Sometimes what happens in Japan stays in Japan, and the “capsule hotel” phenomenon is a prime example. Unlike, say, sushi or the Honda Civic, this is one Japanese invention that hasn’t triggered a stampede of foreign adopters and imitators. Indeed, in such a compact and crowded country as Japan, stacking up Salarymen in this way is one of few practical options, but for other countries with more space it is just causing curiosity.

The capsule hotel idea goes back to 1979, when the first one set up shop in Osaka. Since then they have proliferated, and now they come in a range of sizes accommodating anywhere from 50 to 700 guests. It usually costs about $25 to $40 per night.

Since it's cheap, mainly business men who couldn't go home stay at capsule hotels. Also, capsule hotels are popular among foreign travelers. In capsule hotels, each guest stays in a small sleeping space (capsule) which is about 3 feet by 4 feet by 6 feet. In a capsule, there are a TV, an alarm clock, a light, and so on. The open side of a capsule is shut by a curtain or a screen, and it is unlocked. To sleep well in capsule hotels, earplugs might be helpful.

A locker key is handed to each guest to keep baggage in a locker outside the capsules. The lockers aren't suitable for large bags. Shower rooms/bath rooms and rest rooms are shared by all guests, but many capsule hotels offer a large public bath or a sauna.

Women are sometimes not allowed in capsule hotels due to security reasons. But nowadays there are capsule hotels offering seperate floors or areas for male and female guests.