The other day, I was talking with a woman I know.
My acquaintance, A-koMs. McKee, please write a little more about capsule hotels where women can stay.
I was told to do so. (^_^;
I have always thought that a capsule hotel where women can stay in peace is also safe for us men.
With this in mind, I have tried to stay at places where women can stay as much as possible.
Here, I would like to summarize a little in my own way.
There are many things I would like to write about capsule hotels where women can stay, so I will divide it into several articles, but first, this article is about “Are capsule hotels where women can stay dangerous?” I will start with the theme, “Are capsule hotels where women can stay dangerous?
Is it dangerous for a woman to stay alone in a capsule hotel?
My acquaintance, A-koCapsule hotels don’t lock their doors, do they? I’m a little scared. Aren’t they dangerous?
It is true that capsule hotels do not have locks. In fact, if there is a lock on the door, it is not considered a capsule hotel under the Fire Defense Law.
To be honest, when I first started using capsule hotels, I was afraid that there were no locks, so I can understand why women would feel this way.
In conclusion…
However, I and my wife have stayed in capsule hotels for quite a while and, in fact, we have never felt unsafe.
So, I would like to conclude first,
I think that women can stay in capsule hotels in general safely.
Macckey's wifeI am Macky’s wife. I stayed in a capsule hotel alone and had no problems at all.
However…it is still a “basic” place to stay.
It does not mean that there is no danger at all.
I myself, of course, have never been on the floor of a women’s capsule and do not know what it is like, so I will include some of my wife’s experiences there,
I would like to write about ” what kind of place is a capsule hotel where women can stay” and ” what kind of danger, if any, is there.
By the way, I have stayed at a capsule hotel where women can also stay.
- First Cabin (Akihabara, Tokyo, Shijo-Karasuma, Kyoto)
- Nine Hours (Kyoto)
- Capsule Hotel Asahi Plaza Shinsaibashi (Osaka)
- Sunplain Nagahori (Osaka)
- B&S Ecocube (Osaka)
- Capsule Hotel Shinjuku 510 (Tokyo)
- Sky Spa YOKOHAMA (Kanagawa)
(I think there were others…). (I think there were others…)
What kind of capsule hotels can women stay in?
Until about 10 years ago, capsule hotels were for men only.
Most of them were combined with saunas and were inexpensive, but I have the impression that they were not very clean, if I may say so.
However, this has changed a lot in the past 10 years or so.
The biggest change is that women can now stay at the hotel.
Almost 100% of the capsule hotels that I know of that “allow women to stay” have a women-only floor, separated from the men’s floor.
Of course, even now, the majority of users are male, so for example, if there are five floors, four are for men only and one is for women only.
The photo shows a floor display at Sunplain Nagahori in Osaka, which I visited the other day.
In most other places, the front desk, restaurant, computer room, etc. are shared by men and women, while locker rooms (where you can also change your clothes) are separated for men and women.
As for baths, most of them have large baths and saunas for men, but unfortunately, many of them have only shower rooms for women. Unfortunately, most of them have only shower rooms for women. This is probably due to the overwhelming difference in the number of users, so it is inevitable from a management perspective.
On the other hand, many of the washrooms on women-only floors are well stocked with lotion, soap, and other so-called amenity goods.
Now, in the next section, we will discuss the “dangers ” that women who are thinking of staying in capsule hotels are concerned about.
Possible “Dangers” for Women Staying in Capsule Hotels
Danger 1: Men may come in.
I think this is the biggest concern for women. After all, capsule hotels are places to sleep where there are no locks.
First of all, as I mentioned earlier, as far as I know, all capsule hotels where women can stay have a women-only floor, clearly separating the space from men.
My experience with the separation of male and female floors is as follows
- Where they are completely separate from the entrance (even the front desk is completely separate for men and women)
- Where women-only elevators are provided.
- There is a partition with a card key that leads to the women’s floor, and only women are given a key (card).
- Where there is no partition with a key, but there is a sign warning women not to enter the women’s floor.
etc.
My wife has experienced many types, and even where there are no partitioned doors, she says, ‘When you take the elevator into the women-only floor, there is a lobby-like space and lockers, and behind that is a capsule room, so I never felt like men were coming in.
I have also never heard of men entering the women’s floor and being rough with them or anything like that so far.
I would think that the capsule hotels would be very careful there as well, since it would be a big problem if something were to happen.
I think women would be most concerned about this, but I have a feeling that they don’t have to worry too much about this point.
(It would be a good idea to call them directly and ask what kind of separation they have with the male floor, just to be sure)
The next two to five sections discuss general “capsule hotel hazards ” that are common not only to women but also to men.
Danger 2: Theft
Since capsule hotels do not lock their rooms (capsules), theft is still a concern.
The best way to prevent theft is to avoid bringing valuables into the capsule.
Each guest has an individual locker with a key, so it is basic that you lock your baggage and valuables in the locker.
You may want to bring some items into the capsule, such as a cell phone or coin purse, but it is basic that you take those items with you when you leave the capsule as well.
Hazard 3. possible fire
Fire is a risk in any facility, and of course it is a concern in capsule hotels as well.
Capsule hotels often have many capsules on a single floor, and their layout is often intricate, so in the event of a fire, it could be a big deal.
Fortunately I have no experience of such a thing myself, nor have I heard of it.
But you should always think of that fear.
