Where to Stay in Tokyo for the First Time: A Complete Guide

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Find your Perfect Hostel in Tokyo

Tokyo is a city where old wooden shrines sit side-by-side with glass towers, and rush-hour feels like a video game you can’t pause.

I’ve stayed here more times than I’ve lost umbrellas to sudden rain, and each visit reminds me that choosing the right area can turn chaos into comfort.

Get your base wrong and you’ll waste yen and energy zig-zagging across the map; pick well and you’ll have ramen, nightlife, and train lines right outside your door.

This guide helps first-timers find the best areea to stay in Tokyo that keeps the fun high and the stress low. 

Top Picks: The Best Hostels in Tokyo

Best for Hostel Newbies

Hostel Adonis near Shib...9.8

from $28.11 | More Details

Best for Female Solo Traveler

Nui. HOSTEL & BAR LOUNG...9.2

from $18.77 | More Details

Best Party Hostel

Sato-san's Rest9.6

from $16.90 | More Details

This is not an ad. We help you find the perfect hostel and compare prices from Hostelworld and Booking. You can save up to 23.7%

Top Neighborhoods to Stay in Tokyo

Shibuya

• Shibuya is Tokyo’s neon heartbeat. Picture a river of people crossing in every direction while giant screens flash ads for snacks you never knew existed. I love grabbing an iced coffee, then watching the world swirl from the MAGNET rooftop—it feels like being inside a living time-lapse.
• Best for: solo travelers who want nightlife on the doorstep and don’t mind crowds that move faster than Wi-Fi.

Shinjuku

• Shinjuku is a shape-shifter. By day, skyscrapers and shopping malls shine under the sun; by night, lantern alleys like Omoide Yokocho glow with ramen steam and grill smoke. I once wandered into a tiny bar that fit six people, counted seven, and still got a seat.
• Best for: first-timers who want “stay in Tokyo” bragging rights and trains that shoot off to every corner of the city.

Asakusa

• Asakusa feels like an old postcard that learned new tricks. Senso-ji Temple’s red gate welcomes sunrise monks and late-night dreamers alike. River walks here are slow and sweet, like matcha ice cream on a summer evening.
• Best for: budget travelers who like culture before cocktails and prefer gentle nights over blaring beats.

Akihabara

• If you speak fluent videogame or believe RGB lights count as décor, Akihabara will hug your inner geek. Expect walls of manga, endless claw machines, and cafés where the staff wear cat ears unironically. I once lost an hour trying to win a plush carrot—and I regret nothing.
• Best for: gamers, tech lovers, and anyone who thinks a perfect day ends with 8-bit music.

Ueno

• Ueno is the city’s cultural pantry. Museums, a giant park, and street food stalls all live within suitcase-dragging distance. Sunday mornings at Ameya-Yokochō market mean takoyaki discounts and energetic bargaining that sounds like friendly arguing.
• Best for: travelers chasing “Tokyo accommodation on a budget” without giving up art, nature, or late-train access.

Ikebukuro

• Ikebukuro is often skipped, which means bargains bloom here. Sunshine City mall hides an aquarium, and side streets overflow with ramen joints that welcome broke students and curious backpackers. My favorite memory? Finding a cat café on the eighth floor of a nondescript building—purr therapy after a long travel day.
• Best for: thrifty explorers who like local vibes, shorter queues, and surprise felines.

Ryogoku

• Wake up to the thud of sumo practice in Ryogoku. This riverside neighborhood is calmer than downtown but still well-connected. Sip morning coffee, then peek into a stable to watch wrestlers train—it’s like front-row seats to living heritage.
• Best for: culture fans and early risers who don’t need neon to feel the city’s pulse.

Koenji

• Koenji is where vintage shops and indie bands grow like wildflowers. Graffiti peeks from alley corners, and second-hand stores sell clothes that tell better stories than brand-new threads. Nightfall brings tiny bars with vinyl spinning gentle jazz.
• Best for: backpackers who like thrift hunts, live music, and streets that feel like secret chapters.

