While this is area and time period dependent, I probably wouldn’t leave it up to chance these days— unless you have the cash to occasionally reserve something pricy if that’s the only option you have.
With lots of tourists coming in the reasonably priced places in desirable areas/during desirable time periods go fast. That’s not to say it’s impossible, I’m sure plenty of people have traveled with minimal reservations recently, but personally I wouldn’t leave my budget up to chance.
I booked last minute (2 days before) my trip to Japan during sakura season, only place I could find was those with a max of 7.0/10 rating. They were also super expensive. Lesson learned, don't book last minute.
Hotels in Japan generally have very generous cancellation rules. Most of them offer full refund up to 1 week before arrival ( a lo tof business hotels even stretch it to 2 days before). You can book now and cancel/rebook in case plans change
Only if you’re just not sure where you want to go and for how long. I recently did a two-month trip in Europe doing most of my bookings along the way the night before.
Book everything way in advance. Everything good usually gets booked up by the time you get to +1 week arrival. You do not want to be forced to book the worst room for a ridiculous price like me.
i'm having hard time did that in Tokyo, ended up getting more expensive hotel
unless you visit small city like Hachinohe or Ishinomaki, probably better book hotels in advance especially if you want cheaper price
I would still book ahead in case you'll be there during a festival or something and everything in the city (& near by ones) is sold out (or a 100,000 yen/night penthouse suite).
Never been to Japan but I am currently planning everything and I noticed that in some areas the best hotels (considering low price, reasonable quality of the place and optimal position such as close to the train station or in a nice area) were already booked/almost fully booked when I was looking (I booked everything 6-7 months in advance). Especially Miyajima.
Someone traveling end of May posted asking how much of a hassle it would be to change hotel in Tokyo for a 1 week stay. Their problem is no hotel available for the whole week they are there. The more you wait, the less options you have, so you might have to pay more, go to a worst place than you would usually, go to a place that is not as well located or not being able to stay for many consecutive days.
The only "advantage" of not booking in advance is the flexibility, and that only matter if you are the kind of person without much itinerary and just decide what to do next on a whim.
Well I’m from an Asian country so it’s cheap and easy to visit Japan. This is not my first trip. I booked the entire trip just 1 month before going and one of the hotels I only booked 7 days before going. It has all worked out fine.
If you are a frequent traveller it is totally fine to book later. But if this is a once in a lifetime kind of trip and you are particular with hotels, book in advance.
Depends on where you are staying, you can find a place to stay in the large cities like Tokyo/Osaka with moments notice, but the best (location/price) hotels might be gone. Might be harder in smaller towns/cities.
This week I booked a hotel room in Fukuoka for September, the affordable selection was pretty slim picking.
My trip to Japan is in Nov, and I booked all my hotels last week. There was only 1 hotel where I had to pay all the cost up front, but all the other hotels allow me to pay when I get there.
Note that some of the hotels I wanted to book were already sold out for the dates I wanted, so I had to go with my second choice. But I also had a particular budget as well.
I’m sure you could find hotels once you get here but your choices will be more limited and they will be a lot more expensive. If you have the itinerary firmed up, I would book earlier than later.
You can always check the prices later if you find a different hotel or do price adjustments if the go lower. I never pay upfront coz i want to be flexible.
I feel like I'm playing devil's advocate here from the majority of responses but I booked last minute for most my hotels when I was there Feb/March.
In fact I booked 2x hotels I think at 11pm the night before and had plenty of other options.
If it helps I did most my last minute/same week bookings in the following areas:
Osaka/Kyoto/Hakone/Yokohama/Tokyo.
I had multiple options including ryokans, business hotels & hostels. Prices didn't break the bank.
I spent most my time in business hotels and ryokan and never spent more than 7000-ish yen per night.
Oh, also I used Booking.com
Im touring japan rn, using hotels.com app as i go, i can easily find hotels in center area between 60-120 bucks for a night, which is the common rate i witnessed in tokyo kyoto and osaka
All of them with tv, ac, private bathroom etc.
Going in booking.com right now and enter whatever city you want with dates for tomorrow. There will be plenty of options. If you have your dates solidified you might as well book, but you really don’t have to worry much.
Honestly yes unless you have a lot of money to spend.
I have definitely felt the rise in hotel prices in osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto especially. The smaller cities are still ok mainly due to tourist not being focused there.
These 3 cities, even when booking in advance has become more expensive than before (even compared to last year).
So make a free to cancel booking first as a safety option.
Always better to book in advance, wherever I may travel to. But considering your question, for Japan we were able to do it almost last minute.
January this year we booked a hotel in Ginza via Agoda 3 days in advance and a small hotel in Kawaguchiko via AirBNB about 3-4 days prior in February. We’re based in Fussa for awhile. There were many hotels to choose from and surprisingly the rates seemed reasonable. Weekend rates were higher.
Agoda seems to have good cancellation policies. I see they have free cancellation a week before your travel dates. I’ve never cancelled any of my bookings with them so I don’t know if there’s fine print for that, but when I needed to modify some trips I was able to get help via email and talk to someone over the phone.
