Nara: Sleep, Eat, and Explore Nara City, Nara, Japan

The next stop on my itinerary: Nara! But first, some essentials such as where to sleep, where to eat, and how to go around (or rather, where I slept, where I ate, and how I found my way around).

I found the perfect hostel for my 2-night stay in Nara: Hiloki Hostel, just a 3-minute walk from JR Nara Station, which is also where buses to all the sites in Nara I planned to visit depart. I was lucky to have been one of Hiloki Hostel's first few guests. When I stayed there, it had only been in business for less than two months!

The hostel is small with the reception, common area, and kitchen on the ground floor (I think a washing machine and dryer are also available for a fee); three private rooms on the second floor; and two dorm rooms on the third floor.

Let's talk about the dorm, because that's where I stayed. There is one 6-bed mixed dorm and one 4-bed female dorm. The ladder to the upper bunk was inclined making it easy to go up/down. The bed was comfortable and I was grateful for the lamp and outlets (two regular and two USB outlets) provided for each bunk bed. There are small lockers provided in each dorm room. The dorm room floor has two toilets (one for each gender), two shower rooms (one for each gender), and two sinks. The dorm room did not feel cramped and there was enough space for luggage. Keys to the room and to the hostel are provided for each guest. Hiloki, the owner, being a traveler himself, has thought of all the necessary things a traveler might need in a hostel (well, except for the towel—no bath towel provided so bring your own). ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).