When my partner and I were planning to background around Japan, we knew we wanted to get “off the beaten track”, and experience Japan from a local’s perspective. One of the participants in my partner’s Japanese language exchange group suggested we give couchsurfing a try. Neither of us had even heard of couchsurfing before, but we were immediately intrigued.
Couchsurfing is:
to stay temporarily in a series of other people’s homes, typically making use of improvised sleeping arrangements.
Now, when we told our family and friends that we were going to be staying in the homes of strangers, their reactions ranged from confused, to sceptical, to downright concerned. What if a host cancelled at the last minute, leaving us stranded? What if a host lived in a bad part of town? What if a host turned out to a robber, or a serial killer?!?!
We had an amazing experience staying with local people in Sapporo, Hakodate and Kobe, Japan, and I can’t recommend couchsurfing enough – it was absolutely among the highlights of our trip. BUT this kind of travel is not for everyone, and it definitely isn’t without its cons. So, here are a few thoughts on couchsurfing for beginners.
Go with a Site: We used the Couchsurfing.com website to find and connect with prospective hosts in different cities across Japan. We focused on hosts who had been verified by the site, and who had a good number of positive reviews from previous visitors. Other couchsurfing resources might be available, but this is the one that was recommended to us.
Be Safe: We provided family members with the names and addresses of all our hosts, as well as the dates we planned to stay with them, just in case. We were also travelling as a pair – we did encounter female tourists who couchsurfing alone, but I’m not sure how comfortable I’d be with that. Japan is known as one of the safest destinations in the world, but that’s no reason not to be careful! Always use your common sense when couchsurfing, and follow your instincts – if a situation doesn’t feel safe, get out! We didn’t have any problems with our hosts, but consider researching nearby hostels or hotels, in the event that you feel uncomfortable or unsafe and need another place to stay. As the old adage goes, safety first! The Couchsurfing website has a section on traveller safety that’s worth checking out, too.
Expect the Unexpected: Remember, you’re staying in people’s homes, so there will likely be a diverse range of living accommodations! In all three of our home-stays we slept on the floor, which was a very different experience for us Westerners. One of our hosts provided us with an incredibly comfortable and cozy futon in our own private room, while in another home-stay we slept directly on the floor…in a poorly insulated apartment…in northern Japan…in the dead of winter. At one point we slept in our clothes with our puffy jackets, hats and gloves on just to keep warm! Residences can vary in amenities and cleanliness, too, so if you’re a germophobe or have very particular standards, you might want to keep that in mind.
Change it Up: We stayed in a variety of accommodations on our trip, including couchsurfing, apartment rentals, hostels and hotels. While couchsurfing was an incredible way to meet people and make new experiences, it was pretty darn uncomfortable at times, and I’m getting to the point in my life where I crave comfort and convenience. In other words, I’m an old lady. So, while I adored couchsurfing, I wouldn’t necessarily have wanted to do it for the entire six weeks of our trip. A few days here and a few days there were just perfect.
Bring Gifts: This is especially true when travelling in Japan, as gift-giving is a cultural expectation, but since you’re staying with someone free of charge it’s nice to bring a little gift to say thank you. We brought cheesy Canadian stuff like mini bottles of maple syrup and ice wine, as well as key chains and fridge magnets, which were light enough to carry in our backpacks and made for great conversation starters.
Respect your Hosts: Remember, you’re a guest in someone’s home, and a free one at that. Try to be the best possible guest you can be – keep your space tidy, be friendly, help out with any chores you can, and respect your host’s schedules. Some of our hosts wanted to socialise with us, others were busy with school or work. We still had some incredible experiences, including nabe parties with our hosts and their friends, eating out at secret local hangouts, even having a traditional breakfast with our host at his university cafeteria, pretending to be foreign grad students. You get out of this experience what you put it, so be professional, respectful and open, and you can really have a blast!
Couchsurfing provided us with an incredible insider’s look at a foreign country, but it’s certainly not for everyone. Do your research, be prepared, use your common sense, put safety first, and keep an open mind, and you just might have the most incredible travel experience of your life – we certainly did!
Have you ever tried couchsurfing, either through an organization or through friends? Are you thinking about couchsurfing for an upcoming trip? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Wow – I have never couch surfed and can’t imagine that I would with a baby but I love that you got to meet locals and see a different side to things #fearlessfamtrav
We did get to meet some fellow foreigners who were couchsurfing with their school-aged children, which sounded really fun – it would definitely be a real learning experience for the kids to see how people in other countries really live! Thanks so much for stopping by!
I have heard of it but never tried it! I am not sure I would have been able to walk the day after sleeping on the floor – my back is not the best! Interesting to read your experiences and the most I have read about it! It is something I would consider though – great way to meet people!
