Hostel Kura
by the TopOfHotel team
Hostel Kura is a 2018 converted-warehouse design hostel near Kappabashi, with tatami rooms and dorms from $24.
Hostel Kura is a 2018 converted-warehouse design hostel near Kappabashi, with tatami rooms and dorms from $24.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The name is literal: Kura means warehouse in Japanese, and Hostel Kura is an old Japanese warehouse converted into a modern hostel. The owners kept the original exposed brick and wooden beams and mixed in new light-toned furniture, so the building feels like it has a history rather than reading as another flat modern fit-out. There are 30-plus rooms — 4-to-6-bed dorms from $24 a night, plus private rooms for 1 to 4 guests. Some private rooms are Japanese-style with tatami mats and floor futons, starting around $46 a room, and guests who book those say it feels like a budget ryokan.
Food and amenities
The standout detail is the bath: some private rooms have a deep-soak Japanese tub in a private bathroom, which is rare at hostel prices and the thing reviews keep mentioning — a long soak after a full day of walking is the payoff. Self-serve breakfast runs 6:30 to 9:30 for about $5 extra, Wi-Fi is free throughout, and the front desk is staffed 24 hours with English-speaking staff. There is a common lounge with sofas and a TV, plus free luggage storage before and after check-in.
Location and getting there
It sits in east Ueno: an 8-minute walk to JR Ueno (Yamanote Line and the Keisei Skyliner to Narita), 10 minutes to Sensoji in Asakusa, and just 3 minutes to Kappabashi-dori. If you cook and want to bring home a knife or kitchen gear from Kappabashi, this is about the best base in the area.
Things to know before booking
That 8-minute walk to JR Ueno is a real haul with heavy bags. Some private rooms, especially the inner ones, have no window — worth asking about when you book. And breakfast is not included; budget the extra $5 if you want it.
Our take
Hostel Kura suits the design-minded backpacker who wants somewhere with character rather than a generic bunk. Guests on Trip.com give it 8.2/10. For a stay inside a genuinely converted Japanese warehouse, from $24, it is hard to match in Tokyo.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Design hostel that opened in 2018 in a converted warehouse — the owners kept the original exposed brick and wooden beams rather than gutting the building.
- Some private rooms are Japanese-style with tatami mats and floor futons, so you get a budget ryokan feel from about $46 a room.
- A few private rooms have a deep-soak Japanese tub in a private bathroom — rare at hostel prices, and the detail guest reviews single out.
- A 3-minute walk to Kappabashi-dori (the kitchenware market) and a 10-minute walk to Asakusa, closer to Sensoji than most Ueno hotels manage.
- Front desk staffed 24 hours with English-speaking staff, plus a common lounge with sofas and a TV and free luggage storage.
- It sits an 8-minute walk from JR Ueno, which is a real haul if you are dragging heavy bags from the Skyliner.
- Some private rooms, especially the inner ones, have no window — worth asking about when you book.
- Breakfast is not included; the self-serve spread costs about $5 extra on top of the room rate.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Tokyo
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Insider Tips
- Ask for a Japanese-style room with a soaking tub — it is the closest thing to a ryokan you will get on a hostel budget.
- Walk over to Kappabashi-dori in the morning; it is a pro-grade kitchenware market and a 3-minute stroll away.
- Asakusa is one Ginza Line stop away, which makes the trip back to the airport easy.