Staying here is like a cozy time trip . Hotel prices in Japan have been getting higher and higher since the pandemic, especially in parts of the country with a high concentration of tourist attractions. In Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood, for example, which offers easy access to Sensoji Temple and is just a very quick subway ride away from Ueno Park and the Skytree, sometimes even a stay in a capsule hotel, where you just get a tiny sleeping compartment to yourself, can run you close to 5,000 yen.
But there are still great bargains in Asakusa if you know where to look, and we found one at Toukaisou, where you can get a private room all to yourself, with your own bathroom, shower, and even bathtub, for just 4,300 yen (US$29.65) . Toukaisou is just a three-minute walk from the Tsukuba Express Asakusa Station .
You’ll want to keep an eye out for the signage, though, since at first glance the old-school brick exterior makes it look like the building might be a bar or classic coffee shop . The retro vibes continue on the inside. After checking in at the front desk, underneath a large wooden sign saying “Welcome home,” we took the stairs up to the second floor, but it also felt like we were stepping back into the 1960s.
The carpeting and other interior decorations give off a very mid-Showa period (1926-1989) vibe , though there’s a modern twist in the motion-sensor activated hallway lighting that shuts off when no one’s around to conserve electricity. Arriving at our room,.