Here I am in Tokyo. It’s 11 p.m. and I’m standing outside a ‘Manga Kissa’. What, you might ask, is a ‘Manga Kissa’? Well, ‘Kissa’ is a Japanese word for café and ‘Manga’ are Japanese comic books. And this is where I’m going to stay the night. But don’t worry, I’ve done my research and according to my guidebook, Manga cafés are a good choice if you’re looking for somewhere cheap to spend the night.
Manga cafés are everywhere in Japan. In the past, they were places where you could go to read Manga for a few hours and escape the busy streets. Now they have become something different. They offer internet access and computer facilities as well as Manga books. They’re open 24 hours and they sell food and drinks. People often use them as a cheap form of accommodation – you pay per hour for your time in the café, but it’s much less expensive than a hotel. So, I’m going to stay the night in a Manga Kissa. Well, as they say, ‘You have to try everything once!’ Let’s go inside.
So, here we are inside the café. There are walls and walls of Manga books displayed from floor to ceiling. There are thousands of them! I haven’t seen anything like this before! According to the guidebook, Manga is popular with men and women of all ages in Japan, not just teenagers. They are a very important part of Japanese culture and Manga artists are very respected. There are quite a lot of people here. Some look like travellers, but a lot of people are local. Some are reading, but most people are watching videos and playing games on computers. Nobody’s serving food, but if I need something to eat there are loads of vending machines. Wow … there’s an enormous choice. All kinds of soft drinks, pot noodles, ice cream …
So I’m now outside my room. I’m just taking off my shoes – everyone leaves their shoes outside the room – and now I’m going to have a look inside. Well, it’s not exactly a room – it’s tiny and the walls only reach as high as my shoulder. And the bed’s not really a bed, but a kind of long, flat seat, like a bench … but there’s a blanket. It’s not exactly five-star accommodation, but I’ve got my own personal, private space and that’s what matters. I think I’m going to sleep very well in here.