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.
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.
Sakura Hostel Asakusa in Tokyo … Great hostel! The beds were nice and comfortable. The installations are relatively new and everything is kept clean and neat. Additionally, the hostel has lockers in each room which I found very helpful, there is no fee to use it, just bring a lock. Also, The staff is very friendly and helpful, they spoke english, and one of the members even spoke spanish which i found really cool. Next time i go to Tokyo, I am totally staying in this hostel.
bAKpAK Tokyo Hostel in Tokyo … I stayed here for a week in March of 2008. This hostel is great. Its a ten-minute walk from Minowa station and easy to find. The lounges and community areas are great for meeting people, playing games, music, poker, and so much more! We had a blast. There are convenience stores nearby, and its a quiet, safe neighborhood. It also had free Wi-Fi and internet computers to use. They also allow you to rent movies from them for free, and watch them in the TVs and DVD players they had in all the rooms. I love this place!
Sakura Hostel Asakusa in Tokyo … I'm at Sakura Hostel for a week and can say that the facilities here are great, the price is fantastic, and the people are friendly. The only downside is that it is extremely difficult to find. Because it is new, not many locals know about it and I had one taxi driver scratching his head even when I showed a map with pictures and the address in Japanese. He dropped me off in the general area. If you're like me and terrible with maps, you'll have to find the hostel again and again due to the confusing state of the shops, roads, and lack of any real signage besides the big Sakura sign that is only noticeable at night. This is the only downside though. Definitely value for money!
Sakura Hostel Asakusa in Tokyo … Stay at this hostel! Very clean, great staff, and good location. I stayed here in early February. It is only a subway ride away from anywhere in the city. Probably the best value for accommodation in Tokyo. I'm coming back in June and will be happy to stay here again.
Tokyo Backpackers in Tokyo … Great place to stay and meet other people, very clean, staff were amazingly helpful and friendly. Good location -- five- or ten-minute to the nearest station and twenty-five-minute walk to Asakusa. The only bad thing is the lockout between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., which isn't great for hangovers but it's ok -- you get through it eventually!
Tokyo Backpackers in Tokyo … This place is truly imaculent! Super nice, super clean, super relaxing. This place has the best showers i have ever experianced in my life. It is really cheap compared to other places and when i was there our 12 bed dorm had no more than 4 people in it each night we were there. Everything is paid for electroncally and the only way get in after hours is a code.
Sakura Hostel Asakusa in Tokyo … Very good place to go!
Staff very friendly and available, cheap breakfast, rooms and bathrooms clean, hostel well located in a calm but lovely district.
Avoid the 8 bed rooms if you can but it is not very spacy but he 6 bed ones are very OK.
Definitely the best hostel i've been in in Japan.
Sakura Hostel Asakusa in Tokyo … it was a really great place to stay. i traveled solo and didn't feel out of place, everyone was really friendly. the rooms and bathrooms were extremely clean and comfortable, and you're just round the corner from temple/market and shops. i definitely recommend staying here.
Khaosan Tokyo Original in Tokyo … I did a lot of research before choosing this hostel, and I'm glad I did. I've stayed in hostels all over the world and this place is definitely one of the cleanest. I stayed in a dorm with a view over the river. My bed was amazingly comfortable and had a wonderful duvet, which I would have liked to take home with me. The bathroom set-up is a bit odd — from the female dorm you basically have to go into the common area to get to the bathroom. But once you get used to it there is no problem, and there is a curtain you can pull around for privacy to/from the bathroom door. Fantastic location —convenient to transportation and old Tokyo sites. The owners are cool — they really are a "fun and friendly married couple." Common areas are tiny, but that's to be expected in Tokyo. I chose it because it was cheap but would recommend it to anyone because it is great. I will definitely stay there if I am ever in Tokyo again.
Ayumi Montly Guesthouse in Tokyo … i stayed in backpackers guesthouse. i enjoyed it there. and staff is very kindly. free internet. i want to say just one word -- perfect and cheap.
Khaosan Tokyo Annex in Tokyo … Only three showers for the males and this is a relatively large hostel. There's a strict no shoes policy and if one person has athlete's foot, the whole place is at risk. The fungus got among here and within days I had a nasty itch. Bring shower shoes and small bags. Like many backpackers in Tokyo, space is a premium. As in several hostels I stayed at in Tokyo, Khaosan did not take bookings over the phone, and even booking on the spot is likely to result in a chaotic bed shifting exercise. Now the good news -- this place is modern and fun. Lots of computers for internet junkies, nice living space, and a constant flow of good people. Count the stars. The complaints are simply an opportunity for improvement.
Ayumi Montly Guesthouse in Tokyo … This hostel is a small one, just two dorms, one male and one female, for each eight beds, one shower and one toilet. It is not so clean, but the staff is really friendly and helpfulness, the living room is ok, and the location is great. There are many twenty-four-hours-shops nearby, two laundries, many little japanese bars, and a cheap public bath and the station of the Yamanote-Line is not far away. Ok, it is not easy to find. When I arrived, a japanese friend took me to hostel and we both searched for about half an hour. It is in the Souterrain, so you don't see daylight. But because of this it is warm there. I stayed there in winter and other hostels were very cold, but not this one. And at last it is really cheap and I will stay there again.
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