Omotenashi LAB - Hostel

A peaceful hostel that gives you a nice break from the busy city. My only gripe is that there’s nowhere to leave your bags after checkout. A shelf by reception where guests could pick them up later would be useful.

The beds were comfortable, and the bunks gave you plenty of privacy. Staff were friendly, helpful, and spoke fluent English. The bathrooms have complimentary shampoo and body wash, plus a hair dryer. It’s about a 12-minute walk to the train station and close to Narita Airport, so it worked well for a stopover or a night before a flight. My first hostel stay was a great one, with a really good atmosphere.

I only had a short stay, but this place is handy if you just need somewhere to rest or take a quick nap. I got there late, so I washed up, prayed, and slept rather than making use of the lounges and hangout rooms. The sleeping area is set up like bunk beds in a large room for around 5-6 people. You get your own bed, but keep an eye on your things since there’s no desk or locker. There are two shared bathrooms with showers and two toilets. I think towels can be borrowed if you forgot one. In the morning, checkout was easy: write down your name and departure time, even if no staff member is there. Getting there was quite a trek. Six months ago, I came from Makuhari Messe in Chiba by train and reached Sakura Station at 9 PM. There were no taxis then, so I walked for what I think was 30-45 minutes, and Google Maps sent me the wrong way. Still, the staff welcomed me even though it was already very late, though I did get a penalty for arriving so late. Heeh nostalgic. Thank you very much, omotenanshi lab! See you again!

Getting here from Narita Airport was easy, and I was welcomed quickly. The owner, Taka, answered all my questions in English. It was clean, and the showers had shampoo and body wash. There was free soda in the fridge, though the place felt a little basic to me. As I understood it, the neighborhood was historically known for being busy with samurais.