Best Hotel Bets

The Best Traditional Ryokan

Hiiragiya Ryokan (Kyoto; tel. 075/221-1136): If ever there was an example of the quintessential ryokan, Hiiragiya is it. Located in the heart of old Kyoto, it's the ultimate in tatami luxury: a dignified enclave of polished woods and rooms with antique furnishings overlooking private gardens. Six generations of the same family have provided impeccable service and hospitality here since 1861.

Tawaraya (Kyoto; tel. 075/211-5566): This venerable inn has been owned and operated by the same family since it opened in the first decade of the 1700s; it's now in its 11th generation of innkeepers. Located in old Kyoto, its guest list reads like a who's who of visitors to Japan, including Leonard Bernstein, the king of Sweden, Alfred Hitchcock, and Saul Bellow.

Ryokan Kurashiki (Kurashiki; tel. 086/422-0730): Located right beside the willow-lined canal of Kurashiki's famous historic district, this ryokan occupies an old mansion and three 250-year-old antiques-filled warehouses. It's a great place to explore as you wander the corridors and peek into nooks and crannies, admiring all the antiques.

Iwaso Ryokan (Miyajima; tel. 0829/44-2233): The setting here is as romantic as any you'll find in Japan. If you can afford it, stay in one of the ryokan's 80-year-old cottages, where you'll have a view of maples and a gurgling brook on one of Japan's most scenic and famous islands. If staying here doesn't make you feel like a samurai or a geisha, nothing will.

Hakusuikan Ryokan (Ibusuki; tel. 0993/22-3131): I'm usually partial to historic Japanese inns, but this sprawling complex right on the coast, with manicured lawns dotted by pine trees, offers an assortment of accommodations (the oldest building is 45 years old), along with one of the best hot-spring spas I've ever seen, modeled after a public bath of the Edo Era.

Kannawaen (Beppu; tel. 0977/66-2111): This century-old ryokan spreads through lush and carefully tended gardens. Its tatami rooms with shoji screens look out onto hot springs, bamboo, streams, bonsai, stone lanterns, and flowers. It's the perfect place to escape the crowds and relax in the traditional bathhouse or the open-air hot springs.

The Best Western-Style Hotels

Park Hyatt Tokyo (Tokyo; tel. 800/233-1234 in the U.S. and Canada): Occupying the 39th to 52nd floors of a skyscraper designed by Kenzo Tange, this might well be the most gorgeous and sophisticated hotel in all of Japan, if not the world. Offering unparalleled views of the city, one of Tokyo's hottest restaurants, rooms you could live in, and legendary service, it's a must for anyone who can afford it (no wonder it was the hotel featured in Lost in Translation).

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Chinzan-So (Tokyo; tel. 800/332-3442): Surrounded by a lush, 7-hectare (17-acre) garden, this top-rated hotel is a wonderful respite in one of the world's most crowded cities, with its impeccable service and a terrific spa and health club free for hotel guests.

Nikko Kanaya Hotel (Nikko; tel. 0288/54-0001): Dating from the 19th century, this rambling, old-fashioned hotel combines the rustic charm of a European country lodge with design elements of old Japan -- and it's just a 15-minute walk from Toshogu Shrine.

The Fujiya Hotel (Hakone; tel. 0460/2-2211): Established in 1878 and nestled on a wooded hillside, the Fujiya is one of Japan's oldest, grandest, and most majestic Western-style hotels. Resembling a Japanese ryokan from the outside, it boasts a comfortable interior of detailed woodwork, old-fashioned antiques-filled guest rooms, and a delightful 1930s dining hall. It also offers indoor/outdoor pools, extensive landscaping, and hot-spring baths. A stay here makes you feel like you've traveled not just to Hakone but to another century.

Kawana Hotel (Ito; tel. 0557/45-1111): Built in 1936 to resemble an English country estate, this relaxed yet refined hotel boasts large, manicured lawns that slope to the sea, and two famous 18-hole golf courses. It's a great getaway from Tokyo.

