Capsule Hotel in Tokyo: Low Budget Accommodation in Japan

What is a capsule hotel?

A capsule hotel is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of a room you get a small sleeping capsule. It is usually around 2 m long and just wide enough for one person. Inside there is a mattress, plus a small light, a power socket and a shelf, and sometimes even a whole TV. You can rarely sit up straight, and you can never stand.

The capsules are stacked in two levels in a shared room, often twenty or thirty of them per floor. Your capsule cannot be locked. That is not allowed in Japan for fire safety reasons. All that hangs at the front is a blind or a curtain. Your things go into a locker instead, and you chain up your suitcase.

Originally meant for business people

In Japan capsule hotels are not really a tourist attraction but a perfectly normal way to spend the night. They were invented for employees who missed the last train and have to be back in the office the next morning. That is why most of them sit right by the big stations and in the nightlife districts. Some of them are still men only today. I spent a night in exactly one of those and it was quite the adventure. There are also women only hotels and mixed capsule hotels where the floors are separated by gender. You need to watch out for that when booking. More on that further down.

What does a capsule hotel in Japan cost?

For a simple capsule you can count on around 2,000 to 5,000 yen per night, so roughly 12 to 30 euros. In high season and at weekends it gets more expensive, and in Tokyo you pay a fair bit on top anyway. The more comfortable places with a large bath, sauna and lounge cost more. My night at the capsule hotel in Shiodome came to about 6,500 yen. At that point you are already in the price range of a simple business hotel.

What is included differs a lot from place to place, but you will often get:

• A locker for luggage and valuables
• House clothes or a yukata and towels
• Soap, shampoo and a toothbrush in the washing area
• A shared bath or even an onsen, in better places with a sauna
• A lounge with drinks, sometimes even something small to eat

If you are watching your budget in Japan anyway, this is worth a look: Budget Japan trip, my money saving tips

Check-in and how it works

The routine is similar everywhere and unfamiliar at first, because you hand over a lot more than in a normal hotel.

Shoes off at check-in

Right in the entrance area. Your shoes go into a small locker and you keep the key. You get a wristband or a key with your capsule number and your locker.

Changing and luggage

In the changing area you swap your clothes for the house outfit. You wear it everywhere inside, including in the lounge. The lockers are designed for a briefcase and a set of house clothes, not for a suitcase. Many places do have a lockable luggage room or suitcase locks, but I would not rely on it. If you are travelling with a big suitcase, send it ahead or drop it off. More on that under Luggage service in Japan and Luggage storage at 7-Eleven.

Bathe, then sleep

In places with a bath, a trip to the bathhouse before sleeping is part of the routine.

Quiet is mandatory

In the capsule area nobody talks and nobody takes calls. You eat in the lounge, not in your capsule. And because a curtain is not a wall, you hear everything: snoring, blinds, the rustle of plastic bags. Definitely pack earplugs!

My capsule hotel in Tokyo

I stayed at the Anshin Oyado in Shiodome, back then a men only hotel in the middle of the office district. For a few years now it has been a women only hotel. I picked it for exactly one reason: the capsules there are comparatively large. There is a version with a ceiling height of 1.4 metres where you really can sit up straight without banging your head.

What to watch out for when booking

Men, women or mixed

This is the point that surprises most people. Many capsule hotels are men only, like mine back then in Shiodome. If it does not say so clearly in the description, ask before you book.

Ceiling height beats stars

If you have the choice, go for a large capsule. The small surcharge of a few thousand yen is definitely worth it. Whether you can only lie down in your capsule or also sit up straight makes a huge difference when it comes to feeling boxed in. Take a good look at the photos and avoid the ones where you feel like a torpedo.

Upper or lower capsule

Lower capsules are usually a little more expensive because you do not have to climb a ladder. On the other hand you catch more of the corridor and you hear it when your neighbour above you climbs into bed.

Read the check-in and check-out times

They differ from normal hotels. At my place check-in was from 12:00 and check-out only at 15:00, so up to 27 hours in total. Other places throw you out at 10:00. Some also offer a cheap night rate if you only turn up after 23:00.

Tattoos

If the place has a bathhouse, the same rules often apply there as in an onsen. With large tattoos you can be refused entry. It is usually in the hotel FAQ, and it is worth checking beforehand. Everything about tattoos in onsen is here too: All about onsen in Japan

My verdict

One night fine, more nights no way!

A capsule hotel in Tokyo is a once in a lifetime experience that you should have had in Japan. It is cheap, it is well thought out and it is typically Japanese: very little space, perfectly organised. As accommodation for a whole trip it does not work, in my experience. The capsule is cramped and stuffy, you sleep worse, and your suitcase is a real problem. Plan one night, ideally at the start or at the end when you want to be near the station anyway. For the rest, take a normal hotel.