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The Best Places in Japan

Eat + Stay + Do, change section
  1. Tatami floors in rooms that could pass for a sleek modern ryokan give this boutique hotel its character, even if it's technically neither. The Granbell sits in Higashiyama with a semi-subterranean lobby that flows into lounge and restaurant space, and a public bath that tips its hat to the traditional inn tradition without committing to the full costume. Western-style rooms show the same spare craftsmanship. Comfortable, considered, and a little hard to categorize.

    The awards


  2. A sharply dressed doorman stands at attention outside, which tells you more or less everything about what this Ginza hotel is going for. Warm stone façade, earth-tone rooms, Bulgari bath products, Imabari towels, a Nespresso on the desk, and even the smallest rooms run a generous 23-plus square meters. The top floor holds an Italian restaurant for when you'd rather not venture far into one of Tokyo's priciest shopping neighborhoods.

    The awards


  3. The bones of a former Gion theatre are still visible in the Imperial Hotel Kyoto, a boutique hotel where 55 rooms blend wood-paneled walls and natural local materials with quietly modern furniture. Two restaurants cover Japanese and French ground, a low-lit cocktail bar handles evenings, and a rooftop bar keeps its city views for guests only. A full subterranean spa with thermal baths sits beneath it all, which feels appropriately theatrical.

    The awards


  4. Rooms stacked directly above Muji's Ginza flagship make this mid-range hotel the brand's most committed piece of advertising. The aesthetic is exactly what you'd expect: pale wood, clean lines, nothing unnecessary on any surface. Entry rooms are small even by Tokyo standards, but thoughtfully arranged; the larger ones edge toward genuine comfort. The in-house restaurant, Wa, handles simple Japanese cooking in a dining room that looks like the rest of the place.

    The awards


  5. A slate-colored tower in the middle of Ginza's shopping swirl, this hotel leans into the "canvas" concept without being too precious about it. Rooms are clean and modern with warm wood details, and the common areas include a music library with a vinyl collection and headphones, which is either charming or a statement about Tokyo hotel Wi-Fi. The Opus restaurant runs a rooftop terrace with grilled seafood and a French lean.

    The awards


  6. Each room at this city hotel in Ginza gets its own private bath filled with Atami hot spring water, the same thermal source the FUFU brand was built around. Yukimi-shoji screens, yukon and hinoki scents, handmade crafts, and individually designed spaces make it feel closer to a countryside ryokan than a Ginza address. Two restaurants handle seasonal Japanese cooking, one with private dining rooms, one with counter seating.

    The awards


  7. One of the few tall buildings in Ginza, this business-leaning hotel puts the Tokyo skyline in every room, and 45 of those rooms pipe the same panoramic view into the bathroom, so you can soak in it from the tub. Rooms run minimalist and are sized honestly, from Moderates up to the 40-square-meter Executives. The 16th-floor bar is built around a single slab of 600-year-old quince wood, which earns its mention.

    The awards


  8. A century-old villa near Higashiyama's temple lanes, this guest house is booked whole: four bedrooms, one party, nobody else's checkout drama to navigate. It started as a tea house for Kyoto's cultural inner circle and still carries that quiet, rarefied air, with a mix of traditional Japanese and modern Western interiors. The concierge's local connections are the kind that open doors politely but firmly closed to everyone else.

    The awards


  9. The awards


  10. A Hawaiian luxury resort that somehow makes perfect sense on the Yokohama waterfront, this blue glass tower holds a Michelin Key and earns it with floor-to-ceiling harbor views from every room. The interiors run crystal chandeliers and black-and-white geometry, with just enough Hawaiian and Japanese touches, fresh flowers, a traditional water garden, Lomi Lomi spa treatments, to keep the cultural conversation going without tipping into theme park.

    The awards


  11. Hot spring water rises from nearly a mile underground, even here in central Tokyo, feeding the onsen at this ryokan-style hotel tucked into a skyscraper a short walk from Tokyo Station. Each floor clusters six rooms around a shared living room stocked with refreshments, and the rooms themselves fold contemporary design into traditional ryokan form without any visible seams. The ground-floor entry channels a Zen garden, and the quiet holds.


