UPDATE | October 16, 2023
There are days when you want to meet and talk with friends, but find regular cafes a little boring. Or, there are days when you have free time and want to go out by yourself. For such a day, we will introduce three recommended places where you can have fun with friends or alone!
A manga cafe, also called a manga cafe, is a place where you can read many manga and magazines, like a library. However, unlike a library, the fee system is based on an hourly fee system. Also, you cannot take books home and borrow them.
However, there are various services other than unlimited manga reading, so you can have fun while spending your time.
For example, almost all manga cafes offer free internet service. That's why they are also called Internet cafes. You can connect your own device, but there is also a built-in computer. Seating can be broadly divided into open seating (shared space) and individual seating (individual booths/individual rooms). There are many different types of individual rooms. For example, in addition to a regular PC room, you can choose a theater room with a TV, a karaoke room where several people can play, a flat room, etc. depending on your purpose. Some stores even have DVD players and video game consoles in these rooms. There are also manga cafes where you can bring your own DVDs and games, and like manga, you may also be able to rent them. There are also places where you can rent board games, so you can enjoy them with your friends.
Also, many manga cafes offer unlimited drinks. Moreover, it is not uncommon to find manga cafes that offer all-you-can-eat curry, cup ramen, or soft serve ice cream. If you feel like you want something else, there are many stores that sell snacks inside the store.
A feature of many manga cafes is that they are open 24 hours a day. However, the price varies depending on the time. There are popular and unpopular times, so for example, weekday mornings when there are fewer people at work or school are often cheaper than weekday evenings or weekends. If you'd like to try out Manga Cafe, we recommend making a reservation in advance, as it can get crowded during popular times. Also, when using the service, you must first decide on a time to use it. However, it can be extended, so you don't have to worry about it. However, if there is no hope for an extension, there are some things to be aware of. If you exceed your scheduled time, many manga cafes will automatically extend the time and charge an additional fee, so be careful to return to the reception desk before the time is up.
The reason I recommend it as a place to hang out with friends is that you can watch movies and dramas on DVDs and video streaming services together, and there is plenty of space to play board games. If you want to have some fun by yourself, you can rent manga and DVDs, use game consoles, and surf the internet while enjoying unlimited drinks.
Animal Cafe is a coffee shop where you can interact with various animals. Also called animal cafe or pet cafe. The name varies depending on what kind of animal is there, such as dog cafe or rabbit cafe. Like the manga cafes mentioned above, a pay-by-the-hour system is common.
If you love animals, we highly recommend you to try out this kind of cafe!
The characteristics of cafes differ depending on the animal, so here we will explain in more detail using cat cafes as an example.
First of all, what they have in common is that cats spend their time freely inside the store. You can see many cats sleeping and playing with other cats, and you can also play with the cats while using the toys in the store. You can pet your cat lightly while being careful, but be careful not to force your cat to do anything, as this may cause the cat to get tired or anxious and run away. You can also buy treats at many cat cafes, so you can enjoy watching your cat happily eat from your hand. It is also a shop that has snack gacha gacha machines. Please refrain from bringing in snacks or food from outside as it is against the rules. Finally, many cat cafes allow you to take pictures of your cat as long as the flash is turned off.
The services provided by the cafe often vary depending on the size of the cafe. For example, relatively large shops offer all-you-can-drink drinks, free Wi-Fi, charger rentals, unlimited manga reading, board games, and more, so you can enjoy reading books surrounded by cats and playing with friends. You can talk. Small cat cafes may not have Wi-Fi, but they are often cheaper than larger cat cafes.
Of course, there are cafes for not only cats but also dogs, small birds, rabbits, hedgehogs, owls, capybaras, and other animals. Depending on the type of animal, you may or may not be able to touch it directly, but either way, being close to the animal is appealing. You can play alone or with friends, so it's recommended for animal lovers!
A game center is a place where various game machines are installed and you can play by inserting money when using the game machines. Also called a game center.
The game center has game machines that can be played by one person or multiple people, so if you want to play games, we recommend them.
Generally, it costs around 100 to 500 yen to use a game machine, so you will need to have 100 yen coins available. However, you can play without any problems even if you don't have 100 yen coins and only have bills. This is because the game center also has a currency exchange machine. If you have 500 yen coins, 1,000 yen bills, 5,000 yen bills, or 10,000 yen bills, you can exchange them for 100 yen coins. However, if you insert a 10,000 yen bill, for example, you will get 5 100 yen or 10 100 yen, and the rest will come out as change. In other words, don't worry, a 10,000 yen bill will not become 100 100 yen coins.
Once you have prepared your 100 yen coins, you can start playing the game. But which game console should you choose?
There are many types of game machines, but the most commonly seen ones are crane games, video games, music games, and pre-made machines.
A crane game (or UFO catcher) is an arcade game where you collect prizes by lifting them up with a crane. Prizes include stuffed animals, figurines, cushions, and sweets. Basically, only one person can play on a crane game machine, but you can have fun and support each other even if you are with friends. However, there is a risk of spending too much money if you are not able to raise the bar well, so we recommend that you set an upper limit on how much you can spend before playing.
Video games allow you to play games similar to home game consoles. Examples include fighting games, racing games, and shooting games. The game can be played by one person or by multiple people.
Music games (music games, rhythm games) are games where you take actions in time with music. Examples of actions include pressing a button, hitting a drum, etc., and taking steps. A common goal in music games is to get a high score, so you can even compete with your friends for higher scores.
Puri machine (print sticker machine, Purikura) is a machine that can create instant photos as stickers. A unique feature of print machines is that you can edit and process the photos yourself before they are printed. Also, since there are basically two editing screens, you can edit with your friends at the same time. The types of editing you can do will vary depending on the printer, but you can create unique designs by changing the background, adding frames, text, and stamps, and using makeup functions. Recommended as a commemorative photo with friends.
There are various game consoles other than those listed above, so you can have fun playing alone or with friends.
[PR]
If you are wondering where to hang out in your free time, if you are tired of ordinary cafes, or if you want to have an unusual experience that is different from your usual life, please try the spots listed in this article just once. But please try it! It might even give you the opportunity to develop a new hobby!
An employee of ACCESS NEXTAGE Co., Ltd. Career Support Division for Foreigners. Originally from Belarus. She will come to Japan in June 2021 and will participate in the government-sponsored research student program at Ochanomizu University until March 2023. His hobbies are PC games, drawing, and international exchange.
[PR]
[PR]
