By Jasmine Ong
Despite having only been to Japan a handful of times, I’ve fallen in love with this country for its culture, people, IPs and food. While this has made it easy to always suggest a spontaneous trip to Tokyo, it hasn’t always been easy to find a good accommodation that isn’t too touristy or busy, and is easily accessible by the Tokyo subway.
Although I tend to lean towards finding hotels with international standing, I’ve come to realised that domestic hotels within Japan are just as good, if not better when it comes to its location and proximity to the city centre.
Having already stayed twice at a local hotel chain, I decided to venture beyond the familiar comforts (and extreme busyness) of Shinagawa to another part of Tokyo that I’ve rarely explored, near the famous Tsukiji Fish Market.
Located in the heart of Tsukiji and Ginza, KOKO HOTEL Tsukiji Ginza is an ideal accommodation for all types of travellers thanks to its prime location which puts it near walking distance to restaurants, shopping spots and tourist hot spots like Tsukiji Market and the streets of Ginza.
I was initially worried about the where the hotel was situated because, I’m not someone who has ventured beyond the familiar haunts of Shinagawa, Shibuya and Harajuku, and having to familiarise myself with a train line that isn’t the JR Yamanote line, felt like a daunting challenge.
Surprisingly, my worries were for naught as it turned out to be a rather straightforward way to get to the hotel, which was just less than a 5-minute walk from the Tsukiji station on the Hibiya line. As I got closer to the hotel, I started to notice just how good the location was.
Not only were there a good number of restaurants along the path to the hotel, but there was also a Family Mart just before the crossing to the hotel!
Although the property wasn’t a huge one per se, KOKO HOTEL Tsukiji Ginza is still a sizeable hotel with 188 rooms available across seven categories which include Standard Twin, Moderate Twin, and Family Twin.
As I was a single traveller, I was checked into the King Size Double which was a slightly smaller room size than I was used to, as there was no additional seating or table within the room beyond the bed and TV console.
Unlike typical king-sized beds in other hotels, the bed here was made up to two 97cm wide single beds that have been placed side by side and equipped with king-sized bed pads and linens to create this large double bed.
While it was not an issue in any way, the indentation in the centre of the bed definitely provided for a little bit of a surprise when I climbed into bed on the first night.
With that said, the guest rooms at KOKO HOTEL Tsukiji Ginza are simple but functional and fully equipped with all the basic essentials for a comfortable space. Although the hotel does have slightly smaller than other hotel bathrooms, I didn’t mind the size since they had a good layout which still separated the space between the shower and the vanity area.
New Guest Experiences
In addition to being a great place of stay for travellers, KOKO HOTELS had also recently rebranded into becoming a hub that prioritises local discoveries and human connections with guests through an introduction of new guest experiences.
- A Taste of Japan Dashi Amenity: Complimentary dashi stock sachets during check-in
- Unified Fragrance Program: Every KOKO HOTELS property now feature a shared fragrance with notes of white pepper, white roses and green citrus fruit
- Eco-Bag Lending Service: You can now borrow an eco-bag at check-in for small shopping trips
- Virtual Trip Guide: An AI-powered chat mobile service exclusively for travellers to easily access information such as checkout times, in-house facilities, restaurants and local sightseeing
From the moment you arrive at a KOKO HOTEL, you can also expect elevated staff attentiveness and interactions too.
While I never got a chance to experience the full suite of new guest experiences, I did receive my own sachet for the Dashi soup which I thought was a nice welcome gesture to Japan, and a good way to introduce this foundation of Japanese cuisine to travellers who might be visiting the country for the first time.
Exploring Tokyo: Tsukiji Outer Market
One thing I loved about staying at KOKO HOTEL Tsukiji Ginza was its super close proximity to Tsukiji Outer Market. Instead of having to travel a distance to get to the fish market, I was now able to get there in less than five minutes, which is a bonus in my book, especially if like me, you want to get there before the tourists start filing in.
The largest draw for the Tsukiji Outer Market is the variety of food available from street snacks to seafood to sushi and ramen, all made with market-fresh ingredients. Even though I didn’t particularly enjoy raw food, I was still able to find other types of cooked food that were just as delicious as the sushi.
Should you stay at KOKO HOTEL Tsukiji Ginza?
In short, yes. Even though KOKO HOTEL Tsukiji Ginza may not have all the bells and whistles that other hotels might have, I find that it is more than adequate to provide you with all the comfort you’ll need during your stay, especially if you’re someone who spends many hours outside exploring Tokyo.
It also helps that the hotel is affordable too, with an approximate nightly rate of $91 (via Trip.com), despite its close proximity to food and shopping destinations, as well as the Tokyo subway.
So, if you’re ever in a pickle about finding the right accommodation for your Tokyo trip, consider booking a stay at a domestic hotel, and give KOKO HOTEL Tsukiji Ginza a try.