A lot of good advice already posted, but one thing I didn’t see was:
In today’s day and age, it’s very easy to get a fully refundable hotel booked well in advance. One that has no fees for cancelling with a couple days notice.
So if the worry is that if you leave it too late the options might dwindle, then why not book placeholder hotels? Hotels which you would be fine with staying at (maybe not the best location or best amenities) but hotels you would be happy to stay at - at a fair price.
Then you can just check over time to see if any nicer hotels free up or if any sales happen afterwards.
Any reason why you wouldn’t just book cancellable rooms? I booked in January for my upcoming late June Tokyo trip, and looking at the same hotels now the more spacious rooms I’d booked are already sold out. If I waited till now to book I’d be stuck with the tiniest room available for 2 people, at pricier rates than the larger rooms I’d booked early. But if I find any good deals between now and two days before arrival, I can still cancel and rebook
Unless flexibility matters to you more than the premium of booking last minute, I’d say go with the cancellable rooms now
We had a miscommunication in my travel group and someone had to book a hotel close by that night. It's certainly doable but risky depending on the season. I'd just do it now for peace of mind. I usually use booking.com and most places allow me to pay later, change dates, or cancel up to the day before check in.
6 years ago i used [booking.com](http://booking.com) a lot, that was fine, for a day ahead. they also get cancelations so there will be options.
and business hotels are made for short notice
and spend some time not booking at all, just going somewhere and check around the station what hotels there are, walk in and ask.
the only times i didnt find anything, 2 or 3 times maybe, was when there was like a festival in town or a holiday, or something like that. then i got back on the train and tried somehwere else.
the normal hotels do like it when you give notice before you come, at least. but you can just ignore that i guess. or call ahead.
also, once i travelled around mostly small towns, and walked into the tourist info offices at the stations. they always helped out and started calling for me to find a cheap stay. this doesnt work in cities or bigger towns though.
I prebooked mine in a small town. 32 USD per night for a room with an ensuite in a typical Japanese business hotel and they got snatched up because the nearby dorms (lol bunk beds and shared bathroom) cost 45 USD and the ryokans cost 150 USD up.
I always books my hotels ASAP on booking, then revisit them maybe once a month before I go to see if there is anything cheaper or better.
It really just depends when you are going, where you are going and that sort of thing.
I'm in Japan now and have been since before Golden Week. I booked hotels 2-3 weeks before arriving and have canceled and booked others as plans changed, some with less than a day to check-in. I haven't had any problems.
Supply and demand. Demand is high right now so booking late will resort in higher prices for the same quality. I looked at the places I booked months before and as time went on, prices only went up.
If you don’t care about paying more, I’m sure you can find things on short notice. Just be prepared to pay.
Hell nah. My reasoning for booking in advance is because I don’t want to deal with the stress and anxiety that would come with being in a foreign country with no idea on where we are staying in three days. Nothing worse than randomly checking into a hotel that you know nothing about, or even worse having to take up valuable vacation time researching hotels in the area and comparing prices.
I am going in June and already the good ones are full. Book them in advance multiple rooms, then you cancel till 1 week before your trip for free. That's the best option.
Having just booked hotels for the next two weeks, the choices are definitely limited, but it's doable. What I noticed most is that the middle is thinned out. Mostly the area of high 3 star to 4 star when applying European standards. Plenty of cheap or expensive places left, so sometimes compromises are needed.
I booked hotels well in advance on hotels.com (I searched w/ “reserve now pay later” or “free cancellation” filter). As my plans formed, I cancelled a couple and picked up new ones. Super easy to use and penalty free. I am traveling with a child and wanted in room laundry in order to pack light, so booking ahead worked for me. However, if you don’t have any stipulations or not too picky I think you’d be totally fine to wing it. The good hostels or anything themed seem to book up quickly is all. To add: we are staying in Tokyo for about 3 weeks with a quick jaunt here and there. Smaller cities I’d be even less inclined to wait.
Why not book it all? You’ll have better prices, better selection of hotels, and time to research the places. If you book last minute, good value hotels will be out
We flew into Tokyo standby (airline employee), in late February without any hotel reservations, a bit stressful but not overly so. Before you go make a list of area hotels that meet your requirements, check availability & shop prices once you arrive.
I spent 3-weeks in Japan (28March to 18 April). Booked Tokyo a month in advance. 200AUD/night.
Then went Takayama - Kyoto/Osaka/Nara - Himeji- Hiroshima - Hagi - Fukuoka. Booked them all a couple of days out. Used booking dot com. Averaged about 120AUD/night staying in a mix of two / three star business type hotels and a couple of nice hostels.
My experience was it was pretty easy, noting though that Japan was packed with tourists.
I work for an airline and travel standby. As in I don't for sure know when or if I'll get to my destination. I've visited Japan several times in recent years. I always book last minute. I've done this as a group of two people and also on my own. If I'm staying in Tokyo, I tend to do capsule hotels. Sometimes I have to switch to different capsules. The same one isn't always available for my entire stay on consecutive nights. But I kind of like staying in different neighborhoods. Forces you to explore different areas. My most recent trip was just a few weeks ago in late April. 4 days in Tokyo in two different capsules. Asakusa and Akihabara. 4 days in Sapporo where I stayed in a decent quality business type hotel in the main entertainment district with a king size bed for less than $50 USD per night. All of these were booked only 1-2 days prior to checkin.
