The 5 Best Hostels in Tokyo

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With endless items waiting to be checked off your Tokyo itinerary, it makes sense to finalize your accommodation first. These are some of the top-rated hostels in Tokyo for backpackers. I’ve separated them into different categories based on your preferred travel preferences so you can choose the best hostel in Tokyo based on what you need.

Whether your preference is being close to Narita International Airport or the city centre, there’s a Tokyo hostel for you! Renowned for its major train stations to get you where you want to be, whether that’s major attractions or secret spots, Tokyo has it all. Let’s get right into it!

1. UNPLAN Shinjuku – Best Overall Hostel in Japan

• Dorm (mixed): From $28
• Private Room: From $68
• Address: Shinjuku 5-3-15, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan

UNPLAN Shinjuku is my number-one best Tokyo hostel and one of the best hostels in Shinjuku, thanks to its convenient location and great value for money. It’s flashy, modern, and pimped out for everything a Tokyo backpacker needs; the bar area is beautiful and the on-site restaurant serves great food. The staff are friendly, and the hostel is located right next door to Senso-ji temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Capsule dorms
• Rooftop
• Free breakfast

UNPLAN Shinjuku is actually a copy of the original hostel. Since the first one was such a success, the owner decided to open another one exactly like the first one. The hostel has been an epic option for travellers ever since. The doors opened in 2019, so you can still find modern amenities inside.

All the rooms are bright and spacious. The dormitory rooms offer capsule bunk beds with private curtains so you can enjoy a bit of privacy or a lot of privacy with private rooms. You can also find a charging station and a little hanger for your clothes in your capsule.

If you’re travelling with more people, you can book private rooms for a peaceful retreat. The hostel offers private rooms with the capacity for up to five hostel guests.

To socialize, you can head up to the rooftop and enjoy the afternoon sun with a tasty drink in your hand. Since you’ll be staying in Shinjuku – the heart of central Tokyo – it’ll be very easy to get around and explore the area. Grab one of the free city maps from the reception before you head out as well!

Overall, UNPLAN Shinjuku is one of the best hostels in Japan for its great location, social atmosphere, and awesome bar area. It’s also perfect for solo travellers visiting Tokyo and those wanting to experience Japanese culture.

2. Toco Tokyo Heritage Hostel – Best Hostel in Tokyo for Solo Travelers

• Private Room: From $36
• Address: 2-13-21 Shitaya Taitouku, Tokyo, Japan

Toco Tokyo is my pick for the best hostel for solo travellers in Japan – not just Tokyo.

Want to experience the local culture by staying in a traditional Japanese-style room? Toco Toyko Heritage Hostel has a welcoming atmosphere that allows you to do just that! The hostel features a unique design you won’t find anywhere else in the city, and both wooden bunk beds and serene private rooms are available.

Aside from its incredible design, this Tokyo hostel also has a bar lounge, all the modern amenities! Built in 1920, in the Iriya area of the city, nowhere else in Tokyo will you find a cultural and social atmosphere like this one!

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Koi pond
• Japanese garden
• Convenient location

Choose between a standard mixed-bed dorm or a female-only dorm and mingle with fellow travellers over a drink. The staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming, and the hostel prices aren’t too bad for a city like Tokyo!

The grounds are yet another incredible aspect of Toco Tokyo: you will find a Japanese garden complete with a koi pond! The hostel also offers an incredibly elaborate map that travellers consistently rave about, never mind the free drink offered to guests every night. Toco Tokyo is no doubt one of the coolest hostels in Tokyo and definitely one of the most interesting places to stay in Japan!

3. Hostel Bedgasm – Best Cheap Hostel in Tokyo

• Dorm (mixed): From $21
• Address: Iriya 2-29-2, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo was the first stop on my Japan trip, and I nearly had an aneurysm when I saw the prices for hostels here. Sure, I wanted cheap, but I was also chasing the social vibe in a hostel that has been almost perfected in South East Asia. Could it be done?

Turns out with Bedgasm…it could! I actually did a little too well for a first hostel as Bedgasm set the bar really high! It had all the things I needed to settle into my first stop of the country: free beer, backpackers willing to speak to each other and just enough grime to make me feel at home with my backpacker roots. Of course I wanted to try the ultra sleek and modern capsule hostels at some point, but for now, if I could drink some beer with backpackers, I was happy!

