Tokyo New City Guide. Mayumi Yoshida Barakan

      1-31-11 Asakusa, Taito-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: One person ¥5,200, for two ¥9,600.

      —Five minutes from Asakusa Station. [M-12]

      Out of Town Ryokan

      We have listed five excellent ryokan located in the Hakone and Izu areas. As with most good ryokan, morning and evening meals are included in the price. The rates listed here are per person, double occupancy, only a few places will accept single guests—and if they do the price goes up. The rates also generally go down if you want to stay four to a room.

      Hakone

      NARAVA—Established in the Edo period, the current building dates from over one hundred years ago. There is one main building and eight smaller ones all surrounded by a beautiful garden on Mt. Hakone.

      162 Miyanoshita, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Rooms from ¥30,000.

      RYUGUDEN (HAKONE PRINCE HOTEL WAFU-BEKKAN)—Every room faces Lake Ashinoko and Mt. Fuji.

      139 Moto Hakone, Hakone-cho, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Rooms from ¥24,000 per person for two or more.

      TSUBAKI—Located between Hakone and Atami, this famous ryokan is noted for its excellent Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine.

      776 Miyakami, Yugawara-cho, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Rooms from ¥56,000 per person, for two or more.

      Izu

      HOURAI—The hot spring here was founded in the eighth century Manyo period and is one of the oldest in Japan. There are beautiful views of the sea and wonderful kaiseki cuisine.

      750-6 Izusan, Atami-shi, Shizuoka-ken. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Rooms from ¥40,000 per person for two or more.

      ASABA

      —This 350-year-old ryokan is distinguished by its Noh theater where special performances of Noh plays are given three times a year.

      3450-1 Shuzenji, Shuzenji-cho, Tagata-gun, Shizuoka-ken. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Rates: Rooms from ¥25,000 per person for two or more.

      CHEAP ACCOMMODATIONS

      If you're on a budget, there are a number of inexpensive alternatives to hotels. In addition to being cheap, most are inconveniently located, lacking in privacy, and offer only minimal service. They are, however, safe, and they maintain reasonable standards of cleanliness. Choices include the YMCA and other youth hostels, public lodges (kokumin shukusha), minshuku "family-run lodging," and Buddhist temples. We have listed a few, but for further confirmation, contact one of the organizations listed below.

      Youth Hostels

      Rates average ¥3,500, including two meals. There is usually a central kitchen so you can cook for yourself. Rules are rather strict—including a 9:00 P.M. curfew. To enter a youth hostel, you must be a member of the "International Youth Hostel Federation." They sell memberships at the Tokyo International Youth Hostel office for ¥2,000 plus one passport photo.

      TOKYO INTERNATIONAL YOUTH HOSTEL

      Central Plaza, 18F, 21-1 Kaguragashi, Shinjuku-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Most rooms are shared by four people at about ¥3,840 per person. [Near lidabashi Station, off map.]

      —New, clean, and liberal by Japanese standards. (They even serve beer in the dining room!) The average guests here are between the ages of fourteen and twenty-four. There are also a fair number of bargain-hunting businessmen, and a few Japanese-style rooms for families.

      JAPAN YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION

      Hoken Kaikan, 3F, 1-2 Ichigaya Sadohara-cho, Shinjuku-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Minshuku

      The average rate is ¥5,000 a day. There are over 27,000 of these lodgings throughout the country. Make your reservations through one of the following organizations:

      JAPAN MINSHUKU CENTER

      Kotsu Kaikan Bldg., B1, 2-10-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      JAPAN MINSHUKU ASSOCIATION

      1-29-5 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

      Others

      Japan Travel Bureau can reserve lodgings in Buddhist temples and People's Lodges. TIC also has a pamphlet titled Reasonable Accommodations in japan. Listings of other inexpensive lodgings can be found in the Tour Companion and the Tokyo journal.

      TOKYO YMCA

      7 Kanda Mitoshiro-cho, Chiyoda-ku. Tel: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥10,300, twin from ¥18,540.

      —Communal bath, one minute from Shin-ochanomizu Station. [M-14]

      YMCA ASIA YOUTH CENTER

      2-5-5 Sarugaku-cho, Chiyoda-ku. Tel: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. ¥6,500, Dbl. ¥11,000, Triple ¥15,000.

      —Private bath, five minutes from Suidobashi Station. [M-15]

      TOKYO YWCA SADOHARA HOSTEL

      3-1-1 Ichigaya Sadohara-cho, Shinjuku-ku. Tel: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥5,360, twin from ¥10,000. Room with kitchenette for married couples ¥11,000.

      —Communal bath, seven minutes from Ichigaya Station, [off Map]

      TOKYO INTERNATIONAL HOUSE: Has various rooms around the center of Tokyo. Shared kitchen, living room and bath. Tel: [phone].

      Rates: From ¥60,000 per month.

      KOTANI HOUSE: Two locations, both just outside of Ikebukuro, Shin-Okubo, Tel: [phone].

      Rates: Sgl. from ¥2,000, Dbl. ¥1,800 (per person). Monthly rates: ¥60,000 for a shared room, ¥40,000 (per person) for a couple, [off Map]

      APPLE HOUSE: The largest guest house in Japan, this new facility is geared for foreigners, and offers inexpensive daily, weekly, and monthly rates. Located about twenty minutes from Shin-juku. Contact them for further information: Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. [off Map]

      CAPSULE HOTELS