I used to wonder whether a city as big as Tokyo had any sustainable or eco-friendly hotels at all.
When I booked through travel sites, I didn’t think about it much. But once I started looking, I found that sustainable options do exist.
It’s tempting to think a certification logo means the hotel takes care of the environment and of the people who work there. Looking into it, I found that each certification covers a different scope. A logo alone doesn’t tell you what a hotel actually cuts back on in its guest rooms.
Below, I look at hotels in Tokyo through five criteria. I introduce eight whose efforts I could confirm both in a certifier’s list and on the hotel’s own website. I’ve written down what I could confirm and what I couldn’t.
This article contains affiliate links (PR). The hotel information was checked on each hotel’s official website and in the certifiers’ lists as of November 1, 2026. Certifications must be renewed, and initiatives can change, so check each hotel’s official website for the latest information before you book.
Quick summary: choose by what matters to you
- No individually packaged shampooHotel Niwa Tokyo, NOHGA HOTEL (Ueno and Akihabara), The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, mesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection
- Sheets and towels not changed every dayKeio Plaza Hotel Tokyo, Hotel Niwa Tokyo, NOHGA HOTEL (Ueno and Akihabara), The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon
- No more single-use toothbrushesmesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection
- Electricity switched to renewable sourcesKeio Plaza Hotel Tokyo, Hotel Niwa Tokyo, NOHGA HOTEL (Ueno and Akihabara), Imperial Hotel Tokyo
- Emissions figures and reduction targetsImperial Hotel Tokyo
- Gardens, woods, and wildlifeHotel Niwa Tokyo, The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo
- Work with local groups in the neighborhoodNOHGA HOTEL (Ueno and Akihabara)
- Vegan and plant-based menusThe Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon, mesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection, The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, Imperial Hotel Tokyo
The same hotel can fit more than one of these priorities.
Start with the logo, then check what happens in the room
To choose a sustainable hotel in Tokyo, check two things in order. First, is the hotel on the certifier’s list? Second, does the hotel itself explain, in concrete terms, what it does in its guest rooms?
I don’t go by certification alone, because each one covers a different scope. A certification also checks whether a hotel meets its requirements. It doesn’t measure how small that hotel’s environmental footprint actually is.
In a hotel’s own description, three things give you the most to go on:
- Whether shampoo and soap come in small single-use bottles or refillable dispensers
- Whether you can skip daily sheet and towel changes on a longer stay
- How the hotel sources its electricity, with an explanation or figures
You’ll often read that a hotel has switched its amenities to bamboo or paper. A new material is still thrown away after one use, though. What I looked for is whether a hotel uses fewer disposable items in the first place.
Selection criteria
I looked at hotels in Tokyo using the five criteria below. My standard was whether I could confirm each point in the certifier’s list and on the hotel’s official website. A hotel that isn’t listed here isn’t necessarily doing nothing.
- Less single-useDoes the hotel use refillable dispensers for shampoo and soap instead of small packaged bottles? Does it offer the choice of not changing sheets and towels every day during a stay?
- Energy and waterDoes it measure its energy use or CO2 emissions and set reduction targets? Does it show what share of its electricity comes from renewable sources?
- The people who work thereDoes it publish policies on wage levels, a ban on child labor, and a channel for complaints?
- Community and natureDoes it work with local groups, protect cultural heritage, or look after wildlife on its grounds? Do its restaurants offer vegetarian or vegan options?
- Honest informationDoes it hold a certification reviewed by a third party, and can you find it in the certifier’s list? When it says “eco” or “sustainable,” does it give the certification name, figures, or the scope?
The information is based on first-hand sources checked on November 1, 2026: each hotel’s official website and two certified lists. Green Key is an international certification run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Eco Mark is a Japanese eco-label run by the Japan Environment Association.
Of the five criteria, I couldn’t confirm “the people who work there” for any of the hotels here. None of them published policies on wages or complaint channels on their official websites. I’ve kept this criterion to show it wasn’t written down. That isn’t the same as finding a hotel falls short.
