Skip to content

Japan's new tax refund system from November 1, 2026
Your one-stop guide to tourist tax refunds

  1. Home
  2. Blog

Where to stay in Tokyo and Osaka on your first trip

In Tokyo, Shinjuku is the easiest first base: trains and airport buses from both airports, and the Yamanote Line to everywhere. Ueno and Asakusa cost less and are closest to Narita by Skyliner. In Osaka, stay in Namba for food and nightlife, or Umeda for day trips to Kyoto and Kobe. Airport times are from our checks of the operators’ timetables in October 2026.

By Mikako Yoshida ·Published 28 October 2026

Where to stay in Tokyo and Osaka on your first trip
Shibuya, Tokyo · Photo: Syced (CC0)
Shinjuku, Tokyo, at night
Shinjuku, Tokyo, at night · Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA (CC BY 2.0)

Tokyo: which area

AreaGood forFrom the airportKeep in mind
ShinjukuFirst trip; trains in every direction; shopping and nightlifeN’EX from Narita about 85 min; Airport Limousine from Haneda ¥1,400Busy; the streets east of the station are loud at night
ShibuyaShopping, cafés, a younger crowdN’EX from Narita, about 67–85 minHilly side streets with luggage
Ueno and AsakusaLower prices, old Tokyo, Narita flightsSkyliner to Keisei Ueno 41 minQuieter at night; further from Shibuya and Shinjuku
Tokyo Station and GinzaShinkansen day trips, shoppingBus from Narita ¥1,500; N’EX about 55 minFewer budget hotels
ShinagawaHaneda flights and the ShinkansenKeikyu from Haneda from 14 min, ¥330Business district; little nightlife
Kaminarimon gate, Asakusa
Kaminarimon gate, Asakusa · Photo: Christophe95 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choosing in Tokyo

Pick a hotel within a few minutes’ walk of a station on the line you will use most. The JR Yamanote Line loops through Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa, Tokyo, Ueno and Ikebukuro, so any hotel near one of these stations reaches the others without changing trains.

Flying into Narita with lots of luggage, Ueno (Skyliner) or Shinjuku (N’EX or the Airport Limousine to the big hotels) saves a transfer. Flying into Haneda, Shinagawa is the closest by train.

Compare prices: Tokyo hotels on Trip.com, Klook hotels.

Osaka: which area

AreaGood forFrom Kansai AirportKeep in mind
Namba, Shinsaibashi and DotonboriFood, shopping and nightlife; first tripNankai rapi:t 34 min, from ¥1,410Crowded and lively until late
Umeda and Osaka StationDay trips to Kyoto, Kobe and Nara by JRLimousine bus about 60 min, ¥1,800; HARUKA 45 minBig, confusing stations
TennojiLower prices, HARUKA from the airportHARUKA 35 minFewer sights in the evening
Shin-OsakaShinkansen to Tokyo, Hiroshima and FukuokaHARUKA 50 minLittle to see nearby
Universal Studios Japan areaFamilies going to USJBus about 70 min, ¥1,800Far from the city centre

Useful before you fly

eSIM for Japan, installed before you leave home

Airalo Saily Yesim

JR Pass and Shinkansen tickets

Klook KKday

Airport transfer when you have a lot of shopping bags

Klook Trip.com Welcome Pickups

Luggage storage in Tokyo for the hours before an evening flight

Radical Storage

Hotels in Japan

Klook Trip.com

Coupons

Dotonbori and Ebisubashi Bridge, Osaka, at night
Dotonbori and Ebisubashi Bridge, Osaka, at night · Photo: そらみみ (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choosing in Osaka

The Midosuji subway line runs through Shin-Osaka, Umeda, Shinsaibashi, Namba and Tennoji, so a hotel near any of its stations works well. Many visitors stay in Osaka and visit Kyoto by train for the day.

Compare prices: Osaka hotels on Trip.com, Kyoto hotels.

Hotel tax on top of the room price

Tokyo charges ¥100 per person per night for rooms of ¥10,000–14,999 and ¥200 from ¥15,000; from 1 April 2027 it becomes 3% for rooms from ¥13,000. Osaka Prefecture charges ¥200 from ¥5,000, ¥400 from ¥15,000 and ¥500 from ¥20,000. Kyoto charges from ¥200. Check whether your booking includes it; if not, the hotel collects it.

Questions

Shinjuku or Shibuya for a first trip?
Both are on the Yamanote Line and close to each other. Shinjuku has direct airport buses to both Narita and Haneda, which helps with heavy luggage; Shibuya suits shopping and cafés.
Stay in Osaka or Kyoto?
Staying in Osaka and visiting Kyoto by train is common and gives you more choice of hotels. If you will spend most days in Kyoto, staying there saves the daily trip.
Is the hotel tax included in the price?
Sometimes. Booking sites often show it separately or collect it at the hotel. It is per person per night, not per room.

Related guides

Accommodation taxRates by city, with a calculator.Japan trip checklistEntry steps and costs in the order you meet them.Tax refund at the airportWhere to do the customs check when you leave.

Read this next

Narita Airport to central Tokyo: Skyliner, N’EX or the bus?Narita Airport to Ueno, Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Yokohama compared: Keisei Skyliner, JR N’EX, the Limousine Bus, the ¥1,500 bus and taxis, with fares and times. Plus Haneda to central Tokyo.Haneda Airport to central Tokyo: train, bus or taxi?Haneda Airport to Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa, Tokyo Station and Yokohama compared: Keikyu, Tokyo Monorail, Airport Limousine buses and flat-rate taxis, with fares, times and the last trains.Kansai Airport to Osaka and Kyoto: HARUKA, rapi:t or the bus?Kansai Airport to Namba, Umeda, Tennoji, Shin-Osaka, Kyoto and USJ compared: HARUKA, Nankai rapi:t, the Kansai Airport Rapid and the limousine bus, with fares and times. The HARUKA visitor ticket went up on 1 November.Accommodation tax in JapanPer person per night: Tokyo ¥100–200 (3% from April 2027), Kyoto ¥200–10,000, Osaka ¥200–500. Rates for Sapporo, Fukuoka, Okinawa and more, plus a calculator.

More articles

All articles