How to enjoy a capsule hotel stay in Japan

Have you ever considered a capsule hotel stay (カプセルホテル) in Japan? Although capsule hotels have been around awhile, but they seem very trendy, especially as tourism has been increasing globally over the past years, offering clean, affordable traveller accommodation in compact well-appointed spaces.

Capsule hotels were invented in Japan, and the first capsule hotel opened its doors in Osaka in 1979 – and it is still around, now know as the New Japan Umeda Hotel. It was designed by Kisho Kurokawa, the architect of the iconic Nakagin Capsule Tower, a block of micro-apartments completed in 1972. The world’s first capsule hotel has since been extensively refurbished, so don’t expect 1970s retro style.

Why choose a capsule hotel stay in the first place?

Capsule hotels are super convenient – usually located in or near transport hubs and in city centres. They may have been initially aimed at workers who would not make the last train home and take a capsule hotel stay instead. They have since evolved into budget friendly short-term accommodations for tourists, weekend trippers and those whose plans change at the last minute.

A capsule hotel stay will give you a clean bed with a decent amount of privacy in a very central location, at a small price. As a rule of thumb, a capsule is usually roughly half the price of a room in a business hotel in the same area.

And sometimes, they are your last resort – or salvation – in the middle of the night when you are stranded and, because it is the middle of the night, you will find your usual booking site does not accept bookings for the rest of the night because they already rolled over to the next day

Capsules vs. Cabins

I am unsure when they entered the scene, but cabin hotels have been popular in recent years, and a cabin hotel was my first experience of staying in semi-private micro accommodation. I may be late to the party too, as I first came across one when I was looking for somewhere cheap yet comfortable for my husband to sleep on a layover at Tokyo Haneda Airport.

So I came across the First Cabin chain, where for about 50 Euro, you could book a “cabin” to sleep before the flight.

The concept is similar to the capsule: You get a very small but private space to sleep, divided by a wall and a blind from similar units in a large room. Sometimes, they are also called pods, but then, some call the capsules pods, so I am sticking to capsule vs. cabin here.

The cabins are usually in a single layer in a room, i.e. not stacked. That means, you can stand up in them quite easily by standing on the bed. Sometimes you have minimal standing room at the foot and the side of the bed too.

The smallest cabin is typically 3 square metres and has a single bed, a small shelf and a safety box and a little bit of room at the foot of the bed. Some are larger and have a sofa, table or a desk inside.

Higher “class” cabins like First Cabin’s “First Class” which are larger and often come with storage, with a table and chairs, sometimes even desks.

The classic capsule is stacked, one on top of the other, and has less head room, but in any other way, similar to the cabin. It means you either have to crouch low or climb up a few steps to get to your bed.

The bed is a bit narrower compared to the cabin, and there may be less shelf space on the side. They usually have separate dressing rooms, as it may be a bit uncomfortable to get dressed in your capsule.

Many capsule and cabin hotels have very nice facilities. All have a sitting room with a dining table, and space to work. Those aimed at Japanese traveller are usually gender segregated and often have a very nice communal bathing facility, and a sauna, sometimes even with natural hot spring water piped in.

You also get the more tourist-oriented cabin. They are typically in cities frequented by many tourists – like the Kawaramachi area in Kyoto or Asakusa in Kyoto, just to name a couple of examples. They often have larger beds, fancier TVs, floors may not be gender segregated, and some have large bar areas.

How to book a capsule hotel stay

I book my capsule hotel stays the same way I book my other hotels, usually quite well in advance. I used Booking.com for all my hotel reservations in Japan in the past few years and had no issues.

I also noticed that, in case you have some late change of plan, capsule hotels usually have some last minute availability, too. Take a note of the times you can check in and check out. Some capsule hotels require you to complete the check-in process daily if you are planning to stay several nights.

 What to expect from your capsule hotel stay

From checking in to leaving the next morning, a stay in a capsule hotel should be a convenient relaxing experience. Some capsule hotels are for men only, some admit only women, some are mixed – but you will always have separate sleeping floors for men and women in all but the most foreigner-oriented capsule hotels where you can have mixed floors.

When you book, the Check-In time will be specified on your booking confirmation, and although you may turn up earlier to leave your luggage, they are strict with their check-in times.

Some hotels, especially the ones aimed at Japanese, have show boxes right at the entrance, so you lock your shoes in there and give the shoe box key to reception. 

Check in and pay. This can be done on a manned desk or often, at a machine by scanning your passport. Then go and check out your capsule or cabin, and if you can, leave larger pieces of luggage in the designated luggage area. Reception can provide a lock to lock your luggage.