Related article: Green Key Certified Hotels: A Traveler’s Guide to Sustainable Stays in Japan
This article also answers these questions:
- What should I check on the official website before I book?
- Does a certification guarantee anything? Do hotels without one not care?
- What if there are no amenities in the room?
- How should I read “effectively 100% renewable” or “CO2-free electricity”?
- Are hotels not listed here doing nothing?
Hotels certified under Eco Mark
1. Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo
Shinjuku
Eco MarkPump bottles in Main Tower standard roomsEffectively renewable electricityShinjuku
- Best forTravelers staying in Shinjuku who want to check both less single-use in the rooms and a switch in electricity
- Certification & evidenceEco Mark (Hotels and Inns), certification no. 22 503 009. Top prize at the Eco Mark Award 2025
- Price rangeMid to high-end
- Getting there5-minute walk from the west exit of Shinjuku Station. Right by Exit B1 of Tochomae Station (Toei Oedo Line)
Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo is in Shinjuku. It holds Eco Mark (Hotels and Inns) certification and won the top prize at the Eco Mark Award 2025. It describes, in specific terms, what it does about single-use items, electricity, and green space.
Sustainability
In the Main Tower’s standard rooms, shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel moved from small individual bottles to refillable pump bottles. On a longer stay, you can use a card to say you don’t need your sheets or towels changed. Water in the rooms comes in glass bottles or aluminum cans.
Since August 2024, all the electricity used in the building has come from what the hotel calls effectively renewable sources. About 75% of the lighting has been switched to LEDs. Kitchen wastewater is treated in a plant in the basement and reused to flush toilets.
The Main Tower’s 7th-floor roof was planted with greenery in 2008. The small woodland beside the restaurant Jurin was selected as one of Shinjuku City’s “Green Shinjuku 30.” In September 2025, all of the hotel’s own restaurants and banquet halls were registered as food-loss reduction partner stores with Shinjuku City.
Rooms and facilities
The hotel has 1,452 rooms (as of April 2025). There are restaurants such as the all-day dining Jurin, plus bars and lounges. You’ll also find a sky pool, a fitness gym, a convenience store, and a nursing room.
In September 2021, it received the Japan Tourism Agency’s certification for accessible hospitality (Kokoro no Barrier Free).
The neighborhood
The hotel is in Nishi-Shinjuku, about a 5-minute walk from the west exit of Shinjuku Station. Airport limousine buses run straight to the hotel from Narita and Haneda.
Editor’s note
The pump bottles are in the Main Tower’s standard rooms, and the page doesn’t say what other room types use. If this matters to you, check the room type when you book. I also couldn’t find on the official website how the hotel sources its “effectively renewable” electricity.
What I could confirm
- Eco Mark certified, with its certification number published
- Pump bottles in Main Tower standard rooms; a card lets you skip linen changes
- Since August 2024, all electricity in the building is effectively renewable
What I couldn’t confirm, and things to note
- Shampoo and soap in rooms other than Main Tower standard rooms
- How the “effectively renewable” power is sourced, and energy-use figures
- Policies for the people who work there (wages, complaint channels)
View on ExpediaFor travelers who want to stay in Shinjuku and check both less single-use in the rooms and the switch in electricity.
2. Hotel Niwa Tokyo
Suidobashi
Eco MarkNo individually packaged bath amenitiesGarden leaves turned into compostSuidobashi
- Best forTravelers drawn to a small cycle of gardens and a rooftop vegetable patch, who also want less single-use in the room
- Certification & evidenceEco Mark (Hotels and Inns), certification no. 20 503 006
- Price rangeMid-range
- Getting there4-minute walk from the east exit of JR Suidobashi Station. 5-minute walk from Exit A1 of Suidobashi Station (Toei Mita Line)
Hotel Niwa Tokyo is near Suidobashi. As its name suggests (niwa means garden), it has four gardens, and their fallen leaves started an initiative it calls “eco Niwa.” The hotel belongs to the Nomura Real Estate Group, so it isn’t an independent hotel.
