In Japan, square footage is worth its weight in gold.

They are the province of travelers, and Japanese businessmen who miss their last train. These hotels are available all over major Japanese cities - especially Tokyo, where even cemeteries are housed in skyscrapers. These hotels closely resemble youth hostels - the sleeping berths are two meters long at the most, and maybe a meter wide. You can roll down a screen for privacy. But this is Japan, so the entire operation is often sleek, and spotless.

They are actually quite cozy. For anywhere from 3-5000 yen (~$30-50), you get a bathrobe, free showers, and often wireless internet. The capsules themselves come with radio, alarms, and a television. Toiletries like razors, shaving cream, and so forth are also available - allowing hungover Japanese to show up at the office the next morning, looking fresh as a rose.

The only thing they can’t guarantee is that your bunkmate won’t snore.

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