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Tuesday, March 20, 2012



Capsule Rooms in Japan for Next Generation Inns





Nano Rooms for Hotels

When 'nano' term was introduced to the cars and computer section,the techno thinkers,over the world,thought about the accommodation facilities in over-populous cities. The space availability is reducing day-by-day. So, the only way is to provide maximum accommodation at a minimum space. The nano rooms which evolved from these thoughts are called capsule rooms.
Even though the room is small it is excellent. The room is only two meter in length and one meter in width, even then the facilities match with those in five star hotel rooms. It looks like a cockpit of a jet airplane with A/C,TV,Radio,alarm clock and lamps with light adjusting features. Sometimes,it might remind you of the interior of a space craft.
Another specialty is the facilities are always at the hand's reach. This might remind you of Bruce Willie's bedroom in the Luc Besson directed movie 'The Fifth Element'.
Now,there is space to sleep and to watch TV. The next thought will be how and where to get the morning tea and how to do the daily rituals. There is no need to worry,there are ways for that also.

Capsule Inn Tour

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Capsule Inn Akihabara in Tokyo

There is a lounge with common bathrooms and toilets. There is provision to access the internet and to have food. But, the food has to bought from the restaurants near-by. These capsule rooms,which can occupy one person, is mainly meant for bachelors. The rooms are arranged in different ways for gents and ladies. Special capsule rooms are made available on the up-stairs for ladies. If ladies are coming as a group,capsule rooms including common lounge are also available. 
Capsule rooms are meant for those professionals who work late into the night,people who miss train or some other conveyance,people who come for holidays and who all want just a place to sleep through the night. As the room is only to sleep,there is a separate facility to keep the luggage.These rooms are available from evening five o'clock to the next day morning ten o'clock. In the daytime, the capsule rooms are cleaned and hence none can enter there.
The capsule inn called Capsule Inn Akihabara, located at the center of the Akihabara city in Japan's capital Tokyo, is a main attraction for the tourists to the digital city. Akihabara city is named as digital city because of the various electronic shops in the city. The rate of a capsule room is 4000 yen for one night. The inn authorities say that discounts on the room charges are also provided in some seasons. Tokyo station is just five minutes travel from the inn. 

Capsule Inn - Wacky Japan Tour




Features of Capsule Rooms

There are separate lockers provided to keep the luggage,valuables and shoes safely. The capsule rooms are arranged one above the other. Steps are provided to get into the room upstairs. These steps are similar to those provided in the train to get on to the upper berth. Even though, there are many facilities in the capsule rooms, there are some restrictions in the rooms.
  • Smoking
  • Eating food
  •  using mobile phone are not allowed inside the capsule rooms. 
 As these capsule rooms are working on the electronics, the radiations from the mobile phones might damage the working of the capsule,and hence, the mobile phones are not allowed. 

Future of Capsule Rooms

Smokers need not worry, there is a smoking zone provided for them. In the provided smoking zone, anyone can go and smoke without any disturbances. As the capsule rooms are becoming popular, these rooms are coming up in China and many other cities along with Japan. In near future, we can expect the capsule rooms to come up in metro cities
In the meantime, in the capsule hotel at Kobe Sannomiya in Kobe,which is also in Tokyo, rooms are available from evening three o'clock till next day morning 11 o'clock. Coin operated washing machines are available to wash the clothes. The clothes get dried in the same. Juices and beer are availabe from the wending machines. These can be enjoyed in the common lounge. The food bought from outside can be re-heated using the microwave ovens provided here.

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