Kadoya Ryokan

The room, toilet, and bath were all adequate, and the place was much cleaner than the labor dormitories in Nishinari. I picked this guesthouse, which seems mainly geared toward business travelers, because accommodation in Kobe has become expensive, even dorm beds. It's near the men's red-light district, but the touts aren't pushy, so it felt safe.

The landlady was very nice, and despite the building's age the shared bathroom and toilet were clean. The other guests weren't noisy, though depending on the room you might hear outside noise or doors opening and closing. Amenities are just a toothbrush and small towel, and the bathroom and toilet are shared. This seems like a decent choice if you want a private room in cheap lodging but don't want to pay more than 5,000 yen for a business hotel.

The room has a lock and measures six tatami mats, about 12 sq ft. It comes with a TV, air conditioning, tea, a clothes rack, and a wall-mounted mirror. There's a kettle in the hallway and Wi-Fi. You get a yukata, thin face towel, and toothbrush. No hair dryer in the room, but you can borrow one, and there's a washing machine I didn't use. The toilet, bath, and sink are shared. The toilet was clean and had a washlet. The bath is for one person at a time on a first-come basis, with rinse-in shampoo and body soap supplied. Shinkaichi Station is close, and there are lots of bars, restaurants, and convenience stores in the shopping district. The facilities are enough and convenient for the price. Kobe also has quite a few public hot spring baths if you'd rather go out for a bath.

I was a little unsure about staying because the price was so low, but the stay was comfortable and nothing unpleasant happened. The landlady was very kind, and the rooms and shared toilets and baths seemed clean. The facilities match the price. The building feels like a simple lodging house, just a bit bigger. One thing to watch: the switch by the door cuts power to the room, so use the cord switch if you want your phone to keep charging. I only needed a place to sleep after an event before heading home.