- A cafe in Tokyo offered its customers stand-up sleeping cabins.
- The experiment garnered mixed reviews from YouTubers and TikTok users using the pods.
- “Only in Japan can we find a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist,” said one YouTuber.
In August, a Tokyo cafe began offering customers an unusual way to nap: standing sleeping pods.
From August 22 to September 17, a Nescafé store in Harajuku charged 825 yen, or about $5.50, for a 30-minute standing nap in the pod and a cup of coffee.
The promotional offer sparked confusing reviews from YouTubers and TikTokers who visited the cafe.
“Only in Japan can we find a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist,” YouTuber Connor Colquhoun said in a video posted Aug. 25 about his experience using what he described as “a cheap-looking medieval torture device”.
His video has since received over 4 million views and shows Colquhuon trying to get comfortable in a forest-themed sleeping pod.
“Why did Japan do this?” Colquhoun captioned his video review.
He added that while he was skeptical of the pod, the experience wasn’t that bad.
“I felt like all the pressure was off my spine, and I could finally relax a little, until I realized I had a really good bed at home, and I was fine with that “, did he declare. in the video.
The pods have lights and adjustable armrests, according to a SoraNews24 review published in August. Customers can also choose between a space or forest-themed sleeping pod.
Another user, @JapanOnTikTok, shared his experience using the cafe’s space-themed standing sleeping pod in a video posted on August 23. The video has since been viewed more than 6 million times.
“Once you’re ready, the staff will lock you up and send you into space,” the user joked. “Once I got into the space, it was actually a little cozy, but I could hear some noise coming from outside.”
“It’s quite a comfortable position, unexpectedly,” TikTok user @tombotravelsjapan said in a video posted Wednesday. “It’s really good for the body, I don’t feel any pressure.”
The cafe promotion ended on Sunday, but the standing sleeping pods are expected to be sold by their manufacturer, Giraffenap.
The company did not reveal when or where it would sell the pods, but appears to be targeting them at businesses as a “comfortable office nap environment,” according to Giraffenap’s website.
Japan is not the only country deploying these pods, however. In 2019, a coworking space in New York was also equipped with pods allowing users to take a nap.
However, these pods have long been a staple in Japan.
Small capsule hotels are popular with budget travelers and night shift workers in Japan. Insider’s David McElhinney reviewed his $26-a-night stay at a popular Tokyo capsule chain.
Nescafé Harajuku and Giraffenap did not immediately respond to Insider’s requests for comment.
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