Internet cafes have become refuges for travelers keen to catch up with what’s happening back home and stay in touch with loved ones.
But in Japan, they’re also a cheap place to stay. When all you need is entertainment and a roof over your head, this budget accommodation option begins to look very appealing.
Japanese internet cafes, sometimes called manga cafes or manga kissa, have been expanded to include showers and private cubicles. There are no beds, so you probably won’t enjoy the best night’s sleep of your stay, but for as little as 1000 yen a night, or around $12 US, you won’t find a cheaper accommodation in Japan. Not even Japan’s capsule hotels are as affordable! Some café chains require membership and a small registration fee to bunker down, but if cost is key it’s still worth paying this additional expense.
You might catch forty winks in the comfortable chairs, but the rest of your stay you’ll probably take advantage of the facilities. Your tariff will cover the cost of your internet usage and access to the café’s library of manga comic books. Many cafés also offer unlimited sodas and coffee to their patrons, and some even have television sets.
The lack of beds means that an internet café probably won’t be your only accommodation while in Japan, but they’re a great option for short stopovers, or when you start to run low on yen!
