An eco hotel, or a green hotel, is an environmentally sustainable hotel or accommodation that has made important environmental improvements to its structure in order to minimize its impact on the natural environment and eco friendly hotels Japan are considered excellent place to hang out for a couple of nights in Tokyo and then beyond in Japan.
Japan is widely considered as one of the most modern and progressive economies countries in the world in regards to their dedication to promote environmental protection. In fact, Japan been particularly responsive to addressing both air pollution and the harmful dangers associated with nuclear power plants
Best Eco Tours in Japan
1. Renaissance Okinawa Resort 5* – Green Hotels Japan
Offering an outdoor pool and an indoor pool, Renaissance Resort Okinawa is located in Onna. Free WiFi access is available in this resort.
The accommodation will provide you with a TV and air conditioning. Complete with a refrigerator, the dining area also has an electric kettle. Featuring a shower, private bathroom also comes with a bath and a hairdryer.
You can enjoy sea view from the room. Extras include a seating area and satellite channels.
At Renaissance Resort Okinawa you will find a restaurant, a private beach area and a fitness centre Other facilities offered at the property include a tour desk, luggage storage and shops (on site).
An array of activities can be enjoyed on site or in the surroundings, including a water park. The property offers free parking.
Overlooking the East China Sea, this upscale beachfront resort surrounded by tropical greenery is 8 km from 15th-century Zakimi Castle and 10 km from Cape Zanpa Lighthouse.
Featuring balconies with sea views, the contemporary rooms have wood furnishings, and come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars.
Upgraded rooms offer private lounge access, while suites have living areas.
Upgraded suites have separate living rooms. Room service and in-room massage services are available.
There are 10 restaurants and bars, including an underwater bar with aquarium windows.
An outdoor pool has waterslides, and water sports equipment is offered.
Daily breakfast & lunch were included with many restaurants and dining options. Food was excellent all around.
We were assigned a beautiful ocean view room with balcony. Bath amenities by L’Occitane was a nice touch.
Hotel is showing its age but well maintained and very eco friendly.
The resort has a private beach, indoor & outdoor swimming pools with slides, tons of marine & water activities which are either complementary or at a discount. Floaties for kids are free.
Towel requires a 100 yen deposit or a room charge. This can be a nuisance to some. The resort has dolphin and stingray habitats near the lagoon area. Interacting with the dolphins was definitely the highlight of our stay especially with our 3-year old daughter.
We also did the sunset yacht sailing. The Market Plaza store carries everything from souvenirs to Okinawan confectionery to Blue Seal ice cream.
This hotel is super kids’ friendly. In the kids welcome pack, the kids can enjoy playing games with the hotel staff to win a present. Young kids like mine are able to find a number of activities to join.
The kids splash area is one of the best site to visit for young kids.
Even some staffs might not be able to communicate well in English, they have tried their best to communicate and help us along our stay.
They were very kind and friendly.
The hotel area and the facilities are very clean and tidy, which is one of the big plus for kids to play.
Most convenient services for a hotel on island for water activities. This place is fun for both kids and adults.
ROOM
Room without a doubt was above average but not the best I have seen or been in. I do have to say though that the view was pretty nice being on the 9th floor. It feels clean and comfortable.
Without a doubt it will be welcomed after a day of water activities.
PARKING
If you stay at the hotel, they will valet your vehicle at no additional cost. I cannot say it is for free as you are paying to stay there.
To pick up your vehicle, you check in with valet and they drop you off.
SERVICE
This is where they make their money. They have their own private beach and pools for guest. Water activities on top of water activities (you can check their site for the full listing)
I did parasailing and dolphin encounter. Both were super fun. Especially the dolphin encounter.
Next time I am looking to do the dolphin ocean adventure (I did not want to start out with the best as there would be nothing to it for next time).
Would highly recommend either activity to anyone.
There is free laundry on each floor with detergent. This can be seen as a necessity considering you will have wet clothes. Even more so if you have kids.
They have three restaurants inside the hotel. You can eat at the Sailfish Café for free for breakfast if you are a hotel guest. Four Seasons will only cost you $10 (1,000 yen).
