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| A cubicle with a sleeping pod at about S$20 per night. |
Internet cafes in Japan are
known to be 24-hour cafes that offer each guest an individual PC station inside
a cubicle, with unlimited internet access and an extensive manga library. Some
of these cafes even provide charging stations, showers, food vending machines
and free-flow drinks.
While it is not known to
most, Internet cafes have become an increasingly popular option for budget
travellers and also salary men who missed their last train home and need a
place to stay overnight.
Now if you have always
wanted to visit Japan but wind up visiting cheap cities in Asia because of
money reasons, you might want to give up on sleeping in luxe accommodations and
look to putting up in Internet cafes instead.
You do not have to be a
hardcore gamer or anything, but if you aren’t ready to couch surf just yet,
sleeping in internet cafes might just be the next best thing to scouring for
subpar accommodations that aren’t exactly wallet-friendly because everyone and
their grandma knows that Japan is a pretty expensive country for travellers to
visit.
And that is precisely where
you get to hole up in when you pop by the “Net Room”, thanks to Manboo, one of
the largest internet cafe operators in Japan. To explain a little bit more,
Manboo transformed their internet cafes into super affordable hotels, complete
with travellers’ essentials the likes of a private abode as well as a bath. To
make things even more palatable for those who are cynical, there is even a
check-in area.
I kid you not when I say it
is affordable. Staying in a “Net Room” can go as low as 100 yen (S$1.25) an
hour. You can pop by for as long as you fancy, ranging from a mere hour to even
two weeks! According to the news report, a traveller on a 2-week extended stay
at the “Net Room” may just need to fork out about around 12,600 to 14,000 yen
(S$175) each week. What a bargain, right?
There are different types of
rooms you can pick from, and you even get to enjoy amenities like complimentary
Wi-Fi, desktop PC, Blu-ray player and free-to-watch movies. Those who are
staying for longer periods can also use the washing machines and dryers there.
The rooms come with locks, so don’t worry too much when you are out exploring
Japan. Manboo has 17 branches peppered across Tokyo, Saitama and Kanagawa. And
it goes without saying; “Net Room” accommodations require reservation.
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