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.
