ASO Base Backpackers

I love this wonderful hostel! Not far from the train station and the bus to Aso volcano. Clean, comfortable kitchen. Enough showers and toilets, everything is always very well cleaned. Also, you can get a discount of 100 yen for a trip to the nearest public baths at the reception.

We (a family of three) had a very nice stay at Aso Backpackers in May 2025. The owners/managers are kind and very helpful and definitely care. It is probably the tidiest hostel I every stayed in. Everything is very well thought of. The kitchen is well equipped. There are few restaurants nearby but a Lawson convenience store just around the corner which is, well, convenient. The beds were comfortable and we slept soundly in our mixed dorm. The atmosphere is calm and respectful. Do not expect to find drinking buddies (or to be bothered by those) here. I highly recommend.

Great hostel in central Aso. Rooms are well priced, very clean, comfortable and spacious enough. The bathrooms and toilets are clean and comfortable. They're missing paper or towels to dry your hands near the sinks, making the sinks always wet. The common area is great, clean and large. One of the biggest, best equipped and cleanest kitchens I've seen in a hostel. The only downside is the overly strict atmosphere. The owners are always around, with signs and rules everywhere, which can make you feel watched. Check-in is strictly at 4pm — we arrived at 3:45 in pouring rain and were left outside despite ringing the bell. Checkout is at 10:30am sharp, and they reminded us multiple times as we were leaving right on time.

Aso Base is more than the usual backpackers hostel. I think it's like a boutique guesthouse. We spent an enjoyable 4 nights there. The owners are friendly and helpful. The facilities are spotless. The communal area downstairs has a well equipped kitchen and comfortable area for meals, reading etc. On the cold days we were there a log fire was made to warm us up! The bedrooms are comfortable and the communal showers/toilets are kept very clean. Adequate so never any waiting for a place. We also appreciated the discount tickets to the nearby Onsen. This is a great place at good value to stay in Aso.

Beautiful living room and lots of helpful information on Aso and the nearby regions. Would recommend to stay there for at least for a few days as it is worth it. The dorm rooms have comfortable beds and basic amenities. The headspace for dorm beds is high, I can actually sit upright without bumping my head. Bathrooms are extremely clean and they have a full kitchen and common area with games, cards, and a really warm wood stove. Go for a soak at the onsen across the street after a long day at Aso, you can get a discount if you purchase a ticket directly from the hostel.

Not for you if you value hospitality highly.. read this review if you want a balanced observation of the place. If you want a convenient place to stay, this could be your place. There is a nice onsen near (for which you can get a discounted ticket) and it is close to the station and a Lawson. However, if you are looking for the homie feeling and hospitality of a hostel this might not be the place for you. It feels a little bit tense and obsessively clean, for which it does not really feel comfortable to relax and hang out in the common areas. Something to be aware of before booking: You are not allowed to be in the common spaces before and after check in/out. This is important to know, because this is not what you would usually expect with a hostel (especially not one targeted towards 'backpackers', as we are subject to the limitedness of public transport and the influence of weather conditions. It is not like backpackers have a car and the decision to come and go whenever they want.) They put this rule in something you need to sign when you check in. Even when reading it, we assumed it would be about using the amenities for hours after check out. We did not expect that we would have to leave right after, even if we had to leave 45 minutes after checkout for our train. We understand that they have the right to send us away if we signed for it.. however the way it was done felt judgmental and unfriendly. We were fortunately allowed to finish our breakfast, which in reflection to some other reviews feels like something to be thankful for.. however to me this does not align with either a hostel or a place for backpackers. To hear from other reviews that people were left in the cold makes me feel that this hostel runs purely on rules and routine and misses the human side you would expect with these kinds of places. If the place would refrain from using either of the words: 'backpackers' and 'hostel', maybe it would be less confusing to people. The rooms were shared with 4 which was nice. Unfortunately the people taking a private room were next to our room, and they felt the privacy to be loud in the nights. However, because the walls are so thin its like they are in the room with you. Fortunately this only happened one night.. I however I hope the people having a private room are also made aware of the impact of their behavior on other guests. The hostel itself is nice, the beds are cozy and the location is convenient. The man at the reception was kind and helped thinking along when we wanted to book an extra night. The beds were very comfortable and we had enough space for our luggage. Overall, our stay was fine. Please do not refrain from staying here, but just be aware about how this place runs before you make a booking.. to see if it fits your expectations and needs.

Such an amazing Hostel! There are so many lovely details all around the house, it makes it feel like home! The staff was super friendly and helpful in planning my hike. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting Aso! 😍

Wow this place blew me away. Super clean, well equipped kitchen, great style, cozy atmosphere, interesting magazines, desk with office chairs for work or study. Just wow. I saw some comments about problem with the check in or checkout time. This place has its rule and you should just respect that. For so well mantained hotel/hostel I think its just fair game. They keep it professional I see. Though I still had some pleasant chit chat with owners. Really recommend ❤️