in Tokyo
Electrified by the Japanese Prime Minister’s announcement during his visit to New York on September 22nd, you may be among those who have excitedly fallen behind on preparations for a trip to the Archipelago, many of which have been postponed since spring 2020. Then he shuddered to find out the price of the plane tickets. No more direct flights to the Japanese capital for less than 1,000 euros that were common before the pandemic. Should we postpone his trip to the Land of the Rising Sun?
Although flights are more expensive but also longer due to avoiding Russian airspace, the local yen fell to a 24-year low (1 euro was equivalent to 143 yen at the time of writing. ) still favors the European traveller. Tokyo’s hotel scene has also changed significantly in recent years. For a long time, the offer was limited to two main categories of hotels business hotels comfortable and cheap, but also often lacking charm and cramped rooms; on the other, luxury establishments for several hundred euros per night. More and more places are coming to compensate for the lack of intermediate offers and are now betting on intermediate offers. “Better than a business hotel, cheaper than a luxury hotel”sums up Lauren Shannon, general manager of Tokyo-based travel agency Arigato Travel, “This type of accommodation began to appear immediately before the Olympic Games. During the pandemic, the industry also took advantage of the slowdown in activity to renovate existing hotels and build others to better meet demand.”
Focus on new addresses
These new hotels lifestylecloser to a boutique hotel, and with room rates ranging from ¥15,000 to ¥25,000 per night for a double room (€100 – €170), are also better integrated into local life in their neighborhood and more involved in sustainability. tourism, the specialist notes. “Local produce is offered for breakfast, there is less single-use plastic, more natural or recycled materials. And also chooses to support local communities affected by border closures..
He also advises to give preference to the latest institutions and consider their offer; more and more hotels offer a wide range of accommodation. a standard room in a slightly higher class hotel will provide access to a pleasant example of a sento (public bath) placequality food or good coffee”. Major hotel groups now offer more affordable establishments, such as Aloft (Marriott) or OMO (Hoshino Resorts), which organize tours of their surroundings. If the platforms remain ideal for researching hotels, take a step and look at the establishments’ websites before booking, advises Lorraine Shannon. “Prices are sometimes more attractive and you can make specific requests. it’s also an opportunity to better understand the services on offer, as all places on the platforms tend to look the same.”
Leave central Tokyo
Shibuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo Station… Well served, with bars, restaurants and other fun things to do, these central districts remain the most popular. But getting away from it is as much an opportunity to save money as it is to discover a more secretive side of the capital, where life is good. Stay away from the Yamanote Line (which serves Tokyo’s central stations) and take advantage of residential areas such as the Setagaya district, opting for tourist accommodations that make an ideal base for exploring Tokyo by bike along its alleyways. and immerse yourself in the everyday life of the neighborhood; Also take the opportunity to shop at local food shops and try your hand at Japanese cuisine. Lauren Shannon even recommends… turning your back on the capital. “Surrounding prefectures like Chiba or Saitama, or even Shizuoka, are perfect for a more rural experience.”, he suggests. Reverse the trend. head to the countryside, plan day trips to the capital and enjoy quiet nights. bed and breakfast, “where you will sometimes be offered to pick vegetables in the vegetable garden, which will be served to you for breakfast”– emphasizes the professional.
A journey against time
This applies to any type of accommodation. prices rise during periods that coincide with school holidays and public holidays in Japan, as well as during spring, the popular cherry blossom season. “The 2023 season is likely to be very expensive as hotels will want to make up for the shortfall of recent years.” predicts the specialist. So why not extend your stay to the end of February and take advantage of another bloom, more intimate than the plum trees, or choose to explore Tokyo in the first days of January under the azure of a cloudless sky. It’s when the temperature plummets that we savor the joys even more onsen – Hot spring water bath, Japanese Japanese lifestyle. Some traditional taverns in Tokyo. the ryokan – have their own onsen, such as Yuen Betei Daita, where water is brought from the Hakone hot spring resort, famous for its healing springs. But a little patience if Tokyo is only the first leg of your trip. to stay the ryokan best appreciated in nature.
FOUR COLONISTS.
The business hotel was visited again. Muji Hotel. From 140 euros per night (double room). hotel.muji.com:
The hotel lifestyle : Alof Ginza. From 145 euros per night (double room). marriott.com:
Urban ryokan. Yuen Betei Daita. From 120 euros per night (double room). uds-hotels.com:
My little house in Tokyo. Yadoya-san, from €135, for 2 persons. airbnb.jp
Source: Le Figaro