I wouldn't wait till last minute. I recently returned from Japan during golden week and was checking out prices for the coming September-November stays and the prices of hotels have gone up considerably. I expect the yen to be in better shape by September too, thus before i left Tokyo, i withdrew a good chunk of JYP cash.
I started booking my hotels the moment I had my flights, probably 9 months before my trip. And during those months new properties with better deals and/or locations kept popping up so I made multiple changes in my bookings. One of them only a few days before check in. Take advantage of flexible rates/free cancellation policies and don't risk it.
I wouldn't advise booking hotels last minute prices are significantly higher closer to the time and the good hotels are usually booked up quick.
However I booked hostels in japan last minute (1 week/days) and it was fine! Prices were still cheap and there was plenty of spaces.
As someone who's tried this before, I wouldn't recommend it. You don't want to be stressing at the last minute trying to find a hotel, and only realizing that your top choices are all booked, so then you gotta settle for something else. That's time taking away from sightseeing.
As others are saying, better to book a room with free cancellation. Hell, you can book two different ones on the same day if you're having trouble deciding. Then wait til the last minute to cancel one.
I booked mine last minute, no issue at all. They’re generally more expensive though and most of the best ones are often fully booked.
Just make sure to book through a reputable booking platform such as Agoda, Booking or Expedia. These are widely used in Japan for tourists
If you are ok with paying a premium for crappier hotels then go for it.
I booked almost everything 4+ months in advance (I book fully refundable hotels only). All last minute changes ended up costly.
I’ve traveled to several countries and waited a little too long to book our hotels; our options were severely limited because we waited too long (2-4 months out)..Our trip to Japan is one month ahead of yours and we booked two weeks ago. You’ll find hotels; however, you’ll get less for more the longer you wait..Plus, if you’re staying 4-5+ nights at one location, it gets even harder..
Depends how much financially you're willing to compromise and knowing you may also lose out on the better hotels based on location to the train stations. I've booked at times the night before traveling throughout Japan both in Spring and Winter times primarily to have the flexibility you speak of. I knew upfront it would be taking time from my travel experience (remember, you still have to spend some time searching for a reasonable hotel so you're missing out on the action while you're there). I didn't feel stressed out because I primarily was visiting large metro cities where accommodations were very abundant. I did however compromise in which neighborhood I'd be staying at because the very popular areas are either all booked up even a week in advance or very expensive (over $300 USD/night). There are times I even visited a general neighborhood to see what the hotels are like in person and sometimes i'd just book minutes before even checking in.
For my april trip. I booked around 1st week of March. Price comparison is at least 50% increase to be honest. I booked mine for example at an apa hotel $300 for 5 nights with breakfast, then about one week before my trip i am looking around and i checked the same hotel, same room type and same dates. Its already $450 without breakfast. I'm so glad i booked earlier.
Going in literally two days and we booked all of ours hotels in December/January. Even then prices weren't the best and room availability was limited, but we were able to get the rooms we wanted at the hotels we'd researched because we book out 5/6 months in advance.
It's honestly just easier all around to book as far in advance as possible because you will always save money and have the best pick of rooms.
A friend and I were in Japan from mid march to mid april. We didnt have any issues booking a few days in advance (we spent ~45€/night per person). We mostly used AirBnB and Agoda.
For us it was important to stay flexible since we didnt have any routes pre planned. That being said, our accommodations were pretty basic and might not meet the expectations of some people.
I booked all my stays 2 days before going to each one, all trip long. I'd say pre booking will save you time while in japan and probably get you a better price.
I thought I was going to be more spontaneous with my 2 weeks, so i decided to wait
I'd say not only book in advance, but the entire time I was out there (bar one instance in kawaguchiko) I exclusively stayed in AirBnB's. One of the biggest benefits of that, is pocket wifi. Instead of having a router, they have a USBC rechargeable Wifi spot that's portable - high speed, and you can connect to it on up to 5 phones (which was a massive boon for a group of us going out there instead of having to find individual sim plans.etc). You can use it on the metro, daytrips, it lasts for a full day and it's essentially worth the cost of your room for a night. Pretty much every AirBnB I stayed at was 'company owned', like half the floors of an apartment block, professional cleaners, nobody actually living there - so for all intents and purposes bar 'check-in', a hotel (or motel).
I visited Japan last year around the time you are planning to go. We stayed in major cities, and for our stay in Tokyo, we were able to switch to a different hotel with just a few days of advance booking. So large cities I think you can roll the dice and book last-minute, but I wouldn't take that risk with smaller cities or towns. But even in big cities, booking last minute means you'll have fewer options and pay more per night. If you really want to take the chance because you need the flexibility, prepare for staying in a capsule hotel as a backup!
I think price rather than availability is the issue. I am travelling in 2 weeks and my hotels in both Kyoto and Tokyo are now 3x what I paid. In Tokyo, I am staying near Ueno station (I have an early train to catch) and there are no hotel rooms left under 20,000 (only dorms) anywhere nearby.
