GenevieveB

I am going to Japan the last 11 days of April 2008 and I am starting to be confused with accomodation issue.

1) I will start my trip in Tokyo for 3 nights... Should I stay in a Ryokan in Asakusa or Listel Shinjuku hotel in Shinjuku area? My main interests are in Shinjuku, but after researched, I am realizing that is an expensive area!

2) I will stay in a ryokan in Fuji.. Already reserved with a good price!

3) I want to stay 2 nights in a gassho style house in the Shirakawa-go area. It's starting to be hard to book a ryokan there (for 7000-8500Y/night), as the japanese guest house website can only offer the Shimizu ryokan which doesn't look good as others. Then, I found other ryokans but they do not have English website and I do not speak Japanese. I read some posts suggesting to fax or email basic information to the tourist office and call them between 10 and 4 p.m. What is best for Shirakawa-go? Does anyone find relevant to stay in a gassho style house? or should I stay in any kind of accomodation and only visit these houses?

4) I will conclude my trip in Kyoto, 3 days. I have found nice places, but they are pretty expensive. My plan is to stay one night in a nice traditional ryokan (with nice meals) and have 2 other nights at the Heianbo ryokan (6300-7350Y/night)... good price!

What do you recommand dear travellers???

Thanks

KimJapan

For S-go, you can ask the tourist info office to help you book. Send a fax, as their English speaking skills are low. Include on the fax when you will call them to confirm, as they will not return a fax or call to an international number. I think it's worthwhile to stay in one of the gassho houses. There are a lot of them, but booking sites only list one or two usually, so tourist information office is your best bet.

Tuesday April 29 is a holiday beginning Golden Week...but some people will start Golden Week April 26. So, from April 26, hotels may be booked early on.

hawaiiantraveler

Did you see this site on other post?

http://www.vill.shirakawa.gifu.jp/e/

Push accommodation button to see phone and fax info for different gassho options.

Do a search here on Shinkuku hotels. Lots of info listed. What is your budget? That would help in us recommending hotels for you

Aloha!

GenevieveB

Thanks for your answers. For Shirakawa-go, I think I will do as you mentionned, send a fax to the tourist information and call them the day after. I found a lot of nice gassho style houses on many websites.

For Kyoto... does anyone can provide me any recommandations about traditional ryokan. As per my research, nice ones are around 24 000Y with 2 meals (incl. a Kaiseki ryori dinner and a tea ceremony). I was not expecting to pay that much, but as I am not sure returning in Japan soon, I am wandering if it is really different from a traditional ryokan at 7000Y?

Thanks

KimJapan

A nice ryokan experience is much more than a place to sleep.

Once you check in in the afternoon, you don't leave, but rather enjoy tea and a sweet, take a bath, relax.

Dinner will be served in your room (or another if they aren't booked full) at the time you agree upon, and will take 2 hours, sometimes more. It will be served course by course, and will be a pleasure to look at as well as to eat. If you are served dinner in another room, while you eat, your futon will be set up. If you eat in your room, you will be instructed to take a bath while your room is cleared from dinner and set for bed.

The futon in a nice place is made of several layers to provide cushioning and support...think heavenly bed only better. There will often be pillow choices. The over futon will be down, very fluffy and warm. In contrast, a ¥7000/night place will provide you with a single thin futon that you will set up yourself directly on the tatami, a pillow and an over futon. It will be firm but bearable for a night or two if you are accustomed to very firm beds. If not, your hips and shoulders and back will feel like you slept on the floor, which, in effect, you did.

Service in a nice ryokan is very good, with no need going untended, and in fact, most wants and need anticipated and met before you even realize you wanted something. The aesthetic of the whole place is peaceful, with clean lines and soft color and open space.

The bath will be nice..if it is a city ryokan, it will be simple with one or two soaking tubs. If it's an onsen, you will have an elaborate bath room with many soaking tubs to try. Lesser quality ryokan may or may not have a good bath...crapshoot.

The food in a nice ryokan is exquisite and the cost of it comprises a large part of the charge for the night. It is really one focus of a ryokan stay, the others being bath and relaxation/refreshing. The food will be specially prepared for you, after discussing any dietary restrictions or dislikes you might have, and will feature local and seasonal specialties. Lesser ryokan, lesser food.

In the ¥20,000 - ¥30,000 per person per night range it can be difficult to find a truly special experience. Places exist in that price range, but there are also lots of places that disappoint. Outside of Kyoto the value tends to be better, with good ryokans in Kyoto being quite expensive. A couple of top ryokan in Kyoto that also cater especially well to foreigners are Hiiragiya and Tawaraya. These are well above your budget, but can act as a guideline as to what is possible.

In order to get full enjoyment and appreciation for your ryokan stay, it is really best if you read up about them as well as the food, as knowing about them will enhance your experience. If you find that such an intense food and service experience is not to your taste, then better to save your money and stay in the more guesthouse type places.

hawaiiantraveler

As Kim says the difference between a 7000Y p/p and a 30000y p/p is just like anywhere else in the world, night and day.

A ryokan for 7K yen will get you a spartan room with minimal food, certainly not a kaiseki meal or anything even close. You really can't expect to pay McDonalds prices and get the 4 Seasons deals in Japan.....sorry.

They do have cheaper prices for nice clean and efficient places but if you want kaiseki and the accoutrement's that go with it expect to pay the price for it.


Aloha!

GenevieveB

You convinced me... I will reserve one night at the Gion Yoshiima or Yahiyo ryokan (Kyoto). I hope they still have a room for me!

kbrennan

How did you book your room at the Heianbo?
Thanks.

GenevieveB

Hi kbrennan,

I try to reserve through welcome inn website but unfortunately, there was no room available for me for my specified dates.

Hope you will have the chance to stay there, as I read good comments about this ryokan.