"Funtoco Backpackers Namba" Hostel {Osaka, JP}
On my fourth trip to Japan, I decided to stay at a hostel, because I was traveling all by myself and my recent hostel adventures convinced me to go for a hostel, instead of a hotel. However it was my first hostel-stay for Japan. While checking out at the different booking websites, I realized that most of the popular hostels or budget-hotels were sold out, even though I was traveling outside of the golden week.
After having read too many reviews, I opted for the "Funtoco" hostel, mainly because of its location. It was pretty close to the "Namba" subway station. The "Namba" station is right next to Dōtonbori and Shinsaibashi. Both parts might be very popular, and look mostly crowded at any time of the day. However it's also the best spot in Osaka, where night-life happens.
On my very first day in Osaka, for the check-in, I was welcomed by Yuki, the lovely woman who's running the hostel with her husband Show. Yuki was pretty fluent in english, and made me feel at ease very easily. I showed up too early at the hostel, because most flights land in Japan in the very early morning. Yuki showed me around, and gave me a key to the dorm-room. I was allowed to put my luggage into a wooden locker, right below the bunk-bed.
Every room was spotlessly clean, anytime of the day. I barely ever had to wait to take a shower, the shared bathroom would only be busy in the morning around 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Recently a lot of hostels are offering bunk-beds with curtains which gives a hint of privacy. Every bed is equipped with a reading-lamp, a power-plug and a night-table.
I stayed in a mixed 6-bed-dorm, which was alright. I couldn't complain about anything.
The hostel had its own bar, where you could buy any kind of soft-drinks, beer or cocktails. I really didn't have any expectations for their drinks, but I gotta admit that Yuki made me the best "Moscow-Mule" that I ever had in Japan. Don't underestimate their bar-tending skills!
Yuki and Show were very talkative hosts, who showed a lot of interest for their customers. As soon as I listed my favorite spots in Osaka, they would look it up online, for future recommendations.
During my stay in Osaka, I suffered tooth-ache attacks, which got pretty unpleasant during lunch or dinner. I bet you can imagine, how tricky it would be to make an appointment at a Japanese dentist, without speaking a word of Japanese. I asked Yuki if she could help me out, to find a dentist who could speak english. Within seconds she found a number online and arranged an appointment for me. Luckily two days later the pain was gone and I was able to cancel the appointment.
The hostel was located in a very quite alley, 10-15 minutes walking-distance away from "Namba" station. There were a couple of cozy restaurants around the corner, a hipster coffee spot, and beautiful craft shops. It was the total opposite of what you'd find in the busy galleries of Shinsaibashi.
For the Namba area it was the perfect spot, everything was 10-walking-minutes away: The Tsūtenkaku Tower, Shinshaibashi, Amerika-mura.
You could instantly feel that the Funtoco Hostel wasn't a party-hostel. Most of the travelers I bumped into were very polite, everybody greeted each other in the morning. The entrance hall, where Yuki welcomed you everyday, had a minimalistic design with the right amount of details.
The couple told me, that they were passionate backpackers, so after years of traveling, they decided to open up a hostel. The couple is awaiting a baby and will settle down for a while. Yuki kind of triggered thoughts popping up in my brain. As a passionate traveler wouldn't it be the perfect job to run a hostel and give your guests the perfect time. I just loved their ambitions and the way they were living a couple.
As I promised myself, to visit Japan once every year, I'm pretty sure that this wasn't the last time that I stayed at the Funtoco-Hostel.
Contact:
FUNTOCO BACKPACKER NAMBA
556-0004 Osaka Prefecture,
Osaka, Naniwa Ward,
Nipponbashinishi, 2 Chome−５−６
E-mail: funtoco@gmail.com
Website: http://funtoco.jp/en/hotels/
{UPDATE 07.06.2019}.
As promised, I made it back for a 6th time to Japan one week ago. I visited Osaka once gain with 2 friends, and we decided to stay at the FUNTOCO BACKPACKER Hostel. I was glad to meet the friendly manager Yuki again, and suprisingly she remembered me with my name. That’s what I love about hostels! They instantly make you feel at home. Our total stay of 6 nights was flawleess. Very comfy beds and spotless clean bathrooms & toilets. Thanks for having us!