Even when we had the cushiest, comfiest futon, my poor old back was none too thrilled! 😉 But, sleeping on the floor is very normal and common in Japan, so we definitely got to live like locals. 🙂
A great way to meet locals and see a different side to a place. Sounds like some experiences were more comfortable than others! Great tips for making it successful. Do you host couchsurfers as well? #citytripping
Oh yes, it was definitely an eye-opening experience, but absolutely recommended if you’re looking to get off the beaten track! We haven’t hosted any surfers yet, but we’d love to – we don’t exactly live in the most popular tourist area, though – not too many people want to visit our little suburb. 😉
Gosh what a great insight into a different way to travel! I’m not sure with two young children quite how it would work, but I’ll put it in my back pocket for when they are older!
One of the cool things about the Couchsurfing website is that you can contact people and arrange to just meet for tea or coffee, too. We did that a couple of times, and it was a neat way to meet locals and get insider tips on things to do, even when we already had accommodation booked. It could be a great way to meet other families and get some local insight into the best free things to do with kids! 🙂
I love the idea of couchsurfing – but as a solo female traveller, there are definitely a few concerns! Thanks for sharing this, it’s really helpful! #CityTripping
We did meet a young British woman who was couchsurfing solo across Japan, and had couchsurfed in America, as well! It can be done, but like you say, definitely make sure to follow your instincts and use your common sense!
I love CSing and did it all around Brazil, I had the best time! It really did enhance all of my experiencing. I have also hosted lots of times 🙂
But, I agree that it’s not for everyone.
That sounds amazing!! We’re definitely looking into couchsurfing as part of our next adventure, wherever that might be! I’d love to host, too, but not too many people seem to want to visit my sleepy little suburb. 😉
It’s a kind of like staying in someone’s house on Airbnb without the fee and without the room or even a bed, isn’t it? I love the social side of it but I definitely fall into the old lady category and love my creature comforts way too much to give them up! If I was game enough though, couchsurfing would be a brilliant way to explore the world and live like, and hang out with locals. I loved that you did the undercover cafeteria thing!
Oh yes, I absolutely felt the same way! I enjoyed Couchsurfing for a couple of nights, but definitely couldn’t have done it for more than that! You can definitely use the Couchsurfing website to meet people to hang out with, too, even if you’re not looking for a place to stay, which can be fun, too. 🙂
Couchsurfing does sound perfect for meeting people and, if you’re lucky like you were, find hosts that want to show you the local, non-toursity sides to a place. What was the traditional breakfast?
Miso soup, rice, grilled fish and a raw egg!! Our host couldn’t understand why we were so reluctant to eat raw eggs – I was willing to try almost anything, but I had to draw the line at that!
I haven’t tried couchsurfing – I don’t think it’s cut out for me. However, I enjoy staying at guesthouse or B&B where the experience is similar – staying with a local family but paying for the accommodation. It’s definitely cheaper than staying at hotels. It’s great that you share these tips for couchsurfer beginners so that they are aware of the pros and cons. Cheers! #citytripping
Absolutely! We used Air BnB for most of our last trip, which was lots of fun, too! It’s kind of like a step in between hostels and hotels, and makes traveling cheaper and more immersive!
I’ve never tried couchsurfing but I’ve heard A LOT of awesome experiences so I might just have to give it a try one day!
You should, even if it’s just for a night, it’s definitely an unusual way to travel!
I totally see the appeal of couchsurfing – you must really get an insight into local’s lives and customs. However, I don’t think it’s for me! I just think I would feel intrusive… perhaps thats the British stiff upper lip in me! Thanks for sharing on #CityTripping and opening my eyes to a new form of travel!
I was definitely a bit nervous at first, but my partner and I quickly discovered that we had something quite valuable to offer our hosts in exchange for room and board – free, personalised, one-to-one conversations with native English speakers! Everywhere we went, our hosts invited their friends over, so everyone could take turns practising their English with an actual “foreigner” (as we were always called). So, it can definitely be a win-win situation for everyone. 🙂
Wow, what an incredible experience! I would love to travel to Japan, and it sounds like couchsurfing worked out really well for you and your partner…but I might be too much of a scaredy cat to do it. Or maybe I just watch too many crime shows, haha. It would be a great way to make a long trip less expensive though, so I’ll have to think it over!
I’ve always wanted to give couchsurfing a try and these are great tips for a first-timer! Such a great idea to bring little gifts from home, as they are so much more thoughtful than anything you pick up on the road! Great planning 😀
Great guide to Couchsurfing. We used to do this quite a lot, travelling throughout Europe and hosting many wonderful and interesting international travellers in our home. Then the kids came along and we began to “Couchsurf” less and less, and now we don’t do it at all. I sometimes regret and miss it – as you stated, it really is the best way to get off the beaten track and experience a foreign land from a local’s perspective. Happy future ‘surfing and greetings from Luxembourg! #FearlessFamTrav