Name: Sauna & Capsule Cure Kokubuncho
Address: 2-8-33 Aoba-ku Kokubuncho,, Sendai, Sendai, Sendai, 980-0803, Japan
Rating: 8

Safe (in room)

Rooms

Location

Room amenities

Sendai Airport

Junmachi Airport

Sauna & Capsule Cure Kokubuncho

Sendai

This capsule hotel with big shared bath is located in Sendai downtown adjunct to shopping arcade for daytime and bars for nightlife.

Bathroom with sauna and outdoor bathtub, aka 'Roten-buro' is very clean and must-have items from towels to teeth blush are prepared for free.

Capsule bed is tiny, of course, but enough for just one night stay.

Guests are assigned their own locker number and staff provides locker key with bar code. During the stay, almost all expenses like restaurant order, relaxation massage , etc. are charged to the key.



Unique experience

This was my first capsule stay out of approximately a dozen on a single Japan trip.

A few points for those who are staying:
This hotel is for men only.
You might run into a little trouble at first if you either don't speak Japanese or you've never stayed in a capsule before. I was in the latter category.
Every time you leave the hotel, you will need to exchange your slippers and room key for the shoe key at the front desk.
There is a shoe locker near the front entrance for shoes only. Change to slippers and bring the key to the front desk. There, they will go through the usual check in process the first time around.
In terms of payment, there is a console towards the left side that handles all fees and incidentals, including payment for the hotel. If you skip payment and try to check out, they will withhold your shoes.
There are capsules on multiple floors, but the big sauna/shower/bath portion is on the top floor.
On your floor there is a larger locker where you place your belongings. If you have something that won't fit, you can leave it at the front desk. If you have a lot of stuff that wont' fit, this is probably the wrong kind of accommodation for you.
Inside your room floor locker there are robes for you to change into. It is appropriate to walk around in your robes anywhere in the hotel (restaurant, comic floor, bath)
There are baskets/lockers on the bath floor where you can place your robes and belongings while you wash in the nude. In general, leave all belongings in a secure place (i.e. your room locker)
There may be a woman walking around on the bath floor. She is there to scrub customers (additional fee) - do not be alarmed. In general, onsen etiquette applies (no towels in the water, shower before bathing, etc.)
There is a tiny TV with headphone in your capsule. But just because you can't hear others doesn't mean they can't hear you, so be courteous and quiet.

All in all and notwithstanding the above, I found the place to be immaculate in terms of cleanliness. The restaurant food was okay, but portions were very small. You may have better luck with other food options right outside the door in Kokubuncho.

Location was alright - I chose to walk 20-25min from the JR station, but you can also take the tube for convenience.

Capsule-style hotels sacrifice privacy for economy, but the rather spacious common spaces (including bath) were quite impressive. Further, this is a cultural experience that you won't get in any other country.

Sauna & Capsule Cure Kokubuncho

Location

Available rooms

Location

Description of the hotel

What other amenities are there?

Policies

Check-in terms and conditions

Additional information

Payment