The dorms are super comfortable, and the all-female dorm is its own FLOOR, decked out with hair styling tools and tons of space to get ready for the day. All the rooms are super light and breezy, contrary to the classic old-Japanese pokey building it’s housed in.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• On-site kitchen
• Social vibe
• Free drinks

It’s got a kitchen for all of your broke backpacking needs, whether that be cooking your own meals to save on food costs or just saving your konbini lunch fresh for later. A lot of hostels in Tokyo that serve food won’t let you eat outside food on the premises which can tally up your budget fast! My usual routine here consisted of walking to the 7/11 down the road for a coffee and an egg sando. (If you don’t know, GET to know).

Bedgasm is conveniently located close to Iriya station, meaning you can get anywhere in the city. I do wish it was located a little closer to the bustling districts of Shinjuku and Shibuya but hey…this is Tokyo. EVERYWHERE is going to take a while for you to get to. A hostel like this in a more central neighbourhood would set you back at least 2-3x the price. So for a couple extra stops on the metro, I’ll take the trade-off.

I very easily fell into a routine and unintentionally stayed for nearly three weeks at Bedgasm. The staff are friendly, the dorms comfortable, and the free beer/lemon sour every night doesn’t hurt either (make sure to try the snake infused sake if you’re brave enough!). It’s a great way to start chatting to the locals that work here and get a bit more of an insight to the city. I even ended up out drinking with some of them by the end of my time in Tokyo, but hey, that part is optional.

Sure, it’s one of the cheapest hostels in the city, but it’s also my favourite by far.

4. NUI. Hostel & Bar Lounge – Best Party Hostel in Tokyo

• Dorm (mixed): From $33
• Private Room: From $66
• Address: 2-14-13, Kuramae,, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan

A weekend in Tokyo is something else. If you want to stay at the best party hostel in Japan, get yourself a bed at NUI Hostel. NUI is a trendy space where you’ll be able to meet both fellow travellers and locals. Located right in front of the Sumida River, the hostel is only a short walk away from Asakusa station.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Social atmosphere
• Cafe/bar
• Modern aesthetic

Featuring earthy tones and a minimal feel, NUI boasts a social atmosphere and an epic cafe that turns into a bar at night. You can choose among the various types of double rooms, and both mixed and female-only dorms are available. The sixth floor of the building houses a more relaxed common room so you can retreat there for some quiet time and chills.

This amazing hostel is also close to the famous Asakusa Senso-ji temple, as well as many other amazing restaurants and bars. There’s also a bar inside the hostel building, so you can keep your night going (and also get it started) easily!

5. CITAN Hostel – Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Tokyo

• Dorm (mixed): From $30
• Private Room: From $63
• Address: 15-2 Nihonbashi Odenmachou, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

CITAN Hostel is a 7-story hostel located in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo. The hostel retains its original coffee shop, Berth Coffee, on the first floor, with a bar and restaurant on the basement floor. CITAN is a great hostel for digital nomads and those on a working holiday in Japan because of its fast, free Wi-Fi and superb cafe.

The staff at CITAN are amazing, and the rooms and washrooms are extremely clean. The hostel is not in the most convenient neighbourhood nor as close to the nightlife scene and other accommodations in Shinjuku. No drama though, major train stations are close by and the metros run until 12.30 am.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Basement lounge
• DJ nights at the bar
• Edgy, industrial design

There’s really no reason why you wouldn’t love CITAN Hostel. The modern design is super welcoming and the minimalistic industrial design in the dorms really gives the space a timeless vibe. If you’re looking for a bit of an edgy place to stay, you’ve just found the right one here!

The basement lounge at CITAN offers a great bar, and regular DJ performances, and boasts a very mature and grown-up vibe. So if you want to enjoy some tasty drinks and dance your feet off without getting squished by sweaty strangers, you’ll love this hostel!

Still haven’t been able to make up your mind? Worry not! Here are some more epic Tokyo hostels to choose from! Just make sure you stay somewhere close to the action: there are so many awesome places to visit in Tokyo.

