How to choose Airbnb in Japan ?

Which Airbnb accommodation to choose ?


Indeed, what are our criteria ?
     Based on our experiences :

1. Availability of Free WIFI

This is by far the most important because in Shikoku, we were unable to purchase a local travel SIM data card, say for a week or a month. We gave up finding it at local telephone shops after 3 days in Imabari or Matsuyama.
This criterion has become less important (wef 2017) as our local telephone service provider has a good data roaming plan in Japan, and it works well.

2. Free parking on-site

Yes, parking is expensive in Japan. So this is equally important.

3. Entire Home/appartment

Yes, if you like your privacy. It would also be good if the host is living nearby and not miles away, in case you run into problems.

4. Fully equipped kitchen (preferably with conventional oven)

• Yes, if you like to cook. When you see such fresh seafood, wagyu beef, meat or vegetables in the supermarket or seafood shop, well...you may want to try your hand at cooking it your own way. Japanese cuisine for seafood do not vary much, and the sauce they add especially for grilled seafood is just a bit too sweet sometimes.
• Why the conventional oven ? If you want to grill your seafood and eat it naturally just seasoned with salt, well the oven is helpful, though I guess this item is hard to find in a Japanese home. They probably use a microwave oven.

5. Washer, dryer, rice cooker, electric hot thermos pot if possible.


     Budget of course will play a part in your choice of the Airbnb. Already for both of us, using an Airbnb helps us to save money, sometimes by 40 to 60%, as compared to a standard Japanese hotel with on-site parking. Cost savings will be more if you want to stay in a higher class hotel or one with on-site onsen (hot spring) or open-air onsen. It all depends of course on what you are looking for in an accommodation.