By Dear Gay People,
Shake off the notion that Japan is horrendously overpriced and out of reach for the average person to travel to. Having been through the ‘Lost Decade’, Tokyo, and much of the rest of Japan, have gotten rid of her swanky facade and has since become a relatively affordable holiday destination.
For the ‘gay’ area in Tokyo, look no further than the area of Ni-chome in Shinjuku ward. Touted as Tokyo’s hub of gay subculture, it houses the world’s highest concentration of gay bars. Served by over ten different lines, the area of Shinjuku itself is as central a location in Tokyo one can get. And lucky for you, there’re plenty of queer friendly hotels in the area, all for under USD $200 a night!
1. Capsule Hotel Anshin Oyado Shinjuku: Male-Only Luxury Capsule Hotel
You can’t say you’ve been to Tokyo unless you’ve stayed at one of their famed capsule hotels.
While capsule hotels were originally built for budget conscious travellers, Capsule Hotel Anshin Oyado is a luxury capsule hotel boasting quality amenities not usually found in capsule hotels such as an in-house hot spring, a mist sauna, complimentary hot drinks and pods that are larger than usual.
Best part is that it’s a male only establishment conveniently located 2 minutes away from JR Shinjuku Station. Equipped with a 24-hour reception, laundry facilities and even a clothing shop, Capsule Hotel Anshin Oyado is quite a steal from just JPY 6,180 a night!
Address: 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 4 Chome – 2 – 10
Getting there: 2 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station Central Exit.
Contact: +81 3-6856-3222
Price:
From JPY 6,180/night / USD$56 for a Single;
From JPY 8,980/night / USD$81 for a Single & a kimono photoshoot.
2. Shinjuku Kuyakusho-mae: Male-Centric Budget Capsule Hotel
If you’re gunning for a capsule hotel experience but not willing to splurge too much on it, Shinjuku Kuyakusho-mae would be our recommendation of choice. Predominantly a male-only establishment, they have one female-only floor.
Situated just a 5-minute walk away from the gay party scene in Ni-Chrome, Shinjuku Kuyakusho-mae has over 300 capsules for solo travellers. Apart from basic amenities such as lockers and a shared bathroom, Shinjuku Kuyakusho-mae also boasts a spa, sauna as well as a massage service.
Address: 3/F Toyo Bldg, 1-2-5 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku
Getting There: 7-minute walk from Shinjuku metro station
Contact: +81 3-3232-1110
Price:
From JPY 2,000 / USD$18 for a single
3. APA Hotel Shinjuku Gyoenmae – Upscale Hotel With Inhouse Jacuzzi & Spa!
For those of you with a bit more money to blow, you might want to consider throwing some cash at APA Hotel Shinjuku Gyoenmae.
Having personally stayed at this modern upscale hotel before, I can personally testify that your cash will be well-spent here. For starters, the rooms in APA Hotel are larger than the normal cubicle sized ones found in most Japanese hotels of this price range. The in-house jacuzzi is large enough for you to soak in with your bae, and with its warm waters, soothe all your tired muscles from clubbing and shopping in Shinjuku.
Address: 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 2 Chome – 2 – 8
Getting there: 10 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station South East Exit.
Contact: +81 3-5369-3622
Price:
From JPY 20,000 / USD$180 for a Double with breakfast;
From JPY 22,000 / USD$198 for a Twin.
4. Tokyu Stay Shinjuku – Instagrammable Rooms Hipsters Will Love
Those of you with a penchant for clean white walls will love the rooms at Tokyu Stay Shinjuku.
Located just opposite the Arty Farty and the Dragon Men clubs, the Shinjuku branch of the Tokyu Stay hotel chain offers guests minimalist chic themed rooms with its whitewashed walls and light-wood furnishings.
Perfect for taking that mandatory hotel room selfie, these rooms are literally screaming at you to Instagram them!
Address: 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 3 Chome – 7 – 1
Getting there: 10 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station Central Exit.
Contact: +81 3-3353-0109
Price:
From JPY 18,889 / USD$170 for a Double;
From JPY 19,444 / USD$175 for a Twin.
5. Hotel Tateshina: Homestay Experience Reminiscent Of A Taiwanese Minsu
Tucked away inside a small 5 storey building in a small alley, this is the closest you can get to a homestay in Shinjuku.
Hotel Tateshina reminds this writer of a typical minsu in Taiwan or the countryside villages in Japan – think patterned bedsheets, tatami mats on the floor, homecooked breakfasts in the morning by the hotel’s owners, and you get the general idea of the hotel.
