Guest House Kamakura Zen-ji - Hostel

The area is quiet, and the place felt like a calm, clean oasis. There are no lockers or keys, and the house and room doors stay unlocked. I was fine with that because it’s a residential area and adds to the homey feel. There’s open space beneath the stairs for bags and suitcases. My main difficulty was the dorm mattress. It’s a thin Japanese-style futon placed right on the wooden bunk frame, which made it quite hard and uncomfortable for me. Towels cost 100 yen to rent. Showers are unavailable from 9 - 13.00 for cleaning, which wasn’t a problem for me, but is good to know.

The woman there when we checked out was kind and talkative. Earlier, the man who welcomed us got there very quickly from wherever he lives and gave us a helpful introduction. It was a hot July day, and he offered us cold water, then chatted about our vacation and where we lived. He seemed like a very good soul in a good place in life, and gave us meal ideas and other local tips. The common room is relaxing, and the showers are there too. It’s a serene place to stay while visiting the town and beach area.

The beach is right out front, and the location couldn’t be better. I was lucky enough to have the mixed dorm to myself. The facilities had enough amenities for the number of guests, and the staff member I met was wonderful. The guests next door were pretty loud, but good AirPods or earplugs would take care of that. I can’t wait to come back.

I loved the look of this guesthouse. It’s in a quiet area near the beach, and the girl who welcomed me was really nice and explained everything clearly.