TIP/OTHER THOUGHTS
If you do not like to be around kids, this place may not be for you. This place is beyond kid friendly just due to all the water activities.
I was here in July and school was out. Needless to say, they were all over the place. Kids do not bother me but I do know some adults that would prefer to be without.
How much does a room costs at Renaissance Okinawa Resort?
Prices start 285$/night for Superior Twin Coast View. The Deluxe Twin Beach View is 377$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for couples.
Where to book online – Renaissance Okinawa Resort – Eco Friendly Hotels Japan – you can find the best eco friendly hotels deals in Japan during Japan Cherry Blossom Festivals which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Japan on Booking.com or Agoda.com or Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
2. TRUNK (HOTEL) 4* – Green Hotel Tokyo
Located a 11-minute walk from JR Shibuya Station, Trunk (Hotel) offers free WiFi throughout the property. A bar and 2 dining options are available at this non-smoking hotel.
A designated smoking area is provided on site.
A 24-hour front desk at this hotel offers concierge service and free luggage storage. Guests can unwind in the shared garden and terrace or shop for souvenirs at the gift shop on site.
All carpeted rooms come with air conditioning, soundproofing and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. For guests’ comfort, a minibar, free toiletries and bathrobes are provided.
Some units include a private terrace or balcony with views as well as a private outdoor dining area.
In a minimalist structure in the trendy Shibuya ward, this eco-chic hotel is 10 minutes’ walk from Meiji-jingumae Station and a 12-minute walk from boutique shopping on Takeshita Street.
Modern, uniquely styled rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, artwork, and designer upcycled furniture, as well as flat-screens and sitting areas; some add balconies or terraces.
Suites offer living rooms, turntables and DVD players, while upgraded suites have kitchens, 8-person dining tables, wine cellars and/or sunrooms.
There’s a stylish restaurant with eclectic fare, a hip bar and a shop.
Local tours and visits with sumo wrestlers can be arranged.
Location is amazing. It’s just minutes walk from almost anywhere interesting in Shibuya.
The hotel is beautifully designed. From its exterior, lobby / bar, restaurants, shop, and rooms.
The design is consistent yet functional. Details are crazy. Overall the design gives us a sense of staying in a private condo rather than a hotel.
Room amenities are so well thought of. We are group of friends staying in the Living Suite.
The suite is complemented with a record player (with selections of vinyl too), a kitchenette / bar (almost like an actual personal bar), mini bar offering is dominated by local snacks and drinks which we love very much.
But the most surprising thing is a projector (yes, literally projector), in the living area, so we spent our nights enjoying our own “mini cinema” inside the suite. How amazing is that?!
Price, for three people, is reasonable considering the location, room space, and also amenities.
The bar is very good and has a great vibe and crowd.
The store is also a highlight. We ended up buying some of the room amenities, socks, kendama, bamboo fan, and some other stuff.
The room was small and had no closet, but it was comfortable & every item was well thought out and had a story that came with it (most made by local artisans and sometimes from upcycled waste, ie the flip flops which you get to take home instead of disposable hotel slippers).
I booked the cheapest room possible but there are 14 other rooms, that looked enticing on booking.com.
Based on TA reviews, I brought my bose noise cancelling headphones but didn’t need to use them, my one night stay was comfortable and I would not mind coming back. (and check out the other room types).
We stayed at the Trunk hotel twice in the past month, and do highly recommend if you like chic design, lively communal spaces, tasty food and cocktails, warm and professional service, and clean, comfortable, well appointed rooms.
The smaller rooms are definitely on the small side, as with any modern hotel in a bustling and popular neighborhood, but the larger rooms with balcony were such a treat!
Location was spot on, in the heart of Shibuya, and the onsite restaurant and breakfast were superb!
If you’re looking for a hip hotel in a great location then Trunk Hotel is the place for you!
The staff was friendly and helpful with any of our needs. The rooms were bright and well designed.
The restaurant was especially nice offering optional gourmet vegan meals with fresh baked breads in the mornings.
I would definitely stay here again, the location was great for exploring shops and restaurants by foot.
How much does a room costs at TRUNK HOTEL Tokyo?
Prices start 321$/night for Standard Double Room.The Living Suite is 1153$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for couples.
