Cheaper places to stay

[Sakurahime]

Getting to Japan can be pretty expensive for some of us, so it's nice to be able to save a bit of money wherever you can. One thing you can save a bit on is accommodation. There are of course hotel deals, but certain types of ryokan/boarding house places can be a bit cheaper, especially if you can book in Japanese. If that isn't possible, though, there is another option that I'm about to try out soon - Airbnb. I found it to be surprisingly cheaper than a hotel, and many of the options were conveniently located. True, you are staying somewhere owned by a random stranger, but that's why it's important to look at the reviews from previous guests. Use a bit of caution, and do a bit of research, and you can find a really nice place to stay! It can also save you money in other ways, as you may have a fridge and can buy some of your food at a supermarket; or you could have a washing machine and you can wash your clothes (which will also save you some room in your suitcase from souvenirs!) Finally, if you're lucky, the owner of the accommodation will show you around the area or take you to a nice restaurant or tourist spot.
tl;dr There are a lot of options, but Airbnb is fairly cheap, and has safeguards, so it's probably better than couch surfing!

[Tara4Eva]

thank you for sharing this sakura. will definitely try airbnb .

[Tara4Eva]

What would be the most expensive place to stay in Japan? Not that I'm going to book there. Just curious. lol

[Sakurahime]

I couldn't tell you, Tara4Eva, but I would hazard a guess that it's in Tokyo, some kind of 5-star hotel, very central. Space is at a premium in such a crowded city, so anything really luxurious that takes up that much area as a luxury hotel would be very expensive. That's not to say that there isn't some out-of-the-way luxury accommodation somewhere, maybe a traditional Japanese inn (ryokan), that includes expensive, exclusive meals that might beat it in terms of price, but I'd say that somewhere in Tokyo is more likely.

[Naniii]

Thank you so much for the tip. I've always taken accommodations in hotels. This is actually the first time I heard someone mention about ryokan/boarding house. I've checked them further on the internet and they do seem nice but you also get to experience more of Japan by staying in one of them since they are the traditional house type with tatami mats. They also seem to be more personal than any other type of accommodations since you'll probably be speaking directly to the owner of the place. More importantly, they seem to have communal baths that may be used by all guests.

[SpaceManatee]

I would also add that if you don't need to be directly in Tokyo, try looking at some of the surrounding cities like Saitama or Yokohama that aren't a very far train ride away from most spots in Tokyo.

[adelaide]

I would also add that if you don't need to be directly in Tokyo, try looking at some of the surrounding cities like Saitama or Yokohama that aren't a very far train ride away from most spots in Tokyo.

This is a very good suggestion. The cities beside Tokyo, especially in those areas that you mentioned, have cheaper hotel prices. The next problem that you might be thinking is the proximity of these hotels to the events. Well, this is Tokyo that we are talking about. They do have train access to almost every part of their cities. I'm sure that whatever hotel you choose, you'll always get one that's near a train station going straight to Tokyo. If you're in Saitama, you may want to visit some of their tourist attractions as well such as the Saitama Prefecture Omiya Park and Omiya Bonsai Village.