Tokyo – The Wknd Travel

Hostel of the Day – IMANO TOKYO GINZA HOSTEL – Comfortable & Value Accommodation Near Tokyo’s Bustling Ginza District | My New Favorite Tokyo Hostel

Last October 2023, I, together with some friends, flew to Tokyo for a few days to re-visit the city we visited back in 2015. I spent 11 days and 10 nights around the city and stayed at only one accommodation, Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel. Now that Oak Hostel Zen has closed permanently, I can tell you that this property is now my favorite hostel in Tokyo.

Join me in today’s hostel of the day feature and learn why Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel instantly became my new favorite hostel in the city.

Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel

Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel opened its doors to the traveling community in 2017. This excellent property aims to provide comfortable accommodation, just like when one comes to visit a friend’s home. Imano offers both shared dormitory and private rooms across 8 floors above the exceptional second-floor communal lounge and co-working space and the ground-floor reception.

Location & Access

Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel is located at 1-5-10 Shintomi, Chūō-ku, Tōkyō 104-0041. It is in the center of Tokyo, in a quiet neighborhood between the Tsukiji and Ginza areas. The hostel is 2 minutes by foot from Exit 2 and 6 minutes by foot from Exit 1 of Shintomicho Station on the Yurakucho Subway Line. It is 6 to 10 minutes by foot from Exit 4 of Tsukiji Station on the Hibiya Subway Line, from Exit A1 of Takaracho Station on the Toei Asakusa Line, and from Exit A3 of Hatchobori Station on the JR Keiyo Line.

The hostel is about 10 to 15 minutes by foot from famous places like Tsukiji Outer Market, Ginza Shopping Street, and Tokyo Station. It is also near several local restaurants and convenience stores.

Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel is 1 train ride away from and to Narita International Airport via the Keisei Narita SkyAccess Line that continues to the Asakusa Line (and vice versa) from Takaracho Station. It is also 1 train ride away from and to Haneda International Airport via the Keikyū Airport Line that also continues to the Asakusa Line (and vice versa) from Takaracho Station. Given Tokyo’s extensive train system, there are also other ways to reach the property via other train lines.

The hostel’s location may not be near a local supermarket, but it is still a good base of choice when traveling around Tokyo. It is near various train lines, which makes it accessible almost everywhere in the city. Its ‘one train ride away to and from the airport’ also makes it a convenient place to stay when in Tokyo.

Room Options & Cost

Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel offers shared dormitory rooms and private rooms, depending on what the guests need.

The hostel offers the following dormitory configurations: a 6-bed mixed dormitory room, a 6-bed female dormitory room, and a 4-bed mixed dormitory room. All these dormitory rooms feature bunk beds with individual reading lights, privacy curtains, power outlets, hangers, bag and shoe lockers, air conditioning, and safety boxes. These dormitory rooms also have access to shared showers (with shampoo, conditioner, and liquid soap), toilets, and wash areas (with hair dryers and kettles) located on every floor. Dormitory bed rates start at ¥3,400 per bed per night.

Imano Ginza’s list of private room options is as follows: Japanese-style single or twin room, 4-bed family room, and 6-bed family room. The private single or twin tatami rooms feature futon beds, in-room shower and toilets with wash basins, televisions, bathroom and toilet amenities, face and bath towels, and air conditioning. The 4-bed and 6-bed family rooms feature the same amenities as the dormitory rooms above. These are dormitory rooms converted into private rooms when guests or families book them. Private room rates start at ¥10,000 per room per night.

My friend and I stayed at Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel for 10 consecutive nights. We booked our stay with Agoda, spent the first 5 nights in the Japanese-style twin tatami room, and paid ₱9,298.86 each. Another friend joined us for the next 5 nights, and we all stayed in the 6-bed mixed dormitory room. We paid ₱6,589.06 for all 5 nights.

In total, I paid ₱15,887.92 for all 10 nights, roughly ₱1,588.79 per night in an expensive city like Tokyo and neighborhood like Ginza. Not bad!

Guest Facilities & Amenities

Guests staying at Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel enjoy these facilities and amenities:

Free High-Speed Wi-Fi – Guests have access to a high-speed internet connection available throughout the building. Those working remotely can also take advantage of this “work from anywhere”-friendly Wi-Fi connection.

Drink Coupon Upon Check-In – The hostel staff gave us a drink discount coupon upon check-in. The coupon was valid throughout our stay.

Complimentary Slippers – The hostel provides complimentary slippers to all guests. The slippers are only limited to 1 pair per person per stay.

Café & Bar – Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel has an in-house café and bar. The café opens at 8:00 a.m. daily, while the bar starts operating from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Clean Showers & Toilets – The property makes sure that its communal showers and toilets are clean and well-maintained.

Communal Wash Areas – Each floor has a communal wash area where guests can dry their hair, brush their teeth, or wash their faces.

Air Conditioning & Heating Systems – All private and dormitory rooms feature air conditioning and heating systems.

Communal Lounge & Dining Area – Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel has a cozy, aesthetic, and spacious communal lounge and dining area. This communal area is also perfect for those who want to get some work done during their stay in Tokyo.

Shared Kitchen – The property has a small but functional shared kitchen near the communal lounge and dining areas.

Complimentary Water Refill – The hostel offers drinking water refill through the dispenser found in the small kitchen.

Outdoor Terrace & Smoking Area – The hostel prohibits smoking inside the hostel premises. They have the second-floor outdoor terrace as the designated smoking area.

Meeting Box Rental – Need to attend an important meeting during your stay? The hostel has a RemoteworkBOX near reception, which is available for rent for only ¥700 per hour.

