The Ever Evolving World of Japanese Internet Cafe

Japanese internet cafes are changing at a rapid pace. Internet caf? are not only used for viewing websites and checking e-mails - rather they are used as an entertainment space. For instance, the "Media Cafe POPEYE" in Shinjuku, Tokyo, which opened in 2004, has many of the newest service facilities.

In the café there are 200 private rooms furnished with a computer that people can use while maintaining their privacy. The rooms are built like spaceship cockpits and are equipped with comfortable reclining seats so you can relax. There are also massage seats, flat seats where you can take your shoes off and sleep, as well as seats for couples. When you feel like it, you can also use a computer in the public area.

The café provides super high speed 100 Mbps internet access for Internet use and enriched PlayStation 2 game software. People can also rent DVDs, MOs, etc. Offering far more than an ordinary internet cafe there are also more than 140,000 comics ranging from the latest publications to famed masterpieces, as well as the latest magazines.

Foreigners may be puzzled to learn that there are comic books in an internet café but it pays to know that many internet cafés in Japan evolved from comic book cafés. So it is a matter of course that internet cafés also provide comic books.

"Media Cafe POPEYE" which is open 24 hours a day throughout the year also has a billiards, darts, and tanning rooms. If that wasn't enough, showers and dryers are also provided free of charge, so you can stay overnight. Soft drinks are also free. You can drink as much as you like. You can purchase beer and a selection of foods. As previously mentioned, internet cafes are not just a place to use the internet, but also for entertainment and relaxing. The rooms feature a high ceiling which adds to the relaxed atmosphere.

Mr. MIYAKE Keisuke is the store manager of "Media Cafe POPEYE." He explains, "50 percent of customers use the facilities for activities besides the Internet. Foreign customers often use it for checking e-mails." The majority of customers are salarymen who go there for a rest. "Recently, the percentage of female customers has increased to about 40 percent. We provide lap warmers, women's magazines and their favorite foods. Many people who work late stay overnight. There was a businessman who once stayed for a week on business. There are also women who stay overnight, probably because we provide shower and washing items," Miyake says.

What about the charges? For private rooms, the cost is 290 yen (weekends 350 yen) for 30 minutes, and after that 70 yen (80 yen for weekends) per 10 minutes period. The weekday 3 hour package is 1,000 yen. A 5-hour night package is 1,200 yen (2,300 yen for Fridays, Saturdays and the day before national holidays). In fact, the charges are so reasonable that many people like to have a rest or stay overnight.

There are about 50 internet cafes in Tokyo's Shinjuku area alone and the intense competition has led many to create new services. Internet cafes will have to continue to evolve further by changing their style.

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