Cheaper japanese style accommodation

Hi,
I have mostly been staying in business hotels during the past travels in Japan. I stayed in a guesthouse once which was a typical Japanese house sleeping on the floor. Most such traditional stays seem to be ryokans which seem very expensive.

Are there any areas of Japan where staying in such lodging is not as expensive? I suppose Tokyo, Kyoto, etc are expensive. Well, I am travelling on a budget unfortunately so 5000 JPY per night I try to stay below....

There are some "business ryokan" such as this one here in Sendai: http://www.kawazoe-ryokan.jp/index.php

Many very cheap business hotels also provide Japanese-style rooms: https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/41042/41042.html

Those are mostly aimed at Japanese customers, though, so don't expect any English (including for booking).

You might try Minshuku –¯�h
They are generally traditional and in the cheaper end. But I find it difficult to book them online. A few are in Jalan webpage but maybe only on its Japanese version where I think you can select –¯�h as an option.

I would expect those places to be more in rural but touristic areas.

Enjoy your travel to Japan.

There are many private hotels called Mishuku.

http://www.kyo-yado.com/minsyuku/list.html

The houses are in the general Japanese style.

Many 40 years ago, young foreigner visitors stopped this hotel in Kyoto.

In some of the AirBnbs we stayed at we slept on futon on tatami, one of them had tatami and a kotatsu in the living room, perfect for winter!

Some ryokan (especially in more onsen resort areas) offer "room-only" discounts, where you can stay overnight without the meal that usually accompanies a stay in a traditional inn. (That's the reason ryokan are usually so expensive - they also include a nice course dinner and breakfastl.) But it's a bit tricky to book them in English. I use Rakuten Travel and even knowing Japanese it can be kind of confusing to read all of the different plans and options that they offer.

And as other people have said, you can also look for minshuku, which will usually be more traditional tatami mats and futons, though not always. The atmosphere probably won't be quite as nice as a ryokan, but it will likely have a more friendly B&B feeling to it.

I do remember that I stayed at a very inexpensive place on my first trip to Japan. It was north of Asakusa shrine, and was a 3 tatami mat room. There was a single bathroom on each floor, and the one on my floor was the ladies bathroom. I had to go up or down a floor to get to a men's bathroom. I think the cost was 2800 yen/night. Is this what you are looking for?

This was several years ago. Is this what you are looking for?

You can try here, located in Shinjuku.

http://www.kimiryokan.jp/

Sorry correction, it's in Ikebukuro.

If you really want to stay in kyoto,then I will recommend you "nine hours Hotel" offering stays for less than 4900 yen.For your convenience, check in anytime.Drop off your luggage before sightseeing or take a quick shower before dinner.When I travel kansai prefecture,Most time I stay in "Hotel Diamond" located in
Nishinari-ku Taishi 1-13-21, Osaka.Per night cost 1100yen.Can you imagine to stay in World Commercial Hub in 1100yen per night.After coming Japan,I stay in Beppu Guest House,oita per night cost 2000 yen.
When I travel kanto prefecture,Most time I stay in "Smile Hotel" located in 2-13-5, Nihombashi-Kayabacho, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo cost 2600 yen per night.

Try airbnb

I've got to agree with the airbnb comment. I also normally stay in business hotels as they are normally around the 5,000 yen a night amount, apart from more expensive cities such as Osaka and Tokyo.

When planning your accommodation, don't forget to think about transport costs if your staying on the outstirts of Tokyo and Osaka. This can often increase transport times by 1 hour and costs up to 1,500 yen return into the city, thus negating any savings in the mean time.