The Best Sustainable Stays in Japan

Sustainability has long been incorporated into Japanese culture, and highlighted as a pillar of tourism. Next year, Japan will host Expo 2025 in Osaka with the theme of “Designing Future Society for our Lives" focusing on solutions that contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals drawn up by the United Nations. With those goals as inspiration, here is a guide to the most sustainable ways to travel in Japan:

Treeful Treehouse Sustainable Resort

Located in Yambaru National Park, in the Okinawa archipelago, the eco-friendly Treeful Treehouse Sustainable Resort is comprised of three types of carbon-negative wooden huts built above ground, allowing native animals to roam freely in their habitat below. To protect the surrounding nature in the making of the treehouse, Treeful Treehouse only builds around the existing trees, and never cuts down trees that are bigger than 2 inches.

All of the electricity that powers the resort is generated by carbon-neutral systems such as solar, wind and biomass energy. Donna, the on-site goat, nibbles the grass throughout the grounds, maintaining the property, eliminating energy consumption and avoiding noise pollution. Currently, Treeful Treehouse are also working on a project to generate its own electricity utilizing old car batteries and solar panels.

Suihouen in Gero Onsen

The traditional Suihouen hotel has 17 suites, nine of which have outdoor hot spring baths attached. The hotel offers a local, seasonal and completely sustainable menu, supplied by local producers who utilize completely nature fertilizers. Suihouen also runs TANPOPO Farm, where workers with disabilities cultivate the surrounding land to grow produce through organic farming using only natural manures and minimal use of agrochemicals.

The hotel is located in Gero Onsen, which sits in the center of Gifu Prefecture. The hot spring has over a thousand years of history and is known for the soft water that has various health benefits. Combining ecotourism and sustainability, Gero Onsen was built along the Hida River, which leads to the stunning Hida- Osaka Falls: an area with more than 200 waterfalls, each one exceeding 16 feet in height.

Hoshino Resorts Iriomote Hotel

Surrounded by the lush jungle of Iriomote Island - a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site - Hoshino Resorts Iriomote Hotel aims to become Japan’s first "eco- tourism resort" by working with both employees and hotel guests to eliminate environmental burden. The hotel has limited reservations to stays of two nights or more to encourage reduced greenhouse gas emissons, as well as avoiding overtourism.

Additionally, Iriomote Hotel has put several programs in place to achieve zero emissions, including being "disposable plastic-free" holding employee beach cleaning events and holding tours to promote conservation of the endangered Iriomote wildcat.

ABOUT JAPAN NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION (JNTO)

As the official tourism board, JNTO seeks to inspire international travelers to visit Japan. Focusing on sustainability, diversity and preservation of its history and culture, JNTO encourages travelers to explore the country while supporting local businesses, learning about indigenous cultures, and helping conserve its natural sites.

For more information about travel to Japan, visit https://www.japan.travel/en/us or the JNTO pages on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube. To contact the New York office of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) directly, please e-mail us_media@jnto.go.jp

ABOUT U.S.-JAPAN TOURISM YEAR

2024 will mark the first time both the United States and Japan have developed this kind of union, which seeks to promote increased travel, mutual tourism, and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The Tourism Year agreement is a project of Japan National Tourism Organization(JNTO), the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) and the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Travel and Tourism Office and U.S. Commercial Service, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and Brand USA. For more information, visit https://www.japan.travel/en/us/us-japan-tourism-year-2024/