Capsule Inn Otsuka

I loved the atmosphere here, maybe I’m crazy. It feels like an old-school Japanese capsule hotel from the economic boom years, the kind businessmen used after missing the last train, rather than a modern hostel. Otsuka has that older Tokyo feel too, with a local tram, great little izakayas, pachinko parlors, and a BOXING gym right beside the hotel. A bit grimy, but totally safe. It’s the sort of experience I was looking for, and I’ll come back. The sauna and Japanese-style bathhouse are FANTASTIC if you’re into that. They provide free good-quality soap, conditioner, towels, razors, and more. The capsules have an old TV enclosure that no longer works, plus a control panel that gives the place a unique “neo Tokyo” vibe. I liked how the setup keeps things organized: shoes stay at the front, and your belongings go in a locker on the check-in floor, secure and out of the capsule area.

I wanted to like this place, but the capsule is the only thing I liked. It’s cramped, with nowhere for personal belongings and no safe. You have to put things in a storage unit on the main floor, which felt suspicious to me because anyone could walk in and take them. The mattress is barely comfortable enough if you weigh over 150 pounds. The showers on the 8th floor feel more like a soap house. It’s an open area where people of all ages walk around naked. There’s also a smoke room right by the showers, so you wash beside naked men and then end up smelling of smoke. What’s the point? The place even has a smoke room for all the wrong reasons. Almost nobody at reception seemed to speak English, which felt suspicious in Tokyo, and most of what they told me wasn’t helpful. That’s my honest review.

For €18-20 a night, they include towels, pajamas, a toothbrush, and razors, plus you can use the nice public bath and sauna. The spot is really convenient, about a minute from the JR Yamanote Line and near convenience stores. Great for solo travelers or anyone watching their budget. My first time at this capsule hotel, and I was really impressed.

I only booked because I had no other choice, and this was the worst capsule hotel I’ve seen. The rooms are dirty, and the service was poor. Avoid it.