Sustainability
Bath amenities aren’t individually packaged. Water in the rooms comes in bottles made from 100% recycled plastic, and there’s a free water dispenser on the 3rd floor. An “eco card” lets you say you don’t need your linens changed. Shower heads save water, and bathtubs are marked with a suggested water level.
The hotel uses the “CO2 Zero Plan,” which brings the CO2 emissions of its purchased electricity to zero. In the hotel’s explanation, the plan uses renewable non-fossil certificates and similar tools to make the power effectively 100% renewable. The supplier is NF Power Service, an affiliated company.
Under “eco Niwa,” leaves from the four gardens become compost, and the hotel keeps a rooftop vegetable garden and bees. The hotel says this follows shimatsu, the Edo-period habit of using things up to the very end. Its kitchens make a point of using local produce, such as vegetables from Tokyo and nearby prefectures.
Rooms and facilities
Room types include the “Signature Twin,” with tatami and a bath made of hiba wood. Guests can use the training room on the 3rd floor for free. There’s a dining restaurant, Ryu, and a Japanese restaurant, En.
All rooms use amenities made from a biomass material derived from rice husks.
The neighborhood
The hotel is in Kanda-Misakicho, Chiyoda City, a 4-minute walk from the east exit of JR Suidobashi Station. Jimbocho Station is about 8 minutes away on foot. The hotel has no parking.
Editor’s note
The rice-husk amenities are a change of material, and they’re still single-use. What I counted here is the end of individual packaging and the linen card. The electricity is zeroed out on paper through certificates. The hotel doesn’t generate its own power.
What I could confirm
- Eco Mark certified, with its certification number published
- No individually packaged bath amenities; an eco card lets you skip linen changes
- Leaf compost from the gardens, a rooftop vegetable garden, and beekeeping
What I couldn’t confirm, and things to note
- Figures for energy use or emissions, and reduction targets
- Policies for the people who work there (wages, complaint channels)
- Part of the Nomura Real Estate Group, not an independent hotel
For travelers who want to choose by the small cycle inside the hotel, from garden leaves to the rooftop vegetables.
3. NOHGA HOTEL UENO TOKYO / NOHGA HOTEL AKIHABARA TOKYO
Ueno / Akihabara
Eco Mark at both hotelsNo individually packaged bath amenitiesWorks with neighborhood groupsUeno / Akihabara
- Best forTravelers who want to see, down to the names of the groups, how a hotel works with the people in its neighborhood
- Certification & evidenceEco Mark (Hotels and Inns), certification nos. 21 503 002 (Ueno) and 21 503 003 (Akihabara)
- Price rangeMid-range (both hotels)
- Getting thereUeno: 3-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ueno Station, 5 minutes from JR Ueno Station. Akihabara: 5-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Suehirocho Station, 6 minutes from JR Akihabara Station
NOHGA HOTEL has hotels in Ueno and Akihabara. Both describe their work with local neighborhood associations and community groups, naming the groups. They’re in the same group as Hotel Niwa Tokyo, and their environmental measures take a similar shape.
Sustainability
Neither hotel uses individually packaged bath amenities. At the Ueno hotel, this covers shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and hand soap. A card in the room lets you skip linen changes. Straws are biodegradable, made from plant fiber.
Electricity comes through the “CO2 Zero Plan” from NF Power Service, an affiliated company, which makes it effectively 100% renewable. The buildings have a BELS rating, a Japanese label for building energy efficiency, and all the lighting is LED.
The Ueno hotel works with the local neighborhood association, the Ueno tourism federation, and the Tokyo Cultural Resources Council. It also takes part in Monomachi, a local crafts event. Food and drinks come mainly from producers in Japan. The Akihabara hotel works with its neighborhood association and the same council, and it also collects used clothing (PASSTO).