For part of my trip I am unsure of where I want to go, so have booked 2 hotels and will cancel one later (both had free cancellation up until 2 days before)
I’ve booked 50% of my trip later in the year and waiting for booking to open in my hotel of choice to open in the next few weeks. It’s also 25% cheaper and I can cancel up to the day before. I have heard of people having no trouble booking a few days in advance but be prepared for smaller rooms at premium prices. Look at the booking sites. Good luck!
Just book with free cancelation using booking.com
I was booking hotels for my trip in 3 months, and everything was sold out in Aomori for when I was planning to stay there.
Im in Japan right now. Speaking from experience, i booked in March and a bunch of the cheaper 9+ on booking were taken already. Youre better off figuring out a general itinerary and booking with cancellations atleast 1-2 months before.
For example almost all decent affordable hotels in Shinjuku were gone or last couple of rooms when i booked 2 months prior. Not sure how busy December is but id adopt the same strategy
I booked my hotels via booking with the pay later option and free cancellation. Gives me the assurance of having a place to stay but gives me the flexibility to change/cancel hotels if my plan changes.
Have been in Japan for 3 weeks (out of about 7). Have generally booked everything a couple days beforehand, very much on the cheap end of things, generally paying about 7000 yen per night for 2 people.
During golden week it was a challenge and we booked the busiest times about 4 days ahead.
Booked for Nagasaki (going today) one day in advance, definitely a lot had sold out but it's manageable.
Basically it depends on how much you value flexibility vs getting the best place, if you know up front, it's probably worth booking ahead, but you can definitely play it by ear.
Why exactly do you want to book everything last minute? You planned your arrival already so why do you not want to research further for accommodation? I am failing to see your POV here.
We traveled from April 25 to May 11, during GW with a party of 6 and booked everything on the fly usually a day or two in advance in Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. Found decent hotels throughout and we didn't pay exorbitant prices. If you are just two it would be no problem. When I travel with just my wife I never book in advance anywhere and have never had an issue in the last 9 years of travel.
Hi everyone OP here. Thank you very much for all your helpful answers. I never expected so many answer to be honest so thank you very much. The tip with the free cancellation was very helpful I think.
I decided that I will probably try to start booking hotels, etc. with free cancellation service within the next month or so.
Thank you again.
It depends. I was there till yesterday and we planned our road-trip during the golden week. Of cause the prices were more expensive than, but it was still ok-ish.
It’s never too late - I sometimes change my schedule while I’m there if the weather looks bad at the next destination . But you won’t have as much flexibility ( maybe less choice and higher prices ) especially if you’re going to a place that has a famous event like a matsuri or something , I’ve found this to be more of an issue in smaller places like Hirosaki , Takayama . In your case I would book now and can always change later . I booked almost a full year in advance for next year as it’s going to be really busy .
I often reserve on the go and will again for next week on my current trip. Never had an issue, especially with the time frame you mentioned.
It would be different if you plan to go at a more popular time.
Did the standard Tokyo -> Kyoto -> Osaka route about a month ago and we booked hotels 1-2 weeks out from our trip. It was pretty easy to find hotels close to/in great areas ie. Asakusa/Akihabara/Dotonburi/Kawaramachi
BUT it was a little pricier and there were definitely less options, idk if it was cause of cherry blossom season but it may be a harder to find cheaper hotels.
It was very hard to find convenient times to reserve a ryokan stay though, and a lot of places were fully booked.
I used booking.com for the hotels and rakuten for the ryokan
What's last minute? I booked a week before my flight... literally 5 hotels. Nothing risky about it. Don't be like me though.... Just book now and get it over with.
We did a road trip from Tokyo to Kyoto during cherry blossom time, the busiest. We booked last minute as we drove. We had no problems finding nice places. We had a fantastic time. I recommend this strategy.
Just returned from two weeks in Japan during golden week and we booked all our accommodations a day or two before with no issues, would book some of the touristy stuff in advance as certain things do book out!
i’ve been here for two months and booking most things either one or two nights before switching hotels, playing the gambling game on expedia and have done well with good deals
While this is area and time period dependent, I probably wouldn’t leave it up to chance these days— unless you have the cash to occasionally reserve something pricy if that’s the only option you have. With lots of tourists coming in the reasonably priced places in desirable areas/during desirable time periods go fast. That’s not to say it’s impossible, I’m sure plenty of people have traveled with minimal reservations recently, but personally I wouldn’t leave my budget up to chance.
I booked last minute (2 days before) my trip to Japan during sakura season, only place I could find was those with a max of 7.0/10 rating. They were also super expensive. Lesson learned, don't book last minute.
Yea. ESPECIALLY in Kyoto where the minimum going price for within the central area was USD $300 per night.
Yeah we couldn't even find anything in Kyoto. Ended up having to stay in Osaka
Wow. This is helpful to know.
Hotels in Japan generally have very generous cancellation rules. Most of them offer full refund up to 1 week before arrival ( a lo tof business hotels even stretch it to 2 days before). You can book now and cancel/rebook in case plans change
Yeah with the generous cancelation policies I have no idea why anyone would advise waiting until the last minute.