Address: 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 5 Chome – 8 – 6
Getting there: 10 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station Central Exit.
Contact: +81 3-3350-5271
Price:
From JPY 17,508 / USD$157 for a Standard double with Japanese/ western styled breakfast;
From JPY 18,480 / USD$166 for a Japanese styled room with breakfast.
6. Hotel Listel Shinjuku – Best Hotel Service I Ever Received
This Japanese business hotel is not exactly in the gay neighbourhood, but it is an easy 5 to 7 minutes walk away. The reason why this hotel made it onto my list is because it exemplifies Japanese hospitality at its best. When this writer stayed here a few years ago, he was suffering from a bad case of flu. The front desk staff, noticing it when he checked in, offered him some flu medicine for FREE that very night!
So while the location of the hotel may not be as ideal as compared to the rest, quality service is something you cannot put a price tag on!
Address: 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 5 Chome – 3 – 20
Getting there: 15 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station East Exit.
Contact: +81 3-3350-0123
Price:
From JPY 17,120 / USD$154 for a Double with breakfast;
From JPY 19,280 / USD$173 for a Twin.
7. City Hotel N.U.T.S – They Have In-room Jet Baths!
Save yourself a trip to the onsen by indulging in the in-room jet baths of City Hotel N.U.T.S! The whirlpool jet bath in the hotel rooms allow you to experience the whirling sensations of a jet bath at prices that are hardly a fraction of onsen resorts elsewhere.
Best part is that this hotel is in close proximity to the gay district, located in the neighbouring section and just a 12 minute walk from Shinjuku Station Central Exit.
Address: 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 1 Chome – 16 – 5
Getting there: 12 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station Central Exit.
Contact: +81 3-6908-3566
Price:
From JPY 16,100 / USD$145 for a Double;
From JPY 16,700 / USD$150 for a Twin.
8. Hotel Park Inn Shinjuku – Literally Steps Away From The Gay Bars.
For those of you whose sole purpose in Tokyo is to explore the gay clubs, then Hotel Park Inn Shinjuku would be your best bet. The location of Hotel Park Inn Shinjuku makes it perfect for an alcohol fuelled vacation in Tokyo.
Its close proximity to the gay bars like Arty Farty and Dragon Men means that you can bring back boy(s) whilst stopping by the convenience store next door for some, erm, supplies.
Address: 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 1 Chome – 36 – 5
Getting there: 10 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station Central Exit.
Contact: +81 3-3354-9000
Price:
From JPY 8,500 / USD$76 for a Double;
From JPY 11,500 / USD$103 for a Twin.
9. Hotel Via Inn Shinjuku – Japanese Hospitality That Goes The Extra Mile
Though not a well known hotel chain, Via Inn prides itself on providing Japanese hospitality that is worthy of a five-star hotel. A friend had commented that on his stay there, he had bumped into the female receptionist who had handled his check in at a convenience store nearby. Upon seeing that it was raining and that he didn’t have an umbrella with him, the receptionist offered him her umbrella to go back to the hotel!
Now that’s five star service.
Address: 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 5 Chome – 11 – 16
Getting there: 5 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station East Exit.
Contact: +81 3-3226-5489
Price:
From JPY 15,300 / USD$137 for a Double;
From JPY 17,300 / USD$155 for a Twin.
Special Mention: 24 Kaikan – Next Level Japanese Sauna
OK, this writer sort of cheated; 24 Kaikan is not a hotel. It is essentially, a gay sauna located right smack in the middle of the gay district. BUT… you can technically spend a night here if you want.
With eight whole floors housing every facility imaginable – think dry saunas, steam rooms, communal baths, video rooms, open showers, lockers, private cabins, a BDSM room (!) and rooftop jacuzzis and tanning beds – 24 Kaikan easily puts most other gay saunas to shame.
Address: 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 2 Chome – 13 – 1
Getting there: 8 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station Central Exit.
Contact: +81 3-3354-2424
Price:
Entry fee: JPY 2,500 / USD$22 before 9pm; JPY 2,900 / USD$26 after 9pm. Allows you to stay for a period of 12 hours and 14 hours respectively.
This writer hopes that this list of accommodation options in gay-friendly Tokyo will make planning for your trip to Tokyo that much more easier.
All accommodation options listed in this article are all conveniently located around the area of Shinjuku Ni-chome. After all, the last thing you want after a wild night out is to take an expensive cab ride back to your hotel.
If you know of any other accommodation options that we missed out on, let us know in the comments section below! If not, safe travels!
Written by Nicholas Woo
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