The capsule hotels

When I was planning my stay in Japan I noticed there are two unique kinds of lodging options outside normal hotels. One is Ryokan. This is a Japanese Inn where you are pretty much a guest of a home. No beds usually, they give you a pad to sleep on the floor and you eat sitting on the floor. Two is the capsule. Only used in Japan from what I understand. This is where they pretty much took the idea of a dog pound or caged animals and apply to humans lol. I wanted to experience both of these types of hotels. Ryokans are more expensive so I decided to book one of those at the end of my Japan stay and capsules are REALLY cheap so those in Tokyo and Kyoto.

My capsule in Tokyo was awful. I chose it because it was $30 a night. Nearly unheard of in Tokyo. I was excited but right when they showed me to my capsule I knew this was a huge mistake. It was dirty and smelly and awful to look upon. I couldn't find am outlet to charge my phone to top it off. The toilets were the squatters, the showers looked awful and there was no lounge area whatsoever.

I'm happy in this video because I had just got there and was staying optimistic. I also had not used the despicable shower yet.

The shower was awful. After getting all fishy at the crazy fish auction area I had to take a shower. I was dreading it. Up to that point I had used the cool bath body wipes my mom got me. So I'm outside the shower gettin naked and all of sudden I hear a Japanese voice right outside the door. I book it for the shower fearing a Japanese man seeing me in my nakedness, as I jump into the shower area I slip terribly and my foot goes forward and jams against the wall and I barely catch myself from falling in the grody stinky shower lol. I close the curtain and commence. The water was nice actually and good power. The horrible thing you won't see in the video is the foul smell. Literally made me heave twice. And the Japanese love there saunas and hot baths do the heat is cranked up. What put me over the edge was not the slip incident or smell but the fan in the room blowing the nasty curtain into me. Yep, one of those! I'm looking like Tom Cruise in mission impossible with my arms out wide trying not to allow bare skin to be touched from behind by the curtain or in front by the wall lol. I'm praying heavenward that curtain will back off me! I'm a bit of a germ freak sometimes. I posted this already but here is me after the shower, all fired up by the curtain gang rape incident. I could kill a man... Violated by a nasty curtain!


I was thrilled to be checking out. I noticed my next two nights in Kyoto was a capsule too. Oh boy...

After going to Shinjuku and Shinjuku Garden (previous post) i depart Tokyo for good. I take the bullet train which I'm excited about. These puppies are some of the fastest in the world! They are quite expensive but worth it. Normal train 8 hour ride to Kyoto, bullet train 2 hour ride. I will miss Tokyo though and actually liked it a lot more than I though I would.

Bullet train to Kyoto, the meal I ate and some views out the window, including first sight of Japanese mountains and countryside!












First glimpse of Kyoto from the station and walking around.







After a subway and a brutally long walk in the rain I get to my capsule. Jubilation! Nice, clean, English speaking staff, other backpackers and not just Japanese business men staying the night, clean bathrooms, clean beds, a huge lounge area, wifi, computers with Internet, an outlet to charge my phone, a cafe and on and on and on! It was like rags to riches!!

Pics and videos!










On the towel there is a cool little kit with a toothbrush, razor, comb and body sponge.





I'm just thrilled it's not like the last one!



This one is for Sarah lol. Her and I laughed because when I showed her capsules before I left we were laughing our heads off at this picture of these two girls leaning out like cheese balls. She asked one favor in my travels, a picture like that! I delivered to say the least wouldn't you say?


This one too!

In this lounge I was able to voxer my entire family. It was really nice to chat with them! I do miss them and I miss kickin it with my brother and dad but I am having a great time and have not felt lonely or really alone at all which I anticipated even though many people worried I would.

My first night sleep in Kyoto was breathtaking. I actually meant to take a nap at 5:30pm because I was so exhausted but I slept till 1:00am local time. Went back to sleep till about 4:30am and typed up a few blog entries since I knew I would have wifi now. Also typed a few up on the bullet train. That's why there has been a rapid fire of them. It was also nice to use the computers and read about sports, our beloved Jazz and the republican candidacy. One thing huge in Japanese news is that Korean missile that went off. Would love if someone gave me an update on that.

Well there you have it! Good times in the land of the rising sun. Love you all. Sayanara and Arigoto for reading :)

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