( from around 5,000 yen per night per room, from around 4,000 yen per room for short stays )

Also known in Japan these days as boutique hotels or fashion hotels, these type of hotels provide couples a place to spend some time together, without being disturbed. As you can guess, it is not made or run for tourist's lodgings.

Accordingly, they offer rooms with large double beds, bathrooms ( glassed in sometimes ), and TVs for watching videos ( oh you know what kind of videos they are ). You can either use the place for a short stay during the day ( most places seem to offer rooms for usually 2 hours for short stays ), or stay overnight ( overnight stays are usually available from around10 p.m., but it differs depending on each hotels ).

Love Hotels can be found almost anywhere in Japan and are easy to spot, for most of them have an unusual appearance with loud neon signs. Well, think of it as something like motels, and I guess you won't be that far.

( around 3,000 yen to 5,000 yen per night per person )

The expression of the word "hotel" may be misleading, but this one is for lodging all right. Though what's here instead of hotel rooms are nothing but rows of capsules.

Each capsules are like train berths, consisting mostly of the bed itself ( as you can imagine ), with an additional TV, and a telephone to go with it. Inside the capsule, there's such little space that you can hardly move, but once you get used to it, it might even make you feel snug. Incidentally, lavatories and baths are usually communal ( rare case, but there seems to be some places without baths or saunas ).

( around 3,000 yen to 5,000 yen per night per person )

Almost the same as Capsule Hotel. Although named after the saunas in Finland, Saunas in Japan seems to be pretty much different from the original.

Here, the word "sauna" is known as a generic name for hot steam baths of all kinds and sizes, which is often set up as an annex to Kenko-Rando or Super-Sento ( different types of communal bath facilities ). At the same time, the word "sauna" is also known in Japan, as lodging facilities with such equipments.

Essentially not meant to be as tourist's lodgings, Saunas and Capsule Hotels are frequently used by Japanese office workers, as a place to spend the night when they've missed the last train home ( sometimes it comes cheaper than going home by a taxi ). Usually, under the big loud displays of "saunas", you can find a facility similar to a Capsule Hotel offering communal bath and sauna, whith either capsules to sleep in or just a simple large room for a doze.

Generally, in these type of bath related facilities including Capsule Hotels, tatoos, gangs and falling-down drunks are basically banned. So those who wear tatoos need to be careful.

( from around 400 yen per hour per person )

Manga Kissas are not meant for lodgings, but you can make use of them to spend the night, for most of them are open all night till next morning ( some of them are open 24 hours ). This facility offers a large collection of manga ( comic books ) and magazines, along with the space to read them. You can also play video games, listen to CDs, view DVDs, or access the high-speed cable Internet.

All drinks are usually free at the self-service drink bar, while hungry people can order box lunches and light meals for a not-so-expensive price. Or you can simply bring your own food and drink, if you don't want to spend so much money. There is no bed for the place is meant for other purposes, but in large shops amenities such as coin-showers, and some other paid service are available.

(varies from around 300 yen to 2,000 yen per article)

As you can guess from the name of it, Family Restaurants are the general terms for restaurant chains that are open 24 hours, and you can find them near any station, or by any highway throughout Japan. Food prices are a little higher ( I think ) than the average market price, but the spacious seats and running hours are enough to convince the customers. In most retaurants, menus are understandable with large pictures and simple English.

(from around 200 yen to around 1,500 yen per hour per person)

Offers a small private room for several people to sing karaoke.

Each rooms are equipped with a karaoke machine, a sofa, and a table. You can order drinks ( both soft and alcoholic ) and some quick food, by using the intercom from your room. Usually, the food and drink prices are higher than outside the facility, but in most places bringing your own food and drink is strictly prohibited.

Opening hours are mainly from 12 noon to 4 or 5 o'clock the next morning. Not meant as tourist's lodgings, there is no bed or shower or any facilities of the kind.