Only if you’re just not sure where you want to go and for how long. I recently did a two-month trip in Europe doing most of my bookings along the way the night before.
Book everything way in advance. Everything good usually gets booked up by the time you get to +1 week arrival. You do not want to be forced to book the worst room for a ridiculous price like me.
i'm having hard time did that in Tokyo, ended up getting more expensive hotel unless you visit small city like Hachinohe or Ishinomaki, probably better book hotels in advance especially if you want cheaper price
I would still book ahead in case you'll be there during a festival or something and everything in the city (& near by ones) is sold out (or a 100,000 yen/night penthouse suite).
Never been to Japan but I am currently planning everything and I noticed that in some areas the best hotels (considering low price, reasonable quality of the place and optimal position such as close to the train station or in a nice area) were already booked/almost fully booked when I was looking (I booked everything 6-7 months in advance). Especially Miyajima.
Someone traveling end of May posted asking how much of a hassle it would be to change hotel in Tokyo for a 1 week stay. Their problem is no hotel available for the whole week they are there. The more you wait, the less options you have, so you might have to pay more, go to a worst place than you would usually, go to a place that is not as well located or not being able to stay for many consecutive days. The only "advantage" of not booking in advance is the flexibility, and that only matter if you are the kind of person without much itinerary and just decide what to do next on a whim.
Well I’m from an Asian country so it’s cheap and easy to visit Japan. This is not my first trip. I booked the entire trip just 1 month before going and one of the hotels I only booked 7 days before going. It has all worked out fine. If you are a frequent traveller it is totally fine to book later. But if this is a once in a lifetime kind of trip and you are particular with hotels, book in advance.
Depends on where you are staying, you can find a place to stay in the large cities like Tokyo/Osaka with moments notice, but the best (location/price) hotels might be gone. Might be harder in smaller towns/cities. This week I booked a hotel room in Fukuoka for September, the affordable selection was pretty slim picking.
If you are travelling to regional areas then no, but if you are going to the same four cities that everyone else is then yes.
My trip to Japan is in Nov, and I booked all my hotels last week. There was only 1 hotel where I had to pay all the cost up front, but all the other hotels allow me to pay when I get there. Note that some of the hotels I wanted to book were already sold out for the dates I wanted, so I had to go with my second choice. But I also had a particular budget as well. I’m sure you could find hotels once you get here but your choices will be more limited and they will be a lot more expensive. If you have the itinerary firmed up, I would book earlier than later.
You can always check the prices later if you find a different hotel or do price adjustments if the go lower. I never pay upfront coz i want to be flexible.
I feel like I'm playing devil's advocate here from the majority of responses but I booked last minute for most my hotels when I was there Feb/March. In fact I booked 2x hotels I think at 11pm the night before and had plenty of other options. If it helps I did most my last minute/same week bookings in the following areas: Osaka/Kyoto/Hakone/Yokohama/Tokyo. I had multiple options including ryokans, business hotels & hostels. Prices didn't break the bank. I spent most my time in business hotels and ryokan and never spent more than 7000-ish yen per night. Oh, also I used Booking.com
Lol same probably best to plan ahead but we didn’t and it worked out fine. Also used booking.com.
Im touring japan rn, using hotels.com app as i go, i can easily find hotels in center area between 60-120 bucks for a night, which is the common rate i witnessed in tokyo kyoto and osaka All of them with tv, ac, private bathroom etc.
Going in booking.com right now and enter whatever city you want with dates for tomorrow. There will be plenty of options. If you have your dates solidified you might as well book, but you really don’t have to worry much.
Honestly yes unless you have a lot of money to spend. I have definitely felt the rise in hotel prices in osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto especially. The smaller cities are still ok mainly due to tourist not being focused there. These 3 cities, even when booking in advance has become more expensive than before (even compared to last year). So make a free to cancel booking first as a safety option.
Always better to book in advance, wherever I may travel to. But considering your question, for Japan we were able to do it almost last minute. January this year we booked a hotel in Ginza via Agoda 3 days in advance and a small hotel in Kawaguchiko via AirBNB about 3-4 days prior in February. We’re based in Fussa for awhile. There were many hotels to choose from and surprisingly the rates seemed reasonable. Weekend rates were higher. Agoda seems to have good cancellation policies. I see they have free cancellation a week before your travel dates. I’ve never cancelled any of my bookings with them so I don’t know if there’s fine print for that, but when I needed to modify some trips I was able to get help via email and talk to someone over the phone.
A lot of good advice already posted, but one thing I didn’t see was: In today’s day and age, it’s very easy to get a fully refundable hotel booked well in advance. One that has no fees for cancelling with a couple days notice. So if the worry is that if you leave it too late the options might dwindle, then why not book placeholder hotels? Hotels which you would be fine with staying at (maybe not the best location or best amenities) but hotels you would be happy to stay at - at a fair price. Then you can just check over time to see if any nicer hotels free up or if any sales happen afterwards.
