Staying in a Tokyo Capsule Hotel:
Are Female-Only Floors Worth the Extra Yen?
As a solo, female traveller, safety is one of the most important parts of my travel planning. That often includes looking for accommodation with female dorms. But is this necessary in Tokyo and is it worth paying extra for the female-only floors?
How to get to Tokyo?
Whether you are flying into Tokyo or headed there from your previous destination by train/bus, here is exactly how to get to the city center:
Flying into Tokyo
There are two airports in Tokyo – Narita and Haneda. I usually check on Kiwi.com and Skyscanner for the cheapest flights and which airport to fly to.
How to get from the airport to Tokyo City Center
This will be different for each airport, but I actually used Google Maps to find the cheapest way to get to my accommodation.
Check out my full guide on how to get from each airport to the city centre here.
From Osaka/Kyoto to Tokyo
You have three options to get to Tokyo from Osaka and Kyoto. The quickest is flying and can sometimes even be one of the cheapest, check for flights here.
The second option is the famous Shinkansen which costs around $110 and takes between 2.5 and 3 hours.
The last option is an overnight bus, which saves you a night on accommodation but the standard seats are not that comfortable.
Related Article: My Experience Taking the Night Bus from Kyoto to Tokyo
Where to stay in Tokyo?
Tokyo has an amazing public transportation network, however, it stops between around midnight and 5am. That means if you are out enjoying the nightlife or a late dinner, you should be really careful with timing or pick a close neighbourhood.
I’d say for anyone wanting to try the nightlife, definitely stay near Shinjuku. Otherwise, good areas are Shibuya, Asakusa, Ginza and Tokyo Station.
Best hostels in Tokyo for backpackers:
Unplan Shinjuku Hostel Den
CAFE/MINIMAL HOTEL OUR OUR (my favourite)
Resol Poshtel Tokyo Asakusa
First Cabin Ichigaya
Avoid: TenTen Guesthouse Asakusa – I stayed here and felt really unsafe as a solo, female traveller.
Best hotels in Tokyo:
How to get around Tokyo using public transport?
Tokyo’s public transportation network is extensive and pretty efficient. You can either buy single trip tickets at the ticket machines each time or use an IC card. An IC card is a prepaid card that you can use for transportation or even the convenience stores, lockers and many more things around Japan.
Tokyo’s version is called Suica but you can also use Osaka’s Icoca card or any other. Prices start at ¥1000 including a 500yen deposit that is refundable at the end of your holiday.
I used Google Maps to get around Tokyo and navigate the subway system and found it pretty easy.
Female-Only Floors in Tokyo Capsule Hotels
Is it worth looking for capsule hotels with female-only floors?
From my experience, 100%, especially in Tokyo. I have stayed in hotels/hostels with mixed dorms and those with whole female-only floors and the safety and comfort was way better in those with gender specific floors.
I even had a pretty negative experience in a mixed dormitory in Asakusa, which I was surprised by as Japan feels so safe. I’d say for sleeping spaces, really stick to women’s dormitories/rooms if you are a solo, female traveller.
Not all capsule hotels have these floors, some are only female dormitory rooms, which is still better than the mixed room experiences I had. Ideally though, you want the ones with floors as they usually have separate keys for those floors and special bathrooms for each gender etc, making it an incredibly safe experience.
My favourite capsule hotels with women-only floors in Tokyo
CAFE/MINIMAL HOTEL OUR OUR:
I stayed here on my last trip to Tokyo and it was my favourite out of all the ones I’ve had. The female-only floor was super safe and clean, there were toilets and sinks in the room but also HUGE powder rooms on another floor. It even had an Onsen in the powder rooms! Would highly recommend.
Resol Poshtel Tokyo Asakusa:
Insanely beautiful capsule hotel with a female-only area. The location is great too! It is a little pricier than the previous one but a true luxury capsule experience.
UNPLAN Shinjuku:
Location-wise, you cannot beat this hostel. It has an entire womens-only floor which is really safe. It’s a bit more of a mix between hostel dorm and true capsules I’d say.
Anshinoyado Tokyo Woman Ginza Shiodome:
A very typical capsule hotel BUT it is only for women. The entire hotel! The location is also good and it’s got lots of amenities.
Is it more expensive to book female-only floors in a capsule hotel?
Honestly, rarely. Some hostels will charge extra for these special floors or will be more expensive from the get-go than those who have only mixed rooms.
However, I have found some incredibly options with female-only floors for the same price as those mixed dorms. In fact, most places that offer gendered areas don’t charge more.
Sometimes the women’s only floors are more expensive as they offer more amenities like a powder room with hair tools etc. Even then, it only tends to be a 500-1000 yen per night.
Tips for First-Time Female Guests in Capsule Hotels
Capsule hotels started in Japan as an efficient and practical way to spend a night in the city. Some still work the traditional way where you have to leave the hotel during the day for cleaning and there isn’t much storage.
However most are now closer to “premium” hostels, at least the ones I have visited. The reason I say premium is that the facilities like bathrooms are often much nicer and the atmosphere in the capsules rooms are quieter. You also don’t get chucked out during cleaning hours, though you likely will be out exploring anyway.
I would check about the capsule hotel rules before booking to ensure they fit what you have in mind. Also check amenities, as most have shampoo, conditioner, towels, slippers etc included.
Things I’d pack for a capsule hotel are similar to a hostel, as you are sharing the space with others:
- Earplugs (though most offer these too) and an eye mask
- Flip Flops for the shared showers
- Hangable Cosmetics Bag
- A small tote bag or similar that you can hang in your pot with essentials
As for other things to know, I’d say apply common sense and be mindful of others around you. If you have to leave early, try and pack your bag the night before so you don’t wake up everyone. Be quiet in the rooms after 10pm, no phone calls or chatting to friends (they have common spaces for that).
Final Verdict: Should you book a capsule hotel with a female-only floor?
As you could probably tell throughout this post, I am a big fan of female-only floors and capsule hotels in Tokyo.
They are an affordable way to see what can be a very expensive city but you also get sleep because people are more mindful of others and the amenities are great. The female-only aspect adds SO MUCH safety and comfort, I can’t recommend it enough for my fellow solo, female travellers.
If you have any other questions about the capsule hotels in Japan, feel free to leave a comment or message me on my socials 🙂
Hi, I'm Bell
I’m a solo traveller, writer and designer. I created my blog to share the many different ways to travel the world. Learn more about me here!
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