Free Boardgame Rental – Guests can borrow the boardgames near the café & bar and play with them during their stay.

Free Umbrella Rental – Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel offers free umbrella rental during rainy days. Guests can freely get one when leaving the hostel and return it after use.

Coin-Operated Laundry – The property has a coin-operated laundry on the second floor. Please reach out to reception if you want to use this facility.

Luggage Storage – The hostel offers free luggage storage to guests on their check-in and check-out days.

Locker Rentals – They also offer locker rentals for valuable items that cannot be left inside rooms and in the complimentary luggage storage. Feel free to reach out to reception if you want to rent one.

Hostel Shop – The hostel has a shop where guests can purchase amenities, snacks, and drinks or rent other amenities such as bath towels and pajamas. The shop is located beside the reception.

Seasonal Hostel Activities – Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel conducts seasonal activities where checked-in guests can join. These activities are posted on their social media platforms.

24-Hour Reception – People arriving early in the morning or late at night do not need to worry about checking-in. The hostel reception is open 24 hours a day.

Multi-Lingual & Friendly Staff – The hostel staff speak many languages; they are also nice, approachable, and friendly.

Lift Access – The hostel has one lift that goes to every floor. Guests who bring large luggage do not need to carry it via the stairs.

Secured Room Access – All private and dormitory rooms can only be accessed by inputting the number combinations found in the room keycards.

Secured Hostel Premises – The rooms can only be accessed by the guests. Also, the lift requires a keycard for it to go up. The main entrance door is locked every day after 11:00 p.m. The hostel is also equipped with a 24/7 security surveillance system.

Hostel Experience

I enjoyed my stay at Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel to the point that it became my instant favorite.

Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel wins in these aspects. First, the hostel’s private and dormitory room rates are competitive on the affordable side if we look at Tokyo, and particularly Ginza rates. The hostel has everything a traveler needs during his or her Tokyo visit. Second, Imano Ginza’s location is central but quiet. It is in a peaceful neighborhood away from the busy Ginza and Tsukiji commercial districts.

Third, the hostel’s second-floor communal lounge / work area is the best. They have high-speed internet, which allowed me to be productive at work for a few days. The tables have power and USB outlets, which can be used to charge laptops and phones. Fourth, the hostel provides free drinking water refills. It helped us save some money by not buying drinking water.

Lastly, Imano Ginza has a whole bunch of friendly staff. One staff member, Mai (if I remember it right), even went to us on the second floor to give us candies she bought during her weekend trip to Yamanashi Prefecture. Lovely!

The hostel also has its drawbacks. First, the shared kitchen is very small. Only one person can use it at a time. Second, for those traveling with large suitcases, the double or twin private tatami rooms have very limited space. The suitcases can only be opened on top of the beds.

Lastly, the dormitory rooms need better ventilation. The 6-bed mixed dormitory room on the fifth floor where my friends and I stayed for a few nights had this disturbing or unpleasant unventilated smell. This can easily be fixed by opening the windows and letting fresh air circulate for a few hours every day.

Nevertheless, I still had a nice and delightful 10-day stay at Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel. I am happy I got the chance to try both their private tatami and dormitory rooms during this lengthy stay. I will be back in the future, now that it is my new favorite hostel in Tokyo.

If you want to see how the hostel looks in real life, their website has this feature that shows a 360° panorama view of the property. Also, in case you have questions about Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel, please feel free to reach out to them on the following channels:

Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel
Address: 1-5-10 Shintomi, Chūō-ku, Tōkyō 104-0041
Phone Number: +813 5117 2131
Email Address: tokyo-ginza@imano.jp
Website: www.imano.jp/ginza/en
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/imanotokyoginza
Instagram: www.instagram.com/imano_tokyo_ginza

This wraps up my stay at Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel. What do you think of the hostel? Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send these questions to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature. Please also take time to check out my previous HOTD features by clicking this. You will find my other hostel reviews about Le Village Montmartre in Paris, The Bed KLCC in Kuala Lumpur, The RomeHello in Rome, Yesinn Youth Hostel in Hong Kong, Yeah Hostel in Barcelona, and Z Hostel here in the Philippines.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and please watch out for more Tokyo 2023 content in the coming weeks!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Tokyo 2023: FUJIKAWAGUCHIKO – Successful Do-It-Yourself Day Tour to See Mount Fuji + Tips on How to Plan Your Own Trip [October 2023]

Last October 2023, I, together with some friends, flew to Tokyo for a few days to re-explore the city and to see what had changed since our previous visits. I went to Tokyo in 2015 with the same set of friends. I have also passed by the city multiple times after that 2015 trip, when I went to Fujikawaguchiko and Takayama in 2017, when I flew to Sapporo in 2018, and when I went to Nagano back in 2019. I have not been around Tokyo for a while, so I thought it was the perfect time to visit and stay longer in the city.

One of the most famous day trips outside of Tokyo is a visit to Fujikawaguchiko, or Hakone, to see the beautiful and famous Mount Fuji. On one of our days in Tokyo, my friends and I decided to go on a do-it-yourself trip to Fujikawaguchiko to see Mount Fuji (again) and to explore the town at our own pace. Allow me to share with you everything about this do-it-yourself day tour, from transportation to the route taken and to the places we visited.

Disclaimer: All the information below is true and correct as of October 14, 2023, our day trip day. Please note that schedules, fare costs, and other details can change at any time. Also, we missed Mount Fuji’s snow cap by 2 days. The first snow cap for the autumn 2023 season showed up two days later.