This suite has soundproofing, electric kettle and minibar. For guests’ comfort, a sofa and coffee machine are available. 1 king bed is provided.
Where to book online– TRUNK (HOTEL) – Eco Friendly Hotels Tokyo – you can find the best eco friendly hotels deals in Japan during Japan Cherry Blossom Festivals which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Japan on Booking.com or Hotelscombined.com or Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
3. Eco and Tec Kyoto 3* – Green Hotels Japan
Located just a 5-minute walk from , Eco and offers affordable with free Wi-Fi access. Bicycle rental is available for a fee, and free-use machines are provided.
This hotel was selected as one of Top 25 Bargain Hotels in Japan by TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award 2013.
The air-conditioned rooms at Eco and Tec Hotel are all non-smoking, and have flat-screen TVs and private bathrooms with a hairdryer.
Electric kettles and DVD players can be borrowed from the .
Heian Jingu Shrine and the area are a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Chion-in Temple and Yasaka Shrine are also less than a 15-minute walk away.
This no-nonsense budget hotel is a 12-minute walk from Sanjo train station and 2 km from Kiyomizu-dera, a mountainside Buddhist temple.
The unfussy rooms come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screens and mini fridges. Some have tatami mats and futons. Microwaves are offered in some rooms.
Free perks include breakfast, a laundry facility and use of massage chairs. Bike rentals and parking are available for a surcharge.
How much does a room costs at Eco and Tec Kyoto?
Prices start 140$/night for Japanese-Style Room.
This triple room has air conditioning.
Where to book online – Eco and Tec Kyoto- Eco Friendly Hotels Japan – you can find the best eco friendly hotels deals in Japan during Japan Cherry Blossom Festivals which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Japan on Booking.com or Agoda.com or Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
4. Hotel Green Plaza Hakone 4* – Green Hotels Japan
A 3-minute walk from Ubako Station on the Hakone Ropeway and 280 m from Ubako bus stop, Green Plaza Hakone offers open-air hot-spring baths with Mount Fuji views.
The modern rooms include an LCD TV and a private bathroom with bath. Buffet-style meals are served at this hotel.
Each air-conditioned room at Hotel Green Plaza Hakone has a separate seating area with a traditional tatami (woven-straw) floor. A fridge, electric kettle and toiletries are provided.
Ashinoko Lake and Pola Art Museum are both about a 20-minute drive from the hotel. Ubako Hot Spring is a 10-minute drive away, and Hakone Yumoto Train Station is a 35-minute drive.
A 9-minute walk from Ubako Hot Spring, this polished hotel at the foot of Mount Fuji and overlooking Lake Ashi is 7 km from the Hakone Open-Air Museum.
The understated rooms come with free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, plus mini fridges and tea making facilities; some have tatami floors and chabudai dining tables.
Upgraded rooms include private, open-air hot spring baths. A suite has a living room and views of Mount Fuji.
A free breakfast buffet offers Japanese and Western options.
There are 2 elegant restaurants, as well as a gender-segregated, communal bathhouse with indoor and outdoor hot spring pools.
There’s also a spa, and parking is free.
See why so many travelers make Hotel Green Plaza Hakone their onsen hotel of choice when visiting Hakone-machi.
Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a charming setting with an array of amenities designed for travelers like you.
Guest rooms offer a flat screen TV, air conditioning, and a refrigerator, and Hotel Green Plaza Hakone makes getting online easy as free internet access is available.
You can also take advantage of some of the amenities offered by the onsen hotel, including a 24 hour front desk, a concierge, and baggage storage.
In addition, guests can enjoy a hot tub and an on-site restaurant during their visit.
As an added convenience, there is free parking available to guests.
While staying at Hotel Green Plaza Hakone, visitors can check out Owakudani Enmei Jizo (0.8 mi) and Kuzuryu Shrine (1.5 mi), some of Hakone-machi’s top attractions.
While visiting Hakone-machi, you may want to try some dumplings at one of the nearby restaurants, such as Gyoza Center or Chain Hausu.
Our first night we booked the traditional Japanese room with private onsen.
The room was massive and had a separate sleeping area and living area. It could easily fit 6 people in minimum.
