بيوت الشباب in إيشيكاوا, اليابان

The dorm was quite tricky to find on the sidewalk, walking from JR Kanazawa station, the sign was on a wall behind me, in the walkway leading into the building it was. One should look out to the left once you’ve reached the building. There were no staff when I checked in late at night around 10pm, but I received an email beforehand detailing the guest forms I should fill up and some other information. Once I arrived, there were other clear instructions about my bunk, luggage storage and house rules. The entry area had several books and leaflets about the area and a map indicating eateries and sightseeing locations recommended by staff, a useful touch. Some of it were in English too. The bunk was perfectly acceptable for a quick night sleep. The bed was wide and had lockable lockers to the side. Refreshments like drinks, snacks and noodles were also available for a small fee and payment was done via a tin box. Overall, very good value for money and it provided an opportunity to chat with other travellers staying by there. I chatted with someone from Taiwan and a local working at Kanazawa station’s tourist information centre. He was snowed in for the night and it’s worth noting that, it would be a struggle to haul luggage through heavy snow on the way to the property.

This was a wonderful hostel to stay at, and really made me enjoy my stay in Kanazawa. It's right in the middle, beyween the garden, the samurai district and the chaya district, so it was perfect for getting around, and very close to the train station. The people working here are super sweet and they even have some plum wine in the evenings for guests. The staff mainly stays in their sister hostel, however the hostel itself is very secure and the door is always locked. It's always nice for a quick rest as well between wandering, and there's a delicious ramen restaurant a minute walk away.