The Westin Miyako (Kyoto; tel. 800/WESTIN-1 in the U.S. and Canada): First built in 1890 but completely remodeled, this smartly appointed hotel sprawls across more than 6.4 hectares (16 acres) of hilltop on the eastern edge of town near many famous temples. Good views, a satellite check-in counter at Kyoto Station, free shuttle service to the hotel, indoor/outdoor swimming pools, a children's play room, a tea-ceremony room, and a Japanese garden make this a winner. There's even an annex with Japanese-style rooms as well.

Nara Hotel (Nara; tel. 0742/26-3300): From far away, this 1909 building just a short walk from Nara Park resembles a palace. Rooms in the main building have high ceilings, antique light fixtures, and old-fashioned decor.

The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka (Osaka; tel. 800/241-3333 in the U.S. and Canada): This chain's first venture in Japan has the company's trademark antiques, artwork, and intimate public spaces, as well as such pluses as free access to its fitness center and large, well-appointed rooms. It's not far from Osaka Station.

Unzen Kanko Hotel (Unzen; tel. 0957/73-3263): This rustic mountain lodge of ivy-covered wood and stone was built in 1935 to cater to foreigners in search of Mount Unzen's cooler climate. It offers a casual and relaxed atmosphere, hot-spring baths, and comfortable, old-fashioned rooms not far from the Hells.

The Best Affordable Japanese-Style Places to Stay

Homeikan (Tokyo; tel. 03/3811-1181): Although it's a bit far from Tokyo's main attractions, this is my top pick for an affordable, authentic Japanese inn. Rooms do not have private bathrooms, but pluses include a Japanese garden, nice public baths, and detailed tatami rooms adorned with traditional architectural features. Meals (optional) are served in your room. Another great plus: The owner speaks English.

Ryokan Fujioto (Tsumago; tel. 0264/57-3009): This 100-year-old inn is nestled back from the main street of Tsumago, a delightful village on the Edo-Era Nakasendo Highway. Meals feature local specialties. The owner speaks English; his daughter volunteers to guide visitors for free (you can request her services when making reservations).

Antique Inn Sumiyoshi (Takayama; tel. 0577/32-0228): Located in the heart of Takayama on the banks of the Miyagawa River, this 90-year-old former silkworm factory features an open-hearth fireplace (irori) in the high-ceilinged communal room, antiques and painted screens throughout, and simple but delightfully old-fashioned tatami rooms overlooking the river.

Minshuku in Shirakawago's Ogimachi: Nestled in a narrow valley of the Japan Alps, Ogimachi is a small village of paddies, flowers, irrigation canals, and 200-year-old thatched farmhouses, about two dozen of which offer simple tatami accommodations and meals featuring local cuisine. This is a great, inexpensive escape.

Matsubaya Ryokan (Kyoto; tel. 075/351-3727): Opened in 1885 and owned and managed by friendly Mrs. Hayabashi, the fifth generation of innkeepers, this wooden ryokan has rooms with balconies facing a miniature inner courtyard, and rooms facing a tiny enclosed garden.

Temple Accommodations on Mount Koya: If your vision of Japan includes temples, towering cypress trees, shaven-headed monks, and religious chanting at the crack of dawn, head for the religious sanctuary atop Mount Koya, where some 50 Buddhist temples offer tatami accommodations -- some with garden views -- and two vegetarian meals a day.

Miyajima Morinoyado (Miyajima; tel. 0829/44-0430): This public people's lodge on picturesque Miyajima island is modern yet traditional and would easily cost four times as much if it were privately owned.

Tsuru-no-yu Onsen (Nyuto Onsen; tel. 0187/46-2139): This rustic inn, with a history stretching back to the Edo Period, thatched-roof building, and outdoor hot-spring baths, is as close as you can get to time travel. To really save money, opt for the self-cooking wing and prepare your own meals.