Our stay in Kouenji was such a wonderful start to our time in Japan, and Choco was an excellent host. My travelling companion's bags didn't arrive for several days due to a mistake by the airline, and Choco was a fantastic help, staying in contact with the airport, keeping us informed and finally helping to collect and deliver the luggage to us. On top of this, he filled our visit with extra little surprises - delicious sakura marshmallows and other candies on our arrival, a bag of cherry blossom petals waiting for us one evening and an extra delicious and adorable treat the day before we left. The flat was tidy, comfortable and cosy with a bright and welcoming atmosphere (loved the origami cranes) and great air conditioning/heating. The bathroom was compact but clean and had everything we needed. The tatami, Japanese style table and seating and traditional futon added to the experience. There was a small but useful kitchen area including a stove and refrigerator (we mostly just made lots of tea), and the WiFi was reliable. As well as a helpful information booklet on various features of the flat, there was a handwritten guide with particular recommendations for cherry blossom viewing, and a selection of other guide books. Choco's photo map from the station to the flat was also very easy to follow.

We really enjoyed the Kouenji neighbourhood - a few minutes from the flat is a little street of small varied eateries, with more on the street leading to the station. We tried three over the course of our stay and they were all very different and sometimes not quite what we expected (none of those three had English menus though other places did), but all were great experiences, with good food and drinks and friendly locals. It's also a bit quieter than more central areas but still convenient to get to (included on the JR Pass too) and the 24 hour supermarket and nearby mall were on hand whenever we needed things, plus a vending machine right outside.

I'd gladly stay at Choco's Kouenji flat again and would definitely recommend it to travellers.