Where to stay in Akihabara? There are so many options! Hotel, business hotel, hostel, etc., but why not try something special? Like a capsule hotel! Ahhhyeah, now we’re talking Japan! Cheaper than a business hotel, but still private enough and with full amenities to really rest well. I don’t know about you, but my idea of a capsule hotel was literally a drawer that you pull out, slide into, and struggle with claustrophobia until you pass out in. Boy was I wrong! Anshin Oyado is located about 2 minutes from Akihabara station and is a lot more spacious than you’d expect! Come along with us to Awesometown as we go inside!
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1st Floor – Check in to another country
Once you’re inside, it’s a completely different atmosphere from the rest of Akiba as it’s modeled after Bali! The sweet smells and ornate design are a fabulous change of pace that is an unexpected treat. At the front desk you can go ahead and stash your shoes in a locker and check in before riding the elevator up (or down) to where the action happens.
B1 – Akiba no Yu communal bath
You gotta love onsen (hot springs), and so Anshin Oyado has done their best to bring one to you! Included free of charge with your stay, you can also pay a smaller fee to just use the baths if you need to freshen up. Aside from the nice large bath, there are also showers and a mist sauna, so get ready to relax!
2nd Floor – Chillin out maxin’ and relaxin’ all cool
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The 2nd floor is known as the “Iyashi no Cafe” or Cafe of Healing. Sounds legit, right! Here you can enjoy your favorite manga in a comfy massage chair, get some drank for free from the drink bar, catch the game on the 50″ big screen (LoL of course!), surf the net via their free wifi, or use one of their computers just like an internet cafe! If you’re in the need of something to fill your tummy and don’t feel like heading out on the town, grab some snacks, ramen, bread, junk food, or even a beer from the vending machines. This is Japan, man. You can get anything from a vending machine!
3rd~7th Floors – Capsule Corp.
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Here we go, baby! The capsules themselves! Bulma would be proud of the fine handiwork you’ll find on the capsule floors. I’m a pretty big guy, especially for Japan, at 6’5″ (195cm), but even I could fit comfortably into the capsules here! The dimensions are 1m (39″) tall x 1m (39″) wide x 2m (78″) deep and each pod is outfitted with a LCD TV, 7″ tablet, high-end headphones, plugs, charging adapters, and Simmons’ bedding for a great stay. The 6th and 7th floors are the slightly more expensive VIP floors and feature even higher quality bedding.
Mind your manners, or pay the price!
Along our tour I made a couple of gaffs, so I figure I’ll let you know what I did to save you some pain.
But first, let me introduce someone special.
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This is Honoka Akitsu, the most badass maid in all of Akihabara! If she catches you doing something out of line, get ready to be in a world of pain! If you’ve heard she kicks all kinds of ass, then you’ve heard right.
Anyways, despite never having smoked a single ciggy in my entire life, I decided why not try it out inside one of the capsules? I mean, what could go wrong? Well, turns out you need to keep the chimneys in the designated area (which is on the 2nd floor). On top of that, I was rolling all around and swinging from pod to pod, not realizing that other people wouldn’t enjoy me doing such things with my titan frame. Needless to say, I paid the price.
Also, I wouldn’t steal anything. I thought I was pretty clever hiding all those goodies in my shirt, but it caught up with me in a mean way…
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As long as you’re not a total dingus like I was, you’ll have an incredible stay at Anshin Oyado. Nestled in a sweet price point between an Internet Cafe and a Business Hotel, it’s a great deal and a really fun experience you can only fully enjoy while in Japan, so give it a try!
Other stuff
*The Fine Print: tattoos are not allowed in the bathing area and Anshin Oyado is currently only for male visitors now.
Check out Honoka Akitsu’s Twitter here: https://twitter.com/akchnk
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