Fujikawaguchiko

Fujikawaguchiko is a Japanese resort town in Yamanashi Prefecture. This famous town surrounds one of Fuji’s five lakes, Lake Kawaguchiko. It is one of the best places to see the beautiful Mount Fuji. The town is one of the most popular day trip destinations from Tokyo, with thousands of visitors each day.

In case you missed it, I visited Fujikawaguchiko back in 2017. I stayed in town for 2 full days and 2 nights, and I got the chance to see Mount Fuji in its glory. Check out the previous trip here.

Tokyo ⇿ Fujikawaguchiko

Fujikawaguchiko is a little over 110 kilometers away from Tokyo Station. The fastest and most comfortable way to go to Fujikawaguchiko from Tokyo and back is by taking the highway buses that run between these two places. These buses leave from multiple areas in Tokyo, such as Tokyo Station, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Akihabara, and a lot more. All these buses terminate their service at Kawaguchiko Station.

My friends and I booked our bus tickets with Willer Express and chose the earliest departure (6:50 a.m.) from Tokyo Station Yaesu South Exit. On the way back, we got the 5:30 p.m. schedule from Kawaguchiko Station back to Tokyo Station. The return bus ticket cost us ¥4,120 each. My bank charged me ₱1,618.10 for the ticket, including the foreign transaction service fee.

Day Tour Route

My friends and I arrived at Tokyo Station Yaesu South Exit around 6:30 a.m. We went to a nearby convenience store and bought food for the bus trip. We went back to the bus boarding area and got on the bus a few minutes before the scheduled departure time. At exactly 6:50 a.m., we left Tokyo Station and took a 2.5-hour bus trip to Mount Fuji Station.

We got off at Mount Fuji Station, or Fujisan Station, the stop before Kawaguchiko Station. From here, we took the local bus (¥100 fare) to Shimoyoshida Station. We passed by the famous Honcho Street, but we did not get off the street.

From Shimoyoshida Station, we walked and hiked up to Arakurayama Sengen Park and got a glimpse of Mount Fuji with the famous Chureito Pagoda. We hiked up further and found a covered rest area where we spent a considerable amount of time resting and relaxing while looking at Mount Fuji and enjoying the cold weather.

We walked down the hill and back to Shimoyoshida Station. We took the 13-minute Fujikyuko Local Line train (¥310 fare) to Kawaguchiko Station. Then, we walked to the famous nearby Lawson convenience store and had lunch inside. We crossed the street and took photos of this convenience store from the other side of the road.

After having lunch and taking photos, we walked back to Kawaguchiko Station and took the red sightseeing bus to Oishi Park in Lake Kawaguchiko. The bus trip took close to an hour due to traffic and multiple stops, and it cost ¥570 per person. We skipped the maple corridor because it was too early for the autumn leaves.

We walked along the Flower Street in Oishi Park, took some photos, enjoyed the view of Mount Fuji with the red kochia (summer cypress) plants and other flowers, and got ourselves a cone of soft-serve ice cream perfect for the not-so-cold weather. At quarter before 4:00 p.m., we took the same red sightseeing bus back to Kawaguchiko Station. We paid another ¥570 bus fare per person. We spent the remaining time at Kawaguchiko Station and waited for our bus to arrive.

We boarded our bus a few minutes past 5:30 p.m. We left Kawaguchiko Station right after sunset and arrived at Tokyo Station before 8:00 p.m.

Do-It-Yourself Day Tour Tips

I have been to Fujikawaguchiko twice, and I want to share some tips on how you can make the most of your do-it-yourself trip.

First, identify the top places you want to visit. Fujikawaguchiko is a big resort town with many great places to visit. It is impossible to go to all these places in just a day. Like what we did above, we have identified Arakurayama Sengen Park, Chureito Pagoda, Lawson Kawaguchiko Station, Lake Kawaguchiko, and Oishi Park as the only places we want to see on this day tour. Either you stay for a few days in town or you go back for the others in the next visit.

Second, figure out the route you want to take. As much as possible, refrain from going back and forth between places. To save time and make the most of the day tour, plan the route you want to take on your day tour. Plan, but do not over plan.

Third, always check the weather forecast before planning what day you will visit Fujikawaguchiko. This will give you an idea of when the best day is to go to see Mount Fuji in its glory.

Fourth, make the most of the day tour by taking the first bus out of Tokyo. You will have more time to go around the town if you take the earliest bus out of Tokyo. Also, make sure to visit the bus boarding place at least a day before your trip to know where you will go on the day of your trip.

Fifth, book your bus tickets ahead of time, up to at least days before your desired day trip. While bus tickets can be bought on the day of your tour, there is no guarantee that you will get your preferred schedule or trip time. Bus tickets are available at the Willer Express website.

Sixth, be knowledgeable of the train and bus trip schedules and intervals. This will help you navigate your schedule on the day of the trip.

Seventh, do not forget to bring a bottle of water or tumbler with drinking water. The day tour has a lot of walking and hiking. You will surely need water to get through the day.

Eighth, relax and enjoy every single moment of the day trip. Do not let any small inconvenience ruin your beautiful day with Mount Fuji.

Ultimately, it is ideal to stay in Fujikawaguchiko for 2-3 days if your schedule and Japan itinerary allow you to do so. If not, I hope the tips above will help you plan your do-it-yourself Mount Fuji day trip.

This sums up our Mount Fuji day tour from Tokyo on October 14, 2023. I hope I gave you some information on how to do it yourself. I also hope you found the tips helpful in planning and executing your own do-it-yourself trip.

