Terminal A01 is a charmingly little house on a quiet street in a residential part of Tokyo. It’s a place where you can truly live like a local. It’s a convenient 2 min walk from the train station and buses. The area is dotted with quaint little shops and restaurants. We thoroughly enjoyed strolling through the neighbourhood and discovering little shops in the most unexpected places. Here you will smell the smokey aroma of flame-grilled yakitori skewers wafting from a tiny corner shop that’s only open after dark. You will find a cosy little Japanese sweets store where their sweets are all lovingly hand-made at the back of their shop. There is also a tiny pasta bar where you can sit across the counter and chat to the chef about his restaurant of 30 years and his travels to Italy where his love of Italian cuisine was born.
You will never go hungry with the array of eateries in the neighbourhood. Even buying a tasty bento box from the local supermarket will keep you satisfied. We hardly had to cook during our stay and ate takeout every night - it was great and so convenient.
The house itself is super clean and spacious for Tokyo. We really felt very comfortable and settled in just as if it were our own home. Our hosts were wonderful and super quick to respond to our every question. They attended to all our requests promptly and made sure we were comfortable. They speak excellent English - so no communication problems.
The house is just as it appears online and equipped with all the amenities needed for even long term stays. We had everything we needed. It’s perfect for families. There are two bedrooms, one with two single beds and another tatami room that fits up to 3 single futon mattresses. The kids loved sleeping on the tatami mats. All rooms have air-conditioning. The shower had great water pressure. There’s a washing machine and separate dryer (coin operated). There is also a pocket WiFi.
It does take a little longer to get to major tourist destinations, as you’re living in the suburbs, but you can easily get there by changing trains for the green Yamanote line at Gotanda Station to reach places like Shinjuku, Shibuya or Ginza. There is also disability access at the station. If you are driving there are plenty of parking lots close by. Shop around for a cheap one. We found one that’s 800yen for 24 hours.
All in all, the area, the home and our hosts made for the perfect stay!