Hotel

Finding a place to sleep in Japan ranges from capsule pods to centuries-old ryokan with tatami floors and hot spring baths. Check-in is straightforward. Staff are usually helpful, and a handful of phrases covers most situations. This page covers accommodation types, check-in and check-out phrases, room vocabulary, common requests, ryokan customs, and useful hotel words.

Types of accommodation

Type	Japanese	What to expect
Hotel	ホテル	Western-style rooms, front desk 24h at major chains
Ryokan	旅館(りょかん)	Traditional inn with tatami, futon, kaiseki meals, and onsen
Minshuku	民宿(みんしゅく)	Family-run B&B, simpler than ryokan
Guesthouse	ゲストハウス	Budget, social, often shared facilities
Capsule hotel	カプセルホテル	Pod-style sleeping cubicle, usually men-only floors

A ryokan centers on traditional hospitality. Guests wear 浴衣 (yukata), eat 懐石 (kaiseki) dinner in the room, and bathe in 温泉 (onsen). Shoes come off at the entrance; slippers are provided. For many travelers, one ryokan night becomes the highlight of the trip.

Check-in phrases

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
予約(よやく)があります	yoyaku ga arimasu	I have a reservation
チェックインをお願(ねが)いします	chekku in o onegai shimasu	Check-in, please
[Name]で予約(よやく)しています	[Name] de yoyaku shite imasu	I have a reservation under [Name]
パスポートをお見(み)せください	pasupōto o omise kudasai	Please show your passport
朝食(ちょうしょく)は付(つ)いていますか	chōshoku wa tsuite imasu ka	Is breakfast included?

▶Listen: I have a reservation, check-in please ▶Listen: non-smoking room, please

Typical check-in flow:

Staff:  いらっしゃいませ。ご予約はございますか？
        (Welcome. Do you have a reservation?)
You:    はい、予約があります。Smith で予約しています。
        (Yes. Reservation under Smith.)
Staff:  パスポートをお見せください。
        (Please show your passport.)

At arrival, three sentences often cover the basics: 「予約があります。チェックインをお願いします。禁煙の部屋をお願いします。」 (I have a reservation. Check-in, please. Non-smoking room, please.)

You arrive at a hotel front desk with a booking under 'Chen.' The staff asks if you have a reservation. What do you say?

A. はい、Chenで予約していますB. いいえ、禁煙ですC. チェックアウトをお願いしますD. 温泉があります

Mandarin Bridge 中文橋

予約 (yoyaku) = Mandarin 预约 (yùyuē): same characters, same meaning. 部屋 (heya) = “room” in Japanese, but Mandarin uses 房间 (fángjiān). The character 部 appears in both languages but pairs differently. 旅館 = 旅馆 (lǚguǎn): same characters for “inn.”

Room vocabulary

Japanese	Reading	Meaning	Mandarin
部屋(へや)	heya	Room	房间 (fángjiān), different word
鍵(かぎ)	kagi	Key	钥匙 (yàoshi)
シングル	shinguru	Single room	单人间
ダブル	daburu	Double room	双人间
ツイン	tsuin	Twin room (two beds)	双床房
禁煙(きんえん)	kin’en	Non-smoking	禁烟 (same characters)
喫煙(きつえん)	kitsuen	Smoking (room)	吸烟 (same characters)
朝食(ちょうしょく)	chōshoku	Breakfast	早餐 (same concept)
風呂(ふろ)	furo	Bath	风吕 (fēnglǚ), same character
洗(あら)い場(ば)	araiba	Washroom (before bath)	洗 = wash

Memory Trick 記憶のコツ

禁煙 and 喫煙 both end in 煙 (smoke). 禁 means prohibit (non-smoking); 喫 means consume (smoking). When booking, request 禁煙の部屋 (kin’en no heya) unless you specifically need otherwise.

You want a non-smoking room. Which two kanji appear in the phrase, and what does each mean?

Hint: Both characters end in 煙 (smoke).

