Month-long trip...Accommodation Options?

My husband and I are planning to spend a month in Japan (probably not until next year), and I was wondering what is the best route to go is as far as accommodations? I'm pretty sure we will stay on Honshu (i.e. probably not visit Hokkaido, etc.). We will definitely be spending at least a week in Tokyo, and would probably like to stay somewhere in or around the city. We will probably visit Kyoto and some other sites (TBD). I am planning to buy a JR pass as well.

My question is, what are our options? Are there apartment-type lodgings that we can rent for a month? I'm just trying to find something cheaper than staying in a hotel. I guess I just don't know what my options are!

If this has been answered before, feel free to point me in the right direction.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys.

Please try to search it in this site.
http://www.hiraganatimes.com/hp/acomo/index.html
Hida takayama of summer is cool.
A Ryokan search site of Hida Takayama.
E-e-ze-na Yado Net Hida Takayama Ryokan＆Hotel Association Official Site
A guest house of Hokkaido
バックパッカーズ ホステル イノーズプレイス 札幌 ゲストハウス 安い宿

Rizu said:

My question is, what are our options? Are there apartment-type lodgings that we can rent for a month? I'm just trying to find something cheaper than staying in a hotel. I guess I just don't know what my options are!
If this has been answered before, feel free to point me in the right direction.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys.

Click to expand...

If you're staying "at least a week in Tokyo," renting a place there for a month doesn't sound logical, especially if you want to visit other cities.

If I were you, I would stay at a business hotel (I like the Hotel Asia Center of Japan in Tokyo, it is nice and reasonable (they have discounted Internet rates)). For other locales, I would recommend ryokans. They are cheap (for the most part) and the Japanese experience is something that shouldn't be missed. You can get accomodation guidebooks for free from JNTO (and maps).

Ryokans are great if you travel with friends. If you travel alone, you might want to shoot for some hostels. It's easier to get good info for your trip that way. Best site for that is www.hostelz.com

I recommend that you make Kyoto as your base in Kansai, as you will see that Kyoto has some of the best rates for hostels/hotels. I tried staying @ Nara once and it was very hard to find any place reasonably cheap.