Do you have any questions about Fujikawaguchiko or anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comment section below. You may also send you questions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s write-up about the DIY Fujikawaguchiko trip. Please stay tuned for more Tokyo 2023 travel blogs. Before you go, I hope you can like, follow, and share my social media pages, Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

2019 Rewind: Crossing Borders & Making Dreams Come True

Another year of travels is coming to an end. Those of you following me since 2016 know that I always post a year-end blog detailing what happened to me & where I went in that specific year. 2016 was all about travelling solo, exploring places by myself; 2017 was exploring relatively known & unknown places & 2018 was all about reuniting & travelling with friends. 2019 is a mix of all 3 years of recaps. I went & explored places by myself, I flew & took trains to both & unknown places & I had a few trips with my friends. I can say 2019 is my best year yet for travelling – I’ve crossed many borders & made my long-time dreams come true.

Allow me to share with you details of my 2019 in terms of trips taken. I will also give insights of the interesting content developments here in my website.

trips recap ✈️

SORSOGON 🇵🇭

I started off the year with a day trip to the beaches of Matnog, Sorsogon. I didn’t post about this day trip in this website but I believe it’s worth sharing here. My cousins from Australia welcomed the new year in our hometown. Days after the new year, we took them to the islands of Subic, Matnog in Sorsogon. We first went fish feeding in a sanctuary then continued to Subic Beach. It was a fun day spent with cousins in the beach.

JAPAN 🇯🇵

Back in February, I flew to my favorite Japan for 9 days. My supposed-to-be trip to Nagano, Kanazawa & Toyama turned into a family trip around Tokyo & Kansai Region (Osaka, Nara & Kyoto). I flew with them to Tokyo then took a side trip to Nagano then met my sisters in Osaka afterwards. It was a delight seeing the snow monkeys in Nagano & spending some alone time in a very cold & snowy place in Japan. I then flew to Fukuoka to spend a day around the city before catching my flight back to Manila. I may not have been to Kanazawa & Toyama in this trip but I’ll make sure to go next time.

I didn’t post much about this but I went to Japan again a few months ago. My friend & I decided to surprise another friend in her flight to Fukuoka & to ruin her first ever solo trip. We spent 48 hours around Fukuoka, Japan, went to pretty interesting places, savored every Japanese meal & drowned ourselves with the Lipton milk tea drink.

Blog List:
Japan Highlights 2019: TOKYO – 36 Hours In The Land Of The Rising Sun’s Most Famous Metropolis
Japan Highlights 2019: NAGANO – 48 Hours In The Inland Prefecture Of The Snow Monkeys
Japan Highlights 2019: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN – A Theme Park That Brings You Back To Being A ‘Kid’ Just For A Day
Japan Highlights 2019: KYOTO – Japan’s Ancient Capital In One Day
Japan Highlights 2019: NARA – A Morning Visit To The Deer Park
Japan Highlights 2019: MATSUMOTO & FUKUOKA Stopovers

BACOLOD 🇵🇭

Office friends & I went on a spontaneous Bacolod weekend trip last February. We flew to the city & went to the famous Ruins then had chicken inasal for dinner in Manukan Country. We then went to the town of Don Salvador Benedicto to check out Negros’ Little Baguio. After a few hours around the mountains, we went back to the city & decided to just eat out until we flew back to Manila.

Blog: Spontaneous BACOLOD Weekend: 48 Hours In The City of Smiles

MELBOURNE 🇦🇺

I flew to Melbourne, Australia with Leng & Shane (from Sydney 2018 trip) during the Holy Week break last April. I spent 8 days around the city & the nearby suburbs. We also went to the Brighton Bathing Boxes, Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island & Yarra Valley Wine Country. My friend Lord, who I was with on It’s The Ship 2018, joined us on our first few days in Melbourne.

We didn’t make out Melbourne itinerary that busy compared to our Sydney one. We just enjoyed our time there, strolling around the beautiful city, trying out different cuisines & hoarding every single interesting item in the supermarkets.

Blog List:
N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 1 – Parks, Gardens & Heritage Sites
N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 2 – Hipster Laneways, Communal Spaces & Modern Areas
N9 In Straya Series: BRIGHTON BATHING BOXES – Iconic & Photogenic Bathing Boxes Found In A Coastal Melbourne Suburb
N9 in Straya Series: GREAT OCEAN ROAD – A Day Trip To The World’s Largest War Memorial
N9 In Straya Series: PHILLIP ISLAND – A Perfect Day Out With Nature & Australian Wildlife
N9 In Straya Series: PUFFING BILLY RAILWAY & YARRA VALLEY WINE TOUR – Victoria’s Heritage Steam Railway & Wine Region In A Day

TAIWAN 🇹🇼

It’s been years since our last family trip to Singapore. My parents decided to bring the family to Taiwan for the Fathers’ Day weekend. We went to the city of Taichung on our first day as per my sister’s request. She wanted to see the flower farms in Taichung plus take nice photos with the family. We then went around the city on Fathers’ Day – went to church, strolled around Daan Park, ate at Din Tai Fung, hiked the Elephant Hill & walked around Raohe Night Market.

On our third day, we took the Klook guided tour to Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen Old Street & Shifen then finished the day around Ximending. We spent our fourth day in Chiang Kai Shek Memorial, Liberty Square & in the airport for our flight back to Manila. I met with my good friend Richard, whom I knew in Komodo, Indonesia in 2018, for a few nights in Taipei. He was also in the city waiting for his flight back to Europe. It was fun catching up with this man over food & drinks!

