The TravelClassroom

Do you need snow tires for self-driving in Japan during winter? This article will explain this question and also introduce how to ensure you rent a vehicle equipped with snow tires when renting a car in Japan. Most parts of Japan experience snowfall in winter. In areas with heavy snowfall, such as Hokkaido and Tohoku, rental cars in winter will definitely have snow tires. However, in places like Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Kyushu, rental car companies usually do not install them by default, but they can be added as an option when renting.   Article Contents I. Self-Driving in Japan

Holiday Inn Osaka Namba was formerly known as Hotel Vista Grande Osaka. A few years ago, it was acquired by the IHG group and renamed Holiday Inn Osaka Namba, with the Japanese name being 「ホリデイ・イン大阪難波」. Holiday Inn Osaka Namba is quite impressive in terms of location, quality, room size, and other aspects, and the price is relatively cheap. It absolutely qualifies as one of the hotels with the highest cost-performance ratio in the Namba and Shinsaibashi areas.   I first stayed at this hotel in 2012 and then again in 2013, and it left a very good impression. However, during

Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka was another hotel I stayed at in Osaka last Christmas. There were several reasons for choosing Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka, including the convenience of taking the airport bus directly from Kansai Airport to the hotel, easy access to Universal Studios Japan the next day, and the convenience of picking up a rental car from the nearby Nissan Rent-a-Car office later. Of course, the quality of Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka is also quite good, and its proximity to Namba and Shinsaibashi was another reason for choosing it. As Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka performs well in all aspects,

Hotel Nikko is one of Japan’s longer-established hotel chains, and Hotel Nikko Osaka is one of the earlier opened hotels within the Nikko Hotels International group. It is a relatively high-end traditional business hotel, located opposite the Daimaru Shinsaibashi department store and connected to the subway station, offering a super convenient location. Additionally, the hotel is one of the stops for the Kansai Airport limousine bus, making travel to and from the airport very convenient if the timing aligns.   I’ve been to Osaka over ten times in recent years and always prefer staying in hotels in Namba or Shinsaibashi.

The Japanese Dormy Inn hotel chain launched a new hotel series in 2016 called “Onyado Nono” featuring a Japanese-style aesthetic. As of October 2025, there are a total of fourteen “Onyado Nono” series hotels across Japan, with two each in Tokyo and Osaka. Since 2016, I have stayed at three Onyado Nono hotels: the “Onyado Nono Sakaiminato” (天然温泉 夕凪の湯 御宿 野乃 境港) in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, the “Onyado Nono Namba” (天然温泉 花風の湯 御宿 野乃なんば) in Osaka, and the “Onyado Nono Asakusa Bettei” (天然温泉 凌天の湯 御宿 野乃浅草 別邸) in Tokyo.   The “天然温泉　境港　夕凪の湯　御宿　野乃” in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, was the first Onyado

Cross Hotel Osaka(Cross Hotel Osaka) was the first hotel I stayed at in Japan, and it remains the only Japanese hotel I’ve stayed at five times. The primary reason I like Cross Hotel Osaka is its superb location, incredibly convenient for shopping in the Shinsaibashi and Namba areas. Additionally, the hotel’s interior design is very fashionable, making it a comfortable place to stay. The fact that I chose to stay here on five separate trips to Osaka speaks volumes – Cross Hotel Osaka is definitely one of the top recommended accommodations in Osaka.   Cross Hotel Osaka opened in 2006.

Staying in Shirakawago during the annual Shirakawago Light-Up Event held from January to February is one way to obtain tickets for the Tenshukaku Observatory. There are over 40 minshuku (guesthouses), ryokan (inns), and hotels within Shirakawago’s Gassho-zukuri Village, most of which can be booked through the accommodation reservation system on the Shirakawago Tourist Association website. If you wish to stay in the Gassho-zukuri village on a light-up day, booking is exclusively possible through the Shirakawago Tourist Association website. This article will guide you on how to use the Shirakawago Tourist Association website to book accommodation in Shirakawago.   Tip: During