Think about it... then click to reveal

Common requests

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
Wi-Fiのパスワードは何(なん)ですか	Wi-Fi no pasuwādo wa nan desu ka	What’s the Wi-Fi password?
タオルをもう一(いち)枚(まい)お願(ねが)いします	taoru o mō ichimai onegai shimasu	One more towel, please
エアコンが動(うご)きません	eakon ga ugokimasen	The AC isn’t working
荷物(にもつ)を預(あず)かっていただけますか	nimotsu o azukatte itadakemasu ka	Can you hold my luggage?
早(はや)めのチェックインは可能(かのう)ですか	hayame no chekku in wa kanō desu ka	Is early check-in possible?
追加(ついか)の枕(まくら)をください	tsuika no makura o kudasai	An extra pillow, please
隣(となり)の部屋(へや)がうるさい()です	tonari no heya ga urusai desu	The next room is noisy

False Friend 偽りの友

風呂 (furo) means bath (the room or act of bathing), not a hair dryer. Mandarin 风吕 also means bath. For a hair dryer, ask for ドライヤー (doraiyā).

Check-out

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
チェックアウトをお願(ねが)いします	chekku auto o onegai shimasu	Check-out, please
領収書(りょうしゅうしょ)をください	ryōshūsho o kudasai	Receipt, please
荷物(にもつ)を預(あず)けたいです	nimotsu o azuketai desu	I’d like to store my luggage
タクシーを呼(よ)んでください	takushī o yonde kudasai	Please call a taxi

Standard check-out time is 10:00 or 11:00 AM. Many hotels store luggage for free after check-out, which helps on a final sightseeing day.

Ryokan special vocabulary

Japanese	Reading	Meaning	Notes
畳(たたみ)	tatami	Straw mat flooring	Remove slippers before stepping on tatami
布団(ふとん)	futon	Futon bedding	Laid out for you while at dinner
浴衣(ゆかた)	yukata	Casual cotton robe	Wear to dinner and the bath
温泉(おんせん)	onsen	Hot spring	Natural geothermal bath
大(だい)浴場(よくじょう)	daiyokujō	Shared bathhouse	Gender-separated
懐石(かいせき)	kaiseki	Multi-course dinner	Traditional ryokan meal
座(ざ)敷(しき)	zashiki	Tatami room for dining	Kneel or sit cross-legged

Culture 文化メモ

Onsen etiquette:

1. Fully undress in the changing room. Bathing suits are not worn (except at some resort pools).
2. Wash your body at the shower stations before entering the bath.
3. Do not put towels in the bath water. Place them on your head or at the edge.
4. Tie up long hair so it does not touch the water.
5. Small towels (手拭) are for washing, not for drying off in the bath area.
6. Tattoos: Some onsen ban tattoos. Check in advance or use a private bath (貸切風呂).

At the genkan (entrance), remove shoes and switch to slippers. Remove slippers before stepping on tatami or entering the bathroom.

Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Japan and can cause confusion. Service charges are included in the price. A sincere ありがとうございました at check-out is enough.

Hotel vocabulary (15+ words)

Japanese	Reading	Meaning	Mandarin
予約(よやく)	yoyaku	Reservation	预约 — same!
部屋(へや)	heya	Room	房间
鍵(かぎ)	kagi	Key	钥匙
受付(うけつけ)	uketsuke	Front desk	接待 — same characters
料金(りょうきん)	ryōkin	Charge / fee	料金 — same!
宿泊(しゅくはく)	shukuhaku	Lodging / stay	住宿 (same concept)
泊(はく)	haku	Night (counter)	一泊 = one night
禁煙(きんえん)	kin’en	Non-smoking	禁烟 — same!
朝食(ちょうしょく)	chōshoku	Breakfast	早餐
夕食(ゆうしょく)	yūshoku	Dinner	晚餐
清掃(せいそう)	seisō	Cleaning	清扫 — same!
交換(こうかん)	kōkan	Exchange / replacement	交换 — same!
荷物(にもつ)	nimotsu	Luggage	行李 / 荷物
預(あず)ける	azukeru	To leave / store	寄存
旅館(りょかん)	ryokan	Traditional inn	旅馆 — same!
民宿(みんしゅく)	minshuku	Guesthouse / B&B	民宿 — same!
温泉(おんせん)	onsen	Hot spring	温泉 — same!
浴衣(ゆかた)	yukata	Casual robe	浴衣 — same!

With these phrases, you can handle check-in at a business hotel, a design hotel, or a mountain ryokan without much guesswork.

Key takeaways

• 予約があります and チェックインをお願いします cover most hotel arrivals
• Request 禁煙の部屋 for a non-smoking room — same kanji as Mandarin 禁烟
• Tipping is not expected; a sincere ありがとうございました at check-out is enough

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