The room had a private Japanese garden off the living room and you could see Mt Fuji when standing in the living room.
Bathroom had a shower & bath, with a separate basin.
The toilet has it’s own basin above the cistern and bathroom slippers are provided.
The fixtures and fittings in the bathroom were outdated, but were still functional and added to the charm of a traditional room.
We didn’t use that bath/shower so can’t comment on that as we used the shower in the room next to our private onsen.
No issues with the water temperature or pressure here as it was up to standard.
Our onsen is surrounded by high walls, so there is no view, however it ensured maximum privacy.
It was to perfect way for us to relax after a long bus trip from the the North side of Lake Kawaguchiko.
The room had complimentary tea & snacks to enjoy.
After we returned from dinner (included in our room rate) our futons were already made up so it was nice that we didn’t have to do that.
The dinner was one of best Buffets I’ve ever been too. There was a good balance of western and Asian cuisine. I had the best tuna sushi I’ve ever tasted here. The dessert bar was amazing!
Overall there was something for everybody and they had trays that made it easy to try small portions of everything.
For breakfast, the cuisine was very Japanese heavy, but you could still have toast, fruit, & pastries for breakfast along with some leafy greens.
For our second night we booked the Asian style twin room with open air bath.
The room was very morning and reminded me of an upscale Balinese hotel.
The twin beds weren’t your usual sized twin bed, but were the size of doubles.
The room was a large size and has a large private terrace with shower facilities for your open air bath.
They also provided onsen salts for your bath so you had the same benefits to using an onsen. From the edge of the bath/terrace we also had a view of Mt Fuji.
I used the public women’s onsen on our last morning. Facilities were very clean and there was plenty of lockers available to store my clothes.
There was both an indoor & outdoor onsen.
The outdoor onsen has a great view of Mt Fuji, and was the perfect way to relax before setting out for the day.
There was plenty of beauty products provided for after your onsen.
Outside of the men’s & women’s onsens there is a waiting room with a few vending machines.
The hotel is best accessed from the Ubako station on the Ropeway, however if you are at Togendai you can call the hotel and they can pick you up from there.
We found the service throughout the hotel to be excellent and loved the facilities & food. I hope to return again one day.
How much does a room costs at Hotel Green Plaza Hakone?
Prices start 255$/night for Japanese-Style Room.The Twin Room with Mountain View
is 355$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for couples.
This quadruple room features a electric kettle, air conditioning and seating area.
Where to book online – Hotel Green Plaza Hakone – Green Hotel Tokyo Japan – you can find the best eco friendly hotels deals in Japan during Japan Cherry Blossom Festivals which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Japan on Booking.com or Agoda.com or Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
5. HOSHINOYA Karuizawa 5* – Eco Hotels Japan
In a forested area along the Yukawa River, this upscale hot spring inn dating from 1915 is 2 km from Naka-Karuizawa train station.
Featuring water or forest views, the understated rooms and bungalows provide complimentary Wi-Fi, sitting areas, and balconies or terraces.
Some have wood soaking tubs, fireplaces, sofabeds and/or futons. Upgraded bungalows are set on the waterfront. Room service is available 24/7.
A communal bathhouse with natural hot spring water offers saunas, and indoor and outdoor areas.
Meals are served in a sophisticated dining room. There’s also a spa, and a terrace with river views. .
Karuizawa is a hidden gem very close to Tokyo.
We went on our own little architecture tour looking at all the unique properties dotted within the forests, and decided to stay at Hoshinoya Karuizawa for a peaceful retreat.
Unfortunately, it was rainy season, so we couldn’t do any of the bird-watching or eco walking tours offered by the hotel.
Loved the onsen experience, the kaiseki “zen” meals, wandering around the gardens, and relaxing on the balcony to fresh air… all contributed to a wholesome and wellness retreat experience.
The Hoshinoya brand is luxury that’s not over-the-top, with a unique traditional Japanese touch that you can only experience in Japan, for example offering the experience of zen gardens (designed by experts), and the art of bathing (wearing yukata and geta), Japanese interiors, etc.
All these details well thought out for the guest to have a deeper cultural experience of Japan.
Once you enter this hotel you enter a state of Zen.