  12. A Marriott lifestyle brand hotel planted on the Dojima riverside, close enough to Umeda that the neighborhood does most of the heavy lifting. The rooms are stylish without veering into the kind of grandeur that requires a packing strategy, and the common areas run from an all-day restaurant to a bar with dinner service. A grab-and-go café handles mornings efficiently. The Michelin Guide lists it among its selected hotels.

    The awards


  13. Kengo Kuma designed this luxury hotel to echo the machiya townhouses and temple architecture of its Higashiyama neighborhood, and the result is a rare thing: an international hotel brand that doesn't feel imported. Rooms lean traditional in spirit, with floor-to-ceiling windows and full modern amenities filling the gaps. Some suites come with private onsen baths. The Auriga Spa adds more, and SingleThread, the celebrated California restaurant, has its first outpost outside the U.S. here.

    The awards


  14. A cigar magnate's Meiji-era Western mansion, tucked between Maruyama Park's cherry blossom pond and Yasaka Shrine, is now a boutique hotel where the antique chandeliers and Art Deco stained glass make the diplomatic-era fantasies rather easy to indulge. Rooms have wood paneling, fireplaces, and Jacuzzi tubs, with windows facing cedar forest or Mount Higashiyama. The afternoon tea changes personality with the seasons outside the glass.

    The awards


  15. The awards


  16. The lobby starts on the 18th floor, which tells you something about the building's ambitions. This sleek hotel in Shinbashi fills its floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Imperial Palace, Hibiya Park, and the Tokyo skyline in every direction. Rooms run compact and calm, dressed in washi paper and patterned carpets that nod to forests and coastlines. The cherry blossoms outside in spring are, predictably, not accidental.

    The awards


  17. Rank 517. Takumi

    French


    Address
    1-11-10 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 106-0031, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–3 PM, 6:30 PM–11:30 PM

    Reserve
    Make a reservation
    Online
    Website
  18. Eight rooms, adults only, and a no-construction zone on the edge of where Kyoto slides into the mountains: Higashiyama Shikikaboku sets its terms early. The owner is an interior designer, and it shows in repurposed 16th-century karakami tiles, minimalist architecture, and rooms that treat traditional Japanese hospitality as a starting point rather than a costume. There's an open-air bath, a rooftop, and a tea salon that earns the word composed.

    The awards


  19. A hinoki cypress soaking tub, hand-carved and fragrant, anchors the ground floor of this two-story machiya a short walk from Nijo Castle. It's a whole-house rental, sleeping a small group in a blend of blonde-wood Western rooms and a tatami bedroom with traditional futons. A century-old yew plum tree stands in the atrium passage leading to a private library with garden views. Old beams overhead, a full kitchen below.

    The awards


  20. Every unit here is a two-bedroom suite with a full kitchen, a dining area, and in-room laundry, which is a different thing entirely from the "kitchenette" most apartment-style hotels are quietly embarrassed about. Mimaru Suites Kyoto Central sits in the heart of Kyoto, surrounded by more history than anyone can absorb in a week. There's no lobby bar or restaurant, but the staff make up for it with local recommendations, and the neighborhood does the rest.

    The awards


  21. A faithfully restored kyo-michaya, the two-story wooden townhouse form Kyoto does better than anywhere, sitting a short walk from Nijō Castle. The joinery is the kind you stop mid-conversation to run your hand along. Dark wood and Edo-style wallpaper share the room with Danish furniture and considered lighting, and the lead highlight walls develop their own patina over time, so repeat guests find the place subtly changed.

