Capsule Hotel

So they have these "capsule hotels" in japan that are designed for
businessmen (no women allowed, in most of them) who don't want to
commute home. Some backpackers use them, but I didn't see any.

So, when you pay they give you a capsule number and a locker. You take
off your shoes in exchange for some size 2 sandels that no American
could fit into and take a bathrobe and a pijama set (that consists of
a wrap-around blue shirt that only goes a third of the way down your
thighs) and head up to your floor.

On my floor, we had 18 capsules (photo above) fit into an area that
would normally fit 2 hotel rooms. There was also a bathroom (I wish
I'd gotten a picture of it. The toilet was such a tight squeeze that I
couldn't even sit down properly--I was at an angle, bumping my knees).

Getting into the capsule, you've got your own tv (next to me as I took
the picture, so you can't see it) that mostly shows porn, an alarm
clock, and a bamboo screen that covers the entrance. Overall, it was a
bit smaller than a twin bed, though I could almost sit up straight. I
was in the luxury capsule, though, since I didn't check in till
9:00pm, and it was all they had left.

The strange thing is, they run the capsule business 24-7. Night
rentals run from 5pm to 10am for 3,000¥ with a 500¥ charge for ever
hour you're late leaving, 10am to 2pm for 1,800¥, 2 to 5 for 1,800¥,
or 24 hours for 5,500¥ (keep in mind that a normal, albeit small,
hotel room would run you about 6,000¥ per night). They cater to people
who just want to take a nap in the big city but have nowhere clean to
rest their bones and take a shower.

Verdict: worth trying, but don't plan your trip around it. I moved to
a youth hostel (a significant upgrade in quality) at 10:00am prompt.