Rooms and facilities
Both hotels are fully non-smoking, with a fitness room and tokyobike rental bicycles. If you need a universal (accessible) room, contact the reservations team.
The Ueno hotel has nine room types for two to four guests. Breakfast at Bistro NOHGA on the ground floor uses regional ingredients. The Akihabara hotel has seven room types, including the “Gaming Cave,” and serves breakfast at Pizzeria & Bar NOHGA.
The neighborhood
The Ueno hotel is in Higashi-Ueno, Taito City, a few minutes’ walk from Ueno Station. The Akihabara hotel is in Sotokanda, Chiyoda City, within walking distance of both Suehirocho Station and JR Akihabara Station.
Editor’s note
These hotels share their electricity setup with Hotel Niwa Tokyo, so the “effectively 100% renewable” claim for all three is one plan from one company. Where they differ is in how they relate to their neighborhoods, and NOHGA shows this by naming the groups. Check each hotel’s own page for what it does.
What I could confirm
- Both hotels are Eco Mark certified, with certification numbers published
- No individually packaged bath amenities; a card lets you skip linen changes
- Work with neighborhood groups, published with the groups’ names
What I couldn’t confirm, and things to note
- Figures for energy use or emissions, and reduction targets
- Policies for the people who work there (wages, complaint channels)
- Ueno and Akihabara publish slightly different initiatives
For travelers who want to choose by how a hotel works with the people in its neighborhood.
4. Imperial Hotel Tokyo
Hibiya
Eco MarkEmissions published each yearCO2-free electricity throughoutHibiya
- Best forTravelers who want a hotel that publishes its emissions figures and reduction targets
- Certification & evidenceEco Mark (Hotels and Inns), certification no. 22 503 004
- Price rangeMid to high-end
- Getting there3-minute walk from Exit A13 of Hibiya Station. 5-minute walk from JR Yurakucho Station
Imperial Hotel Tokyo is in Hibiya. Of the hotels I looked at, it was the only one that published its site’s emissions year by year. It gives figures for both its switch in electricity and its reduction target.
Sustainability
Since October 2023, the whole hotel has run on CO2-free electricity. In fiscal 2024, greenhouse gas emissions at the Tokyo site were 41.4% below the base-year level. As a company, it aims to cut CO2 emissions at all its directly managed sites by 60% from fiscal 2013 levels by 2030.
Locally, it looks after flower beds together with Hibiya Park and has given taste lessons at a nearby elementary school. Its restaurants have a vegan menu.
Rooms and facilities
There are 560 rooms in the Main Building and 349 in the Tower. For families, the “Family Connecting Room” joins three rooms: a junior suite and deluxe park-view rooms. The Tower’s 20th floor has a pool and sauna, and there’s also a fitness gym.
Drinking water in the rooms has moved from plastic bottles to paper cartons.
The neighborhood
The hotel is in Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda City, in Hibiya, a 5-minute walk from the Ginza shopping area. The Imperial Palace, Tsukiji Outer Market, and Hamarikyu Gardens are about 10 minutes away by taxi.
Editor’s note
The main room amenities have switched to bamboo, wood, and biomass materials, and the hotel says this cut its plastic use by about 90%. Less plastic is real progress, but these amenities are still single-use. The kitchen gas is carbon-offset city gas, which offsets emissions rather than reducing them.
What I could confirm
- Eco Mark certified (confirmed in the Japan Environment Association’s list)
- Publishes Tokyo site emissions each year, with a 2030 reduction target
- CO2-free electricity throughout since October 2023
What I couldn’t confirm, and things to note
- Amenities changed material, so single-use items remain
- Shampoo bottles and the linen policy for longer stays
- Rebuilding plans, which I couldn’t confirm on the hotel’s official website
For travelers who want to see emissions figures and reduction targets before they choose.
