Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
13
CAPSULE HOTELS
Catering mainly to drunken salarymen who have missed their trains home,
capsule hotels
are made up of floors lined with two levels of tiny rooms, each containing a thin mattress,
a comfy blanket, and (in most) a TV and radio built into the plastic surrounds. A metre wide,
a metre high and two metres long, the rooms are just about big enough to stand in, but not
much else. However, the clichéd description of them as being “co
n-like” is rather wide of the
mark: while claustrophobics and anyone over 2m tall should give them a miss, most actually
find these minuscule rooms surprisingly comfortable. Capsule hotels are generally clustered
around major train stations, and cost ¥3000-4000. The majority are for men only, but most of
the establishments listed here are female-friendly.
Capsule & Sauna Century Shibuya
Χϓηϧˍα
φηϯνϡϦʔौ୩
1-19-14 Dōgenzaka, Shibuya-ku
T
03 3464 1777; Shibuya or Shinsen stations; map
p.115.
Right in the heart of Shibuya's prime sleaze
quarter, this is a decent enough capsule hotel to use if
you're too t
ired to
wait for the first train of the morning.
Male only.
¥3300
Capsule Hotel Riverside
ΧϓηϧϗςϧϦόʔαΠ
υ
2-20-4 Kaminarimon
T
03 3844 1155; Asakusa
station; map p.70.
Has English-speaking staff, a handy
instruction leaflet i
in Englis
h and 21 capsules for women
on a separate floor.
¥3000
Capsule Inn Kanda
ΧϓηϧΠϯਆా
1-8-9
Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku
T
03 3295 9000,
W
copsule
.com; Kanda station; map p.56.
Just 2min walk from
the west exit of the Kanda JR station, this ten-storey inn
features 144 rooms and offers f
free wi-fi
-fi. Rooms avail-
able for both women and men.
¥3700
Capsule Inn Komagome
ΧϓηϧΠϯۨࠐ
2-4-8
Nakazato, Kita-ku
T
03 3915 6670; Komagome
station; map pp.128-129.
A little way out in
Komagome, this is one of the cheapest capsule hotels
in Tokyo, boastin
g free
wi-fi access and a dedicated
female-only floor.
¥2800
Green Plaza Shinjuku
άϦʔϯϓϥβ৽॓
1-29-2
Kabukichō, Shinjuku-ku
T
03 3207 4923,
W
hgp
shinjuku.jp; Shinjuku station; map pp.118-119.
Men-only capsule hotel, with room for 660 guests,
friendly staff and a good fit
ness a
nd sauna area. The
rooftop spa baths cost extra.
¥4300
offers good-value tatami rooms, all with washbasin, TV,
telephone and a/c. Few are en suite, but the two lovely
Japanese-style baths more than compensate. Facilities
also include free internet access, bike hire (¥200 per day),
coin la
undry a
nd com
plimentary tea and coffee. Single
¥5000
, double
¥9500
Ryokan Shigetsu
ཱྀؗࢦ݄
1-31-11 Asakusa, Taitō-ku
T
03 3843 2345,
W
shigetsu.com; Asakusa station;
map p.70.
Just off bustling Nakamise-dōri, this smart
little ryokan is a haven of kimono-clad receptionists and
tinkling
shamisen
(Japanese lute) music, with a choice of
small Western- or Japanese-style rooms, all en suite.
There's a Japanese bath on the t
op floo
r, with views over
temple
roofs. Western singles
¥6700
, Japanese rooms
¥16,800
Ì
Sukeroku-no-yado Sadachiyo
ॿͷ॓ఃઍ
2-20-1 Asakusa, Taitō-ku
T
03 3842 6431,
W
sadachiyo
.co.jp; Asakusa or Tawaramachi stations; map p.70.
Step
back into Edo-era Asakusa in this delightful old inn marked
by a willow tree and stone lanterns, northwest of Sensō-ji
temple. The elegant tatami rooms are all en suite, though
you can also use the traditional Japanese-style baths.
Meals are available and they can also arrang
e perform
ances
of traditional arts, including geisha dances.
¥19,000
Ì
Tokyo Ryokan
౦ژཱྀؗ
2-4-8 Nishi-Asakusa,
Taitō-ku
T
090 8879 3599,
W
www.tokyoryokan.com;
Tawaramachi station; map p.70.
Beautifully rendered
traditional design elements and attention to detail make
this modern establishment stand out from the crowd. With
just three tatami rooms (including one triple; ¥10,500)
above a communal lounge area and a shar
ed bath
room, it
feels like you're staying in someone's home.
¥7000
ASAKUSA
Ì
Andon Ryokan
ߦ౯ཱྀؗ
2-34-10 Nihonzutsumi,
Taitō-ku
T
03 3873 8611,
W
andon.co.jp; Minowa
station; map p.70.
At this architectural gem, fusing
traditional ryokan design with modern materials, the
owner's fantastic antique collection is displayed alongside
kitsch toys - and somehow it works. The dimly lit tatami
rooms share bathrooms and are tiny, but sport DVD
players and very comfortable futons. Other pluses include
a top-floor jacuzzi spa you can book for private dips, free
internet access, regular events such as sake tastings and
tea ceremonies (see p.164)
and su
per-frie
ndly, h
elpful
English-speaking staff. Single
¥6300
, double
¥7450
Ryokan Kamogawa
ཱྀؗՃໜ
1-30-10 Asakusa,
Taitō-ku
T
03 3843 2681,
W
f-kamogawa.jp; Asakusa
station; map p.70.
Simple but well-maintained tatami
rooms, with or without bath, in a welco
ming m
inshuku
one bloc
k west of Nakamise-dōri. Single
¥7000
, double
¥13,000
