Japanese Traditional Villa 8ppl 5min to ST

Spacious apartment an easy walk from Hirai station. Nice blend of traditional and modern with all the necessary amenities.

Not many dining options outside of the train station area but a great place to stay if you want to get away and don't mind commuting.

2 separate bedrooms. Easy to find house. Access as described. Half an hour to Sindjuku station by local JR train.

The house is oldish and small by Western standards. This is OK, but some extra gestures would be welcome to compensate. This was the only place in Japan during our stay with no coffee, no tea offered. Description of electric devices is outdated and not very useful. Extremely small towels.

We wanted to experience more of how the locals live in Tokyo, and I found this house while browsing on Booking.com. There weren't many reviews for it, and none with comments, but I took a chance on it as the owners were very quick to address any questions we had. The location in Hirai was very nice and the best part of the stay, bustling with many types of people, workers and students. Hirai is a bit more industrial than some areas and has a larger immigrant population as well. Worked out nicely for us that our neighbors were Filipino too, which helped us to get to know the town's history. The house isn't located too far away from the main station, about a 8-10 min walk along the back streets. Conveniently pass by many ramen shops and grocery stores along the way, although our favorite store was located on the other side of the station (very good deals on food and snacks!), along with a nice bakery in the station. The house itself is very unassuming, being an older style, and it was a bit cramped at times (especially when getting our luggage inside). Reminded me of the old 1980s shows that I used to watch from Japan. The kitchen is fully functional, with fridge and freezer, stove and sink, and washing machine for clothes. The tatami floored rooms were nice for the main dining area, sitting down or kneeling at the table. The kitchen also had a small couch and coffee table, which were good for my parents who couldn't sit on the floor in the traditional dining room since a bit older and hard on the knees. The second floor is just the master bedroom (more Western style with bed) and guest room (floor futon style). The guest room was very pretty, with a little corner shrine set up as well, although the futons and pillows are on the thinner side. The upstairs rooms and dining room downstairs all have mini split AC units, which helped to quickly cool down the house from the sweltering heat upon arrival (very stuffy inside without them).

It can be difficult getting to the house if you're coming by taxi since only the main road can fit cars, but we mostly went by train and foot for everything. With that, note that Hirai is a bit far from the city center, 20-30 minutes depending on the work rush. Given the house's age, it was a bit awkward maneuvering around inside at times, with the single toilet bathroom blocked by the kitchen door, and the shower being directly connecting to the kitchen, with just a curtain to separate. The shower is very traditional, with just a hand hose and seat, and then bathtub for soaking after. The ceiling and staircase are also low and narrow at the entryway, so can be difficult to go upstairs, and not much space to remove and store shoes by the door. I stubbed my foot on the random door stop in the hallway far too many times. One complaint was that the towels included were more dish towel sized, and not like a bath towel to wrap around. But the toiletries and soaps were all included. The walls and doors are also very thin, so you can easily hear any scooters and neighbors passing by, or any animals coming from the walls and balcony. Make sure not to have food anywhere outside the kitchen, even if in wrapped bags, or it might attract mice, especially in the rainy season (learned that the hard way). The house is also a bit dark, with only natural lighting in the kitchen and partially in the bedrooms, but all the rooms had fluorescent fixtures, so it wasn't an issue.