07 May 2005
Last Updated: 08/05/05
Love Hotels. Why?
(1) for married couples who live with their parents and need a bit of privacy from time to time (very common in Japan)
(2) for people involved in illicit love affairs (very common in Japan)
(3) for people who want to be a bit kinky (quite scarily common in Japan, if you ever happen to glance at the manga porn on sale everywhere)
(4) for people who's apartment walls are just too thin (just about everyone in Japan)
oh...and last but by no means least - to cause a great deal of amusement amongst the gaijin community...
Designed to provide for all your...um...needs, love hotels come in many shapes and forms. And different coloured neon signs outside. Some have themed rooms, some have luxurious rooms, some are classy, and some are down right seedy. Whatever their specialty, you can be assured absolute discretion...!
Love hotels have varying rates. Pop in during the day, and it will generally cost you less than if you go in the evening. Reasonable overnight rates are available (more expensive at weekends, of course), or you could just pop in for 15 minutes - for a grand total of 500 yen (about £2.50). Bargain.
Well, we thought it was about time we hunted out the classiest joint we could find in Fukui City, and do a bit of research. All in the name of ex-pat curiosity and general fact-finding, aiding a greater understanding between our two cultures, of course...
hehehe
The funniest thing about the whole experience was leaving in the morning - with couples lurking in doorways, trying to stay hidden from view as they beat a hasty retreat to the door!
Anyway, here are our findings...
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A few nights before our planned Saturday endeavor, we cased out several potential candidates in the love hotel district in Fukui City...
...we settled on the most up-market one we could find: Beverly Hills (can't you just sense the class emanating from the neon palm tree...?!) |
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We'd decided which room we wanted (they all offer slightly different...ah...attractions) - Room 401
Private garages line the ground floor, and we found the space for Room 401 vacant - hurrah!
Furtively, we parked up and (in true love-hotel-style) hid our number plate behind this complimentary piece of plastic. Aha! No-one will know we're there...
We ducked in through the private door behind the car, and - unseen by anyone - made our way up in the two-person lift to the 4th floor, where a flashing light outside the room showed us the way in... |
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Look! A lovely big king-sized bed with (of course) PINK sheets...
(note TV no. 1 in
the corner, and the super-cool control panel for the music and lights by the
bed) |
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On the other side of a comfy sofa can be found... (notice TV 2 - the gorgeous plasma screen!) |
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...a vending machine selling... ...well...what you
might imagine a love hotel might sell in the rooms... |
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...microphones for karaoke (well, it is Japan), and a slot machine |
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Karaoke, 3D
glasses, all-night films...and, of course...porn |
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A kitchen area |
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A shower with nozzles all over the place |
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A private outdoor ofuro (bath) on a private balcony. This was (arguably) the best feature of the room! (The other contender was the TV...)
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Back in the room... ...don't forget the seedy light! |
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Tom tries out the 3D glasses. Unfortunately there is only one 3D channel - Japanese porn.
Incidentally, the glasses didn't work...which possibly explains Tom's expression. |
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The room came complete with a booklet which included laminated pages with diagrams of positions. I'm a bit worried about the types of clientele that frequent the Beverly Hills, if they need to be told this... |
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Also in the booklet, were things your could order - ranging from breakfast to S&M-type paraphernalia (whip, anyone?)
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You can also order cooking utensils...as a few rooms (including 401) have cooking facilities.
So, with Tom dressed as a kinky airhostess and me with a frying pan...
...we poured ourselves a few beers, and put the telly on
;) |
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