    The awards


  22. The awards


  23. The awards


    Address
    7-10-10 Minamiaoyama, Minato Ward, Tokyo 107-0062, Japan · Minato Ward
    Hours

    Closes soon, midnight, in 20 min

    Friday Noon–Midnight

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  24. The awards


  25. The awards


  26. Rank 522. a.ligne

    French

    The awards


    Address
    2-3-12 Shinsakae, Nagoya City, Aichi 460-0007, Japan · Nagoya City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–3 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  27. Rank 522. aca

    Portuguese

    Reservations run through a lottery here, which tells you most of what you need to know before you even sit down. This is an intimate counter-only omakase restaurant in Nihombashi serving Portuguese cuisine, where the chef threads the restrained rhythm of omakase through bold Iberian flavors across a 13-course progression. It moved from Kyoto and landed in Tokyo to the same quiet frenzy of demand. Bring patience for the reservation system and a loose evening.


  28. The awards


    Address
    1-1-22 Fukiage, Wakayama City, Wakayama 640-8137, Japan · Wakayama City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–2:30 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  29. The awards


    Address
    64 Honjo, Yurihonjo City, Akita 015-0809, Japan · Yurihonjo City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–1 PM, 6 PM–8 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  30. Rank 522. AGRISCAPE

    French

    The awards


    Address
    177 Kobetsusawa, Sapporo City, Hokkaido 063-0011, Japan · Sapporo City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 12:10 PM

    Friday 12:10 PM–3:30 PM, 5:40 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  31. Rank 522. Aji Arai

    Japanese

    The awards


  32. Rank 522. Ajidokoro

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    40-35 Yuchi, Kuriyama Town, Hokkaido 069-1508, Japan · Kuriyama Town
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–2:30 PM, 6 PM–9 PM

    Online
    Website
  33. The awards


    Address
    22 Daikumachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa 920-0982, Japan · Kanazawa City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5 PM–9:30 PM

    Online
    Website
  34. The awards


    Address
    1-3 Kioichou, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo 102-0094, Japan · Chiyoda Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  35. The awards


    Address
    6-3-13 Akasaka, Minato Ward, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan · Minato Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 5:30 PM

    Friday 5:30 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  36. Rank 522. aki nagao

    French

    The awards


  37. The awards


    Address
    3-1 Minami 3-jo nishi, Sapporo City, Hokkaido 060-0063, Japan · Sapporo City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 5:30 PM

    Friday 5:30 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  38. The awards


    Address
    10907 Kin, Kin Town, Okinawa 904-1201, Japan · Kin Town
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 11:30 AM–3 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  39. Rank 522. Amegen

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    1058-2 Hamatamamachi Gotanda, Karatsu City, Saga 849-5102, Japan · Karatsu City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11 AM

    Friday 11 AM–3:30 PM, 5 PM–9 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  40. Rank 522. Amiral

    French

    The awards


    Address
    5-10-17 Nishichuo, Kure City, Hiroshima 737-0811, Japan · Kure City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 11:30 AM–1 PM, 6 PM–8 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  41. Rank 522. Ăn Đi

    Vietnamese


    Address
    3-42-12 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–1:30 PM, 6 PM–11 PM

    Reserve
    Make a reservation
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  42. Rank 522. anchoa

    Spanish

    The awards


  43. The awards


    Address
    1-9-15 Shin-yashiki, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto 862-0975, Japan · Kumamoto City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 11:30 AM–1 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  44. Rank 522. Ao

    Japanese

    The awards


  45. Rank 522. APICIUS

    French


    Address
    B1F, 1-9-4 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 100-0006, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5:30 PM–11 PM

    Reserve
    Make a reservation
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  46. The awards


    Address
    3-5-22 Kokubuncho, Sendai City, Miyagi 980-0803, Japan · Sendai City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–12:30 PM, 6:30 PM–11 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram

  47. Rank 522. aru

    French

    The awards


    Address
    2-28 Hirokouji, Toyohashi City, Aichi 440-0881, Japan · Toyohashi City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–2 PM, 6:30 PM–9 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  48. Rank 522. Arutokoro

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    732 Kagami, Karatsu City, Saga 847-0022, Japan · Karatsu City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11 AM

    Friday 11 AM–3 PM, 5 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  49. Rank 522. Asuke

    Sushi

    The awards


  50. The awards


  51. The awards


    Address
    1-5-5 Azabujuban, Minato Ward, Tokyo 106-0045, Japan · Minato Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 5:30 PM

