10 Best Hostels in Tokyo | Unique Stays in Prime Locations

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When you consider world-class city travel, what’s better than bright lights, pioneering architecture, eccentric cultural fusions, and fanciful attractions? All of that and more in one city!

When you travel to Tokyo, Japan’s innovation-driven capital, you are met with a myriad of neon colors, tall skyscrapers, and heaps of tourist entertainment. Being in this highly populated city is an immersive experience, one that requires doing things differently.

One area of travel where you can get a little adventurous and push the envelope to encounter the extraordinary is your accommodation. Hostels are all the rage and deliver custom lodging experiences.

In a buzzing city like Tokyo, you’ll want to find the best hostels. Whether you’re a digital nomad, a solo traveler, or a first-time visitor, here’s your guide to the best hostels in Tokyo.

Tokyo Hostels

What you’ll love most about any great hostel in Tokyo is the comfort of quality accommodation in, hopefully, an ideal location. Here, you can enjoy the benefits of convenient shared spaces and amenities like free WiFi.

You can save some cash by securing your preferred lodging at a fraction of the price of standard hotel rooms. It’s time to learn more below about some of the coolest, quirkiest, and most affordable hostels in Tokyo.

Nui. Hostel Bar & Lounge

This is the hostel for you if: you want a vibey social atmosphere without breaking the bank.

One of the trendiest, most popular hostels in the Asakusa area is the urban-inspired Nui. Hostel Bar & Lounge. This stylish, relatively cheap hostel in Tokyo offers comfortable, lockable double rooms and dormitories with bunk beds.

The shared rooms are well-equipped, complete with electric outlets, privacy curtains, and reading lights.

Every traveler knows cleanliness is high on the list of things that make an accommodation pleasant. At Nui. you are guaranteed spotless spaces, from the lounge to the kitchen to the rooms and the bathrooms.

The best way to enjoy your time here is by mixing it up with fellow travelers. Make the most of the common areas, like the fully-kitted shared kitchen and the rooftop terrace.

One of the hostel’s most appealing features is the cozy bar and café downstairs. You can indulge in delicious meals and drinks while socializing with the locals and other guests.

You’ll be close enough to convenient public transit hubs like Kuramae Station and Asakusa Station which are just a short walk away. There, you can catch trains to tourist attractions in the city.

Take advantage of the on-site bike hire service when you’re looking to explore independently.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi
• A vibey bar and café downstairs and friendly, helpful staff (confirmed by previous guests)
• Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest temple, is just 15 minutes away.

Imano Tokyo Hostel

This is the hostel for you if: you’re a solo traveler looking for a one-of-a-kind Japan stay.

Imano Tokyo Hostel is in the hip and happening Shinjuku area — easily the best neighborhood when figuring out where to stay in Tokyo. When you choose Imano, you benefit from being in a central location.

It’s close to prominent restaurants, nightlife spots, entertainment theaters, and those much-loved Japanese karaoke rooms.

You can opt for a private room, a family room (if you’re traveling with your clan) or a dormitory. Like other hostels in Tokyo on this list, Imano dormitories are super comfy and have bed lamps, electric outlets, and privacy curtains for a bit of seclusion when needed.

Spend time in the communal kitchen brushing up on your Japanese cuisine cooking skills and hang out with other guests in the common area. When you’re ready to get out and about, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and Meiji Shrine are both within 1,4 miles of the hostel.

One of the most exciting experiences awaits you just 15 minutes (less than three miles) away from Imano Tokyo: Shibuya City’s famous Shibuya Crossing. This is the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing and a must-see when you’re in Tokyo.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi access
• An on-site café and bar with à la carte menus
• Great location for tourist activities and sightseeing (some within walking distance)

Hostel Chapter Two Tokyo

This is the hostel for you if: you’re a digital nomad wanting to work and play hard while on your Japan holiday.

Another Asakusa winner is Hostel Chapter Two Tokyo, which will serve as the best hostel for you if you’re a digital nomad keen to balance some work and leisure time in Tokyo. Take your pick between a private room and a modern pod, which bumps up the traditional bunk bed experience.

The rooms are clean, chic, and well-furnished. Hostel Chapter has a bar and a rooftop patio featuring a co-working area. The common room and kitchen are other hostel areas where you’ll be sharing laughs and your travel stories with other guests during your downtime.

When you explore Asakusa, pop over to Sumida Riverside Hall near the hostel to catch a theater show or visit the art gallery. Close by, you’ll also find Hozomon Gate and Komagata Bridge.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi
• Spacious rooftop terrace for socializing and co-working
• Ideally located in Asakusa

Hostel Bedgasm

This is the hostel for you if: you love a lively environment and want to meet new people.

