Space is a rare commodity in Japan. The Capsule Hotels (カプセルホテル) are the embodiment of this fact, the most space-saving type of accommodation one can imagine - basically simple and affordable accommodation with "rooms" that are not larger than the mattress they hold. The capsules are stacked to maximize the space savings. The idea is really not far off from a hostel with its bunk beds, just that every bed is a small room in itself. I was traveling with an old school friend, and since we both had so far not spent a night in such a hotel, we gave it a shot during our stay in Shin-Osaka.
Once you enter the hotel, you take off your shoes and lock them in a little locker room before handling the check-in at the reception. You drop off your main luggage in yet another, bigger locker room. You get a designated capsule number, your key card, some slippers and a pajama set for your stay, and venture to the sleeping area to find your little hideaway box in one of the corridors. The shared bathroom offered a number of clean shower cabins, and the separate toilets all came with the mandatory extra toilet slippers typical for Japan. There is a community area, where you can get coffee in the mornings, and the usual vending machines for various drinks and snacks. In our case (we stayed in the Capsule Hotel J Garden Shin-Osaka), there was even an onsen bathing facility on the ground floor.
The Capsules
The capsules themselves have no door, so the only layer of privacy comes in form of a curtain. Once you open it, you'll find your pillow, blanket, and towels waiting for you.
We had a shower (body wash and shampoo are provided), and climbed into our respective capsules. Once inside, I placed my smaller backpack into a corner, and examined the control panel, which contained a power socket, switches for the lights, the controls for the ventilation system and two little nightstands for smaller belongings. While the capsules are obviously small, I could still sit upright without bumping my head on the ceiling. Since I used a somewhat bulky adapter to charge all my devices overnight, I was a bit concerned about the awkward placement of the power socket right over my head - with my backpack next to me and various cables dangling in the air, I was 35% sure I would have a painful wakeup incidence during the night when I turn in my sleep.
Now to the main question - would I recommend a stay in a capsule hotel?
Nope.
If you don't want to tick a box on your bucket list, there is not really a point in staying in a capsule hotel in my view. While I have no complaints about the cleanliness of the place, the curtain at the entrance is not exactly noise-cancelling, so you will hear guests returning from a night out as if they were in your room - mainly because they kind of are, there's just a thin fabric in between. The same goes for snorers or nightly bathroom visitors. Have ear plugs ready for your stay. It was only our second night in Japan, so the jet lag will have contributed to it, too, but I was awake for most of the night, trying to find a comfortable sleeping position (always aware of the adapter over my head that might crush my skull at any moment).
While it is cheaper than a regular hotel stay, it is not THAT much cheaper, so my general recommendation is: just throw in those extra yen for your own little kingdom in a hotel or AirBnB.
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