A Sleeper Train-Themed Hostel is Drawing Travelers to Tokyo

The beloved Hokutosei train quickly became popular among travelers after its launch in 1988, with its luxury sleeping cars and a dining car devoted to French cuisine. Japanese travelers used the train for transportation up until it was shut down in 2015, as many preferred to take a 1.5-hour plane ride from Tokyo to Sapporo rather than a 16-hour train ride. However, the train has inspired a fantastic new way to connect with travelers in the form of a hostel.

The Train Hostel Hokutosei recently opened in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo, commemorating the Hokutosei train. The owners of this spectacular re-creation have done their very best to make guests feel as though they are on the famous train—this includes using bunk beds, reading lights and the door to the dining car from the original train cars.

Four of the building’s seven stories—one of which is women-only—are used as guest rooms. The hostel holds up to 78 people, in addition to offering private rooms separated by a curtain.

So, you can now have a train-inspired hostel experience. Dormitory-style bunk beds are just $22 a night.

Photos courtesy of Train Hostel Hokutosei

Grace Williamson is a travel intern with Paste and a freelance writer based out of Athens, Georgia.