6. Imano Tokyo Hostel

• Dorm (mixed): From $35
• Private Room: From $113
• Address: Shinjuku 5-12-2, Tokyo, Japan

Imano Toyko Hostel is one of the most popular hostels in Tokyo and with good reason! Located in the bustling and happening area of Shinjuku, Imano will provide you with safe, clean, and comfortable accommodation. Plus you’ll still be right in the mix, front and center for the action and the local shops.

You will have access to free Wi-Fi, and all cosy bunk beds (with all-new mattresses!) come equipped with their own reading lights and power outlets. You can spend your downtime blowing off some steam in the hot tub or chilling at the on-site bar, cafe, or restaurant!

7. Plat Hostel Keikyu Minowa Forest

• Private Room: From $51
• Address: 3-39-5 Ryuusen Taito-ku Tokyo Japan

Plat Hostel Keikyu Minowa Forest is an iconic garden-themed Tokyo hostel, and is one of the coolest in the city – it ONLY has private rooms! Amazingly, Plat has managed to keep its hostel prices affordable while providing travellers with superb comfort for less.

Plat is perfect for travelling couples or anyone who loves private rooms for their personal space. The metro station is within walking distance from the property, and the entire space has a minimalist garden theme – so you can easily get your Zen on!

8. GrapeHouse Koenji – Hostel

• Private Room: From $82
• Address: 3-1-5 Yamato-cho, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan

For my laaaadiessss! If you’re a solo female traveller and want to meet other women travelling alone, this is the place you want to be. Located just outside of the city centre, GrapeHouse Koenji – Hostel is close to the train station so it’s still accessible. 

There’s a small kitchen too if you want to do your own cooking. This is a small intimate hostel with one private room and one dorm room which sleeps up to 11. Make sure you book quickly if you want your own room, and you can still socialise in the living room on the tatami. 

Koenji is a great place to base yourself, with epic vintage shopping, boutique stores and lots of fabulous restaurants. The nightlife here is a big vibe, too, with hip bars and an eclectic energy.

9. UNPLAN Kagurazaka

• Dorm (mixed): From $30
• Private Room: From $137
• Address: 23-1 Tenjin-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan

There are many great hostels in Shinjuku, so the key is to stay in and around the area. UNPLAN Kagurazaka is conveniently located in the city centre and is one of the best Tokyo hostels because of its excellent location. It will take you only eight minutes to Tokyo station, 15 minutes to Shinjuku, 18 minutes to Roppongi, and 20 minutes to Shibuya or Harajuku!

The dorm-room beds are extremely comfortable and in the capsule style, and the rooms have outdoor terraces too.

UNPLAN Kagurazaka also offers a nice free breakfast of bread, eggs, and coffee for guests, and there’s also a nice local cafe around. However, I recommend taking a Japanese cooking class so you can come back and blow your new mates’ collective minds!

10. Sakura Hostel Asakusa

• Dorm (mixed): From $27
• Private Room: From $70
• Address: 2-24-2 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Sakura Hostel offers clean and comfortable accommodation and boasts a staff knowledgeable about the local area. While it’s not as private as other Tokyo hostels, the Sakura common area is social with a lot of friendly backpackers and a great atmosphere.

This hostel is 5–10 minutes from Asakusa station, and there are some nice places to eat and shop nearby. If you are looking for the main nightlife spots of Tokyo, however, they are about 40 minutes away. Sakura offers activities every week, including a Geisha night show, a sumo event, walking tours, and private calligraphy or sushi lessons.

Getting Insured BEFORE Visiting Tokyo

Everyone needs good travel insurance, especially if you’re not staying in private rooms, get yours before you travel.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

And there you have it! As you can see, given its size, the accommodation options in Tokyo are virtually endless and Tokyo’s hostel game is quite strong.

While you can’t really go wrong with any of the hostels on this list, I have to recommend UNPLAN Shinjuku as my favourite standout Tokyo hostel. Combine its unbeatable design and location – a worthy addition to my curated list of the best hostels in the world!

By now I hope my epic guide to Tokyo’s backpacker hostels has helped you choose the perfect pad for your adventure. If you think I’ve missed anything or have any further thoughts, hit me up in the comments!

So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags for Tokyo and explore!