21–30 of 308 posts
> Note that Japanese reviewers are substantially pickier than you are No kidding, I see lots of reviews like: food is tasty, service was friendly, price reasonable. 3 stars.
And American reviewers are pretty much the most generous out there. My rule of thumb is that a 3.5 rating by Japanese equates to a 4.5 rating by Americans. Seriously.
I'm not sure when this post was originally written, but at a quick glance I can see some mentioned stores/restaurants that have since unfortunately shut down (like Deus Ex Machina which I used to frequent when it was in Harajuku but has since moved about 45 minutes away to Asakusa). This might not be the most up-to-date resource if you're visiting Japan in the future. Also, this list specifically recommends the APA h…
I'm not sure when this post was originally written, but at a quick glance I can see some mentioned stores/restaurants that have since unfortunately shut down (like Deus Ex Machina which I used to frequent when it was in Harajuku but has since moved about 45 minutes away to Asakusa). This might not be the most up-to-date resource if you're visiting Japan in the future. Also, this list specifically recommends the APA h…
Avoid APA at all costs, especially outside touristic areas. APA is used by everyone for all things, legal or not, and the state of your room may vary wildly.
I'm not sure when this post was originally written, but at a quick glance I can see some mentioned stores/restaurants that have since unfortunately shut down (like Deus Ex Machina which I used to frequent when it was in Harajuku but has since moved about 45 minutes away to Asakusa). This might not be the most up-to-date resource if you're visiting Japan in the future. Also, this list specifically recommends the APA h…
Other major business hotel chains:
* Toyoko Inn
* Dormy Inn (almost always has a bath on the top floor!)
* Candeo hotels (same!)
* M's hotels (there are many variations on the "M's" name)
* Unizo
* Smile hotel
* Hotel mystays
* Hotel livemax
* Daiwa Roynet
...and tons of others that are less universal. While there are subtle differences between them (e.g. some have better beds, others have laundry facilities, some have public baths on the top floor), virtually all "business hotels" have the same set of features, down to the layout of the rooms, and can usually be had for $50-$100 a night. That said, they are small, and you will not be happy if you're the kind of tourist who lugs multiple large suitcases everywhere you go, or if you're seeking a "luxury" experience.
Business hotels are cheap places to crash for a night and little more.
I'm not sure when this post was originally written, but at a quick glance I can see some mentioned stores/restaurants that have since unfortunately shut down (like Deus Ex Machina which I used to frequent when it was in Harajuku but has since moved about 45 minutes away to Asakusa). This might not be the most up-to-date resource if you're visiting Japan in the future. Also, this list specifically recommends the APA h…
"Very few people take me up on this part of the recommendation: get out of the cities if you are here for more than a week in your life." Same situation for visitors to the UK. I've given up trying to tell tourists to get out of London, they never listen.
I'm not sure when this post was originally written, but at a quick glance I can see some mentioned stores/restaurants that have since unfortunately shut down (like Deus Ex Machina which I used to frequent when it was in Harajuku but has since moved about 45 minutes away to Asakusa). This might not be the most up-to-date resource if you're visiting Japan in the future. Also, this list specifically recommends the APA h…
Even if you don't care about APA being a very weird business, the other chains that OP recommended are simply better. Cleaner, nicer, better service. Avoid APA at all costs, especially outside touristic areas. APA is used by everyone for all things, legal or not, and the state of your room may vary wildly.
I'm from the UK where even a crap hotel costs $80-100/night, so being able to pay under $40 for the quality APA provides (even if the rooms are small) is insane to me.
Lovely. Spent 3 months in Kyoto in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, and loved Japan, more than my other quick business trips in the past. Some of my notes, specific to Kyoto, but unsure whether they also apply elsewhere: Typical food in KYOTO: - aristocratic kaiseki ryori course dinners - vegetarian shojin ryori of monks - simple obanzai ryori home style cooking - Kyo-wagashi (Kyoto sweets) - Yudofu (tofu cook…
What about Kyoto vs Tokyo? Is there also the "small city" experience (calmer streets, slow people) in those cities, in places away from the center, perhaps?
North of Tokyo, you can reach Tsukuba, which is one of the most lovely towns in the Kanto region. Beautiful, spacious, very calm.
Going off the beaten path always amuses me a bit as advice (what happens when everyone decides to do that?) but it's also quite true that you can often be literally tens of metres away from the most touristic locations with barely any tourists actually around you in most places (exceptions include cities that have become theme parks like Venice).