The best hotels and hostels in Asakusa

One of the earliest hostel innovators in Tokyo, the Khaosan family started in a small building on the banks of the Sumida River in 2004 and has since branched out to encompass 13 hostels in Tokyo and beyond. Dorm beds are usually well-kept, with some locations having capsule-type dorms available. They also tend to have an interesting history: Khaosan World, the largest of the bunch, is in a building that originally functioned as a love hotel (yes, some of the 'original' features have been retained). Prices are generally easy on the wallet, and any of Khaosan's branches make for a good backpacker option to explore Asakusa and surrounds. 

This renovated backpackers hostel sits just around the corner from the creaky old Asakusa Hanayashiki amusement park, so once you’re done relaxing in its ‘Zen style’ surrounds, you can get your adrenaline up again with a roller coaster ride. If theme parks aren’t your thing, you could always just enjoy the free tea and coffee in the hostel’s 24-hour lounge before heading out for some sightseeing. Prices start at ¥2,900 for a bunk-bed dorm with shared bathroom, though the doubles, twins and family rooms all come with ensuite bathrooms. There's also a communal kitchen and coin laundry, with free wi-fi and internet terminals available in the lobby.

Run by the group behind Iriya's Toco. Tokyo Heritage Hostel, this friendly Kuramae hostel boasts some nifty interior design and a stylish ground-floor bar (complete with grand piano) that seems to be as popular with local residents as it is with guests. Mixed dormitories cost ¥2,700 per person, while spartan doubles start at ¥6,800 per night, with shared bathrooms, a kitchen and free wi-fi. There's no curfew, but the common areas all close at midnight, making it better suited to early sleepers. Nui. is a short walk from the nearest subway station, and a 15-minute stroll from Asakusa.

Having taken over a decrepit commercial building in central Asakusa and given it a complete makeover, this new hostel appears poised to attract discerning backpackers in search of peace, quiet and a little extra privacy. Travellers can choose from bunk beds (from ¥3,000), 'single-type dormitory' (waiting for explanation on that one) beds (from ¥5,000) and 'family rooms' (from ¥16,000, up to four people), while the Bunka izakaya on the ground floor is open to all comers. Other facilities include a shared dining room and free wi-fi.