Capsule Hotels in Japan

Capsule hotels are a unique form of accommodations developed for working Japanese men who are too busy to go home. The hotels comprise of individual blocks of small, coffin sized living quarters with just enough room to sleep. Some capsules include a TV, a wireless internet connection, mirrors and alarm clocks. The capsules are stacked side by side in rows normally with one unit on top of the other, with steps providing access to the second level rooms. The capsules are sealed with a door or a curtain and bathroom facilities are normally shared. A locker key is usually provided to each guest to keep baggage in a locker outside the capsules.

The capsules cost 2500 to 4000 Yen per night (about $30 – $50). Since this is cheaper than proper hotel rooms, they are often used by businessmen who worked too late to catch the train or stayed out drinking all night. Capsule hotels are also popular among budget travelers. With continued recession in Japan, as of early 2010, more and more capsule hotel guests were either unemployed or underemployed and were renting capsules by the month.

Also see: Portraits of Squashed Commuters in Japan by Michael Wolf

Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images via Avaxnews

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