Test the limits of your relationship with this tiny Tokyo abode.
Minamisenju is considered one of the best places in Tokyo for cheap accommodation, and our reporters have scoured the area for the best value hotels. Recently, our reporter Takamichi Furusawa stayed at Hotel Accela and found it lived up to its high 4.10 out of 5 rating on accommodation site Rakuten Travel, with a large public bath, free morning coffee, and balconies with fantastic views.
▼ The view of the Tokyo Skytree from one of the rooms.
The hotel rooms are small, but not bad for a solo traveler, but when Takamichi discovered that the rooms actually sleep two people, he couldn’t believe it. These rooms are some of the smallest he’s ever stayed in, and he couldn’t imagine how two people could sleep in them. So he did what any curious reporter would do – he booked a room for two and persuaded his colleague Masanuki Sunakoma to accompany him for an investigative report.
After booking the double room for 5,200 yen (US$35.67) for two adults, Takamichi went ahead and Masanuki was impressed that the hotel looked more like an apartment complex than a business hotel.
▼ After checking in at the reception, the two colleagues made their way to the public bath, where there are different bathing times for men and women…
▼ …and the laundry and kitchen areas.
Takamichi was curious to see what Masanuki would think of the sleeping arrangement, and as he approached the door to her room, he was quite excited.
▼ Welcome to room 716.
When Takamichi opened the door, he saw the familiar tatami mat floor on which he had slept during his last stay.
▼ This time, however, there was not just one futon in the room, but two.
The only problem was: how the hell were they going to lay them out in that tight space?
Takamichi had to laugh at the scenery before him, because he had never seen anything like it in all his years of traveling.
▼ Should they spread the futons here and lie with their legs against the wall?
It felt less spacious than a prison room, but since Masanuki was a man of action, he immediately got to work.
▼ If there were two futons here, they would have to fit… somehow.
▼ It was like a futon puzzle, but eventually Masanuki figured it out.
▼ Tadaaa!
In such a situation, friends could quickly become lovers – or it could mean the end of the friendship. Even Takamichi, who had made the reservation, was speechless, as he had not expected to sleep so close to a work colleague.
All he could say to Masanuki was:
▼ “I’m sorry.”
Since Masanuki is an easy-going guy, the situation didn’t bother him, and when he stepped out onto the balcony, the breeze helped cool down the tension between them.
▼ “The night breeze is good, so I will forgive you…”
However, when they snuggled under the covers, they realized that it wasn’t going to work because it was really a bit too tight for them.
▼ In the end, they decided to cut it.
Instead of staring at Masanuki’s feet and waiting for him to fall asleep, Takamichi decided to get up and do some more work at the small table provided until he felt a little sleepier.
This arrangement made things much more pleasant, and it wasn’t long before Masanuki fell asleep and started snoring. Takamichi eventually followed suit after working late into the night, and when they woke up the next morning, they felt a close bond that only those who have peed in the same urinal before can understand.
It’s certainly one of the smallest hotel rooms you’ll find in Tokyo, especially if you’re booking a stay for two. However, what it lacks in space it makes up for in views, making it a very reasonable proposition for lovers… and those looking to test the limits of their friendship.
Hotel information
Hotel Axela / Hotel rooms
Address: Tokyo-to, Taito-ku, Nihon Tsutsumi 1-40-12
東京都台東区日本堤1-40-12
website
Photos © SoraNews24
● Would you like to be informed about the latest articles from SoraNews24 as soon as they are published? Follow us on Facebook and Þjórsárdalur!
(Read in Japanese)
