Spontaneous Accommodations

As I mentioned in my first post, I had put off much of this trip's planning, hoping to figure out the specifics after arriving in Tokyo. This included making reservations for accommodations. Upon my arrival in Narita, locating my suitcase, exchanging currencies, navigating the terminal in search of the post office, and taking an hour-long train ride into Tokyo (Narita Airport is located in Chiba, a neighboring prefecture) had left me exhausted. At that point, with jetlag imminent and no place to stay, I decided to make use of my newly-rented personal wifi hotspot and quickly found this gem of a hostel.

Oak Hostel Zen. Located quite close to Ugisudani Station along the Yamanote Line, this hostel became a beloved base of operations for the past two nights. I opted for the cheaper rooming option, which consisted of an eight person mixed-gender room filled with bunk beds (each night was about ¥2800 yen, or $27). The bed itself was very comfortable, with its own set of curtains for privacy as well as a reading lamp and outlets for personal use. The sleeping quarters were also equipped with large combination lockers that I could store my suitcase and backpack. With showers fully stocked with shampoos and soaps, a cooking area, and lounge with free-to-use computers and wifi, I knew I hit the jackpot.

I soon found out that the hostel was newly opened; it's grand opening was just last month. Unsurprisingly (for several reasons), I was the first guest hailing from the land of Buffalo. Regardless, it was nice to place a pin on the travelers world map located in the lounge.

A FamilyMart located right on the corner has been my convinience store of choice for the past couple of days. For any of you unfamiliar with Japanese convenience stores, they're on an entirely different level in comparison to the dinky Wilson Farms or Americanized 7-Elevens that come to mind (Japan's 7-Elevens are very nice). You can pay your bills, buy concert tickets, do a bit of light grocery shopping, buy premade meals (that I personally find to be delicious), and more. I could easily write an entire blog on Japanese convenience stores alone... but I digress!

Anywho. Displayed above is  today's breakfast as I waited for the Japan-Greece World Cup match to begin. Cold, black coffee, tuna and egg sandwiches, and pudding! Although it hardly bears any semblance to my beloved Western-style breakfast (orange juice, eggs, toast, etc), it most definitely did the trick; I'm more than energized for any adventure today may bring. All in all, I was extremely satisfied with my stay at Oak Hostel Zen, and this great first hostel experience has me looking forward to what future accommodations have to offer!