I stayed in 5 different capsule hotels in Japan… my experience

<TL;DR: I enjoyed my stays but also learned there were some lesser known “quirks” about staying in a capsule, ie mattress quality>

Having read and researched this sub for several months I know this will be a controversial topic, but hopefully this helps out some people as my way of giving back…

Background: First timer in Japan, travelling solo for a week with mostly just a backpack. Decided to try out some of the different capsule hotels during my stay, to somewhat mixed results.

Although they may have originally been designed for a specific purpose, capsule hotels are no longer limited to “drunk salarymen who missed the last train”. Some have a bunch of amenities like free food, drinks, lounges, reclining beds, etc. They are also much more modern looking with storage lockers and private shower booths.

Capsules were perfect for me in theory as I just wanted a place to get a restful sleep before moving on to the next location (I spent 4 days in Tokyo and another 3 between Kyoto and Osaka). Wasn’t interested in hostels or socializing. Here is my report:

1) My first stay was at MyCube by Mystays in Asakusa. The photos looked great as you don’t sleep in capsules per se but small rooms with high ceilings and a curtain door. Lockable luggage storage under the bed was handy as well. For my first capsule experience I was quite happy with it. Lounge and private shower area was clean, easy check-in, and they also had pyjamas available. The only thing I didn’t like was the thinner (3”) futon style mattress, it was not uncomfortable but not that comfortable either. Tv with headphones were easy to use as well. 8.5/10.

2) My next stay was in Shibuya, and I found a male only capsule hotel called commun Shibuya. It seemed like an older facility that had been updated on the inside. There were traditional sized “stacked” cubes, as well as storage lockers and shoe storage on each of the two guest floors. Less frills but decent enough overall. Was hard to find even with google maps but mostly because of the area around Shibuya station being harder to navigate IMO (lots of twisting streets and multi-layered with roads and trains crisscrossing everywhere). No lounge, but bathrooms were fully stocked. Again there was a thinner style mattress which felt hard. There was also a slight smell in the main hallway of the sleeping room as well. Did not get a great sleep (woke up and could not get back to sleep — could still be lingering effects of jet lag though). 6/10.

3) Next I stayed at Smart Stay Shizuku in Ueno. Stacked cubes. I didn’t realize until after I booked that there are no private showers for men, only the communal showers next to the onsen in the basement. If that’s a problem for you then look elsewhere, but I figured it wasn’t a big deal for one night (I think females do have private shower facilities). They stored my luggage before check-in which was handy, but overall the experience was not great mostly because the mattress. It was useless. I’m not sure what it was made out of but it wasn’t foam and there were no springs — it was basically like sleeping on the floor. I did manage to get seven hours of sleep but as a side sleeper my back and sides felt sore afterwards. I did not use the onsen but did eat in the large lounge they had on the first floor. My capsule was also on the fourth floor which could only be accessed via the stairs on the third floor. There was also no storage locker but there was a lockable storage area inside of the capsule (which could fit a backpack and a few other small items). 4 out of 10, mostly because of the crappy mattress.

In between #3 and #4, I booked a night in a business hotel (Sotetsu Fresa Inn Tokyo Kyobashi near Tokyo Station) partly in case I needed to catch up on some sleep. Although it is considered a budget hotel, it was superior to the capsules – reasonable bed, mini-fridge, ensuite bathroom, cozy but very comfortable. I didn’t realize it also came with breakfast at the restaurant downstairs, along with other skincare amenities available at the reception area. Would recommend.

4. The next night I stayed in Kyoto’s Pocket Hotel (there are two locations; this one was conveniently located right next to Nishiki Market). Pocket Hotel was similar to MyCube in that you had a small room with regular height ceiling, but the difference was that you also had a door that you could lock. Self check-in was easy — it only took about 2 min and then some rules were explained to me and then I was off to my room. Overall I felt this was the ideal combination of hotel and capsule, and probably the best capsule I stayed at. The room had a foldable mattress that you would lay out — I was skeptical but it was actually pretty comfortable. Also, the room had good soundproofing and you could come and go as you pleased. You could also eat in the room which was prohibited in other capsules. Only downside for me was that the showers were on the first floor beside reception, but that was only a minor inconvenience. Also no luggage storage for before or after your stay (EDIT: this is incorrect — I now recall there was a self serve lockup area for suitcases if you were checking in or out that day, but I didn’t use it because I had a backpack). Considering the cost, I would give it a 9 out of 10.

5. Last but not least, I stayed at Hotel Atarayo in Osaka. Before the trip I decided to upgrade to a premium room in part because I noticed that they had an upgraded thicker mattress (I didn’t want to go too many nights having poor sleep; I had also planned to take an overnight sleeper bus back to Tokyo the following night so I wanted to make sure I got a good night’s rest). It turns out the thicker mattress was a little too firm for my preference but otherwise it was a solid stay. With the premium room you aren’t sleeping in a capsule but instead it was an actual room with a desk and a storage locker (standard curtain door). Showers were on the same floor and overall it felt similar to the Pocket Hotel except the bed and room was bigger and the door didn’t lock. I think I would have been fine in a regular capsule, they also had a mid-tier option with a capsule bed but also an adjacent desk/closet (full height). I’d try that one next time; for the additional cost of the premium room I’d give it an 8.5 out if 10.

Overall I saved a decent amount of money compared to the cost of budget hotels (at least for the locations I was looking at). For example, most were in the $40-50 CDN range whereas Fresa Inn, located only a short walk from Tokyo station, was $125 CDN.

Overall tips and thoughts:

– I showered in the evening to avoid crowds but it didn’t seem too busy in the mornings either
– I also brought earplugs and slept with white noise app on my phone. They were definitely needed in some capsules, otherwise snoring/noise could be an issue.
– Some capsules also ran warm (especially with the curtain fully closed); there was a fan inside each capsule but it didn’t seem to do much. I also went in May so temperatures were milder but if you’re going in the summer months it might be an issue (you might want to pack a small personal fan?)
– In some places (commun Shibuya, Smart Stay Shizuku Ueno) you also had to exchange your key if you wanted to leave the building (you would get it back when you returned). This wasn’t a dealbreaker but did feel like a bit of an inconvenience.
– I booked all of the capsule hotels on booking.com except for the Pocket Hotel (I used Agoda which was cheaper for some reason).
– I was initially concerned about how much time it would take to check in and out each day but honestly it was not an issue. Every place spoke English which helped. I did have to re-pack my backpack but I think “luggage management” is something you have to deal with regardless of where you stay in Japan.
– In terms of users I encountered a decent mix of locals and tourists (from what I could see). At Pocket Hotel there was a student exchange group from the US (high school) staying there. In Ueno one poor guy literally passed out in his capsule with his light on and his curtain not drawn — he may or may not have been wearing underwear but I didn’t look closely to check.
– I chose all of the capsules in part due to location and my itinerary; the ones in Kyoto and to a lesser extent Osaka were both conveniently located (especially since I was only staying in those areas for a short time).
– There were a few other places that seemed interesting (First Cabin, Millenials, Anshin Oyado) but were more expensive and/or had additional amenities that I wasn’t really interested in. I also did not stay at Nine hours as the reviews didn’t seem great.

Conclusion: Yes, I know some will scoff at the notion of staying in a capsule. They aren’t for everyone, but I think they have a place along the spectrum of options in Japan and would not have a problem staying in #1, #4 or #5 again if travelling solo. YMMV of course.

by tvp2003