Japan Hostels

I love Nikko. I have been there twice to visit my wife's family. Nikko is beautiful and the Toshogu Shrines are amazing. Definitely take the drive up to Lake Chuzenji. Any visit to Japan should include a trip to Nikko.

Tokyo is fantastic! And not as expensive as everyone says it is if you do it on a budget. You can get cheap food everywhere. It would help a lot if you familiarise yourself with as much Japaneese food as you can before you go there so you know what things are and you don't have to ask too much if you don't speak Japaneese.

I work here! It's beautiful! Come experience Nikko!!!

Nikko … It's so amazing. I loved it.

Tokyo … We recommend to buy the two-day Metro Pass upon arrival at the airport, which is only 1,000 Yen. In the city you can only buy a one-day pass at 700 Yen. Try to book everything in advance, as hostels here are not used to backpackers just turning up and asking for a room. This will be cheaper too, as reservations for budget rooms go first. Prices range around 7,000 Yen for two people in a small room (everything is Bonsai in Japan). We probably spent about the same as whilst traveling in Australia -- no more! And yes, Japan is one of the most exciting countries we have ever seen.

J-Hoppers Hiroshima Trad Guesthouse in Hiroshima … The staff here are very friendly and welcoming, and the place is kept spotlessly clean. There's free wireless internet for those with their own laptops, or pay internet terminals which charge 100 yen for thirty minutes. You can also do your laundry here for 100 yen and leave it to dry on the roof terrace, which is a nice bonus (or is it's raining there's a coin laundrette with dryers just around the corner!) The location is decent, being about a ten-minute walk from the "Atom Bomb Dome" and main shopping area. It is a little further to the main train station however, so it's best to take a tram. The directions given by the hostel are 100% accurate and easy to follow. The only slight criticism is that the kitchen and common room areas are tiny. On the plus side there is a beer vending machine in the kitchen! I had a great stay here and recommend it 100%.

International Guesthouse Azure in Narita … This was the best hostel I stayed during my three-month trip around Japan. It has the newest facilities and the friendliest service. I would recommend this place to anyone.

Kaze-no Yasuyado in Matsumoto-shi … Kaze-no Yasuyado was a wonderful hostel. It was clean, the view was beautiful, and the owners were extremely friendly. I would recommend this hostel to anyone I knew.

J-Hoppers Kyoto Guest House in Kyoto … Aki speaks good English and is a really nice guy who has travelled extensively himself. Surroundings are neat and clean with excellent facilities. Location is good. Thoroughly recommended.

HI - Yuasa - Arida Orange YH Hostel in Arida-gun … Our school group visited this hostel in November 2007. I found it on the internet, reserved, and was bit surprised that it was a good twenty-minute taxi ride from the station. However, the area is beautiful, quiet, and heaven if you like mikans (Japanese Oranges as we Canadians call them). The area around the hostel is ringed by terraces or oranges, and they tasted like they used to when I was a kid! The best part of the hostel was the owner/proprietor -- her cooking was marvelous (lots of traditional Japanese foods) and she was extremely kind and welcoming. The students in our group liked the Japanese style rooms, and we chaperones enjoyed the hospitality and atmosphere. I would recommend this hostel to anyone who doesn't mind being a little off the beaten track -- the experience is well worth any travel time.

HI - Takayama - Hida-Takayama-Tensho-ji YH Hostel in Takayama … I came here with the Otamatea High Students -- in my opinion this was the best place we stayed in our tour around Japan. It was so lovely and nice and close to town. The food was nice and the staff really lovely. Thank you for making us all feel so welcome.

HI - Matsuyama - Matsuyama YH Hostel in Matsuyama … This is a nice place, very homey, although more like an old-style youth hostel than a backpackers joint. What really makes this place is the staff who are very friendly and welcoming and are a ready source of information about the surrounding area. It's located on the opposite side of Matsuyama city from the rail station and at the top of a hill -- so a bit of a trek when you first arrive, although tram no. 5 takes you from the station to the bottom of the hill. The best thing about the location is that it's a few minutes walk from Dogo Onsen hot springs bath, which you have to try when in Matsuyama. Overall it is certainly the best deal in town, but not for those looking for riotous parties.

Momoiwaso in Rebun … I went here with a school trip and was not warned ahead of time about the huge greeting we would be getting. When the van pulled up inches to the front door they swung it open to have the entire staff with drums and various other loud instruments screaming welcome in Japanese. The dinner was nice but what topped it off was one of the employees standing on the roof with the Japanese flag "saying goodbye to the day" as they said. It was beautiful. After dark if you look over the water you see dozens of lights from squid fishing boats (at least during Sept, when I went). That and there's also a big ol rock in the water called "cat rock" and you'll have to see it yourself to know why. The water was a bit chilly when i went but be warned for women swimmers, i was in board-shorts and a bikini top when i walked back into the hostel after a swim and the hostess ran up asking me to cover. So just because it's on the beach dont expect to be able to walk around in your swimsuits. Other than…

HI - Matsue - Lakeside YH Hostel in Matsue-shi … The YH is reachable by bus or a small train from the main station. The view from the common room is really pretty. The staff is really nice and helpful, they gave me a ride to a shrine i wanted to visit and gave a lot of helpful information about the neighbourhood. The owner talks a little bit english. My room was clean and although i was one of the only visitors at the time i really felt at home here.

Minami-kaze in Okinawa … After looking at the pictures on the website, I was sure this would be a great place to spend my days in Okinawa. Unfortunately, upon arrival I was not-so-pleasantly surprised to find that it was undergoing some heavy renovations. Garbage, equipment, and whatever else you can imagine lying all over there place. As a result, the hostel was quite dirty and filled with paint fumes and cigarettes. The dorm rooms are incredibly small and quite uncomfortable if you are over 1.78 meters (which I happen to be). The toilets and showers are also grungy and don't appear to be well-kept. This having been said, the hostel was incredibly cheap, so I guess you get what you pay for. If you want a really cheap place, choose Minami-Kaze, if you want anything remotely clean and comfortable, I suggest looking elsewhere.

HI - Sapporo - Sapporo House YH Hostel in Sapporo … A very bad and unfriendly YH. Really the opposite from all my other Japan experiences. Staff is unwilling to help you with anything/not interested/not clean.

JGH tokyo in Kawaguchi City … i am just writing to alert you to the conditions at the JGH Tokyo Hostel in Tokyo (2-11-5, Nishikawaguchi, Kawaguchi-shi, Saitama Pre). i along with a group of friends have recently returned from Japan and stayed 6 nights at this hostel. when we arrived we were told our dorm was not ready (we booked all beds in an 8 bed dorm) and watched in amazement as the owner and family ran off upstairs, tools in hand. we waited and came back hours later an were shown our room. now we were expecting 8 beds in a dorm similar to the pictures provided, how wrong we were. there were 14 beds in a room maybe 3.5m x 3.5m square and Maxam, the owner, would not listen about our booking of an 8 bed dorm even when we showed him our receipt. he became angry and rude and said simply if you dont like it leave and find somewhere else (straight off the plane at nght in Tokyo -i dont think). i now relise why he made everyone pay upfront. there were no shower facilites or cooking facilities in our room…