@Paulo | Travel Bugs: Enjoy! Hope they work for you.

@Sherbet & Sparkles: I feel like you’re talking about …the porn manga cafes. I feel like manga cafes vary and there are the types you’ve mention… and not. As a female solo traveler, I focused on reputable chains where the result has been good- I’ve definitely visited a couple of those you’re talking of, but didn’t stay at them. A friend of mine accidentally stayed at a porn manga cafe; it was near to Tsukiji, which made me feel a bit bad for him. I experienced the opposite (here and here). But, knowing it’s a public space, I was selective. I wanted “nice & clean”, cool bells & whistles, better than a hostel and cheap.

Solo traveler, female or not, a traveler needs to use common safety sense– dress appropriately and if the place looks dirty and feels sleazy or sketchy ,… leave! Be smart- if it doesn’t feel right, it’s not.

I really woulnd’t recommend any solo female traveller to sleep in a manga cafe overnight. I’m not saying they’d get raped or pickpocketed or anything, but these are pretty dirty places that people sometimes go to for a cheap love making session. Due to safety laws they can’t have full walls between sections so you’re very close to people doing…whatever, really. They are cool during the day and nice to catch up on Facebook but they are the hangout spots of older men wanting to watch some hentai…not really the kind of place a woman would want to sleep in.

@Angela: Well, the first night when I stayed at a hostel, I met many travelers, who claimed they were doing it in under $30/day! 😉

@Robert: Dress warm. I was there near Christmas and it was *really* cold,… but not painfully. Check when the winter festivals are! There’s a really big one in Sapporo! (A little far from Tokyo but it’s a huge festival) I can’t remember if it’s during the western New Years or Asian New Years. A visit to an onsen would be nice splurge.

Also, thanks for the headsup about my “Related Posts” wonkiness. I appreciate it and will see what I can do! =-)

@Alison: Wow, those are really awesome tips! Thanks for sharing them. You are so right… with Japan, it really is about the quality of the food and experiences. So much pride goes into craftsmanship goes into things. I noticed that with food vendors in Asakusa. =-)

I tried looking into Air BnB, to stay with a local, but they priced around the same or more than a hostel. One thing to watch out for with those are transportation costs. Even staying with a friend for free, doesn’t mean cheaper or free if your friend is in a prefecture outside of Tokyo main and it costs $20 to get into the city. woof.

@halfwhiteboy: Fingers crossed for you.