Kyoto Travel Forum

Hi I,m planning a Trip to Japan from Canada in April for 3 weeks!I would like to know if anybody knows of any reasonably priced Hotels in Kyoto and things to do?I would also like to know the benefits of a Rented Apartment vs a Hotel in a central location in Tokyo?Tokyo will be the Home Base so I,m looking for accomadations that are central yet reasonable in price.Can anybody make any suggestions please?

Muromachidori-demizuagaru, Jyokyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, kyoto 602-8019
Tel : 81-75-431-0351
Fax : 81-75-431-0352
e-mail : kyoto@ywca.or.jp
URL : http://www.ywca.or.jp/kyoto/

This is a good place for a much cheaper price. I stayed there for 2 days back in August of 1992. It's located about 1 to 2 blocks from Kyoto's old Imperial Palace. Keep in mind they have a curfew, breakfast is served as part of the room charge in a very cozy and Japanese way. The staff are flexible toward foreigners sensitivities as to try to provide a more western breakfast if desired. There are also train stations located nearby. The palace looks to be the center of the city so I think this is about as central as you can get. The staff may speak very little English but, I didn't have any trouble at all at the time (I couldn't speak Japanese at all back in 1992).

I don't know if you can rent an apartment for such a short time. Generally, in Japan people have to go through a lot of trouble to rent. And in addition, they have to pay key money, a management fee, a deposit, and first months rent. Which basically means you'll pay for 4 months rent for your first month (and deposits in this case don't mean deposit as in I'll get my money back (they use the 'deposit' for getting the place all cleaned up when you vacate it)).

There may be some places that you can find for rent but, it will likely be hard. Then there is the additional problem that you won't have a sponsor and well, it sounds like much more trouble than it is worth.

One big suggestion is that you can find some cheaper hotels located closer to the universities. My wife found a great one located near Japan's Keio University called Kawasaki Green Plaza hotel. It's cheap, nice enough, and not to hard to get to. You'll need a map though. Take it with you and show it to people and they'll point you in the right direction. http://www.greenplazahotel.co.jp/ Check out their map under the misspelled "transportation". It goes for about 6,800 yen a night.

Hi fellow Canuck! When I went to Kyoto in November, I was also looking for reasonably priced hotels. I found this website www.japanhotelsonline.net to be MOST helpful! I was able to find 2 hotels in an otherwise sold-out Kyoto for Nov 6-13 and stayed 2 nights at one then 2 nights at the other and a final 2 nights at the first one. The price was good and I found a cheap hotel right beside theKyoto JR station! But, your version of 'reasonable' and mine might be different, but check it out. They don't charge you up front, you pay when you check out. I will use the site again! Have fun! Wish I was going too!!!