Guesthouse U-en

I stayed in 4 different Osaka hostels in the same week and this was easily my favourite. Staff were very friendly, beds were comfortable and had good shelves next to the beds to put stuff. Atmosphere felt nice and the bottom floor operates as a cute cafe which was nice in you ever want a coffee etc. Good location too. The negative is that i paid about $30 for 1 night, and while it was the best experience if you forget the price, other hostels were only slightly worse yet were almost half the price of this place.

I thought this hostel was just okay - and compared to the other places I stayed in Japan, was definitely my least favorite. For me, the biggest downside was security. The rooms are locked manually, requiring you to choose to lock them every time you enter or exit. As is always the case at hostels, this means you don’t have any choice about whether or not your room is locked, be that during the day so your belongings are safe, or at night when you’re sleeping. In the two days I stayed, the door was almost always left unlocked when I came back to the room. Each bunk has a small lockable box, so large enough for valuables, but not for all of your belongings. This is locked with a combination lock they provide. When the woman checked me in, she read all of the codes out loud (to the front door, bunkroom door, and to the personal lockbox). I wish she had just pointed to them on the paper, as it meant that anyone could hear and access those spaces (although I guess with the exception of the personal lockbox, the door was never locked anyway). The other thing I wasn’t thrilled about was that the duvet was not fully wrapped in a cover - instead, it was basically inside of a fitted sheet, so half of it was exposed. This didn’t feel very clean to me.

Amazing quiet little space. Perfect for small groups and solo travelers. There’s a coffee shop on the first floor that serves an amazing curry. 10/10 would come back

Great little guesthouse in an old building so you feel like you're actually in Japan. Amazing staff and a cafe space where travellers have a coffee during the day and socialise in the evenings.

Had a great 4 night stay at this guesthouse. We booked a 4 bed, women only dorm and I had my own roomy bunk space with curtains and a locker. The place had good security and all the amenities I needed. Everything was clean and in working order. Good common area with cooking facilities and space to chill. We also made use of the bike-hire and had a fun time riding around Osaka, visiting some sites. The place has a lot of character and a great relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The stand-out for me was the staff. They were so welcoming, friendly and genuine. I really enjoyed my conversations and interactions with them throughout the stay.

Everything at this hostel was spot on. Good rooms, good communal area, great showers and friendly members of staff. All in a wonderfully retro setting without having a 'hipster' feel to it. Good curry downstairs too, not the usual japanese style but interesting nonetheless. The hostel was full when I wanted to stay there again a few days later, which was a shame. I'd happily stay here again.

My FAVORITE hostel I stayed my entire trip in Japan. So quaint and authentic, while also being the perfect amount of social, clean and with a unique charm. I stayed in the 12 person dorm and it was simple and great for what it was. They have a sweet common area and the bottom level is a coffee / curry shop! The staff are also so wonderful & friendly. Thank you all for making me feel at home!! I also LOVED the area. It was on a quieter street off the beaten path, but still close to bare and shops and subway station. Pro tip- rent a bike for 500 yen a day and bike around the whole city. I loved this place and if you are in Osaka it’s a MUST!!! I made friends from all over the world :)

Best hostel I've been in Japan! The common living space is beautiful, cozy, and the rooms are quiet. The staff is really friendly and the coffee is great! Arigato gozaimasu, I hope to come back in the future 🙏🏼❤️

Very convenient location, right be the stations and there are many little restaurants and izakaya a around the area. The old JP house atmosphere is very cute and cozy. Staffs are generally friendly and fun. This is not a place for ppl who wants privacy and quiet peaceful sleep. I knew what I was getting into, but still was hard to get good sleep. Some foreigner started to talk in the 5 am as well as someone was snoring like a bulldog all night. Overall very nice and inexpensive place to stay.

Amazing hostel! The bottom floor is check in and a cafe (which smells amazing). The top floor included the bedrooms, bathrooms and a common area with a small kitchen. Very clean and great location, walking distance to basically everything.

-Guesthouse U-EN, Fukushima Ward, Osaka, Japan- I spent almost 2 weeks in the Kansai Region in the latter part of Summer 2016. I wandered through Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. It's really easy to get around as it takes 30 minutes to get to each city regardless of where you're catching the train from. Kobe is the furthest away but only an hour out from Osaka and worth a day trip. I stayed in a few hostels in both Osaka and Kyoto. And as I plan to go back again and what I would recommend to others is that they base their accommodations in either one city being either Osaka or Kyoto. I stayed in Guesthouse U-EN on my last night in Japan. I loved the comfy vibe it gave off. It was a lot smaller than some of the other hostels I stayed in but a great way to cap off my trip as I just wanted to relax on the last night and wake up with enough time to take advantage before heading to KIX. The bunks were fairly comfortable and offered a curtain for privacy. And despite the summer heat in Japan (wear light clothing and carry a hand towel to wipe away your sweat!) their a/c was kicking high! I had to reach into my duffle to bundle up and wear socks as I tucked myself in. But that was a good problem to have and I got the best sleep that night. Their downstairs serves as a cafe and offers coffee, supposedly some of the best curry in the neighborhood (I wish I had gotten there before the kitchen closed to try), and beer and liquor at night. Locals come to the cafe to hang out and dine so it offers the guests an authentic experience and a chance to mingle with a local crowd. Some nights they have live music and other activities. There's also a really good takoyaki shop right on the corner before you hit the alley to get to the hostel. Be sure to stop by there as well as the other great seafood options located in the same alley. If you want a nightlife after going about your day I'd recommend basing in Osaka over Kyoto. It doesn't even have to center around drinking but the amount of late night activities is abundant in Osaka. You can always day trip to Kyoto and make your way back to rest before going out again. I'd highly recommend hostels near Fukushima Station like Guesthouse U-EN as you can get away from all the tourist traps and immerse yourself in the daily life of the locals. There's amazing local restaurants within easy waking distance of the station and your hostel. Fukushima Station is part of the Osaka Loop Line so you can navigate the city with ease and hit up all the must see spots in Osaka as well as get to Osaka Station to make your day trips.

This place is my respite in Osaka. I love the Kansai area, however in the Umeda and Shinsaibashi area is just too many people and everyone is jostling for just a seat to sit in. This place in Fukushima is very quiet and the staff is very friendly and accommodating without being too jaded. They will help you in anyway possible and want to chat with you. I think this this is a great place.

Absolutely would stay here again! The staff were so friendly and helpful! There's the nicest cafe downstairs to mingle and eat and the facilities are so clean and cute! Very accommodating rooms, small but not horrible for Japanese hostels and firm but comfortable beds. Bathroom was a common area but kept very clean with nice bidets and small but clean individual showers. We had a 4 person room so I'm unsure what the mixed-dorm or individual rooms were like, but would definitely go again!