1) it's not as bad as it looks.
2) i did it for the people.
3) never again.
4) they literally kick you out the hotel at 10am. you can't come back till 5pm even if you are staying a few nights.
5) no private showers
How it works after the jump:
The entrance is about 5 blocks from the Akihabara Stop. It's called Capsule Inn Akihabara
It only cost 4000 yen (37 bucks or so. I learned that wih yen you just move the decimal point over two numbers and you'll have just about what it cost in US Dollars. easy)
I arrived at around 3pm. They had storage for my bags which was just it locked up with a chain in the middle of the room. I could still get inside i just couldn't remove it from the lobby. once i checked in and put my things away i sat down in the lobby to check email. He kinda yelled at me and told me pretty much to leave and come back at 5.
Stairs to the second floor which had the showers, public bath and the lockers.
My locker
The bathroom
I HATE SMOKE INDOORS. a guy sat right next to me in this small space and lit a cigarette. Really?
And my room...err hallway.
I didn't even sleep here the first night. This photo is from the second night/day (taken around 6 am) Some kids in tokyo figure that since the trains stop running at 12 and you miss it you might as well stay out and kick it till 5 am when the trains starts back up.
anyhow, the sleep was great. I didn't feel cramped. I didn't feel the slightest bit claustrophobic. It is kinda like the tents we made with our bunk beds and covers. Most of that could have been the fact that i was dead tired and fell asleep about 1 minute after i hit the pillow. OH THE PILLOW.... it was made from something that felt and sounded like big black beans.
at 9:30 an alarm goes off in the hallway and a voice comes on which I assume it is telling me to get up and get the eff out of their capsule.
That is about it. I was glad to get a couple hours of sleep and the chance to shed some light on this strange Japanese thing we have all heard about.