Japan - Is Uguisudani a bad neighbourhood?

I found a really good deal on a hotel in Uguisudani/Ueno, near the Uguisudani JR station. Research is telling me that this is a seedy neighbourhood full of love motels but some sources say that it is fine and up-n-coming. IS anyone familiar with the area that can give me the real story?

Thanks

I'm not particularly familiar with that area per-se, but I once stayed in a hotel in Kamata (same reasons as you) that was in a neighborhood with lots of love hotels and the like; perfectly fine. "Seedy Neighborhoods" in Japan are not really what they are like, say, in the US, with a high risk of violent crime and the like.

If it offends you to walk by places that may be involved in less than legitimate dealings, then by all means look elsewhere, but it won't really be dangerous to a tourist who minds his/her own business.

I found a really good deal on a hotel in Uguisudani/Ueno, near the Uguisudani JR station. Research is telling me that this is a seedy neighbourhood full of love motels but some sources say that it is fine and up-n-coming. IS anyone familiar with the area that can give me the real story?

Thanks
Is this by chance the Candeo Hotel? If so, I've stayed there for a night last year, and the hotel itself is certainly respectable. You will be a stone's throw away from about 20 or 30 love motels, and even a couple of places that will provide loving for you (not counting the prostitutes that will make a play for you), but if you avoid the backroads you won't have to deal with them.

Uguisudani is fine -- it's a residential neighborhood; it feels a bit seedy at night but I think that's because its reputation precedes it. The more seedy stuff happens a bit further to the east and north. :)

Kototoi Road is fine (the road that runs parallel to the station, just to the east), never had a problem.

Uguisudani is fine -- it's a residential neighborhood; it feels a bit seedy at night but I think that's because its reputation precedes it.
Permit me to cut through the coy innuendo. There's a lot of prostitution going on in Uguisudani. The love hotels around there aren't a symptom of a sketchy reputation. They're there to serve an industry that rents rooms by the hour.

The more seedy stuff happens a bit further to the east and north. :)

I guess you're talking about the Senzoku red light district, which is walking distance from Uguisudani. There might be more prostitution happening there. It's an area that has traditionally housed many brothels. It's also a "residential neighbourhood". Is prostitution in brothels more seedy than prostitution in hotel rooms? That's a subjective view, I think.

Many of the low-rent hotels and backpacker hostels are located in this corner of Tokyo. For hundreds of years, these have been the "poorer quarters where the ragged people go". Some of the backpacker hostels are converted from old "takoya" which previously housed day laborers. Today they offer the cheapest possible "tourist" accommodations in somewhat unsalubrious but perfectly safe neighborhoods.

I actually stayed in Uguisuidani a few years ago, intrigued by the name ("Nightingale Valley") and the cheapness of the accommodations.

As others have said, you will notice that most of the passersby on the streets are men, and there are racy lingerie and sex toy shops around. The lobby of the hotel had a sign in Japanese saying that people engaged in the sex industry were not allowed to rent rooms.

However, the neighborhood didn't look or feel at all unsafe, and the hotel was just fine. The only disadvantage was a shortage of places to eat other than McDonald's. The eateries looked as if they catered to the late-night post-revelry snack crowd.

No nightingales, though, or birds of any sort, really.

Permit me to cut through the coy innuendo. There's a lot of prostitution going on in Uguisudani. The love hotels around there aren't a symptom of a sketchy reputation. They're there to serve an industry that rents rooms by the hour.

I'm going to point out that prostitutes are all over the place in big cities in Japan. One can be walking in a business district yet cross over to the other side of the station or walk 5 minutes in the wrong direction and encounter them.

I was there recently to check out a restaurant, and I was surprised by just how seedy the neighborhood was. It's probably not dangerous, just kind of depressing. I wouldn't stay there myself - there are a lot of good deals on hotels these days.

I'm going to point out that prostitutes are all over the place in big cities in Japan. One can be walking in a business district yet cross over to the other side of the station or walk 5 minutes in the wrong direction and encounter them.

True. For example, the lively neighbourhoods like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akasaka, Ikebukuro, and Roppongi that many of us hang out in - with their mix of offices, residences, restaurants and nightclubs - all have very significant levels of prostitution going on in some areas.

The Uguisudani / Iriya / Senzoku / Minowa area is rather drab and depressed in comparison with the bright lights of Shinjuku etc.. The down-at-heel, working-class or under-class history of the area can be very interesting if that's your schtick - Perhaps this is the "real Japan"? Well, let's not start that debate.

Interestingly, Uguisudani is also the location of the Mushashigawa sumo stable, the Tokyo home of retired yokozuna Musashimaru when he is in town. You can go see training there. So it's not all hookers!

Many of the low-rent hotels and backpacker hostels are located in this corner of Tokyo. For hundreds of years, these have been the "poorer quarters where the ragged people go". Some of the backpacker hostels are converted from old "takoya" which previously housed day laborers. Today they offer the cheapest possible "tourist" accommodations in somewhat unsalubrious but perfectly safe neighborhoods.

This is no doubt straight up 下町. I still wouldn't be worried too much about this area -- especially if you can find a deal that can't be beat and you aren't too far away from the station (as in just right across the bridge from the south gate).

Being right next to the Yamanote/Hibiya Lines is really convenient, especially going to and coming from Narita -- one stop over to/from Nippori and the Keisei Skyliner. That and Akihabara, Ginza, etc. are not too far away. I guess it all depends on what you'd like to do with your time in Tokyo :)

Is this by chance the Candeo Hotel? If so, I've stayed there for a night last year, and the hotel itself is certainly respectable. You will be a stone's throw away from about 20 or 30 love motels, and even a couple of places that will provide loving for you (not counting the prostitutes that will make a play for you), but if you avoid the backroads you won't have to deal with them.

It is the Candeo, 6600 JPY for a twin w/breakfast is pretty good.

Thanks for the feedback everyone, much appreciated. I think I am going to reserve this room but I will cancel if I find something in a better area.