga otaku (geeks) and those stuck in town after missing their last train home. From the little that I know, most have a main area, a huge collection of manga and cubicles with a PC and a comfy chair. Some even provide showers and a blanket. Looking forward to that for sure!

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Sorry for missing this post last week, it's been really busy at work with Christmas only 15 days away! And, of all the times to get sick, I caught the same flu for the third time this year-Can't win! Anyways, this weekend is a biggie for me. I'll be flying home to get some things sorted for my trip so when I get back I'll hopefully have an itinerary to share and maybe some potential accommodation too!

Thanks for tuning in guys!
Emily.