Tokyo’s famous capsule apartments now take month-long reservations from foreign travelers

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Architectural landmark is in a fantastic location from which to immerse yourself in the Tokyo lifestyle while seeing the city’s sights.

As one of the densest and most vibrant urban centers on the planet, Tokyo has way too many interesting sites to cram into a short visit. So if you’re a traveler who really wants to immerse yourself in Japan’s city of cities, you’ll want to start looking at ways to stretch your accommodation budget to allow a longer stay.

You could book a room in one of Japan’s capsule hotels, but an even cooler option is to get yourself a furnished yet affordable one-month capsule apartment, and one with a fantastic location to use as a base to explore the capital.

The Nakagin Capsule Tower was designed by celebrated Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, and while its exterior look has transitioned from “cutting-edge modern” to “alternate-world retro sci-fi,” it still remains one of Tokyo’s most unique buildings. Standing not far from the beautiful Hamarikyu Gardens and the waters of Tokyo Bay, the building is also conveniently close to Shimbashi Station, one of the city’s most convenient rail hubs, and within walking distance of the fashionable Ginza district.

▼ Nakagin Capsule Tower monthly apartment interior

The building previously offered a select number of rooms as single-night Airbnb options, and though those are no longer available, travelers can now stay in capsule apartments on a monthly basis. All come furnished with a single bed, desk, chair, and shelves, provided by popular Japanese furniture brand Mujirushi, as well as heating/air conditioning. Shared shower facilities are also provided.

Renting a long-term apartment in Japan involves hefty fees including security deposits and “key money,” but since the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building’s monthly rooms are oriented towards travelers, no such charges are involved. Instead, guests pay a flat fee of 120,000 yen (US$1,070), which works out to roughly 4,000 yen a night, making the capsule apartments much more affordable than a standard hotel room while providing far more privacy and security than a capsule hotel or dormitory-style hostel.

Reservations can be made between now and October 31 for the next batch of available rooms, usable from October 22 to December 21, with reservations for the next block (usable from December 22 to January 21) open on December 1. Interested travelers are asked to contact the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building at the email address listed below.

Monthly apartment information
Nakagin Capsule Tower Building / 中銀カプセルタワー
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo0ku, Ginza 8-16-10
東京都中央区銀座8-16-10
Email: nakagincapsule@gmail.com

Sources: PR Times, Nakagin Capsule Tower Building
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Insert images: Wikipedia/JordyMeow, PR Times