If I give my passort to the visa office of embassy for a few days, can I make a photocopy of my passort and use that to check into hotels?

Do you know what the visa office hours will be for the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo for the first week of January?
Also as a foreigner do I need my passport to check into hotels? If so, if I give my passort to the visa office for a few days can I make a photocopy of my passort and use that to check into hotels?