Today, I get to share an abandoned love hotel Ben and I stumbled upon. As much as Japan is a first world, advanced and clean society, a certain amount of decay exists everywhere which makes finding abandoned buildings sometimes a little tricky. Since Japanese people as a generalisation are super tidy, over growth and broken structures become the give always! When we spotted broken castle turrets in among over grown vines, we pulled over quick smart :)
This love hotel, called Route 2, became a magical time capsule, everything perfectly preserved inside, almost as if the owners had one day just decided to up and leave - mystery!
The broken turrets and over growth
This love hotel consisted of around 15 standing structures, each with a slightly different thing going on inside - some had fairly simple motel room layouts, whilst others (in the slightly higher price categories) had extra fun features - which Ben and I loved! Stain glass panel anyone?
Karaoke?
Love hotels, exist for couples to get away but also act as places for prostitution to occur and hey, maybe even the weary night traveling who needs some rest - although I was turned away from staying at a love hotel myself because I was single, so definitely frowned upon :P
Everything was in tact, the doona covers and sheets still on all the beds.
One room came with its own poker machine and a very old most wanted poster found in the office!
I tried to take photos of details I loved :)
Pink phone, obvious Fee choice
Pink phone, obvious Fee choice
Arcade game, anyone?
The most expensive room to rent came with two levels and its own indoor swimming pool!
Hand towels still hanging up
What the structures looked like from the outside - fairly boring
Tea sets in each room
One of the rates outside a room. You can usually tell which hotels are love hotels in Japan because you'll see two prices advertised, rest (usually a few hours) and then stay, similar to a normal hotel.
I loved this room, with its red bridge over to the bed!
And the gold tub - amaze balls!
Pretty star ceiling!
A vintage Nintendo system, which gave us some ideas to when the place had been abandoned from
What a cool place huh!
Those Famicom controllers! What a great discovery.
ReplyDeletehow awesome hey! It was like going back in time :)
DeleteOh my gosh this hotel is just awesome, especially that room with indoor swimming pool! Loving everything, including the decor. Is it protected by someone or it is free to go in and browse? If there is no security I wonder how there are still things in there!! Thanks for sharing this with us, it is officially the most awesome thing I've ever seen!
ReplyDeleteIt was all unlocked and open, Ben had thought a previous explorer may of found the keys in the office and did the unlock (???) the nice thing about abandoes in Japan is that the culture, it seems at least, has more respect for property. This place is a little ways out so probably doesn't get a lot of foot traffic but still amazing everything was still in order and no graffiti or destruction!
DeleteI can't believe how preserved this place is! I want to take that rotary phone home with me. and that vintage nintendo gun control! reminds me of duck hunt!
ReplyDeleteit was so amazing that it stayed so preserved after all these years! I'd love to know the backstory of it's abandonment
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