With hotels being notoriously expensive, it’s no surprise that Airbnb in Japan has become very popular. The next question of course is where should you stay? No matter what city you’re in, accommodations can be found everywhere, but narrowing down the choices can be tough. I’ve highlighted some popular spots as well as my favourite places to stay when visiting Tokyo and Kyoto.
Tokyo locations
Tokyo is a massive city, and with so many different things to see, it can be pretty confusing for first time visitors to figure out where to stay. To be honest, as long as you’re staying near a train station on the JR Yamanote line, you’re probably good since it’ll take you 20-25mins at max to get anywhere. Here’s a few locations that are worth considering.
Shinjuku – This area is probably the most spot for Airbnb in Japan. The shopping and nightlife draws a lot of interest from tourists. It’s basically the Times Square of Tokyo, and as a result it’s one of the more expensive areas to stay in the city. Airbnb is still pretty reasonable compared to hotels here, but you’re probably going to be paying a premium over other areas. One other advantage is that if you’re landing at Narita airport, you can catch a train or bus directly to Shinjuku station.
Shibuya – Home to the world famous scramble crossing, Shibuya is a very exciting place, but it really doesn’t have that much to offer. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of great restaurants, decent shopping, and it’s definitely a great place to people watch, but if you’re looking for a place to stay and your budget is an issue, there’s better options.
Ebisu – This is the area I decided to stay in during my last trip to Japan. Ebisu is more of a residential area that is popular with expats, but since it’s not considered a major area, Airbnb rentals are about 25% cheaper. Ebisu is just one stop away Shibuya and it’s also walking distance from a trendy area called Daikanyama which is a cool lesser known area of Tokyo. The other advantage of this area is that it’s relatively quiet so you can easily get a good nights sleep (assuming you’re not staying by the train station).
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Ikebukuro – Another area that might not be known internationally, but it’s definitely worth staying since prices are lower. Ikebukuro is actually a great area with a lot of tourist attractions; There’s Sunshine city, a commercial and entertainment complex, various department stores near the train station, and even a penguin bar.
Other spots worth checking out are around Ueno and Tokyo stations. Don’t forget that unlike North America, Japan is a very vertical city so look up when you walk. Wherever you go, you’ll find restaurants, lounges, and entertainment right above your heads.
Kyoto locations
Most people who visit Kyoto are quickly disappointed by the transportation options compared to Tokyo. Although Kyoto has multiple train lines, they don’t actually service the city well so you really need to be picky about where you stay.
Kyoto station – In my opinion, staying near Kyoto station is the best option. Many people who stay in Kyoto make day trips to Nara, Osaka, Himeji, and Kobe so it’s very convenient to be near the station. All major bus routes start at Kyoto station and there’s also a bike rental place nearby, so you have plenty of options for transportation. When you’re done sightseeing for the day, the station has multiple food courts as well some pretty good shopping so it’s a nice place to hang out.
Downtown Kyoto – If you’re looking for the best food, shopping, and nightlife then downtown Kyoto is the place to stay. Roughly bounded by the Kamo-gawa River to the east, Karasuma-dori to the west, Oike-dori to the north, and by Shijo-dori to the south, downtown Kyoto doesn’t have many temples or shrines but it is home to the famous Nishiki Market. Shijo is the closest metro station and it takes just 5 minutes to reach Kyoto station.
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Higashiyama – More commonly known as eastern Kyoto, Higashiyama is home to many of Kyoto’s most famous temples and shrines. There’s no doubt that this is the most beautiful part of Kyoto, but you’ll need to rely on buses to get around. Some sites may seem to be walking distance from each other, but you quickly realize how spread apart things are. If you have no budget, many of the higher end hotels are located in this area.
Arashiyama is the other area of Kyoto that most tourists visit but it’s inconvenient to stay there since it’s pretty far from everything else. With Kyoto, convenience should be your priority so stick to one of the other areas instead.
Final word
In Japan there are restaurants and bars everywhere, so regardless of where you stay, you won’t need to worry about going hungry. Free Wi-Fi is another reason to stay with Airbnb in Japan. Every host I stayed with provided free portable Wi-Fi, having an internet connection comes in very handy when you’re trying to figure out your train connections, or just trying to figure out where you are. If you want to give Airbnb a try, use my affiliate link for a $31 credit with your first stay.
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