Probably the best hostel i have ever stayed in ! It’s perfect 👍🏼 there is a huge space for women dorms. The area of closet, washing machines, toilets shower is separated from the sleeping area. And its all women only. The matress is confortable (not the japanese one). And its 15min walk from the city beach. You can take from the port the ferry to visit Zammami or Tokashiki islands. 25 euros to go and come back. I recommend to stay in Naha as a base. The american village is also not far by bus. I went also to the north (motobu) but i didn’t like it much. Note that november to March the swimming in the north beaches of okinawa is forbiden (sesoku, emerald ..). The south is ok

Nothing, i appreciated also the café for only hostel people

Fab location, super close to 2 Monorail stops to take you directly to/from the airport or other areas of the city, as well as bus stops. Many bars and restaurants close by, especially as the hostel is close to Kokusai Dori shopping street area. Very convenient that I could drop my bags off early as I arrived before check-in, which was very quick and easy. The dorm is so big with so many pods, but is still so nice and peaceful, with space to put a bag by your bed. There is also a whole separate locker room within the dorm, as well as a laundry room and the biggggg bathroom! The reception area is also a coffee shop which does a really nice (and cheap!) breakfast set! I also saw E-scooters for hire too, but did not use them myself. Despite there being no elevator to take heavy bags up and down the (1 flight of) stairs, the staff helped me to carry my bag up to the dorm! Amenities such as skincare packs and slippers are provided too.

Nothing!!

Everything (toilets, showers, beds, common areas) was very clean - the most spotless out of the five different accommodations I stayed in during my two-week sojourn in Okinawa - and the dorm was quiet, with sofas, tables, and chairs around for doing work / reading / writing. Food is not allowed in the dorm area. There are plenty of toilets, showers, sinks, and hair dryers; good amenities were provided too like the bunk bed light cum usb charger, shampoo/conditioner/body soap, cotton buds, disposable face towels; bath towels can be rented for 150 yen. There are tall lockers (lock and key are provided) in a separate room near the showers, which are large enough to place a big backpack or medium size luggage case. This was great as it meant that the dorm area is (most of the time) not cluttered with backpacks/luggages. There are little display shelves on the outside of the bunk bed frames which were useful for hanging out wet bath towels (even though one isn't supposed to use them for that...) Location of the hostel is near the Prefectural Office monorail stop which is only about 20min from the airport. I stayed in another hostel at the other end of Kokusai dori prior to my flight back home in the morning, which meant I had to take the monorail to the airport during peak hour. I had to miss a few trains because the carriages were so packed with workers all headed to the Prefectural Office monorail station! If I'd stayed at The Kitchen Hostel Ao then, I wouldn't have had any issues getting on the train. Back to the hostel location - the area is quiet with only one or two eateries nearby (better to go to Kokusai dori for more choices, it's only a stone's throw away) and the hostel itself is at one end of Kokusai dori near the Ryubo department store, and is also near the bus terminal.

The bunk beds are assigned by the staff - not sure why this is necessary. The lower bunk beds are almost capsule-like, but can get stuffy and are certainly not noise proof. The curtain at the entrance of each bunk bed is dark enough but due to the design of how the curtain rail is attached to the bed frame, light leaks in at the sides - good to bring an eye mask if one is sensitive to light. As some reviewers have mentioned, this hostel is not really conducive for meeting and mingling with other travellers, but this was not an issue for me. In any case, all these are minor issues that are not unique to this hotel!

The location is excellent in Naha, and the hostel provides everything required. It is very clean, with lots of bathrooms and showers. It was a nice idea to give us lockers.

During my stay, I experienced a bit of unfriendliness from some of the staff, which surprised me since many other guests had mentioned how “welcoming and friendly” the team was. I understand that not all staff are fluent in English, but given that this is a hostel that welcomes many international travelers, it's understandable that English would be a key part of communication.

Location is great, bathrooms and showers are great, rules are great, and beds are comfortable.

The shared dorm is a bit large in bed number, so each night there was at least one really loud snorer. Also, the staff wouldn't budge on helping me move a night from my booking to the end (and offering to add and pay for an additional day) so that I could spend a night off the main island at one of the smaller islands. The night I was willing to move my stay from was a sold out night and I was willing to add days they were less busy and buy another night so they make money. Lastly, the hostel was mostly middle-aged people from what I saw which was very different from the other hostels I have been visiting. Maybe because of its location, I'm not sure.

bathrooms were super clean, bed was clean and comfortable, nice view of the street from the window, cute aesthetic of the room

other guests staying were super loud in the evenings, not much you can do about it, but the signs letting guests know of quiet time after 11pm did little to stop people from loud talking at 2am. I also bought the breakfast, but they didn't tell me that they didn't have all the ingredients. When I asked, they indicated that they gave me a large coffee in replacement of what was missing on the plate... a little annoyed I didn't get what I thought I was paying for.

Located very near to Kokusai street. Nice breakfast with a discounted price for the guests. A lot of showers and toilets. They provide free slippers, tooth brush, and skin care.

For safety, they changed the password to the room everyday but it was a bit of a hassle to ask the receptionist every single day. No towel provided but you can rent for 150 Yen. The locker room space is very narrow so it might be a bit inconvenient to those who bring a huge suitcase. The lighting is very dimmed at night so if you want to do some work, it might be better to use the space on the 1st floor.

Very good cost benefit, and the location is perfect! Approximately 15 to 20 minutes by bus from the airport, 10 minutes on foot from Kokusaidouri, 3 minutes on foot from one of the main bus stops - Kencho Kitaguchi, 20 minutes by bus from Tomarin port. Breakfast was very tasty and worth paying for - guests get a discount. The dormitory has 35 or so beds, but it's very quiet and peaceful. Bathrooms and showers very clean and organized.

It's not a rule, but if you'd like to make friends in the hostel, I recommend staying in the mixed dorm. In my case, I found the women unfriendly. If I had stayed in the mixed room, I think I might have been able to interact more with the guests.

This hostel is spacious and has lockers that are quite large in length. There are plenty of shower and restroom areas, so you'll never have to wait, and they are standard for most Japanese hostels. The tropical vibe is fun, and I appreciated the areas for hanging wet bathing suits and towels. Although I didn't have a chance to try them, it seems like they have e-scooters available for rent for the day. The location is close to the bus terminal, which is super handy if you want to buy a pass or catch a bus to places like American Village or any other location outside of Naha. Okinawa, in general, is more car-centric, so although you can reach places by bus, it will take some time. There are various shopping centers nearby, Kokusai-dori is within walking distance, and Naminoue Beach is less than a 20-minute walk away. Plenty of dining options are also nearby. Overall, I think the location is perfect for Naha. It was a relaxed stay and quite an affordable accommodation.

I wish the lights in the bed areas were brighter. Sometimes, I felt they were a little too dim for my liking, but still usable. Also, they change the passcode to the dorms every day, so you have to remember to get the new passcode each day you are there. No other hostel I stayed at changed things that frequently. I suppose it is for safety reasons, but it may be a little excessive.

The breakfast and dinner there was amazing! The hostel was in a great location right next to 711, Lawson, convenience store, and you could walk to the closest train station which was 25-30mins away from the Naha airport. The local bus stations were close as well as the shopping centers were down the street.

Nothing that the hostel could control but on my last night a fellow guest interrupted my sleep and various other ladies there b/c she was knocking on someone else's bed to stop them from snoring. You get what you pay for. But overall, amazing place! Everything was clean, open, spacious, and the location was conveniently close to everything!