Value Village ／ Before you come to Japan
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Japanese hotel rooms surprise on both sides: smaller than expected, and stocked with things most hotels abroad do not provide — pyjamas, a full toiletry kit, a kettle, a bidet toilet. Since 2022, the amenities themselves have been changing.
| Item | Business hotel (¥8,000–15,000) | City hotel / ryokan |
|---|---|---|
| Room size | 10–18 m² (some as small as 10 m²) | 25 m² and up; ryokan rooms sized in tatami mats (8–10 jo ≈ 13–16 m²) |
| Bed | Semi-double (120 cm) for one; twins are two 100–110 cm beds | Double 140–160 cm; ryokan futon on tatami |
| Sleepwear | Yes (pyjamas or a gown) | Yukata at ryokan — worn to dinner and the bath |
| Toiletries | Toothbrush, razor, comb, cotton, shampoo/conditioner/body wash | Same, often a brand |
| Bath | Unit bath: deep short tub, shower over it, wet-room floor | Larger; ryokan have communal baths |
| Toilet | Heated seat with washlet almost universal | Same |
| Extras | Kettle, tea, fridge (empty), free coin laundry or ¥300–500 machines, trouser press | Kaiseki dinner, in-room dining |
[Verify] The plastics law provisions with the Ministry of the Environment; room sizes are typical ranges.
It is the room. Business hotels are designed for one person and a suitcase. If you need space, look for "superior" or "deluxe" grades, or a city hotel.
The opposite. Sleepwear, full toiletries, slippers and a kettle are standard. Bring your own face wash and deodorant (rarely provided), and a larger towel if you want one.
They have moved to the lobby under the plastics law. If you did not see the amenity bar at check-in, ask the front desk.
At ryokan, the yukata is worn to dinner, in the corridors and to the bath — that is what it is for. At business hotels, keep the pyjamas to your room and the laundry corner.
Unit baths are wet rooms: the whole floor drains. Shower with the curtain inside the tub, and use the bath mat provided.
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https://plastic-circulation.env.go.jp/
https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/en/
https://www.ryokan.or.jp/english/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
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