Guesthouses

Guesthouses in Japan

A ‘Guest House’ is an apartment or a shared house. They are also known as ‘Gaijin’ (Foreigner) houses because foreigners make up the majority of the clientelle, but more and more Japanese locals are starting to realize that it’s a pretty cheap way to rent.

There are a wide variety of guest houses in Japan, from independently managed ones to others which are owned by realty companies who often manage muliple houses in different regions.
Ironically, some of the guest houses have a ‘foreigners only’ policy.

A large majority of guesthosues are found in Tokyo, but there are a good number also located in many of the other major cities around Japan.

Although most people tend to stay for several nights you are allowed to stay overnight at most guesthouses.

Pricing
Guest house pricing varies greatly depending on the location and type of room you are looking for. The rent at Guest Houses can range anywhere from 18,000 to over 100,000 yen. Most places will require you to have a copy of your passport with your Visa details.

Facilities
At most guesthouses you have your own room but have to share other facilities such as the kitchen, toilet and bathroom. Whether or not utility costs are included depends on the guest house. Most guesthouses have a television, pay phone, futon and kitchen utensils.

Rooms
There are Japanese or western style rooms and also shared or private accommodation, depending on the guest house. Some of the smallest rooms are around 1 tatami mat and the larger ones more than 12 tatami mats.

An advantage of staying at a guest house is that they often provide a lot of information about living and working in Tokyo and many of them have free internet access.

Particularly if you are travelling by yourself, staying at a guesthouse is a good way to experience everyday life and gives you an an opportunity to make friends.