Location/Contact
Bring your own drinks, snacks, and entertainment as an alternative option, unless you're happy to watch Japanese TV on an ancient box. A few restaurants serve basic fare to the hikers and sightseers during the day, but at night there is nothing available so booking in advance and agreeing to dinner and breakfast at the hostel is a must. The hostel is run by a group of obachans (older women) and email is not an option. Expect to play by their rules in terms of meal times, bath times, and morning wake up. Your futons are required to be folded before breakfast, which is eaten in your room at a low table -- so no breakfast in bed.
The Japanese-style tatami mat rooms are spacious but provide little privacy through the paper sliding doors -- don't forget to remove your slippers before entering the tatami room or else be ready for a scolding. Privacy may also be an issue in the public bathroom too but if there are only a few guests, couples are allowed to bathe together in private. The toilets are separate from the bath and are also unisex with one being western-style. Rooms are not segregated either and there are safes available as room doors cannot be locked. Dinner and breakfast are Japanese-style with a variety of small dishes, rice, and miso soup. If you are starving after hours, hiking it may not suffice.
To get there, take the JR train to Mitake station from where you will need to catch a bus that departs from near the station for the cable car entrance about ten minutes. The cable car itself takes six minutes to reach Mitake-san where you then walk for ten minutes towards Mitake temple. The YH is well signposted and is situated before the steep climb to the small street lined with shops selling souvenirs and food and the temple further beyond. The youth hostel like Mitake is a tranquil place and a great escape from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.
-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
