I have been in Japan for almost a year now (next week Friday will be the "anniversary"). I have be able to easily adapt to almost all the situations that I have run into here, be they good or bad. I sense myself being a little jaded sometimes. However, there is one thing here in Japan that will always remind me how innovative the Japanese are, Internet Cafes.
I have seen but not entered one in the US and Canada. They seem pretty dingy and are where you would expect to find computer trolls hiding from the daylight. Most people in the US just bring there laptop where ever and find a wi-fi spot (like a coffee shop or library) or just use what they have at home. That kind of thing is few and far between here in Japan. It's convenient for the American lifestyle but Japan is Japan. And their lifestyle is different.
Normally, to travel I take a train or my bicycle (or even rarer the bus). The trains here stop around midnight and start up again around 5am. So if you happen to miss the last train. You have a few options. 1) stay at the bar or restaurant you were at because they usually stay open all night. 2) Take a taxi...and have to deal with the taxi driver who pretends he doesnt know how to get to the next station and then charges you a ridiculous fare. (Taxi drivers aren't the same anywhere you go.) 3) and my favorite choice, the Internet cafe.
For a small fee of about $10 or 1200 yen , you can get use of the facilities. This includes a huge selection of comic books (I never bother with them but if you like japanese comics you can always find something you like), all you can drink fountain drinks (sometimes beer can be purchased and sometimes all you can eat soft ice cream!!!), you can order food (hit or miss on the deliciousness), of course you can use a computer, or take a shower, or use the massage chairs, or just crash in you booth until morning comes.
The reason I bring all this up is because the other night I missed the last train. The trains here in the countryside end quite earlier. So, I was lucky enough to find an Internet cafe and not have to curl up with the homeless in their rather shabby chic blue tarped mansions. After feeling down about missing the train, my spirits where brought up when I entered my booth and curled up to some internet TV.
It's one of those "only in Japan" experiences as some people say here. If you come we'll miss a train and stay at one. or just go to one during th day but that's not as much fun.
3 comments:
What happened to just checking in to a hotel as a fourth option?
Hotels around the station take advantage of their strategic location and charge a fortune. Internet cafe is fun...but I learned the chairs were a little difficult to sleep in and the thermostat was up too high.
I think the Internet Cafe/Rest Areas in Japan are unique to themselves. In all my travels to internet cafes in different countries all of them share a common thread; tile flooring, cheap to no decor, uncomfortable chairs.
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