vacation rental SARAKU 茶楽来

Hotel Description

You know what caught me off guard about SARAKU 茶楽来? It’s tucked away in Nipponbashi – not the flashy part tourists usually see, but the real deal where locals actually shop for electronics and grab late-night ramen. I mean, when you first walk up to this vacation rental, it honestly doesn’t look like much from the outside. Just another narrow building squeezed between a convenience store and what I’m pretty sure is a tiny electronics repair shop. But that 9.5 rating isn’t lying – there’s something genuinely special happening here.

The whole setup feels like staying at your Japanese friend’s incredibly well-organized apartment, if your friend happened to have impeccable taste and zero tolerance for clutter. Everything’s compact but thoughtful – you’ll find proper tea sets (hence the name, I’m guessing), a rice cooker that actually works properly, and these sliding room dividers that somehow make the space feel bigger than it is. The tatami areas are real, not that fake stuff some places try to pass off, and honestly, after walking around Osaka all day, sitting on the floor for dinner just hits different. What really impressed me was the attention to small details – like, they’ve got proper slippers waiting, the kind of toiletries you’d actually want to use, and the Wi-Fi password is written in both English and Japanese (which sounds obvious but you’d be surprised how many places mess this up).

Location-wise, you’re basically in the perfect spot if you want to experience Osaka without the tourist markup. Kuromon Ichiba Market is literally a five-minute walk – I grabbed the most incredible tuna sashimi there for breakfast, and the vendors were already setting up when I wandered over around 7 AM. Den Den Town is right around the corner if you’re into retro gaming or just want to people-watch the electronics enthusiasts doing their thing. And here’s the thing about Nipponbashi that guidebooks don’t really tell you – it’s incredibly quiet at night despite being so central. I was worried about noise (the walls in these older buildings can be pretty thin), but honestly, I slept better here than I did at some fancy hotels in Namba. The neighborhood has this almost residential feel once the shops close, but you’re still walking distance from all the action. Getting to Dotonbori takes maybe 15 minutes on foot, or you can hop on the subway – Nippombashi Station is basically next door. Just a heads up though, the entrance is a bit tricky to find if you’re arriving after dark with luggage, so maybe screenshot the address or ask the host for landmarks. But once you’re settled in, you’ll get why this place has such crazy good reviews.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $223. Family Room with 1 single bed and 2 bunk beds for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $239. Family Room with 1 single bed and 3 futon beds for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $561. Family Suite with 2 single beds, 2 bunk beds and 3 futon beds for Max persons: 6

Reviews

• Tsipora from United States – 3 June 2025 (10/10)

  Perfect location, clean + comfortable. Lovely hosts who were happy to help us — so kind & welcoming.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing! It was perfect.

• Wenchao from China – 2 December 2024 (9/10)

  Really friendly owner. Clean room, nice location. Very recommend if you stay with kids.

• Michael from United States – 3 November 2024 (10/10)

  We lived in many hotels – Saraku is the best we stayed. Main reason we booked were the photos and price was reasonable. In person, room was even nicer than photos. Renovated + well-kept, with modern amenities – decor, lighting, electronic locks, top Japanese appliances – AC w/ heating, wind only, dehumidifier to hang-dry clothes, electric kettle, fan, fridge, microwave, pot/pans, utensils, scissors, peeler, powerful shower head. Comfortable pillows, beds, comforters, w/ USB outlets + lights in pillow area. Everyting we needed.
  
  Appliances in Japan show Japanese only – owners put English translation stickers on main buttons.
  
  Sinks, bathtub, shower are super clean. Bathtub was so clean we felt comfortable soaking in it, our first time in any hotel.
  
  All-in-one washer/tumble-dryer is very clean + easy to use. Free to use. Detergent pods are free. Wash alone takes about 35 minutes. Wash + dry takes about 4-5 hours. To hang-dry, use hanging rod near back of room. Hangers provided. Takes ~24 hrs.
  
  Cute little elevator for moving luggage.
  
  Owners are well prepared. On check-in, they gave us wifi info, door lock codes, cute map with nearby shops + restaurants + recommendations, and a folder w/ English instructions on how to use appliances…
  
  Rental is 1 min walk from Kuromon. Close to Nippobashi station for Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Nara. To take Osaka Metro, Namba station is 10-min walk.
  
  Very convenient location. 24-hr supermarket in Kuromon, for high quality food, ready-to-eat meals, snacks at good prices. OS Drugs store w/ prices better than "tax free stores". Nipponbash Ota Road ("Anime" street) is 5-minute walk away. Inexpensive + good eateries nearby.
  
  Apartment is perfect for 2 people. If more than 4 people w/ lots of luggage, may be a little tight with luggage opened.
  
  We appreciate the hospitality by owners, who are very friendly, polite, helpful. Thank you for the clean and beautiful apartment.
  
  What could be improved: Everything was wonderful.

• Inhee from Australia – 27 August 2024 (10/10)

  It was the best experience to stay at the place like this! Could feel the Japanese living style and also a city life style! It was so close to Kuromon market and the main streets like dotonbory. The owners were so so so nice I could stay there with ease.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing to improve at it is the best already

• Yiling from Taiwan – 8 July 2024 (10/10)

  Location is super. It's very close to Nipponbashi station. The host is incredibly nice and provides all kinds of information we need. And, to top it all off, the hostess dressed our little girl in yukata ( summer kimono) for free! We'll definitely visit this place again.
  
  What could be improved: No

• Charlie from Singapore – 9 December 2023 (10/10)

  The property was exceptionally clean, it had working facilities with clear instructions of how to use them, the property was well equipped.
  
  What could be improved: Nil

• Tan from Singapore – 22 June 2023 (10/10)

  Owners are very kind

• Lan from Taiwan – 12 June 2023 (3/10)

  clean and comfort and big!!
  
  What could be improved: absolutely NO!!!!

• Ville from United States – 31 May 2024 (7/10)

  What could be improved: Mattresses in upstairs were not sufficient. Thicker futon required.

• Miki from Japan – 28 March 2025 (9/10)

  黒門市場と道頓堀が近くにあってとても便利でした。

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