Hostelling in Tokyo

By Michael Johnston

Tokyo International Youth Hostel

Located on the 18th and 19th floors of Iidabashi Central Plaza is Tokyo International Youth Hostel, a little-known retreat for sojourners to Tokyo traveling on a tight budget. The two-floor hostel boasts a safe envi­ronment, basic essentials, and a nice view of the Tokyo skyline.

The large, multistory building that houses the hostel provides a big-city feel, and its convenient location next to a Japan Rail station makes access to the country’s leg­endary train system quick and easy. The building where the hostel is located is also filled with restaurants and souvenir shops, especially on the first floor, where a slew of restaurants run through an open-air mall situated be­tween the two halves of the building, completing the cosmopolitan sensation of the place.

The inside of the hostel is nice as well, furnished with dark carpeting and somber, earth-toned walls. There are two lobbies, the first-floor lobby being located by the reception desk at the entry, the second lobby right above it, in front of the kitchen. Televisions, sofas and vending machines—and on the second floor, dining tables and a pay computer—are available. Each lobby is also equipped with phones—a pair for pay, a green domestic, and a silver international. These computerized phones are quite convenient, and will accept phone cards or pocket change. The computer has internet access (but beware of the Japanese keyboard!) and costs ¥100 (roughly $1) for 15 minutes of use.

Breakfast is served from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m. and din­ner from about 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Typical breakfasts offer rice, pickled vegetables, Miso soup, and fish (raw), or toast with jam, hard-boiled eggs, and cereal. Dinner includes a salad bar, along with other Japanese- and Western-style foods, including hamburgers. Breakfast and dinner tickets must be purchased daily or in advance and are non-refundable. As a side note, beer is also served in the kitchen, on tap, as well as from a pay refrigerator and a vending machine, and is available at any hour. Breakfasts are ¥400 (about $4), while dinners are ¥900 ($9).

Tokyo International Youth Hostel offers dormito­ries—either small group dorms for three to five people, or large dorms for six to ten people. They also have Japanese-style rooms, with tatami mats, for families only. The hostel is segregated on either side of the lobbies into male and female rooms. All rooms come with heating, air conditioning, closets, and a small table with a set of chairs; the Japanese family rooms also include a TV. Blankets and pillows are provided in the room, and linen sheets can be procured from the front desk for free. The hostel also rents out a public meeting room on the first floor for groups staying at the hostel or for classes. The hostel charges ¥3,500/night ($35) for ages 15 and up and ¥2,000/night ($20) for children, regardless of the type of room requested or received.

Sign in Tokyo International Youth Hostel.

There are two public restrooms (one for men, an­other for women) equipped with “high-tech toilets” with heated or air-conditioned seats and air-freshener. These restrooms double as the laundry rooms and are equipped with washers and dryers, costing about ¥50 (50¢) per use. Following Japanese custom, soap and hand towels are not provided in the restroom; it is assumed people carry their own.

The showers are located on the hostel’s second floor, at either end of the building (corresponding to which gender has accommodations on that side). These are Japanese-style bathhouses, equipped with sitting showers and a communal hot bath. Towels can be rented from the front desk for ¥50 (50¢); patrons need to supply their own toiletries. The showers are open from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and from about 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Like most Japanese hostels, Tokyo International Youth Hostel has a curfew and, along with Iidabashi Central Plaza, locks its doors at 10:30 p.m. In addition, because it is located within a multistoried building, sneaking in late is impossible. For those hoping to enjoy the Tokyo night life, cutting curfew and staying out all night is ultimately the only option. Fortunately, all-night karaoke is quite popular in Tokyo, and there are many other 24-hour establishments. In addition, patrons are obliged to leave the hostel between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., while cleaning is taking place.

Tokyo International Youth Hostel provides an agree­able experience for tourists or other travelers to Tokyo. It provides good food, nice rest, and a convenient location. Given the price and the quality, it is an excellent deal, to say the least.