Even the smallest capsule hotel will usually have a communal sitting area with at least a microwave and a drinks vending machine. Somewhere between reception and the communal areas you will be required to remove your shoes. Slippers are usually provided.

Then, lock your luggage and valuables in the lockers provided. Some larger capsule hotels provide luggage lockers outside the sleeping areas, some others just ask you to keep your luggage in a luggage compartment and provide locks. Most capsules have a small locker for valuables – if they don’t have valuable lockers in the capsules, they will be available in the locker area.

And then… just get comfy. I really recommend you check out the facilities before you book. The hotels aimed at domestic travellers will always have a large communal bath, along with a generously sized shower area, bath products, you barely need to bring anything, and in case you are stranded,m all the necessities are there. Segregated by gender, of course, with baskets full of lotions, potions, hairdryers, stacks of towels and your very own loungewear that you can wear anywhere in the capsule hotel and in bed.

In some capsule hotels, you can spend hours in their bathing facility, sauna and relaxation rooms, which often have manga and massage chairs. Some will give out free alcohol or food at certain hours. 

Just be aware that the capsule rooms are for sleeping and quiet relaxation only. Conduct any social activities outside the capsule rooms, as capsules all have some thin blinds only, which means you will hear everything in the room. Also, there is some low lighting on overnight, so if you are sensitive to light and noise, it is better to come prepared with earplugs and an eye mask – which are often available from reception. 

When you wake up, setting anything which will make noise is forbidden – you may find a built-in alarm in the capsule, or set your alarm on vibration only. When you get up, leave very quietly without bothering your roommates. Usually, there is ample space to get dressed in the bathrooms, and some hotels have separate changing rooms.

 Challenges of Staying in a Capsule Hotel

Generally, I liked spending a night in a capsule hotel but I would not spend an entire trip in one. Here is why.

Anonymity: Capsule hotels are as anonymous as it gets – the sleeping area is for sleeping only, no chitchat. As a lot of the communal areas are geared towards relaxation or work, you may struggle to find much of a social life in a capsule hotel.

You must leave during the day: All capsule hotels require you to be out of the sleeping area during the day for purposes of cleaning, some even require that you check out with all your stuff and then check in again, even if you are staying more than one night. It’s a major inconvenience especially during the summer season, if you consider a rest from the midday heat.

Noise and light: Capsule hotels have legal requirements that the capsules must not have a lockable door, so there is a blind instead of the door which will let some noise and light in. A lot of people using these capsules check in very late, so there is always movement until late into the night – and this is with people being very respectful and making as little noise as possible.

Spatial constraints: You can easily sit in a capsule, but some people may find this way of sleeping in an enclosed space too constraining. Mattresses are also on the hard side, similar to a futon, so if you are used to softer Western beds, you may find these beds too uncomfortable.

Cultural Differences: I am fairly new to capsule hotels, and I still struggle to behave in an appropriate manner sometimes, and then rather be quiet and try to blend in. For example, on my recent stay, I really wasn’t sure where to conduct phone calls and ended up in the tiny lobby of my hotel in Tokyo. I know the bathroom etiquette, but how long can you have the lights on in your capsule, how do you set an alarm, is it okay to rummage through your luggage in the common luggage areas? Basically, anything that might disturb others is taboo, and it is understandable, as there can be hundred or more capsules to a room, but the Japanese are mastering the skill of being quiet when required.

 Capsule hotels I recommend

The following are a few recommendation about places I or my family have personally stayed at, – or where I would like to stay. Please note that I don’t specially seek out capsules but tend to mix traditional guesthouses, ryokan, hotels – and capsule hotels. Also, a lot of the capsule hotels belong to chains, so if you like one particular place, it is always worth checking out if they have hotels in other cities you are travelling to.

Tokyo

My husband had an overnight layover in Haneda last year, returning to Europe early the next morning. I booked him an overnight stay at First Cabin Haneda, meaning he could start his long flight well rested. His was a “First Class cabin” with a single bed, some floor space and a little table.

My own experience from Tokyo is also good. On my recent trip, I stayed at Smart Stay Shizuku Ueno Ekimae, just steps from Ueno Station. I was going to be out all day, and a decent hotel rooms was about about three times what I would spend on a capsule.

The stay was very good, the hotel clean and comfortable, with somewhat hard mattresses (similar to traditional futon). There were plenty of restaurants in the area, including my favourite, Komeda’s Coffee, which opens at 7am. There is a near identical Smart Stay Shizuku in Shinagawa, convenient for Haneda Airport, and f course, the First Cabin in Haneda Terminal 1.

