How To Book Cheap Hotels In Japan: 20-30% Less Hack!

The Power of Hidden Deals: Using Hotwire

One of the best-kept secrets for how to book cheap hotels in Japan is Hotwire. An American-based discount booking platform owned by Expedia.

Unlike typical booking sites like trivago or Rakuten Travel. Hotwire specializes in selling unsold hotel rooms at deeply discounted prices — sometimes up to 60% off the standard rate.

How Does Hotwire Work?

Anonymous Booking: Unlike other platforms the name of the hotel remains hidden until after the booking is complete. While you won’t know the exact name of the hotel before booking. You’ll have access to key details like the hotel’s star rating, location, and guest reviews.

Why Does This Work? High-end hotels are reluctant to publicly advertise discounted rates as it could harm their brand image. Instead, they list their unsold rooms anonymously on Hotwire, allowing them to fill vacant rooms discreetly.

Who Benefits? Travelers who are flexible with hotel names but still want high-end stays at bargain prices. Many prestigious hotel chains like Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott participate in this system.

Hotwire Key Benefits

Massive Discounts: Save up to 60% on hotels, especially in huge cities like Tokyo and Osaka.

Luxury Stays: Even high-end hotels that normally maintain strict brand value participate anonymously.

Extra Coupons: Sign up for Hotwire’s newsletter or use the app to get exclusive coupons for additional savings.

Hotwire Drawbacks

No Cancellations: Once booked, you can’t cancel or modify your reservation.

Hotel Name Hidden: If you have a specific hotel in mind, Hotwire may not be the best option.

TOCOO! – Wholesale Prices for Hotels & Ryokan

TOCOO! is a game-changer for how to book cheap hotels in Japan, they offer access to “wholesale prices”. Usually for hotels and ryokan at rates that would only be available to industry insiders.

What Makes TOCOO! Special?

55% Off or More: Offers high-end ryokan and luxury hotels at up to 55% off.

“Tokoo City” Sale. Every weekday at 9 PM, TOCOO! releases a list of hotels and ryokan. Guests can book stays for as little as 109 yen (yes, you read that correctly — less than $1 USD).

No Hidden Fees: Unlike other booking platforms, you see the full cost upfront.

TOCOO! Strategy Tips

Check the site at 9 PM every weekday for 109 yen deals.

Focus on weekdays rather than weekends for better availability of deals.

Sign up for an account to access more exclusive promotions.

yoyaQ.com – Last-Minute Booking Mastery

If you’re traveling on short notice, yoyaQ.com is a site you’ll want to bookmark. It focuses on last-minute hotel deals and same-day bookings, with deals that sometimes rival Hotwire.

How yoyaQ.com Works

Last-Minute Sales: Many hotels release unsold rooms at ultra-low prices on yoyaQ.com for travelers booking on the same day.

Exclusive Deals: Look for “same-day reservation-only” and “last-minute sales” for significant price cuts.

Filter By Preferences: Filter by location, star rating, and amenities, just like other booking platforms.

Best Tips for yoyaQ.com

Check around 4 PM – 6 PM when hotels start listing same-day deals.

Look for “direct booking only” options as they’re often cheaper than reseller listings.

Plan for weekday check-ins for the biggest discounts.

Ikyu.com & Relux – The Go-To Sites for Luxury Hotels

For upscale hotels, Ikyu.com and Relux are the best platforms for booking luxury hotels in Japan. They cater to a more exclusive market, with a focus on premium hotels, resorts, and high-end ryokan.

Why Use Ikyu.com?

Direct Discounts: Ikyu often has better prices than the official hotel website or Rakuten Travel.

Exclusive Perks: Gold and Diamond Members receive special treatment. Such as free champagne, complimentary breakfast, and free late check-out.

Large Hotel Network: Ikyu is one of the largest booking platforms in Japan, with partnerships with 5,000+ luxury hotels.

Why Use Relux?

Relux focuses on high-end boutique hotels and ryokan.

Often partners with credit card companies to offer exclusive cashback deals and perks.

Ideal for travelers looking for a tranquil and refined experience.

How to Maximize Benefits

Upgrade to Gold Membership (spend 50,000 yen in 6 months) for special discounts.

Use Credit Card Perks: Relux offers cashback or extra discounts when using certain credit cards.

Comparison Sites: Find the Best Price with Trivago & Bestrate

Save time comparing rates across multiple booking platforms using Trivago and Bestrate.