One of the best hostels in East Tokyo has to be Hostel Bedgasm, with its well-appointed twin, double, and dormitory rooms. If the quirky name isn’t enough to entice you, the spirited ambience and subtle party hostel setting will win you over.

Enjoy your relaxation time in the lounge or while preparing meals in the shared kitchen. If you love a nightcap to seal the day, you’ll appreciate that Hostel Bedgasm offers free drinks each evening to its guests.

The bar and terrace are great for unwinding and mingling when you’re not in your room or off-site. There’s even a concierge service to assist you with anything you need during your stay.

Learn about the life and work of pioneering novelist Ichiyo Higuchi at the Ichiyo Memorial Museum, just a short walk from the hostel (10 minutes). You can also meander around Taito Kuritsu Kinryu Park, eight minutes from the hostel.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi access
• Free beer at the cozy bar each night
• Affordable lodging in a convenient location

CITAN Hostel

This is the hostel for you if: you want an upbeat cosmopolitan setting.

CITAN Hostel is where you want to be if you’ve got a bit of indie kid in you. This uber-cool hostel in the Nihonbashi district is an impressive seven-story building with an upmarket aesthetic. You’re spoiled for choice with swanky dormitories, twin, superior, and deluxe rooms.

The common area provides a tranquil space to chill out. Just like you’d get at the other hostels mentioned here, the shared kitchen is yours to use as you see fit.

The basement floor features a restaurant and bar, which comes alive and transforms the CITAN hostel into a party hostel during weekends.

The hostel is close to the city center. Attractions like Suginomori-Jinja Shrine, Jisshi Park, Takarada Ebisu Shrine, and the Japanese Kampo Chinese Medicine Revival Monument are also nearby.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi
• Berth Coffee shop is attached to the hostel
• Multiple on-site socializing spots make it easy to fraternize and make new friends

UNPLAN Shinjuku

This is the hostel for you if: you want to experience comfort and convenience at knock-out hostel prices.

In the city center, you’ll find UNPLAN Shinjuku — one of the best hostels in Tokyo, Shinjuku area. Not only is this hostel in a great location, but it’s also modern, elegant, and worth every yen you’ll spend.

Enjoy a stay in the spacious, air-conditioned rooms offered as capsule dorms, double and private rooms. As is the trend with most hostels, UNPLAN Shinjuku shared rooms have individual sockets and privacy curtains to ensure you really enjoy your “alone time”.

Social areas at UNPLAN Shinjuku include a bar area, a shared lounge area, and a kitchen. When you’re not enjoying the spoils of classic Japanese hospitality on-site, visit Taiso-ji Temple and Senso-ji Temple near the hostel.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi
• Convenient location close to public transportation
• Friendly staff who go out of their way to welcome you

Plat Hostel Keikyu Minowa Forest

This is the hostel for you if: you want to save money but still enjoy quality accommodation.

Asakusa’s Plat Hostel Keikyu Minowa Forest offers hostel stays with a slight difference: you get to luxuriate in your own space. Plat Hostel only has private rooms, but you still get the feeling of travelers’ camaraderie in beautiful surroundings.

What makes Plat one of the best hostels in Tokyo is its distinct garden theme. Almost all the spaces are adorned with plants and green accents, with an overarching minimalist tone. This gives the illusion of being outside in nature while indoors.

Whip up Asian delights in the shared kitchen and kick back in the lounge when you need to take it easy. Plat Hostel is ideal for solo travelers and couples who want a fine fusion of social amenities, private lodging, and affordable accommodations.

Nearby, you can explore popular locations such as the Sunpearl Arakawa entertainment venue, local parks, and stunning temples.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi
• Quiet surroundings
• Concierge service

&And Hostel Asakusa Kappabashi

This is the hostel for you if: you want to be close to popular attractions in the Asakusa area.

Don’t let the odd name throw you off. &And Hostel Asakusa Kappabashi is a great option when visiting Tokyo — for several reasons. The first draw card is clean, modern, air-conditioned rooms offering comfort and a touch of class thanks to the contemporary stylings (including flat-screen TVs).

The second thing you’ll appreciate is the staff who extend themselves to deliver superior service and hospitality. Then there’s the favorable location, which makes it easy for you to connect to a few areas of interest.

Besides various temples and parks nearby, Kappabashi Shopping Street is within walking distance from the hostel. Popular attractions like the Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Dome are a short drive away.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi
• Luggage storage
• Superb location

Grids Tokyo Ueno Hotel & Hostel

This is the hostel for you if: you want a convenient location near public transport for exciting Tokyo sightseeing adventures.