The only way to prevent this is to properly check the paths and emergency exits for evacuation when you enter the room.
It is written in every capsule hotel, so be sure to check it.
DANGER 4. Worried about problems with other customers.
My wife says that she is more worried about not knowing what kind of women are around than the fear of men coming in.
Macckey's wifeThat’s right. I never thought about men coming in and attacking me, but it was a little scary to think about what kind of people might be next door or downstairs….
I can certainly understand that. Many people share the space with you through the capsule, but you cannot see their faces at all.
It is natural to feel a bit scared to sleep without a key, not knowing what kind of people are there.
In addition, capsule hotels are often used by foreigners. Most of the foreign residents use the hotel with good manners, but I think it is inevitable that they feel a little uneasy because they do not speak the same language and have a different culture and customs from the rest of the world .
Of course, even among Japanese people, some may be drunk or nervous.
I don’t like to think about it, but there may be people who are violent or aggressive.
When I think about it, I am certainly afraid of trouble with other users, and I feel that the danger of that is higher than that of men coming in or theft or fire.
In capsule hotels you don’t see the faces of the guests around you, and there is no countermeasure against this place.
However, you can make efforts not to bother others, such as not making loud noises in your own capsule.
First of all, I think it is important to avoid trouble with others by observing your own manners.
Also, I think there is an emergency button on the control box in the capsule that allows you to change the TV channel.
It is a good idea to make sure of its location, and in case of trouble, press it to notify the hotel staff of your emergency.
(The red button on the left in the photo is the emergency button.)
Danger 5. sudden illness or injury
Finally, although this is a rare case, I would like to mention the danger of sudden illness or injury.
Capsules are generally 1 m wide, 2 m deep, and 1 m high, and although they are not extremely cramped, they may still be difficult for people who feel claustrophobic.
Perhaps such people may find it hard to breathe or feel sick.
Macckey's wifeI am also a bit claustrophobic, so this cramped space was a bit hard for me. Well, I fell asleep right away (laughs).
Of course, it is possible that some sudden illness may occur in the capsule.
As for injuries, the capsule has two tiers, upper and lower, and those in the upper tier have to climb up the ladders provided. It is not impossible that a person may fall down at this time.
If you suddenly feel sick, you should use the emergency button to notify the front desk.
Finally, as I put in the title, I wonder if “one woman alone” is dangerous.
Certainly, it is safer to be with a friend than alone, and I think it is reassuring in case something goes wrong. That is true, but I do not think it is a problem to be alone.
These are the “dangerous aspects of capsule hotels” in my opinion.
My wife’s impressions
My wife has stayed at a capsule hotel five times in the past, including for my blog.
I am a man, so I have no way of knowing about the women’s floor, but through her stories I can see what she is talking about. Once again, I’d like to share my wife’s impressions.
I will now pass the baton.
Hello everyone, this is Macky’s wife. (^_^)
Since you asked me to share my thoughts on the subject of “the dangers of women staying in capsule hotels,” I’ll tell you what I felt.
First, let me write down where I have stayed so far.
- Nine Hours (Kyoto)
- Nine Hours Takebashi (Tokyo)
- Wise Cabin Osaka Namba (Osaka)
- First Cabin Nihonbashi (Tokyo)
- Capsule Inn Kinshicho (Tokyo)
The facilities at Kinshicho seemed a little old, but all of them, including the one in Kinshicho, were clean and easy to stay in.
I was a little uncomfortable at first with the idea of sleeping in an unlocked room, but I got used to it.
The price is cheap, of course, but once I had to use the hotel because I ran out of train on my way home. I am glad that capsule hotels are often able to accommodate such sudden situations.
I think what women are most concerned about is whether men will come in and whether the rooms are properly segregated, but there were no problems in that regard anywhere.
In some places you had to go through a partition door with a key to get to the women’s floor, and in others you could enter the women’s floor right after getting off the elevator, but in any case, I was never worried that men might come in. In any case, I was not worried about men coming in.
I was more concerned about what kind of people might be next to me, even if we were among women. Even so, I have never had any trouble so far.
First Cabin is expensive, so I can’t speak of it in the same breath as others, but it was very luxurious.
Nine Hours Takebashi has an open atrium, which gave me a pleasant feeling of openness.
The other places are not bad by any means.
I am claustrophobic, so I had a hard time getting used to the smallness of the capsule, but if you can handle that, I can recommend it.
MacckeyThank you very much.
summary
I have stayed in capsule hotels quite a few times.
What I have noticed recently is that the number of female users has increased.
I usually see a lot of women in all of them.
The number of places that have female employees at the front desk has really increased.
Compared to a few years ago, I feel that it is becoming very natural for women to use capsule hotels.
It is true that they are small, unlocked, and inconvenient. But if you can break that down, they are inexpensive and have everything you need at a minimum. I think it is a great option for a smart trip. (And of course, if you miss the last train…)
I have introduced 5 “dangers” in this article, but my feeling is that these dangers are quite low.
I think it is a good idea to take the necessary checks and countermeasures, and to use them proactively.
I wish you a pleasant trip!
I will post my impressions of the capsule hotels where I have stayed on this blog from time to time, so I hope you will find them useful.
I write reviews of capsule hotels and various other things about using them. You can see a list of all articles related to capsule hotels and jump to each article in the “Articles” section. Please take a look if you like.
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