Blog List:
TAIWAN All Over Again – Family Long Weekend In Taipei
TAICHUNG Photo Blog: Picturesque Places Outside Taipei
YEHLIU-JIUFEN-SHIFEN Klook Tour – Perfect & Hassle-Free Taiwan Northeast Coast Day Tour

YOGYAKARTA 🇮🇩

One spontaneous trip I took this year was that to Yogyakarta. I saw a piso-fare ticket to Jakarta last June for an August trip & decided to buy that ticket. I contacted Yudi, a friend I met on Its the Ship 2018 who is now based somewhere in Indonesia. We then agreed to meet in Yogyakarta & volunteered to take me around.

Lord of LordAroundTheWorld, who joined me in Melbourne last April, decided to join me a week before the trip. We then met with Yudi & his friend Dallin in Yogyakarta & we went around the city. We went to different temples (Borobudur, Prambanan, Taman Sari) & also took the lava trail tour in Mount Merapi. We ate in different local restaurants & tried several local dishes. We spent most of our time in Yogyakarta in the road, in restaurants & in our hotel. It was a relaxing trip; not the usual busy one. It’s nice to step back for a while & just enjoy chilling.

Blog: The Wonderful Indonesia Series: YOGYAKARTA – A Relaxing Weekend In Indonesia’s Special Monarchy Region

BORACAY 🇵🇭

My buddy Rick & I flew to Boracay last September to surprise our high school friends having their holiday in the island. They didn’t know that we were coming so we decided to show up on the afternoon of their 2^nd day, right after arriving in the island. We ate in nice restaurants, walked along the shore, swam on the beach & spent some quality time with the group.

Rick & I stayed for 2 more days in the island & just spent most of the time relaxing, eating, walking & drinking. I didn’t expect this September trip to have its 2^nd part after the Bohol weekend in 2018 but I hope there will be a 3^rd installment in 2020, 4^th installment in 2021 until this becomes a regular trip with them. By the way, I didn’t join my family in Hong Kong to join these people plus I also don’t have my passport during this time.

E-U-R-O-P-E!!! 🇳🇱 🇧🇪 🇨🇿 🇩🇰

Finally, A TRIP TO EUROPE! This is the highlight of my 2019. It was a dream come true. I haven’t posted anything about this trip in the website but I’m happy to share that this long-time plan of going to Europe happened last October to November 2019.

One of my Europe trip highlights – a trip to Český Krumlov. This town is picturesque & peaceful. 🇨🇿

It all started with an affordable ticket I got from the Singapore Airlines & BPI promotion last January 2019. I got tickets flying from Manila to Amsterdam, Netherlands & leaving from Copenhagen, Denmark, both via Singapore. I saved up the whole year, planned my itinerary, booked my hostels & booked the inter-country flights ahead of time. I applied for a tourist visa on my own – no help from any agency & got it after a week.

Nyhavn – my favorite place in Copenhagen… It’s where the Danish Christmas market is found! 🇩🇰

And the trip happened. Due to busy work schedule, I didn’t have time to do more research & make my final itinerary. I arrived in Amsterdam with no plans, not even a single idea how to go to my hostel. I got scared at first but I ended up having the best days of my life around Europe. I went to 4 countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark), explored cities & small towns, reunited with friends I met from previous trips, met cool new friends along the way, took walking tours in every city / town, drank more beers than waters in a day, walked thousands of steps & tens of kilometers a day & ate all local food I can in every place. I did all of these alone! Yes, I FLEW TO EUROPE ALONE & I SURVIVED. It was probably the bravest thing I did this year.

Obligatory photo with the canals of Amsterdam in The Netherlands.. Can’t wait to go back here! 🇳🇱

I have so much to share about this trip but I am reserving that for the individual posts. I hope you’ll watch out for those write-ups.

Blogs: TO FOLLOW.

blog highlights ✨

Aside from the usual blog contents I post, there were 2 significant developments in this blog. First is the continued posts for the Tuesday Tips & Hostel of the Day features. I had 3 Tuesday Tip posts & 7 hostel of the day features published in my website solely for 2019. I still have a long list of Tuesday tips to share & hostels (especially the ones from Europe) to publish so watch out for those. My main goal of posting these Tuesday tips & hostel features is to show the world that there are nice things out there that don’t need hefty amounts of money. You can have the same fun & memorable experiences by paying small amounts.

Blog List:
Hostel of the Day: DOT HOSTEL NAGANO – Wooden House Turned High-Rated Affordable Hostel
Hostel Of The Day: KHAOSAN WORLD ASAKUSA RYOKAN & HOSTEL – Clean & Affordable Traditional Japanese Accommodation In The Heart Of Tokyo
Hostel Of The Day: NEW WORLD INN OSAKA – Simple, Affordable & Modern Property Near Tennoji
Hostel Of The Day: FUKUOKA HANA HOSTEL – Fukuoka’s In-Demand & Best Valued Tourist Accommodation
Hostel Of The Day: FLINDERS BACKPACKERS MELBOURNE – Budget-Friendly & Extremely Popular Hostel In The Heart Of The City
Hostel Of The Day: UINN TRAVEL HOSTEL – Modern, Space-Themed & Excellent Taipei Hostel
Hostel Of The Day: MAD MONKEY HOSTEL BORACAY – Paradise Island’s Hidden Party Hostel Gem
Tuesday Tip: 4 TRUSTED HOSTEL GROUPS To Check When Looking For AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATION in JAPAN
Tuesday Tip: 6 WAYS To SAVE MONEY In MELBOURNE
Tuesday Tip: Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application With VFS NETHERLANDS

This year, I introduced a section in my website called Flight Reports. You guys know I love flying & my interest in aviation is something else. I thought of sharing my flight experiences with different airlines – how the service is from check in to boarding to in-flight services & cabin crew service. Since I started the section in June, I already published 8 flight reports about 5 local & international airlines. I didn’t expect this section to get hits but I’m happy that I get regular website visits for these specific posts. I still have about 5 or 6 flight reports to share with you, most of them from my European trip. I hope you’re excited for these flight reports as I am!

