If you are planning an around the world trip or even just planning a trip to Japan, it’s well worth booking a stay in a Japanese capsule hotel.
Not only is it a unique experience but it’s a interesting and relatively cheap one too (usually from $20-$40).
Rooms provide enough room to sleep (Roughly about 3 ft by 4 ft by 6 ft) in a fiberglass or plastic block often equipped with a TV, radio, light and alarm clock. These hotels started life in Japan and haven’t really caught popularity in cities around the world.
Tokyo capsule hotels are mainly frequented by Japanese businessman who have either had a late night at the office or have drunk so much that they are too embarrassed to face their spouses.
Wash rooms are communal and often include a spa and sauna. Clothes are usually exchanged for a yukata and slippers on entry.
Although capsule hotels are usually a men only affair, there are those that have female floors available. It’s best to check before turning up. These hotels often have a restaurant and also have vending machines supplying everything from cold beer to cold coffee.
On my recent visit to Tokyo I stayed in the Capsule Inn Kinshichou and had a great experience, they even had our names on the door when we arrived. Like many places in Japan not much English was spoken so our mime act came in very useful at reception.
Although the communal wash rooms, sauna and spa were quite daunting at first it had helped that we had been out for “all you can drink in two hours” karaoke that evening.
The capsule hotel was a perfect place to have a late night spa and sauna then to get a good nights sleep before catching our flight the next day.
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i'd love to try this out someday. here are some other wacky overnight accommodations around the world: http://www.bit.ly/5sDPtj
I stayed in one of these capsule hotels once, it actually wasn't too bad. Much more comfortable than the other options of sleeping sitting in an chair at a manga kissa, or cramped compartment at an internet cafe. If you would prefer to stay in your own room instead, business hotels are usually inexpensive and conveniently located, although the facilities are often just the bare necessities as they are intended for travelling businessmen and not so much for tourists.