Emergency stay option during peak

Hi,
I have noticed a raise in tourists comming to Japan making accommodation a bit hard to find even off peak.

Anyway. Just curious about possible stay the night options when typical options like business hotels, etc and hostels are out of question.

Sleeping on a bench seems a bit too insecure.

Capsule hotels??

There is always airbnb if you can't find a hotel. I am personally not big fan of it for several reasons. The check-in and check-out process is kinda odd. They will explain to you the process once you made the reservation but it can get very complicated. secondly, the apartment building where the unit is located can sometimes be very hard to find, especially at night in the dark. thirdly, the check-in time is very late (normally after 4pm) and the check out time very early (before 11 am). Not every unit is like that but it is very often to be the case. On the positive side, it is cheap even during holiday season. and these days it's very easy to find availability.

Anyway. Just curious about possible stay the night options when typical options like business hotels, etc and hostels are out of question.

Much of Japan has a shortage of lower budget accommodation, and if you're having trouble with business hotels and hostels then you'll also likely find that the capsule hotels and other low priced options are also sold out. In that case you may have to up your hotel hotels (the higher priced hotels seem to always be available), or try getting accommodation in neighboring areas/districts. The best way to avoid this problem is by making hotel reservations as far in advance as possible. Making reservations on location is not recommended due to availability and cost.

Sleeping on a bench seems a bit too insecure.

And not really feasible in many locations.

There is always airbnb if you can't find a hotel.

Airbnb availability tends to follow hotels.

I have noticed a raise in tourists comming to Japan making accommodation a bit hard to find even off peak.

I have not noticed that. Where/how are you searching for accomodation?

It is now 6pm. If I look for a hotel for tonight in central Kyoto (around Kyoto station), Rakuten Travel gives me 61 results, ranging in price from 2,100 yen to about 60,000.

Firas,
I think it varoies by season. I went to Japan in late October and many hotels were booked out in Kyoto. Some rural and budget were still available but you get what you pay for.

I had severe trouble finding a hotel when I had to detour bc of departure airport change. Out of luck I found one room left...

Late October in Kyoto may coincide with kouyou and that's probably why finding a room was difficult. Seasonal events like the changing of the leaves do impact the availability of rooms.

But would it be all impossible to find a place to stay even during such events like kouyo or sakura or even Golden Week?

Of course it is business, so no one would not actively try to have rooms open for disasterous fools like me but just trying to find my chances....

Are there any areas or cities less prone to booking out?

It's not that I plan to be out of staying place but in case I would need to chance my travel plans in case of sudden problems, sickness, typhoon, earthquake, car breakdown, etc...

There's always manga kissa.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2025_manga_kissa.html

Ahhh, Manga kissa.... I had totally forgotten about that.

So you can totally safely sleep in one of those booths? Is the door lockable also?

What about luggage? If having a medium sized suitcase or hiking backpack.

@Fiayez

I heard from a friend visiting Japan (study visa) you need a permanent address in Japan to even become a member of these manga cafés nowadays.

Do you know anything about that? Maybe it is just a rumor.... :O

Or you know, you can just sleep at internet cafe that's open for 24 hour. Some of the have shower room too.

I think manga cafes and internet cafes are the same thing, no?

Yes, I am pretty sure it is the same as well.

Do I need to have a japanese address as Rondon says btw?

So you can totally safely sleep in one of those booths? Is the door lockable also?

Yes, many have lockable doors and safety is generally not a problem. Note that they are usually cubicles so the locks are only so effective.

What about luggage? If having a medium sized suitcase or hiking backpack.

It will fit in most cubicles. They may be able to hold it at the dest too.


I heard from a friend visiting Japan (study visa) you need a permanent address in Japan to even become a member of these manga cafés nowadays.

A passport usually suffices. If you look hard enough you can find ones that don't require id.

I think manga cafes and internet cafes are the same thing, no?

Yes, they are the same thing in Japan.

Are there any areas or cities less prone to booking out?

Anywhere in Japan that isn't Kyoto and Tokyo.

But would it be all impossible to find a place to stay even during such events like kouyo or sakura or even Golden Week?

Only if you are med/low budget and don't book early enough. Like I mentioned earlier though, there are usually openings in the high/luxury end, but the rates may remove them as an option.

It's not that I plan to be out of staying place but in case I would need to chance my travel plans in case of sudden problems, sickness, typhoon, earthquake, car breakdown, etc...

Can't really plan for these situations. If these did occur then you'd have bigger issues than finding budget accommodation. You end up taking whatever you can get.

I have not noticed that. Where/how are you searching for accomodation?

It is now 6pm. If I look for a hotel for tonight in central Kyoto (around Kyoto station), Rakuten Travel gives me 61 results, ranging in price from 2,100 yen to about 60,000.

And how many of those 61 hotels are ones you would actually stay in. Not many - some are odd apartments, others horrid tiny rooms, others worse. At the top end, many people don't have the budget. The result is not helpful.

If you have not noticed any change, I suggest you consult the reports from the Japanese government on occupancy rates and average hotel rates.

To answer the OP, the best option is still to book early/in advance.

Some Love Hotels provide a useful option for "stay" but they can be more than a hotel room.

Also, stay further out - last 4*+ hotel I stayed in around Tokyo was Y11,000 - brand name property, wasn't booked ahead of time either - they had space.

AirBNB still has greater than 90% illegal listings (ref: Kyoto City publications) so isn't a good option.

Thank you for the reply.

Well I try to avoid rooms with bedbugs, smoking and non-lockable doors (or perhaps yakuza areas like in the budget area of south Osaka).

Anyway. I always reserve way ahead. The only time I could not do so was when I was not sure of my itienary until about 1 month before departure for several reasons.

Other than that, several months ahead. Toyoko Inn opens reseravtion 6 months ahead.

Sometimes I have had to change dates because of typhoons, etc... But that is all. And that would be the only reason to change.

BTW - stories about bedbugs are bogus - not true. There is a very good website that logs real cases, and it basically doesn't apply in Japan.