Blog List:
Flight Report: EVA AIR BR 277 – Taipei to Manila – Taiwan’s 5-Star Airline For An Affordable Fare
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 328 – Legazpi to Manila – ₱600 ($11.50) Flight Back To Manila
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 759 – Manila to Jakarta – ₱1,236 ($24) International Flight To Indonesia
Flight Report: INDONESIA AIR ASIA QZ 7550 – Jakarta to Yogyakarta – Low-Cost Domestic Flight To Indonesia’s Royal City
Flight Report: INDONESIA AIR ASIA QZ 7551 – Yogyakarta to Jakarta – Redemption Flight Back To Indonesia’s Capital
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 905 – Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) – Short & Relatively Empty Flight To Paradise Island
Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6244 – Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila – Quick Turboprop Flight Back To The Metro
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 915 – Manila to Singapore – 5-Star Economy Class Experience In A New Generation Boeing Dreamliner

By the way, this just came in. This website has finally hit 90,000 site views! This is another milestone hit before the end of the 2019. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the endless support – from sharing my articles & posts, to commenting & liking the posts that appear on your timelines to your comments & questions. I appreciate all of these.

Thank you for giving me the reason to continue sharing more content in this website. I can tell you this is not the end, it is just the start of more tips, flight reports, itineraries & blog posts. I have a long list of topics to share & upcoming trips & flights to take. You’ll definitely see more in this website next year.

Here’s to an adventure-filled 2020. Happy New Year, dear readers!

PS. Some photos were taken using my HTC U11. Shout out to my friends Junelle, Mark & Richard for allowing me to use your photos in this post.

Tuesday Tip: 4 TRUSTED HOSTEL GROUPS To Check When Looking For AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATION in JAPAN

We can’t deny the fact that Japan accommodation prices are very high compared to those of our neighboring countries. From someone who’s been to a number of countries, I can vouch that it actually has one of the most expensive per night rates (both in hotels & hostels) in Asia.

I’ve been flying to Japan every year since 2015 & believe it or not, I’ve never stayed in a hotel. I always go for the cheaper & comfortable option of staying in hostels. I have the tendency to be very picky on which hostel to choose & what time of room or dormitory configuration to book but so far, I’ve never made a bad decision. All rooms & bed types I got in the past are decent, secured, comfortable, some are a little bit over the usual price but totally worth every yen.

In the last 5 years of flying to & travelling around Japan, I discovered 4 trusted hostel groups that offer affordable & over-the-top services to its guests. Note that I’ve stayed in at least one property of these hostel groups in the past. If you’ve been following my Hostel Of The Day posts in the past, you’ll see some of featured hostels coming from these hostel groups. These hostels are located in places or cities where most foreigners go or visit.

The aim of these hostel groups is to provide the best quality of hospitality in the most affordable price or rate. I can assure you that all hostels under these hostel groups provide the best comfort they can at such low prices. Allow me to share with you which hostel groups you should check for your next Japan trip.

Have you read the article I posted about the pattern in getting the best travel accommodation deals online? If not, better check out this post.

Oak Hotel Group

Oak Hotel Group is a hostel group owned & managed by Oakhouse Co Ltd. The group started in 1992 as living spaces for foreigners in Japan. It has transformed into share houses for both foreigners & locals. A few years after, the hostel is operating in 6 locations in Tokyo & 1 in Nara. The hostel group’s concept is ‘enjoyable living.’ True enough, all their properties are equipped with facilities that provide comfortable & enjoyable experience.

Here are the current Oak Hotel properties: Oak Hostel Sakura in Oshiage, Oak Hotel Edo in Morishita, Oak Hostel Fuji in Asakusa, Oak Hostel Zen in Ueno, Oak Hostel Cabin in Tokyo, Oak Hotel Ikebukuro in Ikebukuro & Oak Hostel Nara in Nara.

Check out these photos of Oak Hostel Zen’s common lounge, wash, kitchen & dining areas. Neat!

My favorite Tokyo hostel is under this hostel group – Oak Hostel Zen. In fact, I already stayed in this property for 3 times (2015, 2017 & 2018) & I am planning to go back in the future. Check out the hostel of the day feature of Oak Hostel Zen.

J-Hoppers & Hana Hostels Group

J-Hoppers & Hana Hostels Group is a combination of 2 smaller hostel groups – J-Hoppers & Hana Hostels. J-Hoppers started in 2002 in Kyoto, Japan in a small building near Kyoto Station. Different branches have been added since then. The owner’s vision in creating this hostel group is to give foreigners a ‘home’ during their ‘Japan-hopping’ trips.

This hostel group also operates J-Stay, a shared-house business for those who want to stay in Kyoto for a longer time, J-Hop Tour, a bus-tour that runs from Osaka or Kyoto to Shirkawa-go & Hida Takayama & hana SAKE bar, a sake bar located on the ground floor of the Osaka property.

The hostel group currently has 12 properties across different locations: J-Hoppers Kyoto, J-Hoppers Hida Takayama, J-Hoppers Lake Biwa, J-Hoppers Kumano Yunomine, J-Hoppers Osaka, J-Hoppers Osaka Universal, J-Hoppers Hiroshima, Kyoto Hana Hostel, Osaka Hana Hostel, Hiroshima Hana Hostel, Fukuoka Hana Hostel & Gion Ryokan Q-Beh.

