Japlanning Review - Westin Tokyo

October 26, 2015

by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

Tokyo, the biggest city in the world, has a range of hotels to fit everyone’s budget. From hostels and capsule hotels, through to 5+ stars like the Four Seasons and Park Hyatt. Today we are reviewing our recent stay at one of the 5-star hotel contenders: The Westin Tokyo, located in Ebisu. Does it live up to its 5-star rating? Read on to find out.

Our recent stay at the Westin Tokyo was not planned. The result of an Airbnb in Shibuya being booked under the guise of “sleeps 10 to 12 people” and realising 8 of our 10 group would barely be able to live in there, sent us scrambling the internet to find a nearby hotel with available rooms and without a ridiculous price tag.

Hotel Review - Toyoko Inn Shinjuku Kabukicho

September 21, 2014

by Devon Sponheimer

Toyoko Inn is a well known hotel chain with over 200 hotels located throughout Japan with additional locations in Korea. It offers a consistent experience at each hotel, so it is their aim that at each hotel you will have a similar experience.

During our last trip, we stayed in the Toyoko Inn in Shinjuku. This hotel was conveniently located being about a 10 minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station. This convenient location is not unique to this hotel but is a hallmark of all Toyoko Inns. Getting a taxi there was quite a hassle due to its proximity to the train station, but we finally managed to convince one taxi driver to take us there (With sad eyes and pitifully gazing at my luggage).

Let's get it Onsen

September 13, 2013

Today we have a guest post from one of our intrepid team here at Japlanning, our American rep, Devon. Devon is here to give you the low down on how to go to a traditional Japanese Onsen: what to expect, and the right steps to follow so you can enjoy this ancient Japanese tradition on your next trip to Japan.

Take it from here Devon!

There is hardly anything more traditionally Japanese than the onsen! Onsens are technically the Japanese word for a hot spring, but can also be used to describe bath houses as well. They can either be indoor or outdoor and are often located at hotels or ryokans where you are able to spend the night. Due to Japan’s geothermal nature, onsens can be found all over the country. They have a high mineral content so are believed by many to have healing properties.

Japlanning the Movies - Lost in Translation

July 19, 2013

Ever wanted to hop on a plane and live out the classic indie film, Lost in Translation? Well, never fear, Japlanning has a plan for you! Today we’re giving you the Lost in Translation guide to Tokyo! Visiting the karaoke lounge they sang in, wander through legendary areas from the film, even stay in the same hotel they filmed in; it’s Japlanning the movies – Lost in Translation style.

Japan is an amazing country, yet finding western movies that use Japan as their back drop are few and far between, especially modern Japan. The most iconic movie that shows contemporary Tokyo would have to be Sophia Coppola’s 2003 classic, Lost in Translation.

Where to Stay - Tokyo

July 10, 2013

Japlanning is starting a new series today giving you the information you need to plan the best areas to stay when travelling across Japan. We are starting with the most visited area in Japan and biggest city in the world, Tokyo.

A lot of the team at Japlanning have had different experiences when organising holidays in Japan, the information out there isn’t that vast, and a lot of it is unreliable and outdated, which had led to booking accommodation in some interesting areas across the county in our very early visits. So we have put together this guide to give anyone looking to travel to Japan the information needed to find the best areas in cities and towns to book a place to stay based on their interests.

Photo Credit - L'Ubuesque Boîte à Savon — Photo Credit - L'Ubuesque Boîte à Savon

Hotel Review - Shinjuku Washington Hotel

July 7, 2013

Today at Japlanning we have our first hotel review for you. We stayed recently at the Shinjuku Washington Hotel, right off the centre of Shinjuku. Read on for the low down on this moderate three star hotel.

The Shinjuku Washington Hotel is located on the south side of Shinjuku Station, just beyond the electronics district, and bordering the business district. It’s location is outside the bustling shopping and attraction centre on the other side of Shinjuku Station, however the short walk to the station makes the hotel a great option for accommodation, offering a quieter environment, yet still not being completely removed from all the action. A great feature of this hotel is the connection to the underground walkway that goes directly to Shinjuku Station, meaning any weather access to the busiest station is only a few hundred meters walk away!