Trivago: The Universal Price Checker

Compares prices from over 150 booking sites at once, including Expedia, Rakuten, and Agoda.

Allows you to sort by price, guest reviews, and distance from the city center.

Bestrate: Where to Book Your Favorite Hotel?

Focused on helping you find the cheapest rate for a specific hotel.

Unlike Trivago, it tells you which platform (Expedia, Rakuten, etc.) offers the best rate.

Best for travelers who already have a hotel in mind.

Insider Tips & Tricks

Membership = Power

Platforms like Ikyu.com and TOCOO! require you to create an account to access the best deals.

Consider upgrading to a Gold member on Ikyu.com if you plan to book a lot.

Book at the Right Time

For same-day bookings, check yoyaQ.com after 4 PM for last-minute deals.

For deeper discounts on high-end hotels, use Hotwire’s “Hot Rate” feature.

Cancellation Policies

Be aware of non-refundable bookings on Hotwire, TOCOO!, and yoyaQ.com.

Check if your credit card offers travel protection to avoid issues with cancellations.

Which Platform Should You Use?

Final Thoughts

With the right tools and strategies, finding how to book cheap hotels in Japan is not only possible but also surprisingly simple. Use platforms like Hotwire, TOCOO!, and yoyaQ.com to unlock secret deals on luxury hotels. Combine this with the benefits of Ikyu.com and Relux for exclusive perks and VIP treatment.

Use these powerful hacks, and you’ll be well on your way to booking 20-30% cheaper stays at Japan’s best hotels.

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Conventional Booking Methods

When booking a hotel, there are two common methods that most people use:

• Booking through the hotel’s official website.
• Booking through hotel reservation websites like Rakuten.

Generally, booking directly through the hotel’s official website is the cheapest option. That’s because reservation websites charge a commission fee. However, there are many reservation websites, and they often compete to offer lower prices on their own sites.

By comparing prices between reservation websites and official hotel websites, you can often find cheaper rates. For reservation websites, Agoda and Rakuten often offer competitive prices.

Secret Tips for Hotel Reservations

Since many people may already be aware of these methods, we’ll share one secret tip here:

“It depends on which country you book from; the same hotel can have different prices.”

Around the world, there are many countries with varying price levels. Reservation websites often change prices based on things like IP addresses and cookies. They charge higher prices to people from countries with a high cost of living. In contrast, they offer lower prices to those from countries with a low cost of living.

By using reservation websites from a country with a lower cost of living, you can book hotels for less. However, if you simply book a hotel, your IP address will indicate that you are accessing the website from Japan. This is where a VPN (Virtual Private Network) comes in.

What Is a VPN?

The primary purpose of a VPN is to prevent information leakage. While many hotels offer free Wi-Fi, connecting directly can be risky. Third parties could steal and misuse your smartphone or PC’s information.

When you use a VPN, you create a secure and encrypted connection. This connection goes through a virtual tunnel that others cannot see. This enhances security and privacy.

Why You Can Book Hotels at a Lower Price with a VPN?

VPN companies have servers located worldwide. Then they will connect to these servers, creating a secure connection. Effectively hiding our real location.

For example, if we connect to a server in South Korea via VPN, while physically in Japan. It appears as though we are accessing the internet from South Korea. Connecting to a server in a country with a lower cost of living, can potentially help you find better deals.

However, we recommend that you use reservation websites that are used globally. Not Japanese-specific sites like Rakuten or Ikyu. This is because Japanese sites may not have international pricing options.

For this purpose, you can use global reservation websites like Agoda and Booking.com. Websites which constantly adjust prices for different countries.

Domestic Hotel Example

Let’s take the Park Hyatt Tokyo as an example:

Without VPN:

Price: 153,086 yen

With VPN connected to a server in Turkey:

Price: 120,700 yen

As you can see from the screenshots, simply using a VPN connection saved us approximately 30,000 yen.

How to Book Hotels Cheap Hotels in Japan with a VPN

1. Check the hotel’s official website to confirm the regular price.
2. Open Agoda, and check the Japanese price for the same hotel.
3. Connect to a VPN server in a country with a lower cost of living. (Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Turkey, etc.).
4. Open Agoda again, and recheck the hotel’s price. Make sure the VPN stays connected.

By connecting to servers in several countries, you can find the best deal. This process allows you to discover lower hotel rates. With some luck, you can find significantly cheaper accommodations. We encourage you to try out this secret trick!