Can you live in a hostel in Tabata?

Travelers tend to frequent hostels, especially in Tokyo. That’s because Tokyo hostels are the cheapest possible way to live. But can you live in a hostel long-term if you have a steady job?

Is it feasible?

The answer is yes. With some conditions.

If you can do without a proper kitchen, and find a reasonable way to store your clothes and things, and if you’re okay with the occasional condiment going missing (pretty sure I know who stole my squeeze tube of wasabi last week, but I don’t have any proof), then the answer is an unambiguous yes: you can live in a hostel long-term.

I want you to see what it’s like to live in my current hostel.

Every hostel is different, but anyone who has ever stayed in a hostel before will recognize the first picture: a dormitory full of bunk beds.

What follows is a series of pictures accompanied by minimal narrative text. The pictures are of my hostel and the surrounding area in Tabata, Tokyo. I hope they will give you a better idea of what it’s like to live at a cheap hostel in Tabata, Tokyo.

This is where you wake up

Baseinn Tabata Dormitory Tokyo — If you’re living with Japanese locals, chances are a lot of them work for Uber Eats

Put on your shoes at the front door.
This is Japan! No shoes inside.

Hand sanitizer is ubiquitous during the COVID pandemic.

Let’s get off the third floor and head out to the street, where we can explore surrounding Tabata.

This beautiful display is in the downstairs lobby. I love those origami tomatoes!

Around Tabata, Tokyo

Now that we have considered what it’s like to live in the hostel, let’s check out the surrounding area. After all, you won’t be spending too much time inside. In general, hostels are pretty cramped, and you don’t get a lot of personal space. So you’re going to want to get out.

Around Tabata, you’ll find railroad tracks, beautiful foliage, and a hidden Shinto shrine across from an elementary school.

Rainy Tokyo

These bicycle basket covers are overflowing with dripping rain. It’s enough water to drop a goldfish into!

Tabata Tokyo Train — Tokyo is downright cute: a steam engine on a railroad crossing sign!

Tabata Tokyo — When you see something like this, you know you’re about to stumble into one of Japan’s many hidden Shinto shrines!

Tabata Shrine

Here’s brief video of this lovely Tabata street corner shrine. Physically, it’s quite small, but there’s so much detail inside.

The drizzling rain really brings out the vibrant colors of the green trees and red paint.

A faucet drips.

Kind of peaceful, isn’t it?

Tabata Tokyo Japanese Maple — My favorite kind of tree: the Japanese Maple! These trees make Tabata, and the rest of Tokyo, lose that gray city ugliness. Actually, I’ve seen more green here in Tokyo than in any other city.

Bicycle Parking in Tabata, Tokyo

When living cheaply in Tokyo, it’s best to find a hostel with free bicycle parking. My hostel, Baseinn, doesn’t have that, so I park in the public bike parking lot near Tabata Station.

Parking costs 150 JPY per day. It’s not bad, but I’m still saving money overall.

If I stay here long-term, I should register a change in address at city hall so I can access the residential free parking area.

Tokyo public bike parking — Paying for my bike parking

Tabata Station JR Yamanote — Japanese train riders come funneling out the gate at Tabata Station,
JR Yamanote Line.

Living Cheaply at a Tokyo Hostel in Tabata

I hope you enjoyed this article about living cheaply in a Tabata hostel.

I’m trying to do something different with this blog section, to write about the little things you might find enjoyable about travelling somewhere new. So many bloggers write about the touristy things to do, and that’s fine for some people, but I’m convinced that’s not for everyone. That’s why I want to show you aspects of travel you probably won’t see anywhere else.

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