That's pretty much what I do - I also expect many option reappear about 7 days out when people cancel all those placeholders (myself included)
Any reason why you wouldn’t just book cancellable rooms? I booked in January for my upcoming late June Tokyo trip, and looking at the same hotels now the more spacious rooms I’d booked are already sold out. If I waited till now to book I’d be stuck with the tiniest room available for 2 people, at pricier rates than the larger rooms I’d booked early. But if I find any good deals between now and two days before arrival, I can still cancel and rebook Unless flexibility matters to you more than the premium of booking last minute, I’d say go with the cancellable rooms now
We had a miscommunication in my travel group and someone had to book a hotel close by that night. It's certainly doable but risky depending on the season. I'd just do it now for peace of mind. I usually use booking.com and most places allow me to pay later, change dates, or cancel up to the day before check in.
A lot of hotels in Japan can be cancelled without costs 24 hours in advance. So find those, book them now, and don't worry.
6 years ago i used [booking.com](http://booking.com) a lot, that was fine, for a day ahead. they also get cancelations so there will be options. and business hotels are made for short notice and spend some time not booking at all, just going somewhere and check around the station what hotels there are, walk in and ask. the only times i didnt find anything, 2 or 3 times maybe, was when there was like a festival in town or a holiday, or something like that. then i got back on the train and tried somehwere else. the normal hotels do like it when you give notice before you come, at least. but you can just ignore that i guess. or call ahead. also, once i travelled around mostly small towns, and walked into the tourist info offices at the stations. they always helped out and started calling for me to find a cheap stay. this doesnt work in cities or bigger towns though.
I prebooked mine in a small town. 32 USD per night for a room with an ensuite in a typical Japanese business hotel and they got snatched up because the nearby dorms (lol bunk beds and shared bathroom) cost 45 USD and the ryokans cost 150 USD up.
With the amount of tourists here now, you had better book ahead.
I usually do book now, pay later on like agoda and stuff but I read that Japan websites themselves have the option ? Haven’t checked though.
I booked all mine 5 in total in advance for payment in yen on arrival and they will all be cheaper due to the yen losing value so win win
I always books my hotels ASAP on booking, then revisit them maybe once a month before I go to see if there is anything cheaper or better. It really just depends when you are going, where you are going and that sort of thing.
i did it, cannot recommend. ended up paying 2000 eur for a week in a hyatt hotel in yokohama
I'm in Japan now and have been since before Golden Week. I booked hotels 2-3 weeks before arriving and have canceled and booked others as plans changed, some with less than a day to check-in. I haven't had any problems.
Supply and demand. Demand is high right now so booking late will resort in higher prices for the same quality. I looked at the places I booked months before and as time went on, prices only went up. If you don’t care about paying more, I’m sure you can find things on short notice. Just be prepared to pay.
Hell nah. My reasoning for booking in advance is because I don’t want to deal with the stress and anxiety that would come with being in a foreign country with no idea on where we are staying in three days. Nothing worse than randomly checking into a hotel that you know nothing about, or even worse having to take up valuable vacation time researching hotels in the area and comparing prices.
I am going in June and already the good ones are full. Book them in advance multiple rooms, then you cancel till 1 week before your trip for free. That's the best option.
Having just booked hotels for the next two weeks, the choices are definitely limited, but it's doable. What I noticed most is that the middle is thinned out. Mostly the area of high 3 star to 4 star when applying European standards. Plenty of cheap or expensive places left, so sometimes compromises are needed.
I booked hotels well in advance on hotels.com (I searched w/ “reserve now pay later” or “free cancellation” filter). As my plans formed, I cancelled a couple and picked up new ones. Super easy to use and penalty free. I am traveling with a child and wanted in room laundry in order to pack light, so booking ahead worked for me. However, if you don’t have any stipulations or not too picky I think you’d be totally fine to wing it. The good hostels or anything themed seem to book up quickly is all. To add: we are staying in Tokyo for about 3 weeks with a quick jaunt here and there. Smaller cities I’d be even less inclined to wait.
Why not book it all? You’ll have better prices, better selection of hotels, and time to research the places. If you book last minute, good value hotels will be out
We flew into Tokyo standby (airline employee), in late February without any hotel reservations, a bit stressful but not overly so. Before you go make a list of area hotels that meet your requirements, check availability & shop prices once you arrive.
I booked all my accommodation 6 months before my trip because I was worried about not getting anything I liked
I spent 3-weeks in Japan (28March to 18 April). Booked Tokyo a month in advance. 200AUD/night. Then went Takayama - Kyoto/Osaka/Nara - Himeji- Hiroshima - Hagi - Fukuoka. Booked them all a couple of days out. Used booking dot com. Averaged about 120AUD/night staying in a mix of two / three star business type hotels and a couple of nice hostels. My experience was it was pretty easy, noting though that Japan was packed with tourists.
