Capsule Hotels in Japan – Not for Amorous Liaisons!

Capsule Hotels are a popular form of accommodation in Japan that are used by many travellers and businessmen looking to save a few bucks here and there. These fibreglass cubes are for those who don’t want or need the extra facilities that hotel rooms provide.

These Capsule Hotels (or Kapaseru Hoteru in Japanese) are literally that – a bunch of capsules stuck together that you can slide into for your necessary sleep. Valuables are stored in a separate lockable container in another area for access when you need them.

They are pretty much just functional areas for people to sleep after a hard day of business, or chowing down on the nice Japanese food nearby.

Here is a photo from the outside I took on a G Adventures trip to Japan while I was in Tokyo.

Inside the Capsule Hotel

This is what it looks like inside: a little bit pokey! These things are only 2 metres long by 1 metre by 1.25 metres or so. I would be flat out trying to fit into one of these, and tall people would probably find that they’re legs are hanging out the other end!

Yes, space is at a premium in one of the most densely populated cities on the planet!

Basically, the only things you can really do in a Capsule Hotel is sleep and watch some TV on the tiny screen.

This type of accommodation probably isn’t ideal if you were planning to bring someone home if you got lucky in a local pub or nightclub. Not that has stopped some backpackers doing this in some dorm rooms that I’ve stayed in!

But that’s why there are Love Hotels which accommodate for that sort of thing!

More Capsule Hotel Stuff

If you are feeling rather claustrophobic and want to research more on weird Japan, check out Clueless in Tokyo: An Explorer’s Sketchbook of Weird and Wonderful Things in Japan.