Grids Tokyo Ueno Hotel & Hostel, one of the most modern Tokyo hostels, is ideally placed near the city center. You’ll be able to explore by foot or using public transport like buses and trains, which is a top tip when traveling in Japan on a budget.

You have the option of dorms, family rooms, and double private rooms — all of which are air-conditioned. The shared kitchen, lounge, and bar areas will be your main chill and socializing spots between your offsite Tokyo sightseeing escapades.

You’ll relish the hostel’s close proximity to Ueno Station and Tokyo National Museum. This is the best hostel to use as your base when you’d like to soak up Tokyo’s dazzling central district.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi
• Luggage storage
• Delicious daily continental breakfast

Next Read: Visiting Japan beyond Tokyo? Read about the Japan Rail Pass to help you decide if it’s worth purchasing.

The Millennials Shibuya

This is the hostel for you if: you want an ultra-modern accommodation that ranks highly for style, comfort, and luxury.

Just because hostel stays are normally a budget way to travel, this doesn’t mean they can’t be luxurious and a little over the top (when your budget allows). That’s the experience you get at The Millennials Shibuya, a high-tech smart capsule hostel in the bosom of Shibuya.

There’s so much to revel in at The Millennials. Besides the comfort of your private pod, enjoy the communal kitchen, lounge, and rooftop patio. There is also a co-working area for digital nomads looking to squeeze in a little bit of work while in Tokyo.

And when you thought it can’t get better, you can mix and mingle with other guests and enjoy a free drink during beer hour every evening.

Stand-out features:

• Free WiFi
• Free drinks each night
• Free toiletries

Benefits of Staying in Hostels in Tokyo

Although some people have misconceptions about hostel stays while traveling, there are fantastic advantages to opting for this type of lodging.

If you’re still struggling with the decision and weighing up your options, these five benefits might just convince you to choose a cozy hostel on your next Japan trip:

• Hostel prices tend to be cheaper than hotels, resorts, apartments, and B&Bs. You can use the money you save on accommodation to spend on more fun Tokyo activities and attractions.

• You can tailor your travel preferences by selecting the type of room you want and the perks you want to be included (like a free breakfast each morning). Every great hostel offers variety and an array of particularities to suit your budget and needs.

• Hostels typically have convenient communal spaces and top amenities. Looking for things like air conditioning, free WiFi, cooking facilities, and even small extras like free city maps to help you get around? Hostels have you covered.

• Many hostels are designed to create comfortable socializing environments for guests to meet and mingle. So expect on-site activities (like games, movies, and parties) and social areas like a bar lounge or rooftop patio where you can relax and unwind with fellow travelers.

• Believe it or not, you can even make lifelong friends when you meet locals, solo travelers, and fellow globetrotters.

Booking Tips and Tricks for Tokyo Hostels

The more you know before booking, the better your travel experience will be. Remember these tips and tricks to ensure things are as smooth as possible while staying in a Tokyo hostel.

Hostel Prices

Each Tokyo hostel is different, which means prices will vary. Assess your travel budget and even do a rough expenditure breakdown for an idea of how much to allocate to accommodation.

Compare prices and look at what each hostel in Tokyo offers so that your primary vacation needs are met.

Convenient Locations

When traveling, especially to a bustling city like Tokyo, location is everything. You might prefer to be based in central Tokyo or a great location close to shopping malls and other attractions.

With your itinerary in mind, aim to be based close to your planned activities and tourist destinations.

Private Rooms

If a private room is non-negotiable, you can still enjoy a hostel stay in properties like Plat Hostel. Embrace colorful travel experiences and share new adventures with interesting people.

There are plenty of hostels in Tokyo to choose from. Most hostels have bunk beds, twin, and private rooms.

You might even fancy a modern hostel with trendy capsule dorms. Select the hostel that caters for your unique needs and prepare for a remarkable Tokyo getaway.

Final Word on the Best Tokyo Hostels

With the right kind of information now in the bag and this handy guide to the best hostels in Tokyo, nothing stands in the way of you and a Japan trip to surpass all others. Whether you’re looking for a cheap hostel or a party hostel, Tokyo has what you need and more.

It won’t be surprising if your time in Japan inspires wanderlust for more exotic journeys. Keep the unique traveling theme going. Because this is such a fun way to travel, continue looking to experience the best hostel stay — no matter the destination.

Need some ideas? Switch things up and keep adding fabulous locations to your bucket list. Check out the best places to visit each month of the year to add more destinations to your trip itinerary!