Business hotel or apartment-style stay
A longer trip means laundry, suitcases and tired legs, and the room matters more.
Hotels, ryokan and rooms
Laundry on a Japan trip
You would like to pack light, and still have clean clothes after a week away.
Plan one laundry stop in the middle of your trip, and use a hotel machine or a coin laundry. It lets you pack for a few days instead of the whole trip. For Malaysians, it also solves the problem that winter layers are bulky and tropical shirts are not.
Which laundry options do you have?
You have three. Some hotels have coin-operated washers and dryers on a floor, and some apartment-style stays have a machine in the room. Coin laundries are common near stations and in residential streets, and they work the same way anywhere.
A hotel laundry service exists in some hotels, but it is usually slower and costs more than self-service. Check what is offered before booking, and read our guide on business hotel versus apartment-style stays.
How does a coin laundry work?
- Put clothes in a machine and close the door.
- Add detergent, your own or from a vending machine.
- Insert coins, or pay by the machine’s method.
- Move clothes to a dryer when the wash ends.
- Collect everything when the cycle finishes.
Look for a sign for the cycle time, because the number of minutes varies by machine. Take a photo of the instructions if you need to translate.
What should you pack for tropical travellers?
Bring quick-dry clothes that wash easily. Thermal layers for winter take more room than shirts, so wash them rather than carry extras. Our cold-weather packing guide suggests what to bring.
Pack a small laundry bag, a few clothes pegs and detergent sheets. They weigh little and solve most problems.
How does laundry fit a multi-city trip?
Choose a hotel with a washer for the middle of the trip. Pick a night when you stay in the same place for two nights, so clothes can dry. Rooms can be warm and dry in winter, which helps.
If you move hotels often, send luggage ahead, and keep a small bag with one day of clothes. Our packing-light guide lists more tips.
What should you check before you rely on it?
- Whether the hotel has machines, and what the price and hours are.
- Whether detergent is sold on site.
- How long the dryer cycle runs.
- Whether you can dry clothes in the room if you need to.
Ask your planner to check these before you book, and to note which stays have laundry.
If you want a lighter bag, tell us your route and whether any hotel has laundry. We note which stays have machines and place a laundry stop where it suits the trip.
Keep planning
Packing light for a multi-city Japan trip
You are moving between cities, and every extra kilo has to be carried up a station staircase.
Cold-weather packing for tropical travellers
You have never needed a coat, and a Japanese winter is coming.
Sending luggage between hotels: what to check
You are tired of dragging suitcases across cities and want to know if sending them ahead is safe.
Hostels and dorms in Japan for solo travellers
You are travelling alone, watching the ringgit, and wondering if a dorm bed is a sensible choice.
Capsule hotels: who they suit
A capsule looks fun and cheap, and you wonder where the suitcase goes.
Questions travellers ask
Do Japanese hotels have laundry machines?
Many do, though not all. Some business hotels have coin-operated washers and dryers on a floor, and some apartment-style stays have a machine in the room. Check the hotel's facilities list, or ask your planner to confirm, before you rely on it.
Is it easy to use a coin laundry?
Yes, after the first load. Machines are usually self-service, with instructions in Japanese and sometimes English. Bring coins, detergent if it is not sold on site, and a laundry bag. Staff are rarely present, so photograph the instructions before you start.
How many clothes should I pack for ten days?
Pack for about four to five days and wash once or twice. Tropical clothing is light, so layers for cold weather take more space than shirts do. Pick quick-dry fabrics and plan one laundry stop in the middle of the trip.
Ready to shape your Japan trip?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what you hope to see. We will reply with ideas and a tailored quote.