    Friday 5:30 PM–8 PM

    Online
    Website
  52. Rank 522. Bini

    Italian

    The awards


  53. The awards


    Address
    20-24 Hommachi, Ise City, Mie 516-0074, Japan · Ise City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–3 PM, 5:30 PM–9:30 PM

    Online
    Website
  54. Rank 522. Bon.nu

    French

    The awards


    Address
    4-22-17 Yoyogi, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo 151-0053, Japan · Shibuya Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–1 PM, 6 PM–8:30 PM

    Online
    Website
  55. Rank 522. Cá sento

    Portuguese


  56. Rank 522. ca'enne

    Italian

    The awards


    Address
    10222-25 Toyohirajitougaku, Chino City, Nagano 391-0213, Japan · Chino City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–2 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  57. The awards


  58. The awards


  59. The awards


  60. The awards


    Address
    4-14 Bakuroumachi, Nobeoka City, Miyazaki 882-0044, Japan · Nobeoka City
    Hours

    Closes soon, midnight, in 20 min

    Friday 7 PM–Midnight

  61. Rank 522. Cheval

    French

    The name is French for horse, and the chef named it partly because she was born in the Year of the Horse and partly because the neighborhood translates roughly as "post-horse town," which is the kind of origin story that sounds made up but isn't. This is a French restaurant with an à la carte menu only, the preparations kept deliberately simple, and a risotto on the menu that riffs on a local clam-and-rice dish from the chef's home ward.


    Address
    12-20 Nihombashiodemmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 103-0011, Japan
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 5 PM

    Friday 5 PM–11:30 PM

    Reserve
    TableCheck
    Online
    Instagram
  62. Rank 522. Chez Inno

    French


    Address
    2-4-16 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 104-0031, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 6 PM–8:30 PM

    Online
    Website
  63. The awards


    Address
    4-8-9 Nishikogawa, Yaizu City, Shizuoka 425-0036, Japan · Yaizu City
    Hours

    Closes soon, midnight, in 20 min

    Friday Noon–Midnight

    Online
    Instagram
  64. The awards


  65. Rank 522. common

    Japanese

    The awards


  66. Rank 522. Convivio

    Italian

    The awards


  67. Rank 522. Courage

    French


  68. Rank 522. CRAFTALE

    French

    The awards


    Address
    1-16-11 Aobadai, Meguro Ward, Tokyo 153-0042, Japan · Meguro Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 6 PM–10:30 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  69. Rank 522. credo

    French

    The awards


    Address
    5-21-11 Iida, Yamagata City, Yamagata 990-2332, Japan · Yamagata City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–3 PM, 6 PM–11 PM

    Online
    Instagram
  70. The awards


    Address
    1-2-1 Ootemachi, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan · Chiyoda Ward
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 5 PM–11 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  71. Rank 522. Dogo Kaishū

    Japanese

    The awards


  72. The awards


    Address
    5-13-5 Kanagusuku, Naha City, Okinawa 901-0155, Japan · Naha City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–3 PM, 6:30 PM–11 PM

    Online
    Instagram
  73. The awards


    Address
    2-4-10 Annoyamachi, Toyama City, Toyama 930-0087, Japan · Toyama City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–2:30 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  74. The awards


    Address
    25 Edomachi, Kuwana City, Mie 511-0022, Japan · Kuwana City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–12:30 PM, 6 PM–7 PM

  75. The awards


  76. Rank 522. Eizan

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    10-3 Noboricho, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima 730-0016, Japan · Hiroshima City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 6 PM

    Friday Noon–2:30 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  77. The awards


  78. Rank 522. eman

    Spanish


  79. The awards


    Address
    2-33-12 Tomiokamachi, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 041-0811, Japan · Hakodate City
    Hours

