No place might epitomize present day life in Japan better than the interior of a 24-hour net cafe. Enter through the automatic doors to a luminescent lobby of computers, couches, coffee machines, and signs with prices for day or night packages, electronic devices, and popular snacks.Everything is mainly quiet, save for the creaking of the computers or the pages of a magazine being leafed through gently by one of the visitors. Out of sight are dozens of cubicles where some people may be dozing, watching anime, or doing work.Welcome to a 24-hour net cafe, where most of the visitors are nomads without any true place to go after the glowing streets and neon signs are shut off and everyone else scurries for the last train.In Japan, net cafes, also called internet cafes or manga kissa (derived from manga kissaten, the Japanese word for cafe shops), have been around for more than a decade.Throughout the years, these stores have extended their hours, increased the functionality of the computer hardware, added to the benefits, and recently incorporated showers and other “homey” touches to the list of amenities. Should you enroll as a member, you often get access to discounted food and a free drink bar, too.With all this for a low price, you can understand how displaced and homeless workers often use these places as overnight rest stops to do their remote work, watch TV, get some shut eye, food and a shower. Thus, net cafe nomads came into existence; and the trend just keeps growing.Just how low is this price, you ask? Based on my experiences throughout Japan, where I have stayed for as long as 12 hours at one place and only paid 2050 yen, I would say pretty cheap. Compare that to hostels or hotels, which can range from 5000-20,000 yen a night depending on what you want included, and the appeal of staying at a net cafe overnight increases.Most places offer “night packages” and “flat rooms” made for those who intend to sleep. These rates are about 15% less than the “day packs,” where 8 hours can be around 2500 yen (although this varies by location and popularity of the chain.)To use the shower, you usually pay 150-300 yen for a 30 minute rinse with towels and shampoo included. This is cheaper than the standard 400 yen for a public bath, where you have to rent the towel. So for those who seek the true backpacker experience, net cafes offer a budget-friendly option and something I think of as a cultural experience.
