Sanninnotabi's Blog

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I can not help not to include these inns inside this blog. I found them during searching for hotel. I found their website so lovely, but my budget wont be able to let me stay a night in them.

The first one is Kurama. Many travellers recommending this ryokan which has onsen inside and also a rotenburo. This ryokan might be preferable if you visit Kyoto on Autumn. Located nearby the village, it might let you feel the real air of Japanese village. Yeah. It is the review and the description I found when I examine the Kurama hotel… Unfortunately, beside the price (around 16000 yen per night for a room of three people), one other factor that make me reconsider to staying here is the fact that the rotenburo only open until nine. Me and my friends were imagining about bathing in open air around midnight but it only open until nine -_-… its location is also quite far from the center of Kyoto. However, I really hope that I will be able to enjoy Kurama Onsen one day in the future 🙂

The second one is Sumiya Kihouan onsen, which has a RESERVEABLE OPEN-AIR HIDDEN SPA IN THE MOUNTAIN. Hwaaaa>_< it already sounds so nice that I really want to try it!! I you only went to the hidden spa without staying a night, it only cost 3000 yen (which I think so worth it, especially if you visit around autumn). If you’re staying a night, it will cost 24000 yen for a room of 3 person. (Ack). The Sumiya Kihouan is located on Arashiyama, Kyoto. Arashiyama is this beautiful mountainous areas with colorful leaves in the autumn. Oh my God…*_* I really wanna go there and I’m so going over there. Even if we’re not trying the onsens, we will still ride the romantic train, (uh, yes, the name is the romantic train!!!), or the other name is Sagano Romantic Train, or Sagano Torokko Resha 😀

The other onsen I can not forget easily (even I never really go there) is Kusatsu Onsen. The website viewed the onsen beautifully that makes the viewer became so passionate about visiting them. I do think its a city of spa and onsen. So many rotenburo for a cheap prices. Located approximately 3 hours from Tokyo but for onsen lover maybe it is so exciting to visit them.  My my…. I am still thinking that this idea of visiting onsen in autumn must be great. >_< Wish I could do that in the future sometimes.

And how can I forget about Yougendo. This one. This one. We might be able to stay in this hotel. This is more special than a 3000 yen budget hotel. The room in this hotel cost 4500 per night for a room of three person. Located between Kyoto and Osaka I do think this is an ideal place for us to stay. It’s a bit far, 30 minutes from both Kyoto Station or 15 minutes from Osaka. But hey, it’s only 15 minutes. Not really a problem, right!! 😀 The interior is quite fabulous!

This is really random. But we do hope that we will e be able to find some other fabulous but cheap hostel with a midnight open-air spa in Kyoto or Osaka.

Bye for now!

Yesterday I got letter from my okaa-san who is my host family, confirming that me and my friends could stay in her house as long as we are in Tokyo. I was so happy \^0^/ yokatta!!! Because we will go there with a very limited budget. Okaa-san’s yasashisa helps the most!!! >_<  One night in Tokyo hostel could cost us at least 2500 yen/night for a decent backpacker’s hostel type, so the longer we stay the more shopping budget allocated to pay for the hostel.. and it will be hurt!!!

Yosh. However, we plan to spend two days in Osaka-Kyoto, so we need to see for a hostel to stay one night. Early this year our plan was to spend a night in a ryokan with an onsen in it. We were thinking that we will go around November and it would be fun to spend a night in ryokan with a rotenburo (an open-space onsen) while watching the beautiful autumn leaves and welcoming the mama-monkey to join us bathing….Hoooh…suteki*_*

Demo demo demo, since until now Johnny-san is not yet announcing any plan for NEWS concert this year, we predict that the concert will be held on winter… so, no colorful autumn leaves *sobs*….We also decide that “wasting time” in onsen is not as enjoyable as visiting more places in Osaka and Kyoto. Thus, we seek for this budget hostel inside the city.

Our first nomination is hostel named J-hopper. We found it first because its website is in English, they have hostel both in Kyoto and in Osaka, and each has triple room, bike rental (yes!! speaking of riding a bike around the city might be a great idea and we DO plan to do that!), kimono try-on english-speaking staff, internet, and do you still ask for more??!! (okay, calm down). We reviewed both hotel and judged each of the with the photos they provided on the website.

J-hopper Kyoto

It seems like J-hopper Kyoto located about 700 meter from the Kyoto Station. Oh. That’s far, isn’t it? :p….. The triple room cost 3000 yen/night per person, with Wifi and AC facilities. Cute. The lavatory and shower room is shared with other people.

J-Hopper Osaka

J-hopper Osaka is located 3 minutes walk from JR Fukushima Station. I am not yet sure whether it is in the middle of the excitement we want to see. But my Japanese friend said that Fukushima Station is surrounded with offices area. That’s okay, though. It cost the same with the Osaka one and what made me interested in the Osaka room is the color of it’s bed sheet! :p

Good. Lately we also found other recommended hostel. This discovery is somehow made my eyes shining *o*. The name is Budget Inn, located 5 minutes from Kyoto Station!!! Aw… it has its sister inn named Tour Club.. Oh. The name hurts me :p I imagined that I will be giggling if my friend or my okaa-san ask the name of the hostel I will answer: “erm…budget inn desu”, their reaction will be “Eh? What?”, hahaha. 😀

Budget Inn 

Du du du love is in the air :D… I’m in love with the website of Budget Inn.. It is a simple website, really. but the first thing I read is “Kyoto Itenary and Day Trip to Kyoto”, which filled with recommendation of the best sites we must see in Kyoto if we only stay there in short time. Wow. Thanks!!! And the facilities are AC, Internet, Bicycle, Laundry, Payphone, all staff speak English, free coffee, kimono try, ya ya ya *nod nod*. Located 5 minutes from Kyoto Station. Oh! Lovely!!!…but can we hear the train’s buzz from the hostel?? However, the name of the room we would likely to choose is lovely: Japanese Golden Private Ensuite. Aww… don’t u love that!!! ^^; It’s a Japanese-style room which fits in 3-5 people, toilet, shower, sink, fridge, and kettle inside, YES, and 3660 yen per person per night!!! Hmmm… 660 yen more expensive than J-hopper but Worth it, I think!!! The room looks warm on winter 🙂

Tour Club

Tour Club is a sister-inn to budget inn. So both hostel are women if they are human. :p Sush. Back to topic. It located 9 minutes from the Kyoto Station. Hmm. Better! No train sound, maybe :). The only plus point it has from Budget Inn is the Zen Garden. hahahaha I’m kidding 🙂 I do think Tour Club is cuter! It has cute lobby, dining room, and we can also try to meditate in front of zen garden. We also have two choices of triple room here. The Japanese Triple  is 3,240 yen per night per person with small private shower and toilet attached inside the room. It also has wall TV and the tatami room is quite wide so we can roll on the floor as much as we like (duh). I love this one. The other one is Backpacker triple which cost 2,960 yen per night per person. It also has TV, Desk, and Private Shower. But we have to share the toilet with the other one room. It looked dark in the photo, isn’t it. I also wondering where the window is.

Conclusion? Which one is the best? I’ll search for more and upload when I have time 🙂

Ciao!