Family-friendly accommodation in Japan

During your Rickshaw Japan family holiday, you’ll stay in a variety of welcoming and memorable accommodations. These range from traditional ryokans with private hot springs to family-friendly city hotels and even the unique experience of staying with a local family in their own home. You can sometimes stay in a modern hotel with easy access to shops, restaurants, and transport, which is perfect for exploring with children, or perhaps you could be relaxing together in a cosy ryokan, where you’ll sleep on futons and enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Japanese accommodation may feel a little different from what you’ve experienced on other Rickshaw holidays, but that’s part of the adventure. It’s a wonderful way for the whole family to experience the warmth, tradition, and hospitality of Japan.

We use a hand-picked selection of family-friendly hotels, chosen for their local charm and the right balance of cleanliness, location, friendly staff, and great service. This approach gives us the flexibility to find the perfect place for your family, improves availability during busy travel periods, and allows us to offer upgrades or tailor your experience to suit your preferences. Since hotels in Japan don’t always match European star ratings, we’ve created our own easy-to-understand categories so you’ll know exactly what to expect from your stay.

Most of our hotels fall into our Standard category (Category 3). These are atmospheric, characterful places, carefully chosen for their great location and good value for money. They often include 3-star city hotels that offer comfort and convenience for families. Many are close to transport links, restaurants, and attractions, making it easy to explore with children. However, it’s important to know that hotel rooms in Japan are generally smaller than what many European families might be used to. Single beds are typically between 80 and 90 cm wide, while double beds range from 120 to 140 cm. Bathrooms are also compact, so packing light and being prepared for close quarters can help make the stay more comfortable for everyone.

This category includes hotels that offer a little extra comfort for your family. You can expect more spacious rooms, a swimming pool in some cases, or a slightly better location. Beachfront resorts also fall into this category, making them ideal for families looking to relax and unwind. For example, our Comfort hotels in Tokyo provide larger rooms with wider beds and an even more convenient central location, perfect for exploring the city with children. Traditional ryokans in the scenic Hakone region are also included in this category, giving your family the chance to experience Japanese hospitality with added space and comfort.

A Special Stay is an accommodation that offers more than just a place to sleep. It is a memorable experience in itself. These stays are not always more luxurious, but they are certainly unique and full of character. For example, you might spend the night in a traditional minshuku, a family-run Japanese inn that gives you a real taste of local life. If your family is looking to immerse more deeply in Japanese culture, you can stay with a local family or even spend a night in a peaceful Buddhist temple. These experiences offer a meaningful connection to the culture and are often the most talked-about memories of the trip.

These are simple yet reasonably comfortable places to stay. You will have your own room with private toilet facilities, but the hotels themselves tend to have little atmosphere or character. As with all our accommodation categories, we make sure that the rooms are clean and well looked after. This type of accommodation is more common in remote areas, where choices are limited but the surroundings are often well worth the visit. For families, it provides a practical and restful base after a day of exploring.