First Cabin Midosuji-Namba

I recently stayed in a first-class capsule at this property and was pleasantly surprised by how spacious it was. I was able to bring my luggage right into the capsule, which made settling in much easier than expected. The bed was generously sized and the mattress quite comfortable—perfect for relaxing after a long day. While the capsule itself was great, I did find that the TV only had Japanese channels, which may be a limitation for non-Japanese speakers. Also, the main room houses several air conditioning units, and because of the sliding door design, the noise from them is constant. I’d recommend bringing earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones if you’re a light sleeper. The location is a major plus—directly above Namba Metro station, making it super convenient for getting around Osaka. The on-site onsen was a welcome luxury after spending two full days at Expo. All in all, for a budget-friendly stay where I was mainly just sleeping in the capsule, this place met all my needs. A solid choice for solo travelers looking for comfort, convenience, and a bit of relaxation without breaking the bank.

Located pretty much above Namba station it's easy to get to from Shin-Osaka and is a few minutes walk from Dotonbori and the multitude of shops and places to eat/drink. Pretty much slap bang where you may want to be as a tourist. I was staying here for two reasons; the first being as a first time traveller to Japan I thought it would be interesting to stay in a capsule hotel (albeit a slightly more upmarket one) and the second being I was only in Osaka for about 22 hours with minimal luggage. My first main problem was that check in was at 5pm (which is somewhat later than the usual 2/3pm for most hotels). This was a problem for me as I had to be somewhere else for a guided tour at 5pm. As I just had a small rucksack with no lock then I wasn't going to hand it over to a random member of staff beforehand, so in the end I just used a storage locker in Namba station. It must have been after 9pm when I checked in on the 3rd floor. I was given my access card and a map of where my capsule was and all the amenities etc. My capsule was 460 on the 4th floor. I took the lift up one and then put my shoes in the shoe locker (don't forget the key!). I found my capsule OK, with pyjamas and a towel on the bed. I wasn't quite ready to go to sleep, so I stowed my bag in the lockable drawer under the bed and went to sit in the common area with a drink whilst I checked my email etc. On the way back to my capsule I had a look at the men's bathroom area on the 4th floor. I noticed there were plenty of toilets and sinks, but only a single shower. I guess they would prefer you to use the public bath on the 3rd floor, but I really couldn't be bothered with all the faff of having to go downstairs then lock valuables (or at least access card and drawer key) in a combination locker before going to get clean. Fortunately the next morning it wasn't busy and I was up early enough to jump in the shower. The capsule itself was fine, with a bed, table, TV (which I didn't use) and air conditioning (which I recommend). Note there is no lock on the door, it is secured in place my some magnets. Also as you aren't in a proper room, then you can hear all your neighbours rummaging about or snoring (because there's always going to be at leat one person doing so). I would highly recommend some earplugs! Thankfully I only had to endure one snorer and most of my neighbours were considerate enough not to make too much noise (as was I). I'm a pretty light sleeper, but managed to get a good few hours in and have no complaints on that front. Overall I'm glad I had the experience of staying in a capsule hotel and the facilities were fine. It was very clean and the staff were OK. If you just need somewhere to crash for a night and don't have much luggage, then it may be a viable option. But I think overall it's not really my sort of thing and I wouldn't stay in one in the future if given the choice.

[Pros] 1. Location in the heart of Namba 2. directly down to Namba station by lift 3. Convenient - there is a family mart opposite to the hotel 4. Big public bath (separately for female and male) 5. Clean room, comfortable bed, big TV 6. Private bathrooms are clean 7. Big TV in the room, but local channel only 8. Free towels, slippers and pyjamas [Cons] 1. Noisy room - there is only a glass door to separate the cabins and the corridor, when anyone pass by, it is very noisy as the glass door is not soundproof 2. Wifi is not fast enough 3. Lounge is tiny, only few tables, not suitable for business or work 4. Frontdesk staff is impolite! No smile and challenge my question 5. Expensive 6. No fridge for freezing