I Went to a Japanese Love Hotel Alone

I have lived in Japan for almost a decade and I still find something new and interesting each day I am here. The language, the culture, the people, and society, in general, are both amazing and odd to me. So it was really incredible to experience both a love hotel and self-love at the same time.

Love Hotels are both amazing and odd but somehow work. For those not familiar with love hotels, they are basically that; a place to spend some time to make love. They differ from other hotels in a few ways making them a very different experience from staying at a standard hotel, motel, or other accommodations.

Hotels vs Love Hotels

Here are just a few things that you will find different about visiting a love hotel versus a regular hotel.

First, you don’t need a reservation. Love hotels don’t require any booking ahead of time and most don’t even allow reservations. You just walk in and see if there is a room available. Usually, there is a lit-up sign advertising whether the rooms are occupied or not.

There is also no paperwork required. You do not need to show a passport or identification and usually, there is no one at the front desk. There is just a touch panel with a picture of the room and the cost. You press a button, receive a ticket and your door is automatically unlocked.

You can pay by time used. Staying at a love hotel doesn’t have to be overnight. There are options that allow people to choose “rest” options that rent the room out for 2 to 5 hours.

The appearance and perks are also a big reason why love hotels are different from regular style hotels. The rooms are usually decorated in themes from fancy, cute, character themed or even based on locations like a classroom, inside of a train, or pirate ship.

Love hotels also have more spacious rooms, larger beds, and televisions, expansive bathrooms with a Jacuzzi tub, and tons of amenities and options like cosplay rental and free drinks and dessert.

Why Love Hotels are Popular

The main reason why love hotels sprang up and why they still exist today is for privacy and discreteness. For younger couples who live with their parents or for married couples who don’t have the luxury of having a private space for intimacy, a love hotel is a perfect escape spot.

And for those who are hoping to keep their love trysts secret whatever the reason might be, love hotels provide confidentiality and anonymity. Cars can have their license plates hidden while parked at a love hotel and since no names are required and no staff comes face to face with guests, the entire experience from arrival to check out is completely anonymous.

What did it for me

Besides all the reasons I mentioned for love hotels being popular spots for couples in Japan, I must admit the best time I have ever had in a love hotel was when I went alone.

I originally went to the Hotel Sara located in Kinshicho in Tokyo for two reasons.

One was to make a YouTube video and the second was because of the wacky variety of decor the hotel offers.

I decided to do a short stay of 4 hours which roughly came to about 7,000 yen or $70 US dollars. The price is a bit higher than other places and could get you a full night at other hotels but the decor and perks at this hotel were worth the extra money.

The Room

I was originally going to choose the room that looked like a Japanese high school classroom or the circus-looking room but surprisingly they were both being used. I was deciding between the train compartment-looking room and a pink room that looks like a cupcake exploded.

In the end, I chose the exploding pastry room just because the bed looked more comfortable.

Entering the room I wasn’t expecting it to be so…pink. There were pink walls, pink lighting, pink pigs, and even a pink Hello Kitty Telephone.

It was a bit uncomfortable knowing that I was a straight, adult male who was about to spend 4 hours in a room designed by or for a 7-year old girl.

The Food

Although the hotel has a full food menu, I had already eaten so I just decided to grab some drinks at the free drink area in the front lobby as well as some Japanese candy, snacks, and ice cream which was also complimentary.

Along with the food, the lobby also had a variety of complimentary beauty products like shampoos, conditioners, body lotions, bath salts, and bubble bath and skin products. I decided to get some lavender-scented bath powder.

Four Hours of Happiness

The first thing I did was turn on the mood lighting and music that makes the room, if you can believe it, even pinker.

I ran a bath with the lavender powder and the LED lit rubber duckies that were also a free rental with the room. There were even lights in the Jacuzzi making it an amazingly aural and visual experience.

After my bath, I put on the rental massage boots and heated glasses which were also a free rental and laid down on the bed. The giant plasma screen TV had a selection of new movies also free of charge.

Laying in the king-sized bed, massage boots and heat glasses pulsating, snacking on Japanese Umaibo sticks, and watching a movie, (there were Hollywood, Japanese and pornographic films. I settled on a comedy featuring Matt Damon) I realized this is the most comfortable and relaxed I have ever been in my entire life.

I Found Love

I think the love hotel experience showed me that despite being alone and not having anyone to make love to at the love hotel, I was able to learn to love myself. Escaping the busy and stressful world and just pampering myself was a great way to better my mental and physical health.

And despite being alone, I didn’t feel lonely.

And maybe for you it’s a hike in the woods, or sitting in a park or getting a massage. Whatever your way to love yourself is, it’s important that everyone should have a thing.

I discovered mine was at a Japanese love hotel.

The original story appears here: https://medium.com/illumination/i-went-to-a-japanese-love-hotel-alone-and-i-loved-it-a7cffa2db633