A Ryokan is a traditional Japanese style inn that is found throughout Japan with its signature feature of tatami matted (mats made from rice straw) rooms and in house onsens (hot spring baths). Ryokans are priced at a slightly higher rate than a hotel and hostel. However, here are 5 reasons why a ryokan experience is a must-try during your visit to Japan.

Hakuba is much larger than your average ski town and offers various accommodations to choose from at every price point. The valley is comprised of many neighborhoods and I recommend staying at the three closest to Happo-One, the largest resort.

Traveling is not cheap, and a huge part of the cost comes from accommodation. Sure, you don’t have to stay in a fancy hotel. However, some of us (hello!) want to save as much as possible so we can splurge our budget on other parts of the trip, such as trying out all the high quality local cuisines.

Yudanaka Onsen town is great all year round; however, going in winter would be a bonus to your travel plan as you can see the snow monkeys covered in snow soaking themselves in the onsen, go skiing or snowboarding, and most importantly, enjoy the outdoor natural hot spring under the snow (one of the best life experiences ever).

Once nicknamed Ryugujo or the Palace of the Dragon King of the Sea, Hotel Gajoen Tokyo is a lavish hotel complex in Meguro, Tokyo.

Many travellers have held their breath with wonder, standing before this magical scenery. One clearly understands how Yasunari Kawabata had chosen this particular niche as a reclusive, inspirational haven to complete his highly acclaimed novel.

Whether it is a week of heady exploration or unapologetic self-indulgence that you’re after, Osaka has a variety of hotels to cater to your every whim. Presenting the top 10!

The longer we stayed and further we went, the more old-fashioned I thought Okayama Prefecture was. Little did I know, it was the most fun rural experience of my life!

The vast majority of visitors who have booked a short getaway by the beach will end up staying in one of the hotels located in Onna village. This is a fairly small and narrow area stretching about 26 kilometers between Nago to the north and the rural but large Yomitan village to the south.

I live on Okinawa and the temperatures at Christmas and New Years are quite nice. We do not have snow here but Okinawa joins the world in decorating festive during this season. So if you are up to a quick holiday trip into the warm south but still don't want to miss out on your Christmas' and New Year's traditions, you might like visiting these hotels around the island!

Japan is well known for being called ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’, but a new name could be on the agenda with its high technology leading many people to call it ‘The Land of High Tech Wonders’.

A new inn called Unoan, which only one party up to six people can rent, opened for reservations on July 15th, 2015. It is inside a machiya, a traditional wooden townhouse.