Koru Takanawa Hostel, Cafe & Bar
by the TopOfHotel team
Koru Takanawa is the highest-rated stay in the area — a designer hostel with a genuinely good Cafe & Bar on a backpacker budget.
Koru Takanawa is the highest-rated stay in the area — a designer hostel with a genuinely good Cafe & Bar on a backpacker budget.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Koru Takanawa Hostel, Cafe & Bar is a designer hostel that scores 9.1/10 from real guests — higher than several of the 5-star hotels in this roundup. It opened in 2018 with the warm feel of a traveler's house. There are 6-to-8-bed dorms as well as separate private rooms: the dorms have good-looking wooden bunks, personal lockers, privacy curtains and bedside power outlets, while the private rooms are compact but complete, with a single or double bed. Both types share bathrooms. Reviewers single out how it is cleaner than you would expect for a hostel, with a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
Food and amenities
The Cafe & Bar on the ground floor is the heart of Koru Takanawa — good drip coffee, Japanese snacks and fairly priced cocktails, open until around 11pm. It works as a meeting point for travelers from all over, and the staff speak good English and like to recommend places nearby. There is also laundry, lockers and a community space on site.
Location and getting there
It is an 8-minute walk from Sengakuji Station on the Keikyu Line, which reaches Haneda Airport in about 15 minutes; you can also ride the Keikyu one stop to Shinagawa Station. The streets around the hostel are fairly quiet, and Sengakuji Temple is close by — a nice spot for a morning walk.
Things to know before booking
This is a budget hostel, so set expectations accordingly. Dorms sleep 6 to 8 people, which means limited privacy, and every room shares a bathroom. There is no pool, gym or spa. It is also a longer walk from the station than most places here, roughly 1.2 km from JR Shinagawa. Private rooms are few and go fast, so book ahead.
Our take
Koru Takanawa Hostel is the best fit for solo travelers and budget backpackers who want to keep costs down, meet other travelers, and still stay close to Shinagawa. That 9.1/10 score is the proof — a low price here does not mean low quality.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A 9.1/10 guest score, the highest in this entire roundup — above several of the 5-star hotels ranked ahead of it.
- The ground-floor Cafe & Bar has a good social buzz; it stays open until around 11pm and is an easy place to meet other travelers over drip coffee or a cocktail.
- Dorm beds start at about $20 a night, the cheapest rate in the roundup, and a private room runs from roughly $85.
- Friendly staff who speak good English and happily point you toward neighborhood spots in Shinagawa.
- Despite being a hostel, reviewers call it cleaner than expected, and the dorms come with wooden bunks, personal lockers, privacy curtains and bedside power outlets.
- Dorms sleep 6 to 8 to a room, so privacy is limited — and every room, dorm or private, uses shared bathrooms.
- There is no pool, gym or spa; this is a stripped-back budget stay, not a resort.
- It is an 8-minute walk from Sengakuji Station, a longer haul than most hotels in this roundup, and about 1.2 km from JR Shinagawa itself.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Insider Tips
- Book a private room well ahead — there are only a few and they sell out fast.
- The cafe opens early; the coffee is good and the prices are reasonable, so grab breakfast here before heading out.
- Ask the staff about Shinagawa — they are great at steering you to lesser-known local restaurants.