So, I've been in Tokyo a few days now and only managed to post a barrage of photos of things I've seen (the ones posted don't even touch the surface, but there is only so much of my boring photo obsession that I can inflict on others). My first hostel in Tokyo is the Nui Hostel and Bar, based in the Asakusa area of the city. The hostel is definitely something different in the Tokyo hostel market. More New York warehouse in style. The order of the day is definitely shabby chic, without being too try-hard. The hostel reception doubles as a coffee shop by day and bar, serving delicious snacks, by night. The bar is frequented by local clientele as well as the hostel guests, making for a nice mix of people. When I arrived at the hostel I was greeted by several chiming Japanese voices all welcoming me, almost in chorus. The girls on the front desk immediately decided I was 'trendy', which I obviously immediately denied and blushed...of course I was from London they sighed "London, sooo cool. Cool bags, cool clothes, cool hair" (more blushing as I thought they dressed way cooler than me, but I gracefully accepted the complement with a smile and mutual appreciation of their style). They asked me my name and gave me a super friendly personal greeting every time they saw me from that point onwards ("ohayou Nola"). I was early for my check-in, but thankfully this wasn't a problem and my bags were tagged and whisked away into storage so that I could take my(very tired/jet lagged)self off to Asakusa to investigate the local area. Asakusa is a slightly more traditional area of Tokyo, with a large market filled with food, sweets, craft shops and of course, as I've discovered, the obligatory shrine! The area was bustling and I wondered around the shops and the shrine without any hassle before settling in a noodle shop to pass the time before check-in. But I digress...back to the hostel. The reception/bar is all exposed concrete walls, iron girders, reclaimed timber and driftwood. A covered grand piano sits in one corner with objects, including a birdhouse made of said reclaimed timber, suspended from a complex pulley system made from cable and rusting cogs above it. The common areas feature more exposed concrete, showing the signs of some movement in the building (which is no surprise in Tokyo) and doors with so much flaking paint work I'm no longer sure what the original colour was. This feeling flows through to the dorms, which are scantily furnished with sturdy looking wooden bunks with futon mattresses. Each bed has it's own reading light, power supply for two and a curtain. The top and bottom of the bed are closed in with what I am going to describe as 'rustic material'...a cross between straw and bamboo. Pull the curtain across and turn on the light and you have your own little 'snug'. I almost feel like I'm a kid in a treehouse when I'm inside! And I can pass the night away with the light on without worrying about disturbing my neighbour. The bathrooms can only be described as practical, but the showers are super powerful and really hot...perfect!...oh and the toilet seats are heated!...I never want to go back! The toilets also include a cistern top sink (you wash your hands and then the dirty water fills the toilet cistern for the next flush, something I first saw in San Francisco last year - Japan's all about the environment :) Back in the bar. The coffee is good and strong (better than most in the UK, but I can't comment for all). The cocktails are cheap (¥500, about £4) and moreish...I'm on my second now. I tried a bar snack whilst writing this...a seafood pizza to go with my margarita cocktail. It wasn't huge, but the base was crispy, the seafood was tender and they even surprised and delighted me with the addition of a little of what I presume to be creme fraich (a great addition to any seafood pizza)...oh and they must have read my mind when they brought out the Tabasco sauce! All for ¥500! This is a long entry, but perhaps you've realised this hostel made a lasting impression on me! If you're like me, you're in Tokyo and looking for a hostel, you can't go far wrong! I check-out tomorrow, but thankfully I move to the sister hostel Toco Tokyo Heritage Hostel. Fingers crossed that impresses me as much! Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you something about Tokyo...for now you'll have to use your imagination and my photos! http://backpackersjapan.co.jp/nui_en/