Kyoto

I admit that I am a fan of First Cabin, and even managed to stay in one now. I do like the look of First Cabin Hotels, and First Cabin Kyoto Nijo-jo is right opposite the castle. You have all the bus lines to the major sights right outside the door, and this might be a good option if you are looking for a clean, spotless place to stay especially when travelling solo. I am going to Kyoto soon and just found an offer for an incredible 2300 JPY (14Euro!) which is incredible for fairly private accommodation!

For a comfortable and probably very sociable stay right in the downtown area, The Millennials Kyoto is a more touristy cabin hotels (mixed rooms, free happy hour, a bar) where a cabin costs from under 25 Euro including, I have been told, some softer beds for our Western backs.

Kansai Airport

A lot of my recommendations will be Kansai-centric, as this is where I have travelled primarily this past year. And after two pretty uneventful trips that arrived on time, I found myself stranded in the middle of the night at Kansai Airport. It was 3am, there were no taxis, Booking.com was not working for the night that was already half over.

So I walked over to First Cabin Kansai Airport. Fortunately, I knew my way around the airport a bit, and I knew, of the two hotels in walking distance from the airport, one was a First Cabin. Just pitched up and begged to stay. Some others had the same idea, but the hotel was positively empty for a full A350 that had just disgorged all passengers in the middle of the night. We got two First Class cabins on the female floor, and although I was extremely upset and worried about getting home, First Cabin provided the calm and quiet environment to get a decent night’s sleep. I ended up staying there for two nights, but this is a story for another day.

Wakayama

Tokyo, Kyoto and… Wakayama, haha! But although not on the tourist radar much, Wakayama is about half an hour from Kansai International Airport and a soft place to land and regroup after a long flight. It’s also halfway to Koyasan when travelling from Osaka. I stayed at the S3 Wakayama Station, which is a “cabin hotel” inside a mall, basically a fancy capsule hotel where the capsules are full height. I paid 21 Euro per night for a spick-and span place that let me rest and take a nice hot bath after my flight. The look of the hotel was very much reminiscent of First Cabin, so I suspect this was once a First Cabin Hotel

Having the mall literally next door was nice, too, it had some if the shops I like to visit, like Muji and a book store but wasn’t overwhelmingly large.

My stay at S3 Wakayama was my first capsule/cabin hotel stay and was really positive. Due to arriving in Wakayama later than planned, I had to haul all my luggage along for my trip on the Tama Densha, so it was around 18.00 when I checked in. This particular capsule hotel was on the functions floor of the Granvia Hotel, a relatively swish hotel and extremely stylish and well kept. took my cosmetics case and some fresh underwear, left my suitcase in the luggage corner and moved into my cabin. First, a bath! Although the hotel was fully booked, there was nobody there, and the wash room pristine, the circular large tub untouched. After cleaning myself very thoroughly from 28 hours of travel and a sweaty Kansai afternoon, I soaked in the tub a bit, then got dressed again and went to the bookshop, then had okonomiyaki in a nearby little restaurant. When I returned around 21.00, the hotel was slowly filling up, but I had plenty space in the little lounge, and my sleeping area was maybe half full – everyone moving round quietly, with just a nod to acknowledge each other. I didn’t see another Westerner, clientele appeared to be Japanese in their 20s and 30s.

I was so tired that I went to bed at 22.00, decked out in my hotel pyjamas, which, although I am a European Large size, definitely fitted me well. My cabin had everything I could have wanted – mood lighting, a socket, USB chargers, a TV. The mattress was a little hard, but not uncomfortable. Linens were lovely, smooth, clean… I fell asleep but slept lightly due to te lights outside and hearing people coming in through the sliding doors and settling for the night, although they were really walking quietly. And at 2am, I was wide awake, thanks to jetlag. Otherwise, I probably would have slept quite well.

So, unable to sleep,  I decided to get up early, and at 6am, the washrooms were still pristine – as if no one had used them.  I quietly got dressed, returned my key card, and headed to the train station!

The Small Print

I visited Japan a few times since 2004 and even studied in Japan for a short period, but I started on the capsule hotels fairly late. All were paid for by myself, no sponsorships. I am particularly grateful to First Cabin Kansai Airport for accommodating me and a fellow female traveller when we were stranded, thanks to a technical fault on our Finnair plane with Finnair basically not doing anything to accommodate those stranded. The only form of advertising you will find here are affiliate links to Booking.com, which is where I booked all my capsule hotels. Find more on my affiliate link policy here.

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