The service is very personal, there are no front desk for you to check in, they lead you to a room and there is a girl playing ancient Japanense bells, the melody is so peaceful it truly relaxed your mind.
They give you a drink while you wait for your personal guide to drive you to your villa like room. I have a mountain view room, the water view room was not available when I made the reservation, but I highly recommend the water view rooms.
The room is spacious but traditional Japanese style, you sleep on a futon, so if you are used to mattress bed like me you would find the bed a little hard.
The bathroom is nice with a Japanese cypress wood tub which give out a soothing aroma, but I did not get to use the nice bathtub, because they have a very nice hot spring bath house equipped with sauna, I spend all my bathing hours there.
It is a relaxing vacation, we stayed for two nights, there was coffee and tea in the room, wifi in the room, no TV but I did not miss the TV.
There was so much beautiful scenery to take in. We have breakfast in the hotel, you have a choice to have it in your room (western style or Japanese style) or in the dining room.
For both day we have the full Japanese style breakfast in the dining room, for most Japanese breakfast you probably will have the same thing both day, but in Hoshinoya they put in the extra effort to give us some variety, the first day first course for breakfast was a green salad, the next day was handmade tofu, while I see other having the green salad; then there was fruit, we had watermelon the first day, grapes the second day, but other have watermelon.
Our first impression was the quaintness of Karuizawa town. Located at the base of Mt Asama-yama, Karuizawa was discovered and made a resort by Western inhabitants in Japan in 1800s and slowly became the second home for affluent urbanites to escape the Summer heat of Tokyo or in Winter as a ski resort.
The town is clean, quiet, speckled with western-Japanese styled houses. Hoshino Onsen Hotel, which boasts a 100-year history, was fully refurbished and reopened as Hoshinoya in 2005.
It is the first eco luxury lodge that derives 75% of the power from a geothermal heat pump heating system.
Visitors who are eco conscious can rest at ease at Hoshinoya leaving lesser carbon footprints.
Located at an altitude of roughly 1,000 meters, Hoshinoya provides a perfect escape for urbanites like me and my family.
The main hotel compound is in itself an architectural feast for the eyes, set on an approximate 5 hectare piece of land with gurgling streams running past most of the villas, paddy set on terraced slopes amidst beautiful greenery.
Our room is Niwaroji, 庭路地，set on the first floor facing the forest surrounding Hoshinoya.
It is quieter compared to the rooms beside the streams.
Elegantly and simply furnished in muted colors, it has a spacious bath area with your own Hot-spring Hinoki tub (fits a family of four), a separate WC room, a small wardrobe area, a futon bed-area which can accommodate up to four thick single futons, and a living area. There is a small garden and balcony outside the living area.
We stayed a week for each stay and busied ourselves with nature walking, bird watching, hot spring bathing, biking, bird watching, dining at the many restaurants and leave a day for shopping at the mall near the station.
Hoshinoya has all the works to acquaint any non Japanese visitors to the finer art of relaxing Japanese-styled: “Yukata” (informal Japanese wear) were provided for adults and children, in Winter you also get a warm coat “Haori” to wear over the Yukata, “tabi” socks and “Geta” (木屐/下駄) a form of traditional Japanese footwear that resemble both clogs were also provided in various sizes.
Breakfast time@Hoshinoya is my favorite part of each day. You are seated in the high ceiling dining area lit by natural light coming through massive windows.
Almost every dining area can have viewing access of the scenery outside.
There is a parapet outside the windows for those who wants to be part of the crisp mountain air.
Do not leave Hoshinoya without trying out the 12 course Kaiseki Dinner. The chef will select choice ingredients and each dish is artfully plated to indulge all your senses.
How much does a room costs at Hoshinoya Karuizawa?
Prices start 833$/night for Yamaroji (Mountain Side King). The Mizunami (Water side)
View is 1529$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for couples.
This quadruple room features a electric kettle, air conditioning and seating area.
Where to book online – Hoshinoya Karuizawa – Eco Hotels Japan – you can find the best eco friendly hotels deals in Japan during Japan Cherry Blossom Festivals which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Japan on Hotels.com or Hotelscombined.com or Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
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