Japan: Day 24 — Hakone to Tokyo ...

The Odakyu Limited Express "Romancecar" train
I was up early for one last onsen before packing up and making my way back to Tokyo. The commute was straightforward. I hopped on the Hakone Tozan Train to the Hakone-Yumoto station. From there, I was able to reserve an observation deck ticket for the Odakyu Limited Express "Romancecar"  to Shinjuku. I wasn't sure exactly what the 'observation deck' meant but I read that you can sit at the very front or back of the train for wonderful views. There was very little difference in the ticket prices so I purchased one.

I had the entire car to myself for the ride down to Odawara. I sat at the very front of the train. It was quite special with the big open windows. There were some nice views but the day wasn't clear enough for one final glance of Mt. Fuji as we whizzed on past.

I was back at Shinjuku station in less than two hours and set out in search of a capsule hotel that wasn't too far from the station. I opted to go outside and walk around the station rather than go through it as the stations in Tokyo were extremely busy and huge and it was easy to get lost.

The Booth Net Cafe & Capsule Hotel (girl's room)
I followed my GPS to the hotel. Check-in time was twelve noon, which was wonderful. I could get into my bed immediately ... not that there was much to get into to.

I was staying at a place called the Booth Net Cafe & Capsule. It had very cool decor and the check-in was quick and easy. The place was spotless and there was an all girl's floor. While searching for capsule hotels online, I found that many don't allow women. Overall, it was a neat experience and one I thought I should have in case I never make it back to Japan.

I didn't spend much time in the capsule as there was very little space. I found a nice restaurant in the area for lunch and then ventured over to a park with a temple that I had missed during my first week in Japan. It rained a lot the first few days, so I didn't make it to a few places on my list. When I got to the park, I was too exhausted to enjoy it. I knew in my heart that I was done with touring around and ready to go home. I went back to the capsule hotel and set out to a pub for a beer or two and some dinner.

Shinjuku at night
After dark, it was apparent that Shinjuku was the heart of the red light district. Bars with pictures of barely dressed women on the doors were everywhere and men were coming up to me and aggressively pushing me to go to their restaurants. I had seen a sign warning tourists that people would do exactly that and once you got to their restaurant they would give you very strong drinks and scam or steal from you.

I opted for a small British Pub that was packed and smokey. I had a quick bite to eat before setting back out to the comforts of my tiny capsule. I had an early morning bus booked back to the Narita airport and the time couldn't quite pass quickly enough. I absolutely loved my time in Japan but was very looking forward to getting home! Thank you, Japan! What an amazing trip!

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