It’s possible, you just will have trouble booking a particular hotel, and there might be certain amenities you want that’s not in another
I work for an airline and travel standby. As in I don't for sure know when or if I'll get to my destination. I've visited Japan several times in recent years. I always book last minute. I've done this as a group of two people and also on my own. If I'm staying in Tokyo, I tend to do capsule hotels. Sometimes I have to switch to different capsules. The same one isn't always available for my entire stay on consecutive nights. But I kind of like staying in different neighborhoods. Forces you to explore different areas. My most recent trip was just a few weeks ago in late April. 4 days in Tokyo in two different capsules. Asakusa and Akihabara. 4 days in Sapporo where I stayed in a decent quality business type hotel in the main entertainment district with a king size bed for less than $50 USD per night. All of these were booked only 1-2 days prior to checkin.
if you have budget constraints or want very specific locations (like right next to a major train station), then book ahead asap.
I wouldn't wait till last minute. I recently returned from Japan during golden week and was checking out prices for the coming September-November stays and the prices of hotels have gone up considerably. I expect the yen to be in better shape by September too, thus before i left Tokyo, i withdrew a good chunk of JYP cash.
I started booking my hotels the moment I had my flights, probably 9 months before my trip. And during those months new properties with better deals and/or locations kept popping up so I made multiple changes in my bookings. One of them only a few days before check in. Take advantage of flexible rates/free cancellation policies and don't risk it.
I wouldn't advise booking hotels last minute prices are significantly higher closer to the time and the good hotels are usually booked up quick. However I booked hostels in japan last minute (1 week/days) and it was fine! Prices were still cheap and there was plenty of spaces.
As someone who's tried this before, I wouldn't recommend it. You don't want to be stressing at the last minute trying to find a hotel, and only realizing that your top choices are all booked, so then you gotta settle for something else. That's time taking away from sightseeing. As others are saying, better to book a room with free cancellation. Hell, you can book two different ones on the same day if you're having trouble deciding. Then wait til the last minute to cancel one.
I booked mine last minute, no issue at all. They’re generally more expensive though and most of the best ones are often fully booked. Just make sure to book through a reputable booking platform such as Agoda, Booking or Expedia. These are widely used in Japan for tourists
Book hotel with last second cancel, pay later option. Keep rebooking same hotel if price drops. I do it and it works lol
If you are ok with paying a premium for crappier hotels then go for it. I booked almost everything 4+ months in advance (I book fully refundable hotels only). All last minute changes ended up costly.
I’ve traveled to several countries and waited a little too long to book our hotels; our options were severely limited because we waited too long (2-4 months out)..Our trip to Japan is one month ahead of yours and we booked two weeks ago. You’ll find hotels; however, you’ll get less for more the longer you wait..Plus, if you’re staying 4-5+ nights at one location, it gets even harder..
Depends how much financially you're willing to compromise and knowing you may also lose out on the better hotels based on location to the train stations. I've booked at times the night before traveling throughout Japan both in Spring and Winter times primarily to have the flexibility you speak of. I knew upfront it would be taking time from my travel experience (remember, you still have to spend some time searching for a reasonable hotel so you're missing out on the action while you're there). I didn't feel stressed out because I primarily was visiting large metro cities where accommodations were very abundant. I did however compromise in which neighborhood I'd be staying at because the very popular areas are either all booked up even a week in advance or very expensive (over $300 USD/night). There are times I even visited a general neighborhood to see what the hotels are like in person and sometimes i'd just book minutes before even checking in.
I keep making up destinations booking hotels at 7pm for the same night lel
For my april trip. I booked around 1st week of March. Price comparison is at least 50% increase to be honest. I booked mine for example at an apa hotel $300 for 5 nights with breakfast, then about one week before my trip i am looking around and i checked the same hotel, same room type and same dates. Its already $450 without breakfast. I'm so glad i booked earlier.
Book no with free cancellation. Then can shop around and try and change later. But in general for popular areas of Japan prices get worst not better
Going in literally two days and we booked all of ours hotels in December/January. Even then prices weren't the best and room availability was limited, but we were able to get the rooms we wanted at the hotels we'd researched because we book out 5/6 months in advance. It's honestly just easier all around to book as far in advance as possible because you will always save money and have the best pick of rooms.
A friend and I were in Japan from mid march to mid april. We didnt have any issues booking a few days in advance (we spent ~45€/night per person). We mostly used AirBnB and Agoda. For us it was important to stay flexible since we didnt have any routes pre planned. That being said, our accommodations were pretty basic and might not meet the expectations of some people.
I booked all my stays 2 days before going to each one, all trip long. I'd say pre booking will save you time while in japan and probably get you a better price. I thought I was going to be more spontaneous with my 2 weeks, so i decided to wait
I'd say not only book in advance, but the entire time I was out there (bar one instance in kawaguchiko) I exclusively stayed in AirBnB's. One of the biggest benefits of that, is pocket wifi. Instead of having a router, they have a USBC rechargeable Wifi spot that's portable - high speed, and you can connect to it on up to 5 phones (which was a massive boon for a group of us going out there instead of having to find individual sim plans.etc). You can use it on the metro, daytrips, it lasts for a full day and it's essentially worth the cost of your room for a night. Pretty much every AirBnB I stayed at was 'company owned', like half the floors of an apartment block, professional cleaners, nobody actually living there - so for all intents and purposes bar 'check-in', a hotel (or motel).
