Have you heard of the famous Manga Kissa? In this article, we will talk about the manga café or internet café and how it can be one of the best options for cheap accommodation in Japan.
Manga Kissa [漫画喫茶] are places where you pay by the hour to stay in an environment that provides a space with a computer and access to a huge collection of mangas, books and free drinks.
In this article, we are going to randomly use the manga kissa, manga café, and internet café, but I want to let you know that both are the same thing, there is no difference.
It is often called Manga Café or Internet Café, but both usually provide the same things. Others go further and offer rooms for Spocha.
The word Manga Kissa [漫画喫茶] is translated as Manga Café, but its characters [喫茶] also mean tea house. The venue offers tea, coffee and soft drinks and sometimes alcoholic beverages. Kissa is short for kissaten [喫茶店].
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How does a Manga Kissa or Internet Café work?
As soon as you enter the place for the first time, you will need to . After that, you receive a ポイントカード that also serves to access other manga café of the same chain or franchise.
There are various types of private rooms and seats. If you plan to stay at a Manga Kissa, we recommend asking for the furatto [フラット], which is an enclosed space with a padded floor (tatame) and a computer with sufficient space that resembles a bed.
There are public chairs such as a Cyber Café or private chairs, some with massage chairs or recliners. You can also read in other spaces of the place or just grab a blanket and pillow to sleep. Some spaces are exclusively for women.
Prices for spending one night (12 hours) at an Internet Café or Manga Café range from 2,000 yen to 3,000 yen depending on the location or service offered.
After ing and choosing the type of accommodation you want, you will receive a form that indicates the number of the place you will stay. In this place you have access to a computer with very good internet and headphones.
You can leave the room whenever you want, pick up any manga or book, drink all you want, sometimes even have ice cream. Meals are paid for, you can order from the computer and they take it to your space.
The Manga Café also offers showers, washing machines, lockers, VR, video games, television, free Wi-Fi, and much more. Not all Manga Kissa offer everything; it is necessary to search for images of the location on Google Maps.
How is a Manga Kissa or Manga Café charged?
When choosing your seat, some places ask how long you want to stay. You can exceed this time, but you will be charged an additional fee if you exceed this time. On your computer and on the form you receive you will find price and time details. Coffee Manga usually follow the following average:
Responsive Table: Scroll the table to the side with your finger >>
| 30 minutes. | 200 yen |
| 1 hour. | 400 yen |
| 3 hours. | 1,000 yen |
| 5 hours. | 1,400 yen |
| 6 hours. | 1,200 yen |
| 8 hours. | 1,500 yen |
| 12 hours. | 2,000 yen |
You can use the beverage machines at will, but instant snacks, shower and other amenities may be charged separately. Some locations offer a simple breakfast for free.
On weekends the price is usually around 300 yen more expensive. Be careful not to overstay, they may charge 100-150 yen for every additional 15 minutes you stay.
You can find the ideal manga kissa using Google Maps and searching for the : manga kissa [マンガ喫茶], intaanetto kafe [インターネットカフェ] or the name of the network you want to find.
The best Manga Kissa in Japan
There are several franchises of Manga Kissa as well as some individual manga cafés and locations. Below I will list some of the most popular internet café and manga café franchises in Japan:
- Kaikatsu Club;
- Gera Gera;
- Manboo;
- appreciate;
- Space Create;
- Customa;
- Great Cyber Café;
- Media coffee Popeye;
As unfortunately I only had the chance to try the Kaikatsu Club, it stands as my highest recommendation. My friend said second best is Aprecio. Of course this depends on taste, I think it pays to test each one, especially the ones that are not part of a manga kissa franchise or chain.
In big cities like Osaka and Tokyo you can find many different and unique Manga Cafés. There are innovative manga kissa that can sometimes even have onsen, beds or that look more like a hostel than a manga cafe.
It is believed that the first Manga Kissa or Manga Café appeared in the 1960s in Nagoya and Tokyo.
My experience at Kaikatsu Club - Comic Internet
When I was in Japan, I stayed 3 times in a Kaikatsu Club, the first time I slept in a karaoke room while my friend stayed in the furatto [フラット]. The good thing about the karaoke room is the long bench that allowed me to stretch out completely.
Fortunately, the second time I went to Kaikatsu Club the furatto I got was quite large and allowed me to stretch out completely, even being 1.80. This time I had the chance to test the internet and watch 4k videos loaded instantly.
It was an amazing experience, much cheaper than hostels that usually cost over 3,000 yen, and sometimes they didn't even have good Wi-Fi. The only downside I had at the Kaikatsu Club is the luggage issue, but I didn't even look for details on that, as I didn't have the bags.
To this day, I keep my Manga Kissa Kaikatsu Club [快活CLUB] card, my friend used to call this place komikko intaanetto [コミック＆インターネット], only after I went to understand that these ideograms were kaikatsu which means lively, cheerful, and rest.
I hope you enjoyed the article! If you liked it, share it with your friends and leave your comments... If you have any questions, just leave them in the comments. It is essential to visit an Internet Café or Manga Kissa when in Japan! I recommend it!
