Japanese Style High Density Accommodation- Capsule Hotels

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Japanese Style High Density Accommodation- Capsule Hotels

Wouldn’t it be great to sleep in a drawer? Yes, it could be warm, cosy, and comfortable plus it could double as our own little hide out space! Or at least that’s what I thought as a child.

We often thought about what it would be like to live or rather sleep in our closet or our set of drawers. This thought probably came across at least once as a child, seeing this seemingly huge space filled with enough blankets and animal stuffed toys that it could be quite comfortable. Of course our beds were somehow not good enough, at the time because they were just too big. In retrospect, this really cool idea as children turns out to be a really claustrophobic way of spending your sleeping hours.

Guinea pig gear (Photo credit: Miia Ranta) This is a guinea pig cage

Nevertheless, in reality this idea has been implemented through Japanese Geki-sema share houses which are just that; a place to sleep in a 2 meter, 44centimeter box that has just enough room to fit two average sized Japanese Men, in the sitting position. It seems as if the minimalistic way of living has been taken to its maximum potential, by providing its owners with a coffin for a sleeping space. Perhaps sleeping in these coffin sized spaces would deter one from dying a little too early so to speak. My question is what happens after a romantic date? I guess romance is either going to be full force, or none at all; so much for having a flexible choice.

Tokyo by night (Photo credit: Thomas@BOD)

We can’t forget the communal living setup that these oversized storage lockers are attached to! For a mere $500-$600 a month, you can share a bathroom, and a kitchen in these share houses while maintaining your very own coffin! You may have bedding, a clothing rack, and a small television set with heat and hydro included. Considering the cramped space that Japanese people are used to, this is just another great way of maximizing the space that is available for its population. But one bright point to consider to this, is that it goes to show that what one needs is not necessarily a massive home, and that there is a reason why small house living is a huge trend across the globe.

Draculaura with Coffin Bed (Photo credit: Compulsive Collector)

As horrid as the Geki-sema share houses may sound to the regular person in their unordinary big apartments and homes, is that even though this type of living is not for all, it definitely gives those who were hit hard by the recession a cabinet home to live in for a smaller price to pay.