Hotels with Green Key
5. The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho
Kioicho
Green KeyPump bottles for bath amenitiesWoodland cleanups and wildlifeKioicho
- Best forTravelers who want to choose by plant-based menus and care for woodland and cultural heritage
- Certification & evidenceGreen Key (obtained in 2026; valid until July 9, 2027, according to the certified list)
- Price rangeHigh-end
- Getting thereDirectly connected to Exit 9-a of Nagatacho Station (Namboku Line). About 1 minute on foot from Akasaka-mitsuke Station
The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho is inside Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho. It obtained Green Key in 2026. It puts its effort into plant-based menus and into caring for the woodland and cultural heritage around the building.
Sustainability
The BYREDO bath amenities moved from small single-use bottles to pump bottles. Toothbrushes and hairbrushes in the rooms have changed from plastic to bamboo and wood. Straws are made of grass or paper.
The hotel joins cleanups in the woodland at Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho, helping to protect the trees and wildlife there. The Akasaka Prince Classic House, where the hotel’s story began, was designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Tokyo in 2011.
Its restaurants offer a vegan dinner course made only with plant-based ingredients, and plant-based options now extend to sushi and burgers. Part of the sales from the plant-based afternoon tea and parfait goes to nature conservation.
Rooms and facilities
All rooms are non-smoking. Rooms take up to two guests, and some room types can fit three with an extra bed. The hotel has a spa and fitness center, the Japanese restaurant Souten, the all-day dining Oasis Garden, and the Sky Gallery Lounge Levita.
Guests can also join “Gallery Experience,” a program of Japanese cultural activities such as tea ceremony and sake tasting.
The neighborhood
The hotel is inside Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho in Chiyoda City and connects directly to Nagatacho Station on the Namboku Line. Haneda Airport is about 30 minutes away by car.
Editor’s note
LED lighting and water-saving toilets are described as measures for the whole building. I couldn’t find energy use or the share of renewables on the official website. Prince Hotels donates to conservation when guests decline linen changes on a longer stay. This hotel is clearly listed as not taking part.
What I could confirm
- Holds Green Key (valid until July 9, 2027)
- Bath amenities moved from small bottles to pump bottles
- Woodland cleanups, a Tokyo cultural property, and a vegan dinner course
What I couldn’t confirm, and things to note
- Energy and water use, and the share of renewables
- A linen policy for longer stays, which the hotel’s page doesn’t mention
- Policies for the people who work there (wages, complaint channels)
For travelers who want to choose by food options and care for the woodland and cultural heritage around the hotel.
6. mesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection
Takeshiba
Green KeySingle-use toothbrushes endedDispensers for shampoo and soapTakeshiba
- Best forTravelers who want to check how much single-use a hotel has cut, down to the amounts
- Certification & evidenceGreen Key (valid until December 11, 2026, according to the certified list)
- Price rangeHigh-end
- Getting there6-minute walk from the north exit of Hamamatsucho Station (JR and Tokyo Monorail). 3-minute walk from Takeshiba Station (Yurikamome)
mesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection is on the Takeshiba waterfront. It publishes its efforts to cut room amenities, down to how many toothbrushes it used and how much they weighed. It’s run by Nippon Hotel Co., Ltd., part of the JR East Group.
Sustainability
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, and body lotion come from refillable bottle dispensers. At the end of March 2026, the hotel stopped keeping single-use toothbrushes in rooms and now asks guests to bring their own.
It reports that in fiscal 2024, before the change, it used about 52,750 toothbrushes, weighing about 1,070 kg. After the change, it plans to track the amount of waste.
To cut CO2, the kitchens use ingredients produced within about 100 km wherever possible. Every restaurant and bar in the hotel has allergy-friendly and vegan menus. Because it sits on the waterfront, the hotel also takes part in ocean and nature conservation.
Rooms and facilities
There are four room types, from “chapter 1” to “chapter 4,” and all are non-smoking. Barrier-free rooms are available as a chapter 1 twin and a chapter 2 king, with wheelchair-accessible showers and bathrooms.
