Fukushima Hostels

I stayed for a month in this hostel which has the friendliest and nicest owner who has lots of good recommendations for nearby attractions and restaurants. The dormitory 'capsule' was very generously sized and had sturdy wooden walls to give you more privacy than a simple bunk bed would and the entrance to it was covered by a little curtain. It had a little nightstand and lamp with a wireless charging option in it, the pillow was comfy and the duvet warm and if that wasn't enough to keep you warm (there *is* aircon in the room but someone has to put it on and other guests didn't always realize that), there's a heated mattress pad which I absolutely loved. Common areas on the second floor included bathrooms and toilets which were cleaned daily and were in an excellent condition, a little washing up area with sinks, a small fridge and a microwave and some toiletries such as earplugs, face wash, oil and even sanitary napkins if I saw correctly. Very considerate if you ask me, even if I didn't need any myself since I am a guy :D Second floor also had washing machines and dryers you could use for a small fee, plus a small area for eating and sitting in. The second floor's common areas were quite cold in march still since they're not heated, as is usually the case in japanese buildings, but if you wanted to spend time outside of the bedroom the lounge/diner area on the first floor was open in the evenings from 4pm to 10pm or a bit later and sometimes during the day (that tended to vary a little). I spent many evenings chatting with the owner and other guests at the first floor lounge which was warm and nice to sit and hang out in. Owner will also prepare breakfast and/or other meals upon request, I didn't eat breakfast there since I had to leave to work so early but saw him make them for other guests and the french toasts looked absolutely mouthwatering. Also got to taste some freshly baked breads one of the employees was practicing making, would definitely recommend trying if they start selling them! Location-wise La Union is perfectly situated, close to the station and in the middle of an area that's shock-full of little izakayas and shops. Closest restaurants are literally across the street and there's at least two convenience stores within a minute's walk and a very affordable co-op supermarket maybe a 5min walk away. And if you want to go somewhere a bit further away, you can always rent a bike from the hostel since they've got brand new electric bikes which are very handy if you want to go to places like the hanamiyama which is a bit far from the station by foot and don't want to be tied to bus schedules (or just want to go at 6am when busses aren't really operating yet like I did). Apparently they also rent tents and other camping equipment! All in all I would definitely go back again if I went to Fukushima, the hostel is definitely worth the (very affordable) price.