This was my first major bit of travelling alone and i could think of nowhere better to visit than Japan! After checking out hostelworld i found Bakpak Tokyo hostel and decided to book as i was in my last few weeks in Japan and was low on cash. I didn't really know what to expect as i had stayed in various capsule hotels, and other hostels all over Japan but it turned out to be my favourite place! The mixture of people was great and we soon ventured out into tokyo together for many nights out and this was great as it gave the hostel a great vibe all the time! As i said, this was pretty much the cheapest place in tokyo but i felt like i got much more of a memorable experience from this hostel than many others i had stayed at. The staff were friendly and were always at reception (during open hours) so anything you needed they would help sort you out. The hostel had a nicely sized common room area with a big tv and satellite to keep you occupied if you were not out and about. It also had loads of dvd's which you could watch for free on your laptops or even on the big screen. Free internet was provided on the two computers downstairs at reception and wifi was available for a small fee (150 Yen) so you could use laptops and iPad's etc in the common room. There was a code on the main door ( which was changed every thursday) so that you could let yourself in (or try to after a nights drinking) if you return after the main reception has closed, which was around 10pm every night. I stayed in the 12 bed dorm which was the cheapest and it was all i expected from a 12 bed dorm, a bit small given the number of triple bunks that were in there but the beds were fine and the linen changed every few days so no problems with cleanliness. The only thing i found slightly annoying was the fact that if you stayed on the first floor where the 12 bed dorm was and a few private rooms then you only had one toilet and shower on that level and therefore had to go downstairs to reception to use the other toilet down there. It wash;t that much of an issue but they can get pretty messy especially when there are multiple drinking games going on in the common room (which is also located on the first floor). The common room contained the kitchen area where you were free to store any food and drink in the fridge. This could get quite full and occasionally stuff got thrown away but there are a few people who stay long term so they would generally know what to throw and what not too. There was only one stove in the kitchen as one was not woking but i had no problems as i bought fresh food from the super market at the top of the high road and made food whenever i needed and the hob was always vacant. The location of this hostel is quite good as it is a 30 minute walk to Ueno but its a 5 minute walk to the nearest station 'Minowa' which is on the Hibiya line (grey subway one) so very easy to get to major stations such as Akihabara (about 4 stops away) or Roppongi (about 10 stops away). The best thing about this hostel is that they own another one in Kyoto so if you book with that one via reception you will receive a discount on the price!

One of the worst hostels I've been in.
First of all - the pool table in their pictures is broken so you cant use it.
If you go in winter like I did, there was no blankets provided and no heating... I had to wear all my clothes at once to stay warm.
The communal bathrooms were filthy as was the communal kitchen.
My twin share room backed onto a massive 12dorm room that was filled with a contiki style tour - and yes, it was like being in the same room as their parties that went til 4am.

Its also a pain to get anywhere - you have to take at least 2 trains to more central parts of Tokyo.

My wife and I stayed at this hostel in March 2011, just after the earthquake hit. When I contacted the hostel they said everything was fine and the city was operating as usual and the hostel would still be open and running as normal. So we decided to go... on the first day of our arrival we found out that the whole hostel had just cleared out and everyone was leaving because many places in the city were closed, the subway was running on half schedules, and there was some concern that the city might go completely without power. But when we asked the staff they said that no everything was fine... but that they would all be leaving!? But we were welcome to stay in the hostel for the time we had reserved if we wished but there wouldn't be any staff there to run the hostel. And NO you can't get back ANY of your payment for your stay if you wanted to leave early. I have never heard of a hotel/hostel/anywhere that wouldn't refund even a portion of your payment for leaving early. And we had booked for 2 weeks. It was a bad time for everyone but the treatment by the staff was inexcusable.

One thing I will say for this hostel is that it is the cheapest in Tokyo. Without question. We stayed in a private twin with our own bathroom and toilet for way, way cheaper than anywhere else could offer. If you're not all at fussy about cleanliness, availability of staff or a quiet location, then by all means, this place is for you.

A couple of notes - perhaps due to the earthquake, the receptionist is often not there. He wasn't there when we checked in (key was left in a basket on the counter!) and we had no power for hours. There is no 24 hour security, as stated on their website, as apparently due to aftershocks the front doors are never locked. Everything is quite dirty - the communal kitchen in particular looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years. The little complimentary milks in our room had gone solid with age. Wifi will not work above the 3rd floor, and even on the 3rd floor it is intermittent at best. The laundry is neither on the roof (which is full of stagnant water and bags of old belongings) nor the second floor, as the signs say, but around the side of the building, where you have to fight your way through masses of rubbish to get there. The hostel-branded vending machine outside is almost always out of stock, or not turned on at all. The location is very, very quiet, and it's a good 40 minutes by train to Shibuya or anywhere happening.

Still, when the receptionist is there, he is helpful and speaks English perfectly. Personally, I wouldn't stay there again though.