The hotel has the restaurant Chef’s Theatre, the bar Whisk, and a fitness room. Since 2024, every room has had a foaming mouthwash that needs no water. Air conditioning is set at 24°C (75°F) for cooling and 22°C (72°F) for heating as a rule.
The neighborhood
The hotel is on the Takeshiba waterfront in Kaigan, Minato City. It’s a 6-minute walk from the north exit of Hamamatsucho Station and 3 minutes from Takeshiba Station on the Yurikamome line.
Editor’s note
This was the only hotel I found that wrote down how many toothbrushes it used before ending them. It also said what it will track afterward. You can see the order: cut first, then check the result. Its Green Key is valid until December 11, 2026, so check whether it has been renewed before you book.
What I could confirm
- Holds Green Key
- Refillable dispensers for shampoo and other toiletries
- Ended single-use toothbrushes and published how many it used before
What I couldn’t confirm, and things to note
- Green Key valid until December 11, 2026; renewal not yet confirmed
- Energy use and the share of renewables
- Policies for the people who work there (wages, complaint channels)
For travelers who want to see how much single-use a hotel has cut, down to the amounts.
7. The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon
Toranomon
Green KeyBed linen changed every 2 daysPlant-based menus at every restaurantToranomon
- Best forTravelers who want a clear linen policy for longer stays and clear plant-based options
- Certification & evidenceGreen Key (valid until December 16, 2026, according to the certified list)
- Price rangeHigh-end
- Getting thereNear Kamiyacho, Roppongi-itchome, and Toranomon stations
The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon is in Toranomon. It states clearly how it handles linens during a stay and that every restaurant offers plant-based dishes.
Sustainability
Bed linen is changed every two days, and you can choose not to have towels and linens changed every day. Straws, disposable chopsticks, and other single-use items have been dropped or reduced, and free drinking water comes in recyclable aluminum bottles. Food waste is sorted and recycled under Japan’s Food Recycling Law.
There are solar panels on the roof, and the lighting is controlled automatically. Lighting in the rooms and public areas is LED. Showers and faucets save water, and the plants on the terraces are watered by drip irrigation.
Every restaurant has plant-based dishes. The concierge also suggests low-impact ways to enjoy the city, such as getting around by tokyobike or visiting green spaces.
Rooms and facilities
There are 206 rooms, including 22 suites. From the 31st floor up, some rooms have private terraces. Some suites can connect to the next room to make a two-bedroom suite.
The hotel has restaurants and bars with terraces facing Tokyo Tower, a spa with six treatment rooms, and a gym.
The neighborhood
The hotel is in Toranomon 4-chome, Minato City, close to Kamiyacho, Roppongi-itchome, and Toranomon stations. The official website doesn’t give walking times from the stations.
Editor’s note
The hotel lists a lot of equipment. It doesn’t say how much energy or water that saves, or what share of its power is renewable. It also doesn’t say how much of the building’s electricity the rooftop solar panels supply. Its Green Key is valid until December 16, 2026, so check whether it has been renewed before you book.
What I could confirm
- Holds Green Key
- Bed linen every two days, with the option to skip daily changes
- Plant-based dishes at every restaurant
What I couldn’t confirm, and things to note
- Green Key valid until December 16, 2026; renewal not yet confirmed
- What the equipment achieves (usage figures, share of renewables)
- Policies for the people who work there (wages, complaint channels)
For travelers who want a hotel that doesn’t change the linens every day on a longer stay.
What to check before you book
What should I check on the official website before I book?
Check two things: whether the certification is still valid, and whether the room you’ll stay in is covered by the hotel’s measures.
Green Key publishes its list of certified sites, including each one’s expiry date. Two of the eight hotels here have certifications that expire in December 2026. For Eco Mark, you can see the list of certified hotels on the Japan Environment Association’s website.
Sometimes a measure covers only some rooms. At Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo, the pump bottles were in the Main Tower’s standard rooms. If the website doesn’t tell you, ask the hotel before you book. Here are three questions you could ask:
- Does this room have packaged shampoo, or bottles and dispensers?
