The most expensive summer destinations in Japan

The resort town of Shirahama in the Wakayama Prefecture of western Japan has emerged as the country’s most expensive place to stay for visitors this summer. This is according to a new survey by TravelMag.com that compares the cost of accommodation across 40 popular Japanese holiday destinations.

Shirahama Beach (Photo: Henry Burrows via Flickr)

The survey results were compiled by analysing average rates for the cheapest available double room in each of the 40 locations during the month of August. Only 3-star accommodation and above was taken into account.

Boasting a 500-metre white sand beach, Shirahama’s attractions help propel the resort to the top of the survey rankings, with an average rate of $242 for the cheapest available double room. Following closely behind are two mountain towns: Karuizawa ($234), nestled at the foot of the Mount Asama volcano in the Nagano Prefecture, and Hakone ($232), renowned for its stunning vistas of the iconic Mount Fuji.

Despite its reputation as an expensive city, the Japanese capital of Tokyo remains relatively affordable, when it comes to accommodation at least, with an average rate of $91 per night. However, for a truly budget option, tourists should head for the seaside city of Kagoshima, located on Japan’s Kyushu Island, where visitors will find a room for the night for around $50 this August.

The table below compares 40 destinations in Japan this August. The prices shown alongside each location reflect the average rate for the cheapest available double room, in accommodation rated 3 stars and above, for the period of 1–31 August 2016.