Rakuten Travel: Your Go-To for Japan's Best Hotel & Ryokan Deals
Planning a trip to Japan? Discover how Rakuten Travel offers incredible deals on hotels and traditional ryokans, often beating global competitors. Find your perfect stay!
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Planning a trip to Japan? Discover how Rakuten Travel offers incredible deals on hotels and traditional ryokans, often beating global competitors. Find your perfect stay!
Rakuten Travel
Your Specialist Site for Hotels & Ryokans in Japan
Words & Photos © Global Explorer
As I was planning my latest trip to Japan, I stumbled upon Rakuten Travel while searching for hotels!
While you can book accommodations worldwide, it quickly became clear that this site truly specializes in Japanese hotels and traditional ryokans.
I decided to put Rakuten Travel to the test and compare its prices against other major booking sites. Let's see how much we can save!
[ Table of Contents ] |
1. What is Rakuten Travel? |
2. Advantages of Using Rakuten Travel |
3. Price Comparison with Other Sites |
<Rakuten Travel> is an online accommodation booking platform operated by the Japanese IT giant, the "Rakuten" Group.
As a local Japanese platform, it boasts an impressive selection of accommodations, including Japanese hotels, traditional ryokans, and even stays in smaller, more remote towns that are often hard to find on global hotel booking sites like Booking.com or Expedia. This extensive local inventory is truly its standout feature!
Especially for regions famous for their hot springs like Yufuin, Kurokawa, or Hokkaido, Rakuten Travel offers a much wider selection of ryokans and charming local hotels compared to other platforms.
The platform is specifically tailored for booking Japanese ryokans, providing detailed information that's crucial for your stay. You'll find everything you need to know, making it a specialized platform for truly authentic Japanese experiences!
✔️ Meal plan inclusion (dinner/breakfast)
✔️ Availability of open-air baths (rotenburo)
✔️ Kaiseki (traditional multi-course dinner) availability
✔️ Room types and onsen details
You'll often find lower prices on Rakuten Travel for Japanese ryokans and luxury hotels compared to other sites. Plus, they frequently offer special discounts, like exclusive deals this May 2026, which makes it a must-check when planning your Japan trip!
As you browse the Rakuten Travel site, keep an eye out for the "Japan Quality" mark, which signifies premium Japanese service, and the "Rakuten Travel Awards" mark, granted to top-rated accommodations. These marks are great indicators of excellent service and guest satisfaction, so they're definitely worth considering!
Now, let's dive into a price comparison! (I compared prices for the same date: 07/14/2026)
① Dusit Thani Kyoto
On a major global booking site (let's call it Site A), one night was priced at ~$446, while on Rakuten Travel, it was ~$274 per night!
That's a fantastic saving of over ~$92 with Rakuten Travel!
② Hyatt Regency Kyoto
Here, Site A listed one night at ~$312, and Rakuten Travel at ~$313.
However, with a Rakuten Travel coupon, the price dropped to ~$250, making it about ~$62 cheaper than Site A!
③ Yufuin Luxury Villa Zakuro
Next, I checked out the most expensive option I could find in Yufuin, near Fukuoka, a region famous for its onsens and ryokans.
On Rakuten Travel, one night, including both dinner and breakfast, was ~$1,009. Site A, however, listed it at ~$1,032 without any meals included! This is a significant difference for a luxury stay.
④ Shinjuku Prince Hotel Tokyo
It's important to note that Rakuten Travel isn't always the cheapest option for every single booking. While it often shines for luxury ryokans and upscale hotels, popular city hotels in tourist hubs might sometimes be cheaper on other major global booking sites.
For instance, a one-night stay at the Shinjuku Prince Hotel in Tokyo was:
Site A: ~$162 / Rakuten Travel: ~$167
Ultimately, if you're looking for Japanese ryokans or luxury hotels, <Rakuten Travel> is definitely a strong contender for getting a great deal!
TIP: If you want to quickly compare the lowest prices across different sites for your desired hotel, HotelsCombined can be very convenient!
However, while it lists by lowest price, if you need to see specific room types or detailed options, it's often better to check the individual booking sites directly.
📍 Tokyo Prefecture
Tokyo, Japan
📍 Osaka City
Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
📍 Fukuoka City
Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
📍 Hokkaido
Hokkaido, Japan
📍 Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa, Japan
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As of July 14, Dusit Thani Kyoto was listed on Rakuten Travel for ~$235 per night. This is approximately ~$79 cheaper than Company A's price of ~$383.
As of July 14, Rakuten Travel lists it for ~$866 per night, including dinner and breakfast. In contrast, Company A's price was ~$886, without dinner and breakfast, making Rakuten Travel cheaper and inclusive of meals.
Rakuten Travel often offers better prices than other sites when booking Japanese ryokans or luxury hotels. In particular, it has a wide selection of ryokans in hot spring areas like Yufuin, Kurokawa, and Hokkaido, and the prices are generally favorable.
When booking a Japanese ryokan, you can check details such as whether dinner is included, the presence of an open-air bath, and if Kaiseki cuisine is provided. It also offers specific information tailored for ryokan bookings, including room types and hot spring details.
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