Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s is a great place for budget travellers
Staying in Fujiyoshida was a must-do during our month-long trip to Japan. That’s because this city is one of the best places to get a view of Mount Fuji. In fact, we planned it as we were making our way from Tokyo to the western parts of the country.
Since we were on a tight budget from travelling for a year, hostels were the only types of accommodations that worked for us in Japan. Finding a private room in a hostel in a comfortable and quiet place was a must for me.
After doing significant research, we chose Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s because of its location, pricing, and positive reviews. I also liked the fact that we would be staying in a traditional Japanese room.
If you are looking for affordable accommodation that is in a good location in Fujiyoshida, this accommodation feature is for you. By the end of this place, you will be able to decide if this hostel is for you. You’ll learn what to expect when booking a private room, the location, and other tips for your stay.
The ambiance of Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s
The entrance to the hostel
This hostel is small, cozy and clean and felt like a homestay. There are only six rooms in the hostel, which explains why it didn’t feel like an overcrowded dorm. I liked that this hostel maintained certain Japanese/Asian traditions. For example, all guests had to leave their shoes outside and wear slippers when indoors.
The room at Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s
Our traditional Japanese private room
There are three types of rooms to choose from at this hostel: dorm rooms, western style private or Japanese style private rooms. We stayed in one of the two Japanese style private rooms. The Western-style rooms had bunk beds close to the entrance of the hostel.
The room itself is pretty small, just 10 square meters but we wouldn’t know any better since the place is very bare. It did have a small table (perfect for working on laptops) in the center of the room. You have to move the table at night to make space for your Japanese futon. There was also a small fridge, microwave, and lots of shelves for our belongings. The floor had traditional tatami mats and futon beds. The walls were the traditional thin walls.
Our tiny room!
There are also tons of electrical plugs to charge our phones and camera.
The door to our room is (literally) paper thin!
Shared bathrooms and showers at Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s
The downside to this hostel is that there are no private bathrooms. I was nervous about sharing bathrooms as I had limited experience staying in hostels. It turns out; it wasn’t so bad at this place. The layout of the bathroom facilities is good, meaning you never have to wait for anyone. There are three toilets, two sinks and two showers all separate from each other.
The showers worked fine – there was warm water when you expected it, and the bathroom areas are spotless. Since the hostel is small, using the bathrooms and showers had a more homey feel. There was no long hallway to get to the toilets, and it felt no different than staying in a large house.
The noise at Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s
Another thing that concerns me when staying in hostels is the noise level. Fortunately, the noise level wasn’t too bad. You do hear people walking by your room since the walls are paper thin. Another thing I did to block out the noise at night is by turning on the air conditioning which helped a bit. Signs with quiet hours are in the halls and rooms, but of course, not everyone would be respectful.
If you’re unlucky like me though, your neighbouring room might have a bunch of drunk people stumbling into their room at night. Not only were they loud while coming into the hostel, but they would not shut up! It got to the point where I came knocking on their door in the middle of the night to tell them to keep it down. I even added thank you even though it’s idiotic how inconsiderate people can be, especially when they’re visiting one of the most polite countries in the world!
The service at Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s
The little counter to the left of this photo is the reception
The staff is super useful, especially via email while we were planning our stay. They gave us clear instructions on how to take the bus, how to get around, restaurants to try, and other useful tips. Their email responses were always super detailed and very personable. They genuinely wanted to get to know us and our requirements are so that they could help with our plans.
A great thing for long term travellers like ourselves is that they had a laundry machine for us to use!
A washing machine is located in the hostel
The location of Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s
The hostel is ten minutes away from Fujisan station
The best part of the hostel is the location. It is a ten-minute walk from the Fujisan station and a short walk to other attractions and bus stations in the city. There’s so much to do in the area and it was great that we didn’t have to spend too much time travelling to visit places like the Fuji Five Lakes.
We walked on this small green path to get to the hostel from the Fujisan station
The area felt super safe, although the streets are a bit deserted and dark at night. Roads are narrow, so cars do drive close to pedestrians. Overall the small city was very quaint and charming.
The central station where the buses leave are from Kawaguchiko Station and is within walking distance from the hostel.
The small kitchen at Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s
The small kitchen at the hostel
When I say small, it’s like, very very small. It consists of a microwave, cutlery, and other essential things that would come in handy to make a quick meal. There’s also free coffee, tea, iced tea, and hot chocolate.
Don’t miss out on the patio!
There is a patio which I totally missed! You will get excellent views of Mount Fuji from the terrace.
Aside from the patio, there’s a really small common area between the two dorm rooms.
The common area where you can get great views of Mount Fuji on a clear day
Michael’s American Café and Pub at Mt. Fuji Hostel Michael’s
An American café and pub for those who are feeling homesick
We didn’t have the chance to check out the pub located on the first floor of the hostel. It does sound like a great place to grab a quick bite if you don’t want to venture too far out or miss American food. If you’re looking for Japanese food, there is a great Japanese restaurant across the street. There’s also a 7-Eleven that’s within a ten-minute walk from the hostel.
Conclusion
Aside from the noisy guests that interrupted my sleep, I liked this hostel. It warmed me up to staying in hostels in the future. If you are looking for an affordable and clean place with great value, I recommend this hostel.
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