Short trip
No need to panic about accommodation prices in Tokyo if your stay is not long. Indeed, there are many short-term accommodation plans in the Japanese capital and include several inexpensive solutions!
Youth hostels (AJ)
Let’s start with the hostels , which are quite numerous in Tokyo . Most of them are concentrated in the Asakusa district , where Tokyo’s most popular AJ is located: Sakura Hostel . Clean, well maintained and above all very affordable, hostels are a very good accommodation solution. Especially since the staff speak English there! Golden info! You can choose between dormitories or private rooms. The bathroom and the kitchen are shared.
The guest rooms
The Ryokan and Minshuku , respectively hostels and guest houses Japanese version, are also a very good accommodation in Tokyo . Very traditional decor, breakfast and dinner included, satisfactory service, these spaces really offer a very welcoming setting. Ryokans and Minshukus are not very numerous in central Tokyo. However, there are a few in traditional neighborhoods like Ueno and Yanaka . On the other hand, in the provinces and in the islands, they are very present.
Hotels
Tokyo also has a wide variety of hotels, which can be found in its different districts.
- Business hotels which, as their name suggests, are dedicated to businessmen. But lately they have been taken over by tourists, since their price is still reasonable. They can be found in the business areas of the city like Shinjuku and Shibuya.
- The capsule hotels are very popular with tourists, but also by Tokyoites who missed the last train to return home. It is true that it is a little tight – it’s still a capsule – but the experience is really worth it, since this concept does not exist anywhere else! In addition we are even entitled to pajamas to sleep!
- Western style hotels are plentiful but they are far from being the most economical accommodation plan in Tokyo . There are hotels of international chains and others simpler. It is also important to know that in hotels where the room costs more than 10,000 Y, a tax of 5% is imposed on tourists (foreigners and Japanese).
And that’s not all, the capital of Japan offers other, more original accommodation. These are:
- Manga Kissa : it is possible to spend the night in these spaces where you have access to the internet and manga. Normally each Manga Kissa has private boxes with a connected computer, an armchair as well as a blanket and pillows which are requested at reception. There are also toilets, distributors and more rarely showers. The night plan (from midnight to 5 am) costs around 1,000 Y.
- Karaoke : a little too tipsy to go home, after a good evening at Karaoke? It’s simple, sleep there! Karaokes offer private compartments, equipped with benches or armchairs, where it is possible to stay overnight. There are different formulas, the price of which varies between ¥ 1,000 and ¥ 2,500.
Tips:
Remember to always book in advance, even in hostels. Always have cash on you, some places do not accept credit cards.
Long stay
As in other Japanese cities, finding accommodation for a fairly long stay is an arduous mission!
Not only the prices of the rents and the deposits before moving in are very high, but in addition the owners are very suspicious of the Gaijins (foreigners). Fortunately, this is becoming less and less frequent in the capital and many more Japanese accept to rent to foreigners without problem.
In general, three options are available to Gaijins:
- The apartments , which are quite expensive and small especially in the center
- Colocation , where it is usually the tenant who sublets you. There are commonly called share house in Japan
- Guest-house or house for foreigners, to live between Gaijins
Everyone will choose the option that suits them according to their needs and preferences. But our advice is to opt for apartment rental only if the stay will last a year or more. You still do not want to pay nearly 6 months of rent, to stay in the apartment only 3 or 4 months! Obviously, the rental rates vary according to the district and the surface, but it is necessary to envisage a good purse for that.
To find a shared accommodation , you will have to make a good research effort. You can help yourself from this website and your Japanese friends.
Finally, regarding Guest Houses, you should know that there are more and more where the clientele is not only foreign. Tokyoites are getting started too! Their prices are different depending on location and area, but in general, they range between ¥ 45,000 and ¥ 100,000. For a lower price, opt for double rooms.
Here are some residential areas in Tokyo to help you out a bit:
- Kagurazaka : quiet and very charming area.
- Shimo-kitazawa : neighborhood very popular with students, since it is where the campuses of the universities of Meiji and Tokyo are located .
- Meguro : very chic district and therefore a little expensive.
- Setagaya : very peaceful and pleasant area, but the prices are very high.