Japan vacation rentals
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Top-rated vacation rentals in Japan
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Popular amenities for Japan vacation rentals
House rentals in Japan
Home in Yakushima Kumage District
4.99 out of 5 average rating, 139 reviewsSouth Coast House Entire self contained home/貸切別荘
Home in 大田区
4.96 out of 5 average rating, 186 reviews2 min. to Asakusa line - Quiet area
Home in Shibuya-ku
4.99 out of 5 average rating, 327 reviewsPippin's Inn - hygge home with cats - Shibuya
Home in Shiraoi-chō, Shiraoi-gun
4.93 out of 5 average rating, 513 reviewsAkari-senizumi Natural Onsen/Noboribetsu/Shiraoi
Home in Tonoshō-chō
4.97 out of 5 average rating, 679 reviews【Teshima 豊島 】Kurechan house (tatami bedroom)
Home in Sanmu
4.94 out of 5 average rating, 594 reviewsVilla & Camping between NARITA Airport & Tokyo
Home in 奄美市
4.96 out of 5 average rating, 271 reviews5 seconds to the beach, 20 mins drive from the☆ airport,☆ 3 months away☆ Amami Beach House
Home in Awaji
4.94 out of 5 average rating, 157 reviewsRelax and heal in an entire house on a hill with a view of the sea. [enone Enon]
Other great vacation rentals in Japan
Hut in Osaka City
4.94 out of 5 average rating, 296 reviewsTraditional house of Japan. Near the station.
Hut in 港区
4.97 out of 5 average rating, 205 reviewsTOKYO LITTLE HOUSE: 1948 home in heart of city
Cabin in Nagano
4.92 out of 5 average rating, 408 reviewsElegant, secluded cabin for couples & families
Rental unit in Chuo Ward, Osaka
4.89 out of 5 average rating, 1,631 reviewsDotonbori/USJ/KIX direct line/Umeda/Namba/Kuromon
Hotel room in Sapporo Shi Kita Ku
4.87 out of 5 average rating, 296 reviewsNear Sapporo Station/Boutique Hotel: Taketo Stay Premiere Sapporo Eki 1
Hut in Nara
4.96 out of 5 average rating, 103 reviewsNishimura Residence Hanare - 100 years old house rental private kitchen & dining
Guesthouse in Nose, Toyono District
5 out of 5 average rating, 30 reviewsSmall Hotel Tonari “Hanare”/Relaxing trip in beautiful countryside/free pick up available
Tiny home in Shinano, Kamiminochi District
4.94 out of 5 average rating, 363 reviewsAnoie home with a private sauna with spectacular views of Lake Nojiri
Your guide to Japan
Welcome to Japan
Whether you’re new to Japan or you’ve traveled here many times, this country of 430 inhabited islands will unveil a new facet at every turn. You can take in the lakes and shrines surrounding Mount Fuji, the brilliant building-high signs of Osaka, the ancient temples of Kyoto, and the avant-garde architecture on remote Naoshima Island. Tokyo is a feast for urban aesthetes, with globally chic design stores, fashion boutiques, and cocktail bars, while the dramatic gorges and vapor-wrapped volcanos of Hokkaido’s national parks will thrill lovers of the outdoors.
It’s hard not to make Japanese cuisine a cornerstone of your visit, whether you’re sampling your way through regional styles of ramen or honoring the season’s most evocative ingredients with an elegant kaiseki meal. The twin assets of Japanese hospitality and the country’s well-designed infrastructure make it easy to experience Japan’s many delights, traveling between megacities and remote coastal villages.
The best time to stay in a vacation rental in Japan
Though it’s hard to make generalizations about an archipelago that stretches 1,900 miles, Japan is generally considered to have a temperate subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers, cool but mild winters, and a distinct spring and fall. The farther from Tokyo you travel, of course, the more you’ll want to consult local conditions. The climate in the snowy northern island of Hokkaido — where winter temperatures dip below freezing for a month or two — can be quite different from that of semi-tropical Okinawa in the south, where humid 90-degree summer days are the norm. On the main island of Honshu, spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) are the most comfortable, not to mention the most popular times to visit. The landscape is at its most expressive then, especially during Japan’s famed cherry-blossom season in late March and early April. If you are traveling to Japan in late summer, monitor the weather reports for tropical cyclones blowing in from the Pacific Ocean, and keep in mind, September and October are the height of the country’s rain season, so bring waterproof outerwear as well as indoor plans.
Top things to do in Japan
Kyoto’s Higashiyama District
As the imperial seat for more than a millennium, Kyoto has preserved hundreds of stunning temples, palaces, gardens, and of course, the legendary geisha districts. The historic Higashiyama District is one of the most atmospheric corners in this tradition-minded city, and you can spend hours wandering down narrow streets lined with wood-frame houses and centuries-old artisan shops, darting into side streets to peek in small shrines, before visiting the 1,200-year-old Kiyomizudera temple, with its terrace overlooking downtown. Higashiyama shines brightest during the 10-day Hanatoro festival in March, when thousands of paper lanterns appear.
Hiking in the Japanese Alps
Seventy percent of Japan’s landmass is covered in mountain ranges, which curve along the entire sweep of the archipelago. One of the most glorious spots in the northern Japanese Alps is the 673-square-mile Chūbu-Sangaku National Park, located between Toyama and Nagano, 150 miles northwest of Tokyo. In the summer, you can hike along the Azusa river at Kamikochi, seek out the hot springs around Okuhida, or if you’re an experienced mountaineer, trek from mountain hut to mountain hut (make reservations beforehand). In winter, skiers and snowboarders make pilgrimages to the resorts at Hakuba.
Island-Hopping in Okinawa
If you don’t think of traveling to Japan for sublime beach time, you’ve never visited the Okinawan archipelago at the southern end of Japan. Using Okinawa City as your base, you can take ferries or short flights to reach some of its 160 far-flung islands. Go snorkeling in the clear turquoise waters surrounding Tokashiki Island, where clownfish and butterfly fish dart among the coral reefs. Loll on the powdery white-sand beaches of Hateruma Island. Wander around historic houses with tiled roofs and sculptures on Taketomi Island. Everywhere you go, you can sample Okinawa’s distinctive Ryukyuan cuisine, which incorporates influences from China and southeast Asia.
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