Internet Cafes in Tokyo - the new hotel?

On one of the nights, I spent the night in an Internet café! Don't freak out though. What you and I think of as Internet cafes in the US are far different from what an Internet café is in Tokyo. They are indeed dark, but they are for everyone, and particularly, they are for women who miss the last train and aren't allowed in capsule hotels. We scouted out several of these cafes, not so much to find a place to sleep, but to explore the cultural contrast. Me, Jackie, Claire and Kim all visited the local internet cafes for one-hour, two-hours, and even three-hours of time in these cafes where we all spent time writing email, on Facebook, and booking rooms at the next night's hostel.

The café I spent a night in was in downtown Shibuya (Gran Cyper Café), and Jackie and I both checked in at about 1:30am. The very helpful ladies charged us in advance for 6 hours of time. We are then sent to small cubicles with about 5 x 5 feet of floor space. The floor is raised, with a padded surface and something like a stadium seat pad with backing, and a small pillow. Your door is only 3 feet high flush with the top of your cube, and a 2ft gap at the bottom. The sections are separated into ladies only and general, so we picked the ladies only. For 6 hours of time in the cube, the flat rate is 1200 yen, or about $11.50. Not bad for a night’s sleep and time to check email (and post to blog!) Included in the fee is free coffee, juice, ice cream, tea, and various other machine-made hot drinks.

Sleeping in this café wasn’t easy, but not because I didn’t feel safe. It was too short. I had already seen who slept in the cubes next to me, only because I’m tall enough to glance over the doors of the cubes. Women in business suits working, girls with shopping bags who’d missed the last train at midnight, and one or two Harajuku girls. Not prostitutes, drug addicts or the like. It doesn't matter what you think of internet cafes in China, and the US. These places are for everyone willing, and they are definitely a second choice after a capsule hotel. After all, it’s not exactly the most comfortable place to stay.

As a note, we did find a capsule hotel that accepts women. Didn't make it though. Called "Capsule Inn" this place has an entire floor dedicated to women, and even conference rooms for women traveling and doing business.

You’re required to leave your shoes outside the cubicle, and from what I could tell, all of the 20 cubicles were full. It’s not luxury, but I saw exactly how it works perfectly for many women (and men) in Tokyo. It’s also expected that you will be sleeping and showering (yes, there are showers) so it’s all perfectly natural to look like you’ve just woken up.

In the morning, Jackie and I met in the lobby area for coffee, and left very early to go see the Tskuiji Fish Market. The best time to be at the market is 5-7am, so we were right on time.

As if there aren’t enough crazy, different things to do in Tokyo, that’s just one more.