If you visit Japan and are lucky enough to visit a love hotel (preferably with someone else), you're in for a treat. These are not the seedy 'No Tell Motels' back home. Actually, some are; but some are very nice and quite unique. Staying in a love hotel makes for a unique and hopefully enjoyable experience.
Why Go To Love Hotels?
Why do the Japanese prefer to get down and nasty in crazily decorated and oddly themed love hotels? I've given this some thought and come up with four likely reasons:
- In many apartments in Japan the walls are quite thin. No one wants the neighbors to hear their passionate boot-knocking.
- When you're married with kids, it's very difficult to get wild and funky at home without waking them, especially considering the size of most Japanese apartments.
- Young adults usually live at their parents' houses until marriage.
- Teenagers don't have cars.
- Um... okay, cheating. That's probably the main reason actually.
And finally, it's just a fun experience. Love hotels are fully equipped for all of your love making needs and it's a fun ending to a night out.
photo by Chris 73
Looking For Love Hotels
Love hotels are usually located around major train stations, most often in areas where there are lots of bars. The drill is fairly obvious: get inebriated and then suggest a walk, and then, 'well, look where we ended up.'
There are certain areas that are known for their romancing facilities. These include 'Hotel Hill' in Shibuya, the backstreets around Meiji-Dori near Shinjuku station, and similar areas in all big cities. They are also found often in remote areas of the countryside just like the interstate strip clubs and jack shacks back home.
How do to you tell if a place is a love hotel and not a quality resort? Love hotels advertise usually in neon letters that they offer both 'rest' and 'stay.' Rest is for if you want to just cool your heels for a couple of hours. Everybody needs to take a break sometimes. Stay is for those who want to rock until the morning light.
Getting In And Out
If it's a rural or suburban love hotel, it probably has a discreet parking area complete with curtains that cover up your license plate. There may be a covered walkway that actually leads into the hotel so that your best friend, neighbor or boss won't see what you're doing with their spouse.
Many love hotels have a vending machine-like room selection system. There is a wall with pictures of all the rooms and the amenities they offer. You and your special one can choose the room you think would be the most fun to spend time in. Press the button and a desk clerk carefully hidden behind a screen slips you the key. Sometimes they require you to fill out a form with a fake name and phony address.
The rooms usually contain a Jacuzzi, bed (of course), refrigerator, chairs, a table, and a TV with several channels of adult entertainment. A console at the head of the bed allows you to control the lighting and music for maximum mood enhancement. Rooms usually have vending machines full of drinks, condoms, and things you can use on each other.
At the end of your allotted time, you can decide whether you're 'finished yet.' If you're done expressing your love to each other and ready to face the outside world again, you can pay through a vending machine in the room. If you've still got a few things to try out, you can extend the length of your stay.
Love Hotel Themes
Many love hotels have themes. These range from just a little bit odd to extremely odd. While some are simply made to look vaguely 'European,' some of the more out-there ones include Hello Kitty and Disney themes, outer space or UFO themes, and themes from daily life like train cars, offices or classrooms. There's no end to the creativity!
Love hotels can be lots of fun. Even if you're married and you can get nasty at home, it's still fun to go out and see what your local love hotels have to offer.
- Greg
