Centurion Hotel Ueno is a two-building property — an older main building where check-in takes place, and a newer Annex that opened in 2017 — located on Kasuga Street in the Yushima district. The hotel is just a 3-minute walk (about 300 metres) from the North Exit of JR Okachimachi Station on the Yamanote Line, and within easy reach of Ueno-Hirokoji and Yushima subway stations. That central position places Ameyoko market, Ueno Park, Ueno Zoo, Akihabara, and Yushima Tenjin Shrine all within comfortable walking distance.
The main building has a lively, eclectic lobby — a mix of bamboo décor and seasonal themes — with a kids’ play area near the front desk and family-friendly rooms including options with bunk beds. The Annex is a different atmosphere entirely: access is restricted to guests via key card, the corridors have a clean Japanese-modern aesthetic (kasumi mist-pattern elevator doors, deep purple hallway carpet), and the upper floors feature elaborately themed rooms with names like “Kabuki” and “Murasaki Shikibu.”
I was upgraded at check-in from a Casual Semi-Double Room in the main building to a Superior King Room on the 7th floor of the Annex. The room (14m²) is compact on paper but feels spacious thanks to a clean, uncluttered layout. The 180cm-wide Slumberland bed — a British brand with a royal warrant — is the centrepiece, and it delivers: double-spring construction, two pillow types with different firmness levels, and built-in outlets and light switches at the headboard. A convertible sofa (sleeps three in total), air purifier, adjustable full-room brightness, dedicated desk lamp, mini fridge, complimentary bottled water, deodorising spray, and hand sanitiser complete a well-thought-out space. The room’s soft colour palette feels genuinely calming.
The unit bath is spotless, with strong water pressure and a washlet toilet. POLA skincare amenities — cleansing oil and toner — were placed directly in the room rather than at a lobby counter, a nice touch. Gown-style loungewear is provided, though the fabric is light and the tie closure can come open.
Shared facilities in the Annex (2nd floor) include a microwave, ice machine, two coin-operated laundry machines, and a compact vending machine stocked with water, soft drinks, and alcohol. Coins only for the laundry; change available at the main building front desk.
Breakfast is not currently served at the hotel. For the morning, “Mijinco” café (between Yushima and Ochanomizu stations, about 10 minutes on foot) is a refined, women-friendly coffee shop serving premium toast sandwiches — the lemon chicken sandwich with black olive sauce is excellent. Yushima Tenjin Shrine, one of the top three Tenjin shrines in the Kanto region and famous for plum blossoms in February and chrysanthemums in November, is a short walk away. For dinner, “Monster Grill Ueno” in the Ameyoko area serves generous steaks in a boisterous, comic-book-themed setting.
Room designs and amenity levels differ significantly between the main building and the Annex — it is worth specifying your preference at booking or check-in.