    Closes soon, midnight, in 20 min

    Friday 6:30 PM–Midnight

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  80. The awards


  81. Rank 522. ÉPURÉ

    French

    The awards


  82. Rank 522. Erretegia

    Wood-fired Mediterranean

    The awards


  83. The awards


    Address
    5513-142 Kitayama, Chino City, Nagano 391-0301, Japan · Chino City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–1:30 PM, 5:45 PM–7 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  84. Rank 522. essere

    Italian

    The awards


    Address
    2-13-1 Kitakutamachi, Okayama City, Okayama 700-0825, Japan · Okayama City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–3 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  85. Rank 522. et NOU

    French

    The awards


    Address
    9-19 Sennichicho, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima 892-0843, Japan · Kagoshima City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–1 PM, 6 PM–9 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  86. Rank 522. Etsumi Ittou

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    2-1-7 Haruyama, Fukui City, Fukui 910-0019, Japan · Fukui City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 6 PM

    Friday 6 PM–10 PM

    Online
    Website
  87. The awards


    Address
    10-8 Tatsumicho, Takasaki City, Gunma 370-0835, Japan · Takasaki City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–2:30 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

  88. Rank 522. fenua

    French

    The awards


    Address
    3338-2 Miyakubocho Tomoura, Imabari City, Ehime 794-2204, Japan · Imabari City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–2 PM, 6 PM–8 PM

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  89. Rank 522. fierté

    French

    The awards


  90. The awards


    Address
    1-4-9 Nishiazabu, Minato Ward, Tokyo 106-0031, Japan · Minato Ward
    Hours

    Closes soon, midnight, in 20 min

    Friday 6 PM–Midnight

    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  91. Rank 522. FRUTTO

    Italian

    The awards


  92. Rank 522. Fukuya

    Japanese

    The awards


    Address
    7-7 Shiroganecho, Toyama City, Toyama 930-0048, Japan · Toyama City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 6 PM

    Friday 6 PM–11 PM

    Online
    Website
  93. Rank 522. Funachef

    French

    The awards


  94. The awards


    Address
    4-11-27 Noma, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka 815-0041, Japan · Fukuoka City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat noon

    Friday Noon–3 PM, 6 PM–10 PM

  95. Rank 522. gentil H

    French

    A second-floor French restaurant in Shirokanedai where the menu reads like a thank-you note, listing each ingredient's origin and the producer behind it. The chef comes to the table with every dish to explain the thinking, which sounds fussy until it isn't. Bread and tea come from the chef's home prefecture of Shizuoka, baked by a classmate, which gives the whole room a quiet, personal logic that most tasting menus only pretend to have.


  96. Rank 522. Gessen

    Chinese

    The awards



  97. Address
    4-5-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan · Tokyo
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5 PM–10 PM

    Reserve
    Make a reservation
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  98. Rank 522. HAGI

    French

    The awards


  99. The awards


    Address
    266 Uekimachi Iwano, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto 861-0136, Japan · Kumamoto City
    Hours

    Closed now, opens Sat 11:30 AM

    Friday 11:30 AM–12:30 PM, 6 PM–7:30 PM

    Online
    Instagram

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Current Location

Metros

Eat Score

The score comes from the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin star outweighs a listicle. When you sort by what's nearby, distance changes the order, never the score.

    How we score →

    Drink Score

    The score comes from the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin star outweighs a listicle. When you sort by what's nearby, distance changes the order, never the score.

      How we score →

      Stay Score

      Four fifths of the score is the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin Key outweighs a listicle. The last fifth is where it is: the ranked places to eat and things to do around it, and how safe the country is. When you sort by what's nearby, distance from you changes the order, never the score.

        How we score →

        Do Score

        The score comes from the awards it's won, weighted by who gave them: a Michelin star outweighs a listicle. When you sort by what's nearby, distance changes the order, never the score.

          How we score →

          Best Place Score

          The Best Place Score rates the area around a point, not any one place. The places are 60% of it: the best of what's within reach, weighed by distance. The setting is the other 40%: how life goes in that country (how people rate their own lives, how long and how well they live, how safe they are) and what it's like right there (the air, and the weather). If the score looks low, we probably haven't found enough critics out here yet.

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