Ah, Japan. That far away place, with the allure of pioneering neon-lit cities and arguably one of the best cuisines in the world. It was recently named the number one destination for 2024 by Conde Nast Traveller, and it’s easy to see why.
Of course, there’s the vibrant future-pushing capital city of Tokyo, home to thousands of contemporary sushi restaurants, underground jazz bars and an innovative gin scene. Then there’s the imperial city of Kyoto with an abundance of centuries-old Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.
SIX SENSES KYOTO
There’s the ever-popular Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, that’s surrounded by blooming pink cherry blossoms between late March and early April. The city of Osaka, better known as Japan’s kitchen, is where you can indulge in authentic street food all day long and top it off by belting your heart out in a karaoke bar. Lesser known destinations like the historic city of Nara are also not to be sniffed at – a city, once Japan’s capital, only an hour away from both Osaka and Kyoto, where you can wander freely alongside hundreds and hundreds of sacred deer.
Japan is also home to some of the world’s best ski resorts, like Hokkaido, also known for its volcanoes and natural hot springs. Not forgetting, of course, Japan’s tropical sandy white beaches – unexpected I know – but Okinawa, a cluster of 150 islands has an abundance of picture perfect beaches surrounded by crystal clear azure waters that resemble Hawaii. Japan is seriously a destination that has it all.
The best hotels in Japan at a glance:
- Best new hotel in Japan: The EDITION Tokyo Ginza
- Best hotel in Osaka: W Osaka
- Best hotel for ancient temples: JW Marriott Nara
- Best Japanese beach hotel: Halekulani Okinawa
- Best traditional Japanese Ryoka: Nishimuraya Honkan
Last year, I was fortunate enough to visit Japan. It had always been lurking at the top of my bucket list when it came to ultimate travel destinations. My trip had the biggest reaction among friends, family and colleagues – pretty much everyone is desperate to visit Japan. Evidently, it’s one of the top five long-haul destinations among Gen-Z Brits according to Tourism Australia. And travel operators like Travelsphere and Just You have seen bookings to Japan rise by 50% year-on-year. We get it, she’s popular! At the moment, the Japanese Yen is weak to the Pound, so 2024 is an opportune time to tick this dream destination off of your bucket list.
How we chose the best hotels in Japan:
Every hotel in this feature has been independently selected by our well-travelled editors who have been to Japan and either stayed at the hotel’s themselves or alternatively deep-dived into the property with research. When GLAMOUR is selecting its best hotels, we’re always on the lookout for a great location, an excellent standard of service, eye-catching design from the outside in, any facilities a GLAMOUR reader would love like a spa or wellness centre and we consider the gastronomy and mixology – and last but not least, we look into each hotel’s sustainability credentials. We are constantly updating this list as and when new exciting hotels launch or one of our editors stay at a hotel worthy of being included.
Save when booking your next Japanese adventure with promo codes from Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb.
After another destination? Book the best hotels in Puglia, best hotels in Ibiza, best Amalfi Coast hotels, best hotels in Miami and the best hotels in the Maldives.
Ahead, we’ve reviewed all the best hotels in Japan for 2024.
For more from Glamour UK Senior Visual Editor Chelsea Hughes, follow her on Instagram @chelshughes92.
Chelsea Hughes
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