With less than a year to go before Tokyo hosts the 2020 Summer Olympics, it's time to book your accommodations immediately if you're planning on attending.
Prices for what's left are quadrupling. Even if you're still trying to get your hands on tickets, you'll want to figure out your sleeping arrangement as soon as possible.
But what kind of place should you book? Tokyo offers an array of interesting, luxurious and sometimes confusing accommodations for travellers to experience. To decide what's best for you, here's a breakdown of options.
Airbnb
Staying in a Tokyo Airbnb or apartment rental, or minpaku, gives you the chance to pretend to be a local while you're in town. They vary wildly by price point and personality of the rental's host. This option can give you the chance to dive deep into a neighbourhood without many, or any, hotels.
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If you're staying in town a while, book an Airbnb with a washing machine so you can do your laundry seamlessly. Make sure you have access to the internet when you're going to your Airbnb for the first time, as directions to Tokyo homes can be incredibly intricate, requiring heavy use of Google Maps and online help from your host.
Capsule hotel
A capsule hotel offers guests a cubby-like space that usually has just enough room for a twin bed. While ones in Tokyo can normally be as cheap as $20 a night, they're more likely to be around $150 (about R2 000) a night during the Olympics thanks to the rise in demand.
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Keep in mind that these accommodations aren't for everyone. Many require you to climb up into a bunk, or into tricky, narrow spaces, making it difficult or potentially impossible for people with disabilities to access beds.
Hostel
Hostels and capsule hotels are very similar. In the latter, you may have some more privacy with your entire bunk being enclosed. At a hostel you're more likely to be stuck in a dorm-style bunk bed. You'll want to pack an eye mask and earplugs to get the best sleep at a hostel. Prices for a bunk bed in a dorm room are skyrocketing as well, but this may be your cheapest bet for accommodations.
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Hotel
If you have the budget to stay in a hotel, this is going to be your most comfortable accommodation option in Tokyo. Depending on the price point of the hotel, you'll have access to amenities like a hotel gym, breakfast or pool (which may be particularly enticing during the Summer Olympics when Tokyo will be sweltering).
The only downside may be their astronomical Olympics rates. For those who want to stay near the action near the New National Stadium, look for hotels near Shinjuku (like the Hotel Rose Garden), Shibuya (Mustard Hotel Shibuya) and Chiyoda (Sakura Cross Hotel Akihabara).
Love hotel
Love hotels, or rabuho, were built for couples who needed privacy. You can book them for "rest" and for "stay." Rest means you'll get a couple hours, while stay gets you an overnight. Despite their sexual connotations, love hotels that are available for online booking are already filling up, even though they're traditionally accessed on a drop-in basis. Though not reliable, this may be your best bet for a last-minute option when you get to town.
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Cruise ships
To combat Tokyo's room shortage problem on land, temporarily docked cruise ships are being made available to Olympics travelers. This won't be the first time for such a practice, as cruise ships were used as hotels during previous Olympics and even other big sports events like the Super Bowl. The travel company JTB has sold packages to travel agents that will host travelers on the Sun Princess cruise liner.
A perk of this option is that guests can have all of the amenities and social activities of a cruise experience, while having easy access to Tokyo at the same time.
Out-of-town options
With Tokyo's incredible train system, you may want to consider staying somewhere farther out of town and coming in for events and sightseeing. Heading out of Tokyo can give you the chance to stay in traditional inns, known as ryokan, or unique temple stays, known as shukubo.
Getting outside of the city will afford you the opportunity to see Japan's natural beauty, from its stunning mountains to seafood-rich coastlines. Consider buying a Japan Rail Pass before your trip for discounted rates on train travel to give you access to more of the country.