Toyoko Inn Ichinoseki Ekimae

If being close to the JR station is your main concern, this is a decent option. It’s often full, and many guests seem to be working in the area, including construction workers. The staff don’t speak much English. Breakfast is included, but its quality changes a lot from day to day. The walls are very thin, so I could clearly hear the person next door on the phone. As a digital nomad, I sometimes have meetings in the middle of the night, and I knew that meant I’d keep the neighbor awake. Don’t count on comfortable mattresses, fluent English speakers, or consistently good breakfast.

The only thing I didn’t care for was how hard the mattress was. Otherwise, staying at Toyoko inn was a pleasure. The staff were kind, helpful, and always cheerful. It’s a clean, well-organized hotel about a five-minute walk from Ichinoseki station, with everything nearby. The computer and working printer saved me travel time and the trouble of explaining myself in Japanese. There’s also a laundry room on the first floor, where the washing machines cost 200 yen and the dryers 100 yen.

The room was a decent size, with a double bed, and staff were friendly. Breakfast is included, with a good mix of Japanese and Western dishes. You can pack it in a takeout box if you’d rather eat in your room. Foot-operated alcohol dispensers are placed at most entrances, elevator entrances, and public areas. This is a basic, convenient hotel right by Ichinoseki station. You can see it from the west exit, so it’s hard to miss. It took me a minute to work out the wifi, and I never figured out the safe.

Clean rooms, a convenient location, and staff who welcomed us and got us what we needed. Breakfast was standard for a business hotel, but better than at other Toyoko Inns I’ve tried. I’d stay here again next time I’m in Ichinoseki.