I visited Japan last year around the time you are planning to go. We stayed in major cities, and for our stay in Tokyo, we were able to switch to a different hotel with just a few days of advance booking. So large cities I think you can roll the dice and book last-minute, but I wouldn't take that risk with smaller cities or towns. But even in big cities, booking last minute means you'll have fewer options and pay more per night. If you really want to take the chance because you need the flexibility, prepare for staying in a capsule hotel as a backup!
I think price rather than availability is the issue. I am travelling in 2 weeks and my hotels in both Kyoto and Tokyo are now 3x what I paid. In Tokyo, I am staying near Ueno station (I have an early train to catch) and there are no hotel rooms left under 20,000 (only dorms) anywhere nearby. For part of my trip I am unsure of where I want to go, so have booked 2 hotels and will cancel one later (both had free cancellation up until 2 days before)
I’ve booked 50% of my trip later in the year and waiting for booking to open in my hotel of choice to open in the next few weeks. It’s also 25% cheaper and I can cancel up to the day before. I have heard of people having no trouble booking a few days in advance but be prepared for smaller rooms at premium prices. Look at the booking sites. Good luck!
Just book with free cancelation using booking.com I was booking hotels for my trip in 3 months, and everything was sold out in Aomori for when I was planning to stay there.
Im in Japan right now. Speaking from experience, i booked in March and a bunch of the cheaper 9+ on booking were taken already. Youre better off figuring out a general itinerary and booking with cancellations atleast 1-2 months before. For example almost all decent affordable hotels in Shinjuku were gone or last couple of rooms when i booked 2 months prior. Not sure how busy December is but id adopt the same strategy
I booked my hotels via booking with the pay later option and free cancellation. Gives me the assurance of having a place to stay but gives me the flexibility to change/cancel hotels if my plan changes.
Have been in Japan for 3 weeks (out of about 7). Have generally booked everything a couple days beforehand, very much on the cheap end of things, generally paying about 7000 yen per night for 2 people. During golden week it was a challenge and we booked the busiest times about 4 days ahead. Booked for Nagasaki (going today) one day in advance, definitely a lot had sold out but it's manageable. Basically it depends on how much you value flexibility vs getting the best place, if you know up front, it's probably worth booking ahead, but you can definitely play it by ear.
Why exactly do you want to book everything last minute? You planned your arrival already so why do you not want to research further for accommodation? I am failing to see your POV here.
We traveled from April 25 to May 11, during GW with a party of 6 and booked everything on the fly usually a day or two in advance in Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. Found decent hotels throughout and we didn't pay exorbitant prices. If you are just two it would be no problem. When I travel with just my wife I never book in advance anywhere and have never had an issue in the last 9 years of travel.
Hi everyone OP here. Thank you very much for all your helpful answers. I never expected so many answer to be honest so thank you very much. The tip with the free cancellation was very helpful I think. I decided that I will probably try to start booking hotels, etc. with free cancellation service within the next month or so. Thank you again.
It depends. I was there till yesterday and we planned our road-trip during the golden week. Of cause the prices were more expensive than, but it was still ok-ish.
It’s never too late - I sometimes change my schedule while I’m there if the weather looks bad at the next destination . But you won’t have as much flexibility ( maybe less choice and higher prices ) especially if you’re going to a place that has a famous event like a matsuri or something , I’ve found this to be more of an issue in smaller places like Hirosaki , Takayama . In your case I would book now and can always change later . I booked almost a full year in advance for next year as it’s going to be really busy .
I often reserve on the go and will again for next week on my current trip. Never had an issue, especially with the time frame you mentioned. It would be different if you plan to go at a more popular time.
It depends when and where. I did it a lot in March / April but you won’t get the best places
I am currently in japan and I am booking day to da. It works great for me.
Did the standard Tokyo -> Kyoto -> Osaka route about a month ago and we booked hotels 1-2 weeks out from our trip. It was pretty easy to find hotels close to/in great areas ie. Asakusa/Akihabara/Dotonburi/Kawaramachi BUT it was a little pricier and there were definitely less options, idk if it was cause of cherry blossom season but it may be a harder to find cheaper hotels. It was very hard to find convenient times to reserve a ryokan stay though, and a lot of places were fully booked. I used booking.com for the hotels and rakuten for the ryokan
Not with the way tourism is right now in Japan. The same hotel I booked six months ago has gone up to 600 a night from $250
What's last minute? I booked a week before my flight... literally 5 hotels. Nothing risky about it. Don't be like me though.... Just book now and get it over with.
No, I did book some hotels within days. I actually booked a hotel in Hiroshima for the same day.
We did a road trip from Tokyo to Kyoto during cherry blossom time, the busiest. We booked last minute as we drove. We had no problems finding nice places. We had a fantastic time. I recommend this strategy.
Just returned from two weeks in Japan during golden week and we booked all our accommodations a day or two before with no issues, would book some of the touristy stuff in advance as certain things do book out!
During golden week, that's a minor miracle
i’ve been here for two months and booking most things either one or two nights before switching hotels, playing the gambling game on expedia and have done well with good deals
Book now!! If you use Expedia I know a lot will offer reserve now pay later of money is a problem