Top 10 Tips for Your First Time in Tokyo

• Tap and go: Buy a Suica or Pasmo card at the airport. It saves you from ticket machine puzzles after a red-eye flight.
• Stay near Yamanote Line: This green JR loop circles the main sights and chops commute times down to minutes.
• Convenience-store magic: 7-Eleven onigiri and Lawson fried chicken can power a full sightseeing day for pocket change.
• Cash is still king: Many small eateries take only yen notes. Keep coins ready for exact change hero moments.
• Mind the last train: Most lines nap just after midnight. Miss it and you’ll choose between karaoke booths or pricey taxis.
• Use coin lockers: Stash bags in station lockers so you can roam luggage-free before check-in or after check-out.
• Download offline maps: Free Wi-Fi disappears when you need it most—offline GPS means never circling the same block twice.
• Queue culture: Lines look long but move fast. Join in, stay orderly, and the ramen reward will taste even better.
• Take a “no-plan” day: Wander aimlessly; Tokyo hides its best moments in side streets and vending machine corners.
• Polite volume: Trains are quiet zones. Turn your phone to silent and let the gentle hum be your soundtrack.

Short and crisp: The Best Hostels in Tokyo

1. Khaosan Tokyo Original
2. Bakpak Tokyo Hostel
3. Tokyo Backpackers
4. Sakura Hostel Asakusa - best for Family-Friendly Hostel, Solo Traveller
5. K's House - best for Family-Friendly Hostel, Female Solo Traveller, Older travelers (+50)

Khaosan Tokyo Original

8.6

Taitō-ku

"…The owners are cool — they really are a "fun and friendly married couple." Common areas are tiny, more

Bakpak Tokyo Hostel

8.8

Taitō-ku

"…(He ran out of the hostel and to the bus stop just to tell me what stop it was and how much it more

Tokyo Backpackers

8.4

Taitō-ku

"…meet other people, very clean, staff were amazingly helpful and friendly. Good location -- five- more

Sakura Hostel Asakusa

8.3

Taitō-ku

"…i definitely recommend staying here. Very good place to go! Staff very friendly and available, more

from

$10.57

K's House

8.5

Taitō-ku

"…The showers are always clean and there is enough room outside the cabin to store your belongings more

Hostels in Tokyo Are the Best Option — Here’s Why

Tokyo hostels treat “budget” like a badge of honor, not an apology. Imagine capsule pods that feel like starships, spotless bath areas with free shampoo, and common rooms humming with accents from five continents.

Staff often moonlight as city guides, scribbling secret gyoza spots on free maps. You’ll trade stories over free green tea, join last-minute group trips to karaoke, and maybe meet a future travel buddy who turns your solo plan into a snack-hopping squad.

All this costs less than a shoebox hotel and gives you local tips faster than any search engine.

In short, hostels here stretch your yen and widen your circle at the same time.

7 Hidden Gemz in Tokyo (by Hostelgeeks)

How it works

Final Recommendations

Tokyo is a bright, busy puzzle, and the piece you choose to sleep in decides how the whole picture feels.

Pick a neighborhood that matches your mood—be it the electric buzz of Shibuya or the slow grace of Asakusa.

Pack light, keep an open mind, and remember that even the smallest ramen shop can serve up a life-changing broth.

Book that bed, charge your camera, and practice a friendly “arigatō.” The city of endless discoveries is waiting, and it won’t hold the train doors forever.

Backpacking Tokyo? Here’s What You Need to Know

These are the guides I wish I had before visiting. I’ve been there, had fun, did some minor mistakes, and now I’m passing the best tips on to you. Safe travels!

Must-Read

Solo Travel Tokyo

My experience and what you can expect

Backpacking Tokyo

All those cool and unique experiences we are looking for!

How to Pick a Hostel in Tokyo

What to Expect (and what not!)

Where to Stay in Tokyo as a Solo Traveler

Best Areas and how to get around

I stayed in a Backpacker Hostel in Tokyo

My experience and what you can expect

About the author: Nour De Wilde Salhab

A Lebanese-Congolese-French-Belgian girl as likely to be found climbing a volcano in Indonesia or reading a sci-fi book by the sea in the South of France. Always on the hunt for remarkable experiences. My two favorites so far: volunteering in emergency medical services in Lebanon and solo backpacking around the world. Life is enjoyable in all its facets, from its healthy extremes to its mundane slows.