Hostel Zen

Don’t judge a book by its cover. This hostel is located on the edge of a “slum” district which has seen many generations of poverty. Arriving at night, it can be a scary seeming place. Homelessness, drunkenness and disability not seen so much elsewhere in Japan are on display and you might get your fair share of funny looks. The hostel is within an old apartment complex that smells strongly of cigarette smoke, is grimy and full of the city’s unwanted. The rooms are small and don’t match the lovely pictures of bright and spacious rooms. They are however clean and free of the smoke smell elsewhere in the building. The toilets are also clean and well stocked, the shower not so much. Despite all this, you will wake up in the hostel to a very different place. The woman who serves the breakfast is lovely and feels like a long lost mother taking care of you. The breakfast itself is a simple affair but it is served with care and love and can be enjoyed on the terrace surrounded by little plants. The people on the street will smile at you and the stray cats of the neighbourhood will come out to grace you with their presence. Maybe not for the faint of heart or solo women, but this place is worth a stay to see something different in Japan, and fantastic value for the price.

I've stayed here a bunch of times and loved it! Even one of my kids was *probably* conceived here!! It used to be my go-to, but they've let it go so bad. It used to be so clean and quiet and for the money you couldn't go wrong. This time the walls are covered in mould and it smells mouldy too. I'm not sure it would meet code to be fair. The walls have cracks and wallpaper is coming off. My room was situated next to the office and I had the communal fridge outside my door, so there was coming and going all (and i mean ALL) night, and people using the kitchen at stupid hours, which should be addressed by management. I hardly slept in 3 days. I'm not sure the airconditioner was removing any moisture at all because as soon as I changed temperature, everything got condensation on it. It seems Management knows about it because there were several moisture absorbers dotted quietly around the room. Honestly so disappointed but staying for three nights on the cheap it felt not worth it to say anything.

Bed was comfortable, room is quite small, but I was traveling solo so not a problem for me. Breakfast was delicious. It's a close walk to a few convenience stores, and about an eight minute walk to the nearest train station. You can walk to Yokohama Chinatown in just about ten minutes! Check-in was on the fifth floor and there are no elevators, so it was pretty exhausting heaving all my luggage up the stairs. Would have been nice if check in was on first or second floor instead. Staff were friendly though and the building is well kept. Maybe not for a family vacation, but if you are traveling solo, it's great!

I would definitely recommend staying at Hostel Zen. The room is very small but that is OK for one person. The included breakfast is very nutritious: 2 toasts, 1 egg, a chunk of banana and two drinks (coffee, tea, orange juice, milk, etc.)||I paid ¥4 000/night but on the board outside and in the Lonely Planet, it said ¥3 000.. Maybe it's because I used booking dot com? Nevertheless, it was a very good value. There is a couple of restaurants around and groceries and the train station is only a 5 minutes walk. You get to talk to Japaneses at breakfast. There is no really common area to hang out but a couple of balconies instead. There is a fridge you can use, but no kitchen. The Wi-Fi coverage is amazing!||Be aware of this: the reception is on the 5th floor and there is no elevator. Sometimes some smoke smell comes to your room from one of the balconies but not often. Reception closes at 8pm but you can check in somehow after that time. There is only one shower for the whole 4th floor. The hostel wasn't crowded during my stay but it could have been awful otherwise, even more if you happen to have the room in front of the shower.||This hostel can be a good base to explore the southern Tokyo region.

The place is in a bad neighbourhood and the rooms are very small. Unless you travel in a group, I wouldn't recommend it. Otherwise it's clean and if you book a bigger room (like if it's a room for 2 to 3 persons, book one for 3 to 4) you should be fine. There is no elevator, so be careful when you book: you might need to carry your luggage up to the 5th floor (stairs are the kind of "friendly" ones). Showers were also clean.

4 of us stayed for 3 nights during the typhoon. The first night we were in the annex around the corner, rooms very basic but excellent bedding and comfortable beds and a shower for 6 minutes. We then moved into the main hostel which was similar. Plenty roof terrace space so didn’t need to sit in rooms all the time. Host was friendly and place was constantly being cleaned. Not the best of areas to walk around in but hostel was fine

So I booked this place on the evening of my arrival. I knew I wasn't going to arrive before the reception shut so I emailed beforehand and within minutes I got a reply with no problem this is your number please go straight to your room. Ideal! After a train journey and half arrived but following Google maps. This takes you to there other set of rooms, I went to my room only to find someone else. This was all very strange and didn't feel like a place I wanted to stay so went back downstairs found a common room sign and had a look through the door. Some saw me and typical Japanese style wanted to help (plus he spoke English!). He took me to the main building and showed me that my name was on the board. Now during the day there is a small English sign saying the reception is around the corner but it could be made clearer!||Anyway the room was nice, tatami matting. The bed/mattress was comfortable. TV had some channels which were in English and AC. The shared facilities were clean and to a good standard. Didn't use the laundry or kitchen.||Breakfast was OK, perhaps I just miss the western style of breakfast. Toast (1 or 2 slices), boiled egg, half a banana and a drink. Yes it will do but typical Japan.||Only a 5min walk from the train station. I'll be back if I'm in Yokohama.

A bit of a weird place, as the hostel has taken over two floors of an apartment building. These apts are tiny and originally aimed at single laborers I think. In any case, the management has done a great job at upkeep and everything was really clean. Friendly staff with lots of English signage. They said about 2/3 are Japanese guests, 1/3 international. Room is tiny, a bed and TV, that's it. Toilet and shower just a step or two outside the room though. Nice patio areas to sit and read or chat. Only downsides are it is a five floor walkup, so those with heavy suitcases will not be happy. Also, while the bed is big enough, the showers and toilets were designed for people around 160cm, so watch your head.