This is how a bed in a Hana Hostel dormitory bed looks like. It’s spacious, clean & comfortable. 🙂

One of my recent hostel of the day features is that of Fukuoka Hana Hostel where I came back for the second time. I stayed in the same property (& same room) last November 2016 when I went hopping around different cities. I also stayed in Osaka Hana Hostel & Hiroshima Hana Hostel in November 2016.

K’s House Quality Hostels

K’s House Quality Hostels is a multi-awarded hostel chain that started business in 2003 in Kyoto. As per the company’s website, their group’s concept is to provide ‘inexpensive, convenient & comfortable accommodation for travelers.’ They aim to be true to this concept by providing all guests with quality service, spacious communal areas & comfortable bedding be it in private or dormitory rooms. The group currently operates 12 properties & plans to expand to more locations in the coming years.

The hostel group also operates an affordable Mount Fuji One Day Tour & another accommodation branch, K’s Villa which offers affordable vacation rentals in various locations.

The operating hostels of K’s House are the following: K’s House Kyoto, K’s House Tokyo, K’s House Tokyo Oasis, K’s House Hiroshima, K’s House Mt Fuji, K’s House Fuji View, K’s House Hakone, K’s House Ito Onsen, K’s House Takayama, K’s House Takayama Oasis, K’s House Kanazawa & K’s House Hakuba Alps.

K’s House Kyoto’s spacious common area. This area is the best place to meet people traveling Japan.

K’s House Mt Fuji’s 8-bed dormitory room. Stayed in this dormitory room last November 2017.

I’ve always been a fan of K’s House. I stayed in K’s House Kyoto in 2015 when I flew to Japan with my high school friends. I went back to K’s House Kyoto following year with another friend from work. In 2017, I stayed in K’s House Mt Fuji & K’s House Takayama Oasis when I visited Kawaguchiko & Hida Takayama for a few days.

Khaosan Hostel Group

The last of my 4 trusted hostel groups is Japan is Khaosan Hostel Group. The group is owned by Manryo Co Ltd which started business in January 2004. The owners of the group have transformed old buildings, love hotels & restaurants into shared accommodation & now have 9 operating properties in Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka. The company’s goal is to create a community of travelers having a great time together regardless of nationality, background & companions.

Khaosan Group currently operates & maintains the following 9 properties: Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel, Khaosan Tokyo Samurai, Khaosan World Ryogoku Hostel, Khaosan Tokyo Laboratory, Khaosan Tokyo Origami, Khaosan Tokyo Kabuki in Tokyo, Khaosan Kyoto Guesthouse in Kyoto & Khaosan World Tennoji Hostel & Khaosan World Namba Hostel in Osaka.

The family deluxe room with tatami-style beds we got at Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel.

I stayed in one of their love hotel turned accommodation in Asakusa – Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel – last February with my family. We enjoyed our stay in a Japanese (tatami) style spacious room. My high school friends also had nice reviews about their stay at the Namba property last November 2018.

The hostels may be operating under different hostel groups but bear in mind that their goals are one & the same – to provide comfortable, affordable & quality accommodation when travelling around Japan. I’ve stayed in at least one property of each hostel group & I recommend all of them to you my readers. It will now depend on your room choice, price difference & preferences on which hostel group or property you’ll book your next stay. Good luck in making those decisions.

Look how super spacious & clean this dormitory room. Took this when I stayed with Oak Hostel Zen

Have you stayed in one of the properties mentioned above? How was your stay? Are you planning to go back in one of those accommodations? Are there other Japanese hostel groups that I need to know & try in the future? Feel free to mention those properties or groups in the comments below. You can also send the details to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: KHAOSAN WORLD ASAKUSA RYOKAN & HOSTEL – Clean & Affordable Traditional Japanese Accommodation In The Heart Of Tokyo

UPDATE: Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel has ceased operations. I am keeping this Hostel of the Day feature to give tribute to such excellent accommodation.

Hello & welcome to the newest Hostel Of The Day feature. Last time, I shared with you some information about Dot Hostel Nagano, the hostel I stayed with in Nagano. I also narrated my 36-hour adventure around Tokyo with my siblings & relatives. My stay in Tokyo was relatively short but I made the most out of it.

In my previous trips to Tokyo, I’ve always stayed with Oak Hostel Zen – my favorite hostel in Tokyo. Unfortunately, Oak Hostel Zen was already booked out on our dates. I only had 1 night in the city plus I was travelling with a toddler; I had a hard time looking for the best possible accommodation. Bigger room space (bigger than Tokyo standards) & cost were our top 2 factors in looking for the place to stay. I’m happy I came across today’s hostel feature – Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel. Yes, this hostel provides bigger room space at an affordable price. Apparently, this hostel is the biggest Khaosan hostel in Japan.

Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel is part of the Khaosan Group – a chain of affordable accommodation operating around 3 major cities in Japan. I will talk about this hostel group in a future post. In the meantime, allow me to share with you some information about the former love hotel turned hostel plus let you know how our stay went.

Note: I was with my toddler cousin during this trip. Don’t expect the usual cheap accommodation. We looked for the best affordable accommodation available during our dates.

Location & Access

Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel is located in the heart of Asakusa in Tokyo. Asakusa is one of the busiest areas in the city – it is where Senso-ji, the famous red temple, & Kaminarimon are located. The hostel is within a very vibrant neighborhood. There are a number of convenience stores, restaurants, bars & cafes nearby. Asakusa’s Don Quijote is less than 5 minutes walk away. Khaosan World’s location is very central – a perfect place to stay in Tokyo.

