Concept cars tend to look so futuristic and progressive that they never make it into production in the same shape they were showcased at car shows. Shiki-Shima train is the concept car of trains, but somehow it managed to get approved by the East Japan Railway Company, and now anyone …

Maebashi, the city of water, greenery, and poets, has seen a remarkable transformation from silk-manufacturing to being a pioneer in Japan's modernization. Shiroiya Hotel has seen a similar metamorphosis from a Japanese ryokan (inn) with 300 years of history into an inspirational contemporary creation. The original inn's rough concrete walls …

A mere four minute walk from the Namba Subway Station in Osaka is Japan’s famous spa capsule hotel. Unlike normal hotels where you book a self-contained room, the Capsule Hotel offers brand new spacious sleeping capsules with a bed and a wall mounted television. You will also get a locker …

Japan is known for its eccentricities and unique innovations. One such innovation is their use of limited space as seen in the Capsule Hotel Rumor Plaza. It is a male-only hotel with a communal sauna as well as a shared bathroom, lounge, smoking area, and dining area. Rather than booking …

Hoshi Ryokan is the second [oldest hotel in the world](https://www.uniqhotels.com/nishiyama-onsen-keiunkan); first opening its doors in 717. Legend has it that the great Buddhist teacher, Taicho Daishi saw a vision while traveling in the local area. In his vision, a great deity made it known to him that nearby was a …

This hotel is eco all over. Set in the thrall to of a rocky volcano, the hotel harnesses the sulfuric heat generated below the soil to create geothermal power. It also captures the flow of fast streams and rivers to create hydroelectricity. Special “onsen” (Japanese hot springs) are available for …

This compact luxury inn or “ryokan” is situated in a perfect location with mountains falling like curtains behind small valleys and rivers. The inn has balconies where you can relax and take in the amazing Japanese countryside. There is a nearby train station, so you will easily be able to …

Your room is one of the largest you will find in Tokyo. And this hotel has so many suites, conference centers, and ballrooms; who could resist the chance to get lost in such space-age opulence! Make sure you don’t miss The Void which is their abstract art installation. But take …

Minimalism meets reclaimed structures in a pretty Japanese harbor. Visionary architects, Yasutaka Yoshimura, have based their design for chic holiday cottages on ship’s containers. The containers are stacked on top of each other to create two floors. One end is all glass, and the walls are white to reflect light …

This capsule hotel is unusual because it is male-only. Sorry girls. I’m not sure why it is single-sex but aside from that, this capsule hotel is fairly typical of its kind. Expect to leave your shoes at the door, put your things in the locker room, and take advantage of …

Popular with travelers and drunk businessmen, the Japanese capsule hotel has caught imaginations all around the world and this is the original – first opening its doors in 1979. You will need to put your shoes away and change into slippers on arrival and then you are shown to your …