Capsule Hotels. They probably only exist in Japan. I never heard of them anywhere else. Years before I came to Japan, I heard of those places, where one can spend a night in a small, but sufficient, capsule. What might seem very strange for many Westerners (including me), was definitely worth a try for me. I always tried to visit one of those capsule hotels but I never really had the opportunity, until recently...
On my way to Japan's smallest main Island, Shikoku, I needed to stay a night in Takamatsu, capital of Kagawa prefecture. I went there with the Seishun Juuhachi Kippu 青春十八切符, taking about 13 hours from Tokyo, a very long and exhausting, but also very cheap journey (approximately 2000yen). Since we arrived there very late in the evening, we needed a place to stay only for the night and I came across that capsule hotel in Takamatsu before we departed for Shikoku.
To sleep in a capsule means no privacy. You can hear everything your neighbor does, since there is no real door separating the sleeping units.
It might look very strange from the outside, but capsules are actually quite comfortable on the inside.
Staying in a capsule hotel is cheap, probably one of the reasons why so many people do it. Not only do you get the accommodation, but you get a lot of extra services, too. They provide you with clothes for the night (although the one I got was too small, typically Japan), you can use their bathing area for free, and sometimes they even provide free entertainment, such as collective movie watching.
The capsule I slept in was 876, one of at least 100 in this capsule hotel. When we were there, it was pretty empty, though.
Doesn't look very cozy, does it?
The only thing that separates the capsule from the rest is this thin cover at the entrance. It is a weak attempt to give you some privacy in a non-private place.
Service in a capsule hotel is usually quite good. Here you see the menu from where you can order foods or drinks.
Because we didn't want to stay the whole night in the hotel and we were hungry, we went outside again in order to explore the region. This particular capsule hotel in Takamatsu was situated in a nightlife area with lots of bars and izakaya's for the traveling salary-man. There were also many places that offered massages, and more if you are loaded. ;)
A Ramen and Gyoza place by night.
Back in the capsule. Even though it is so tiny, you can even enjoy television from the inside via a provided headset.
The controls for the capsule are all around you. This bar here serves as a light-switch, television control, alarm clock, and what not.
There is even a tiny mirror on the wall. And of course, no smoking allowed.
All in all. a very interesting experience. Not sure if this is what I want to do again but if I travel on a budget, it is definitely a good possibility to stay a night somewhere. As far as I know, capsule hotels are only for guys, but I bet that no girl would voluntarily sleep in a place like this. ;)
On my way to Japan's smallest main Island, Shikoku, I needed to stay a night in Takamatsu, capital of Kagawa prefecture. I went there with the Seishun Juuhachi Kippu 青春十八切符, taking about 13 hours from Tokyo, a very long and exhausting, but also very cheap journey (approximately 2000yen). Since we arrived there very late in the evening, we needed a place to stay only for the night and I came across that capsule hotel in Takamatsu before we departed for Shikoku.
To sleep in a capsule means no privacy. You can hear everything your neighbor does, since there is no real door separating the sleeping units.
It might look very strange from the outside, but capsules are actually quite comfortable on the inside.
Staying in a capsule hotel is cheap, probably one of the reasons why so many people do it. Not only do you get the accommodation, but you get a lot of extra services, too. They provide you with clothes for the night (although the one I got was too small, typically Japan), you can use their bathing area for free, and sometimes they even provide free entertainment, such as collective movie watching.
The capsule I slept in was 876, one of at least 100 in this capsule hotel. When we were there, it was pretty empty, though.
Doesn't look very cozy, does it?
The only thing that separates the capsule from the rest is this thin cover at the entrance. It is a weak attempt to give you some privacy in a non-private place.
Service in a capsule hotel is usually quite good. Here you see the menu from where you can order foods or drinks.
Because we didn't want to stay the whole night in the hotel and we were hungry, we went outside again in order to explore the region. This particular capsule hotel in Takamatsu was situated in a nightlife area with lots of bars and izakaya's for the traveling salary-man. There were also many places that offered massages, and more if you are loaded. ;)
A Ramen and Gyoza place by night.
Back in the capsule. Even though it is so tiny, you can even enjoy television from the inside via a provided headset.
The controls for the capsule are all around you. This bar here serves as a light-switch, television control, alarm clock, and what not.
There is even a tiny mirror on the wall. And of course, no smoking allowed.
All in all. a very interesting experience. Not sure if this is what I want to do again but if I travel on a budget, it is definitely a good possibility to stay a night somewhere. As far as I know, capsule hotels are only for guys, but I bet that no girl would voluntarily sleep in a place like this. ;)
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