Arielle Busetto, JAPAN Foward

On July 3, the first esports hotel in Japan opened its doors to guests. Called “e-ZONe — 電脳空間,” which translates as “cyberspace,” it promises to be an innovative venue for game enthusiasts.

Once you walk into the Nipponbashi, Osaka, neighborhood where it’s located, it’s not hard to figure out why the theme was picked for the hotel.

Takahiro Shimamoto, in charge of public relations at e-ZONe, explained to JAPAN Forward how the fortuitous choice of making it into an esports hotel came about.

“Initially, we just wanted to open a hotel in Nipponbashi. But then we looked at the location, and we wanted to differentiate ourselves a little from our competitors. Given that the area is known for otaku culture, we thought we would make the link with esports,” he said.

And it certainly seems a suitable choice, with the futuristic dark exterior, which fits neatly with the surrounding atmosphere.

So what exactly does an esports hotel entail? Over nine floors, the establishment caters to a variety of the preferences of those wanting to enjoy esports and meet like-minded fans in a comfortable setting.

Want to attend an esports event? The hotel’s first to third floors, with 72 computers split between them, play host to esports-related events. Here, computers can be used for up to 18 hours.

From the fourth to the eight floor, the hotel offers accommodations. Capsule-style rooms are available for men between the fourth and sixth floor, and for women on the eighth floor.

For those who wish to have some privacy and perhaps play games online with other people, there is also a private room plan, with a computer conveniently located in your room. Rent one of these and you can enjoy video games to your heart’s content around the clock.