Kumamoto Capsule Hotel - Hostel, Caters to Men

It was economical, but this is the only Japanese hotel I've stayed at that I would call “not so clean.”

You can really unwind here thanks to the superior accommodation. Amazing, you shouldn't miss it. ;-)

I booked a private room two days ahead, even though the recovery boom in Kumamoto seemed to have made hotels hard to find. Rooms under 7,000 yen elsewhere were all gone. Changes in prices and guests here may also reflect that boom. On the weekday I stayed, there were hardly any tourists, and most guests seemed to be construction workers. The place had a distinctly men's-space feel, with men coming naked from the changing room into the hallway. That might not suit younger people's values, though I can imagine older people saying young men these days are effeminate if I mention it. It wasn't shabby and was reasonably clean, and seems sufficient for a budget stay. With simple private rooms, a large bath and sauna, price and availability will probably decide whether you choose it. My private room had an accordion-style door that locked. Two standard capsules stacked on top of each other made up the wall. There was a desk and closet for working on a PC, and the chair was surprisingly comfortable. Visually, the room felt fully private and was easy to relax in, but you could still hear noise and footsteps through the makeshift partition. Footsteps woke me even while sleeping, so light sleepers may need precautions. I use noise-canceling headphones. There's no safe or refrigerator. Free Wi-Fi was available, though it slowed down and lagged more at night when there were lots of guests. Air conditioning only reached the hallway, which was quite cool. Air could get into the room through the space above the accordion door or the capsule's ventilation fan. The incandescent lights made the room warm easily, and the fan was clogged with dust, so it barely ventilated and mostly made noise. A room circulator was provided, and using it well kept the temperature comfortable. An extension cable would have been useful. The large public bath has a sauna and an open-air bath, though there's no view. Its facilities are better than many business hotels, but some parts are worn. Toothbrushes and shavers are provided, and towels, face towels and yukata robes can be rented. Shoes aren't allowed inside, and slippers aren't provided. Disposable ones for sale would have been nice. Some of the floor carpet was damp, probably from people leaving the bath area wet.

For my first capsule hotel stay, the hot springs and sauna were a real plus, and the service was above average. The futons were thin, but the price reflected that. The private capsules had a simple lock. If you can sleep through noise, it may be worth considering when price matters. Snoring could be a problem if you're sensitive to it and have trouble sleeping, but it still seems like a decent option.