Pretty much any major hotel requires a credit card these days.

It's for reasons as MMM pointed out and in case anything gets damaged.

Easiest way around it, get one of the debit Visa/MC cards, you load it with as much as you need and you're set.

Hmm, I was just thinking pay in cash. (Being Japan it would not surprise me), I do not go to enough hotels though to really know I guess, but I did not need a credit card or anything for the last one that I stayed at, I just paid cash for the room and that was it.

The hotel I stayed at in Shinjuku had a room of vending machines on each floor for booze et all, it also had a machine that you would purchase a movie from the hotel's service, you entered the receipt it gave you into the TV with the remote (I guess).

Thanks to everyone for replying so quickly and well informed.

The first day I got here (Japan) I simply asked the tourist center if they could recommend any hotels that cash payment was an option. She laughed and said that it was no problem and recommended the Ueno area.

And what do you know, the first hotel I stumble into "Suntargas" has a cheap rate, AC (thank goodness) , free Internet, razors, coffee, soap + breakfast :)
and gladly accepts cash.

A small modest room, semi western style, obviously not made for people who likes to sit in all day (perfect for me).

So everything is great for me and to this date I have already been to the park, two museums, the Imperial Palace, "Sunshine City" and pretty much all around Akihabara and got this cheap ass "DELL" at an outlet.

Best wishes
Mackan