I did a post about the Koraku Garden Hotel in Iidobashi when I went there for training. Since I stayed in another Japanese hotel recently, the Crane Hotel in Hitachi, Japan, I figured that I’d make another post that was just a little different. This time, I decided to do a picture post along with two short videos showing what an average Japanese hotel is like. I wouldn’t say these are upscale hotels by any means. If anything I’d say they’re the “slightly-on-the-cheaper-side hotels.” Nevertheless, despite being your lower-middle to mid quality hotels, I think the pictures and videos can shed some light on what it’s like to be in a Japanese hotel:
The Hotel Crane building.
Hotel Crane. Hitachi, Japan 2011.
The Hotel Crane Lobby.
This was a paid cell phone charger that was located in the hotel's lobby. I couldn't stop looking at this thing for some reason.
The hotel room walkway. Nothing super special here, just some hangers and a mirror. The green plastic piece is a little device used to help you put on your shoes more easily.
The hotel room main area. The bed was pretty comfortable and just big enough for me to fit on. You also see the towel and robe folded on the bed, pretty customary for most Japanese hotels, I think.
Another look at the hotel room main area. This particular room had a plastic beam near the window, which made it very convenient to hang clothes.
The towel, hand towel, and robe. The robe actually fit this time around...I was quite surprised.
Do you know what this is? If you say a small tampon, I'm going to be highly upset with you LOL. It's actually a tiny tube of Japanese toothpaste...barely enough for two uses.
The television and phone. The TV was made by Hitachi. So I taught in Hitachi, at the Hitachi company, and the electronic devices in the hotel were mostly made by Hitachi.
Another angle of the hotel room. Not very big, but enough to do what you need to do.
The television and phone. The TV was made by Hitachi. So I taught in Hitachi, at the Hitachi company, and the electronic devices in the hotel were mostly made by Hitachi.
A small desk area with an internet connection. If you need a cable to connect to the internet, the front desk should have one. You can just say インターネットケーブル おねがいします or INTA-NETTO CA-BERU ONEGAISHIMASU!
Air conditioning remote-control and light switches.
This it the hotel room air-conditioning unit.
The hotel bathroom. Again, it's really small, but it has everything you need to take care of things when nature calls, to brush your teeth, wash your hair (or your head in my case), and take a shower.
Hotel-provided body soap and shampoo.
Shower Faucet. Rotating this little dial sends the water to the faucet or the shower. Nothing new here, probably just like it is in your hometown.
The shower head. Simple. Effective.
The Almighty Washlet! These dials are the keys to the ultimate toilet experience. The dials control the toilet's bidet function. In the U.S. I don't remember these being very common. I don't know if things have changed or not. If you're not familiar with a bidet, it's a like a fountain for cleaning your backside after you do your business (was that explanantion clean enough for you?).
Why I took a picture of the bathroom trash can, I can't really say. I guess I liked the flower on it or something.
Thanks for looking!
Donald Ash
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This is pretty interesting Donald-san. ^ ^ The trashcan is cute. How’s your head doing btw?
Thank you Nanami, I always appreciate your feedback. My head is healing nicely
Thanks for asking.
I’m glad on both accounts! You’re such a sweetheart. ^ ^
Side note: I sent off the last of my materials to the Uni. Hopefully I will hear back soon.
Thanks, Nanami. I’m rooting for you. I hope thinks work out better than you expect them to.
I experienced one of these ‘businessman hotels’ during my travels. I remember the entire bathroom except for knobs and the toilet lid were one single piece of molded fiberglass, and if you leaned forward while sitting on the toilet you would bang your head into the door. My boss was 6’8″ and had to get on his knees to shave.
WOW! I’ve heard of the business hotels but haven’t gotten a chance to stay in one…sounds pretty tiny, Kurt. I feel so bad for your boss. Being 6’8″ in Japan? He must’ve felt like Gulliver in the land of all things small. That shaving thing must have been a pretty funny sight, though.
Best part was when we were walking together everyone would stare at him instead of me! I’m only 5’11″ but kind of built like a linebacker so I would stand out as well….not with him around!
Yeah, the hotel room was so small I had to stack two chairs on top of a small table to make room for the huge bag I carried. And watch out for the minibar…I pulled out a beer just to look at it and ‘surprise!’…a spring loaded latch pops out SO YOU CAN’T PUT IT BACK! That was an unplanned 700 yen to expense.