The hostel is accessible to all modes of public transportation. The nearest station is Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express Line. The hostel staff advised me that this train line doesn’t pass by the usual sightseeing places in Tokyo. The nearest station that takes you to most places to visit in Tokyo is Tawaramachi Station on the Tokyo Metro Subway Line. It takes about 8-10 minutes by foot to reach this station from the hostel doors. The JR line & airport link are about 20 minutes walk & you pass by Senso-ji to & from this station.

Ryokans, Double & Dormitory Rooms

Khaosan World Asakusa offers various rooms to choose from. Those who are travelling on a budget can opt to stay in the female or mixed dormitory rooms. Couples travelling can get a double room while families & groups can book Japanese-style rooms perfect for 3 to 6 people. Some rooms have private toilets while the others have access to shared toilets. Bed configuration & rates vary from one room to the other. Feel free to check the hostel’s website for the complete list of rooms & its inclusions.

Our group got the Deluxe Japanese-style Quadruple Room good for 4 people. It is a 30 sq m room which has 4 futon beds. The room includes a separate toilet & shower rooms, a preparation area, an entry foyer, a small storage area with closet & a small dining area. The room is complete with air conditioning / heater, water heater & toiletries. Towels are available for rent in the reception area. The hostel also provided a free phone with mobile internet to use whilst in Tokyo. The hostel adds a small touch by providing free & simple breakfast to all 4 guests. We booked our stay via Booking.com & got our room for ¥16,200 per night. That’s ¥4,050 per person per night; around ₱2,000 per person per night.

It may be a bit expensive but this room fits our requirements mentioned above. Also, experience a Japanese-style accommodation with futon beds at this rate is already a good choice

PerKS OF BEING A KHAOSAN WORLD GUEST

Japan hostels in general provide its guests with a long list of perks to enjoy. I don’t know if it’s a norm in their country; but maybe because of the high rates the visitors pay, they provide as much facilities, amenities & perks to all guests. Check out these perks which guests can enjoy in Khaosan World Asakusa.

Free Wi-Fi – Guests have access to free wireless internet connection. This connection is available throughout the building. Usernames & passwords can be obtained from the receptionist.

Free Breakfast – The hostel provides a simple breakfast of toast, butter & jam plus drinks to all its guests. Breakfast time is from 6:00 am to 10:00 am.

Free Coffee, Regular Tea & Japanese Tea – Guests can make their own coffee or tea 24 hours a day. The hostel provides free coffee & tea for everyone.

Shared Kitchen & Dining Area – Guests are allowed to cook their own food in the shared kitchen. Refrigerator & cooking materials are provided. Don’t forget to wash all the equipment you used. Everyone is also welcome to use the dining area for meals. It’s the perfect place to meet people who are also travelling in Tokyo.

In-house Vending Machines – If you don’t have time to prepare your food or you feel lazy about cooking, the in-house vending machines are perfect for you. These machines are located in the kitchen & dining area.

Communal Lounge & Games Area – Guests have access to a spacious communal lounge & games area on the ground floor. This is another place where you can meet other guests.

Kids Play Room – Khaosan World Asakusa is a kid-friendly accommodation. They have a separate room for kid guests who want to play.

Long Reception Hours – Reception is open from 6:00 am to 2:00 am of the following day. There is always a person in the reception booth. Check-in time is from 3:00 pm to 2:00 am while check-out is until 11:00 am.

Friendly English Speaking Staff – The hostel people are very friendly & accommodating. They even give recommendations on where to go or what to do. They also speak very good English. You won’t have any problems talking to them.

Shared Toilet & Shower Areas – Guests staying in dormitory rooms have access to well-maintained toilets & shower areas. These areas are available per floor & are cleaned every single day.

Free Luggage Storage – The hostel provides free luggage storage to guests on the day of check-in from 6 am to 3pm & check-out up to 10:00 pm.

Lift Access – The hostel building provides lift access to all floors. No need to carry luggage up to the topmost floor; just use the lift.

Laundry Facilities – The hostel has laundry facilities open to all guests. The washing machine can be used for only ¥200. The use of dryer costs ¥100 for every 20 minutes. Don’t worry folks, they provide detergent for free.

Smoking Room – The hostel provides a smoking room for those who want to puff a cigarette whilst in the building. The smoking room is located on the 1st floor & is open to all guests who smoke.

My Experience

Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel is not your typical cheap hostel but also not the 5-star type of hotel accommodation. It lies somewhere in between those 2 where guests get to enjoy a long list of perks for an affordable fee. My stay in this accommodation was very pleasant. It was my first time staying in a traditional Japanese tatami room & I’ll definitely say it won’t be the last.

While it may be a bit of a walk from the airport express, the property is still very accessible to everything. Most of the needs of the guests are provided or can be found in the hostel. If not, there’s always a place nearby to get or buy it. The staff were very friendly & always there to help. I have nothing but praises to this hostel.

This ryokan & hostel is budget, family & kid-friendly. It is one the best accommodations to stay when travelling with a toddler or kids in general.

Do you have any questions about Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel? Interested to know if they have rooms on your preferred dates of trip? Feel free to contact them on the details below.

Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel
Address: 3-15-1 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito-ku, Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan 111-0035
Phone Number: +81 3 3843 0153
Email Address: world@khaosan-tokyo.com
Website: world.khaosan-tokyo.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/khaosanworldasakusa
Instagram: www.instagram.com/khaosan_world_asakusa

Have you been to Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel? How was your stay? I am constantly looking for new hostels to try. If you know some, feel free to post them in the comments below. You can also send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com if you’re shy enough to comment. Make sure to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.