Japan Manga Cafes

Japan manga cafes are the perfect place for web surfing, devouring Japanese comics, and even lodging on the cheap after a late night out when you’ve missed the last train home.

Overview of Manga Cafes

Manga cafes, also known as Internet cafes (or manga kissa in Japanese), are found all over Japan. There are hundreds of them in Tokyo alone. As the name suggests, manga cafes offer a library of popular Japanese comics (manga) and Internet-equipped computer terminals for surfing the net.

Manga Kissa charge about 150 to 200 yen per hour, which includes a coffee, tea, and soft drink bar and unlimited Internet and manga (manga are usually in Japanese only). Food vending machines are also provided, and you are welcome to bring in food from the outside.

Manga Cafe Overnight Lodging

Many Japan first-timers are surprised to learn that manga cafes can be used as cheap overnight lodging accommodations!

How so? Most manga cafes in Tokyo and Japan’s other major cities are open 24 hours per day. The majority of these cafes offer private browsing/reading rooms, equipped with comfortable reclining lounge chairs or a raised tatami mat floor for stretching out and web surfing Japanese style. In addition, many cafes provide shower and even laundry facilities!

These amenities make manga cafes an ideal place to crash for the night when you’re out on the town in Tokyo or another big city and miss the last train home.

They are also a great option for backpackers, traveling students, or anyone else simply looking for the cheapest possible overnight lodgings. For overnight stays, rather than charge by the hour, most cafes charge a flat overnight rate of about 1,000 to 2,000 yen. While Japan manga cafes may not be the most luxurious of quarters, lodging in Japan does not get any cheaper than that!

Japanese manga cafes are indespensible for foreign travelers as a cheap source of Internet access, and also as the cheapest lodging option you can find in Japan!