- On a longer stay, can I skip sheet and towel changes?
- Are toothbrushes provided in the room, or should I bring my own?
Does a certification guarantee anything? Do hotels without one not care?
A certification shows that a third party checked the hotel against a standard. What it checked differs from one certification to the next. None of them shows that a hotel’s footprint is smaller than another’s. The table shows which certifications this article uses, and which it doesn’t.
| Certification or label | What it covers | How this article treats it |
|---|---|---|
| Eco Mark (Hotels and Inns) Japan Environment Association | Environmental items only. No criteria for workers or the local community | Used as evidence |
| Green Key Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) | The environment, plus items such as workers’ wages and complaint channels | Used as evidence |
| Sakura Quality An ESG Practice | I couldn’t confirm the review method on the operator’s own pages | Not used as evidence |
| WTTC Hotel Sustainability Basics | As of 2023, WTTC itself said it was not a certification scheme | A logo alone isn’t counted as a certification |
I also didn’t use the “eco” badges on booking sites as evidence. They come from the booking site itself, and no certifier keeps a record of them.
On the other hand, a hotel without a certification may still be doing a lot. Without a third-party check, though, all you have to go on is the hotel’s own description. In that case, look for the same three things: shampoo and soap, linens, and electricity.
What if there are no amenities in the room?
None of the eight hotels here said it had stopped providing shampoo and soap. They had either dropped individual packaging or switched to refillable bottles.
A toothbrush is the one thing worth packing. At the end of March 2026, mesm Tokyo stopped keeping single-use toothbrushes in its rooms. It now asks guests to bring their own. Other hotels, such as Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo and The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, still provide toothbrushes in a different material.
Some hotels don’t put amenities in the room and let you pick up what you need at the front desk. The items are still individually packaged, so I didn’t count this as “less single-use.”
How should I read “effectively 100% renewable” or “CO2-free electricity”?
Read switching electricity and using less of it as two separate things. Of the eight hotels, only Imperial Hotel Tokyo published its energy use or emissions year by year.
Hotel Niwa Tokyo and the two NOHGA HOTELs use the same power plan from the same affiliated company. In the hotels’ explanation, the plan uses renewable non-fossil certificates and similar tools to make purchased power “effectively” 100% renewable.
Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo also describes its power as “effectively” renewable, but I couldn’t confirm how it’s sourced on the official website.
I haven’t been able to confirm how far certificate-based plans lead to new power plants being built. If this matters to you, ask the hotel, “What electricity plan do you use?”
The kitchen gas at Imperial Hotel Tokyo is carbon-offset city gas. An offset balances emissions with reductions made somewhere else, so the amount the hotel emits doesn’t go down. I’ve counted it separately from measures that cut emissions.
Are hotels not listed here doing nothing?
No. The hotels here are the ones that appear on a certifier’s list and whose efforts I could also confirm on the hotel’s own pages.
I left out hotels on the lists whose efforts I couldn’t confirm on their own pages, and hotels where I only found chain-wide policies. A chain’s policy doesn’t tell you what the hotel you stay at actually does. For the same reason, I removed some hotels that appeared in an earlier version of this article.
Final thoughts: look past the logo to what happens in the room
When you choose a hotel in Tokyo, a certification logo is a starting point. What you actually touch as a guest, though, is the bottle in the bathroom and the sheets on the morning of your second night.
I keep certification logos in mind too. I try to find places to stay that take as much care of the environment as they can. Depending on your budget, when you have a little room to spare, consider the hotels above.
Next time you book a hotel, open the sustainability page on its official website and look for two things: shampoo and soap, and linens. If they aren’t there, ask before you book. Whether you get an answer tells you something too.
For more on the standards behind Green Key, see Green Key Certified Hotels: A Traveler’s Guide to Sustainable Stays in Japan.
For one night away, what can’t you do without, and what could you let go of?
