Stay by Station
Know which station you want to sleep near? Start here โ honest hotel picks organised around the stations travelers actually use.
Top stations foreign visitors book
๐ Shinjuku Station
The world's busiest hub โ endless hotels and trains to everywhere.
See hotels โ
๐ Shibuya Station
The famous scramble, youthful energy and easy, central access.
See hotels โ
๐ Namba Station
Osaka's neon heart, with Dotonbori street food on your doorstep.
See hotels โ
๐ Kyoto Station
The old capital's front door โ temples, Gion and easy day trips.
See hotels โStart with the classics
๐ Shinkansen lines
Routes are schematic, drawn through real station locations. Boundaries: dataofjapan/land
๐ Yamanote Line stations
Tap any station for hotels nearby. Left-side stations on the left, right-side on the right.
Pick a region, find your prefecture
Sapporo Station is the region's transport heart, linked to New Chitose Airport and the ski and onsen towns beyond. Base yourself near a major JR station, as Hokkaido's sights are far apart.
The Tohoku and Akita Shinkansen string together the region's castle towns and hot-spring gateways. A hotel near a Shinkansen station keeps day trips to festivals and coasts within easy reach.
Everything centres on Tokyo's dense rail network, with Shinkansen and express lines fanning out to Nikko, Kamakura and Hakone. Stay near a major hub and the whole region is a short train ride away.
Nagoya and Kanazawa are the key rail gateways, with lines climbing into the Japan Alps and Fuji country. Base near a Shinkansen or express station to reach post towns, ski resorts and onsen.
Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe sit on one busy rail corridor, with fast links to Nara and Himeji. A hotel near any of these stations puts the region's temples and food within 30 to 60 minutes.
The Sanyo Shinkansen runs the length of the region to Okayama and Hiroshima, with ferries out to Miyajima. Base near a Shinkansen station for easy hops along the Inland Sea.
Takamatsu and Matsuyama are the main rail gateways onto the island, linked by scenic local lines. Stay near a central station, as trains run less often than on the mainland.
The Kyushu Shinkansen links Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima in a couple of hours. A hotel near a Shinkansen or major JR station makes the region's cities and onsen towns easy to reach.
Beyond Naha's short monorail there are no trains, so the airport and Naha make the natural base. Stay central and rent a car, or use the buses, to reach the islands' beaches.