A 20-year-old female Japanese graphic designer, Noriko, felt, "The image of love hotels is more relaxed than it was before. Now, sometimes we [females] get together at love hotels and have a pajama party." It seems less taboo than when love hotels first gained popularity.

Those who have never been to Japan or Asia may not be familiar with the concept of love hotels. Still, these hotels have been an integral part of the culture and society for decades, serving as a place for couples to escape and enjoy intimate moments.

Originally, Japan's love hotels were used when prostitution became illegal and went underground. Love hotels also began in post-war Japan as a place for young married couples who lived with extended families in close quarters to come together in privacy.

The first love hotel, called Hotel Love, opened in Osaka in 1968. Since then, the number of Japanese love hotels has grown to over 35,000 nationwide. Due to increased demand, growing popularity among international visitors, and the increased safety and discretion of staying in love motels, more and more areas in Japan are seeing love hotels pop up.

Housing in Japan, which is limited by high real estate costs and population density, causes many families to share multi-purpose spaces and pull out futons at night, converting their daytime living space into a bedroom. This limits chances for couples with kids or living with their parents to have intimate relations.

Kosuke, a 23-year-old male from Osaka, admitted, “The reason why I use the hotels is that there are no other places to do that [sex], you know,” adding, “it’s also cheap if I choose a short stay.”

Living space is cramped and narrow, with thin walls and neighbors close enough to be within earshot, adding to the difficulty of enjoying private couple time. With the embarrassment of sounds traveling to neighboring apartments and the constraints on space, couples search for places where they can let loose, forget their surroundings, and indulge in their passion.

For this reason, love hotels have become places that offer short, two- to three-hour stay options, in addition to overnight stays. Bigger rooms, thicker walls, less window or external noise combined with fancy jacuzzi baths, plenty of free beauty and health amenities and a plethora of options that regular hotels don’t offer, appeal not only to married or young couples but for those looking to enjoy a fun and unique resort-style experience at budget prices.

Alongside the need for privacy and space, many people seeking discreet or convenient places to spend a couple of hours created a new market for love hotels, which began to spread across the country. Located conveniently near stations, highway exits, and party zones, it attracted a whole new market of people looking to extend their dates beyond the last train home.

Out of the forty people we surveyed, including both Japanese and foreign individuals, as well as males and females, 66% said they had visited love hotels. And 25% hadn’t but wanted to, making love hotels still an important and intriguing option for those in Japan. Jonathan, an American living in Yokohama, said, “I have visited many times. The sexual experience hasn’t always been pleasant, but the love hotel room itself has never disappointed me.”

Among the many reasons people visit love hotels, some of the most popular are young teens looking for a secret spot where their parents can’t find them, secret rendezvous between those having affairs, a place for underground prostitution, and travelers looking for short, budget-friendly stopovers while traveling. 53% of people surveyed felt love hotels were a cheaper option for accommodation and 76% said they decided to go to a love hotel based on fun themed rooms.” Jin, a Japanese male, stated, “Cheap. Fun. Flashy,” as his reason for going to love hotels.

Another winning feature of most love hotels in Japan is the anonymity, as no paperwork, ID, or face-to-face interaction is required. Usually, an electronic touchpad to select a room and payment made in-room via a checkout machine means there is no need to divulge names, relationships, private information, or even see a person face-to-face. A small window, where only hands are visible, as well as different elevators for in and out, makes it so that from start to finish, you never have to see anyone in the hotel if you don’t want to be seen.

As love hotels became more available and convenient, the clientele varied, and with it, so did the look and feel of love hotels. No longer just a place to get away, with the influx of visitors and competition between love hotels, decor and perks became integral for them to prosper. A better variety of amenities than fancy big-name hotels helped love hotels become popular alternatives to grand hotels.

With 84% of responders feeling that love hotels are fun, safe, and clean, the stigma of staying at a love hotel is no longer there. Rachel from Australia had an awkward experience with a love hotel. “I accidentally booked it when my parents visited because it was cheap. They were freaked out, but the room was cool and better than a lot of budget hotels or Airbnbs,” she reported. The big attraction to love hotels seems to be the work they put into the look and theme of the hotels.

In the bubble years of Japan (the 80s) and beyond, themes and the look of the hotel have become a driving force in determining whether a love hotel will succeed. The exterior of the hotels is designed to resemble fancy castles, luxury estates, or extravagant mansions, and some are even shaped in unique and bizarre forms, such as a UFO or a cruise ship.

The interiors also match the extravagance of the exterior, featuring fancy wallpapers, art, leather, vibrant lighting, and luxury furniture. Themed hotel rooms were created to cater to the various tastes of people visiting, including elegant imperial looks, anime and character themes, S&M dungeons, pirate ships, prisons, classrooms, offices, and train compartments.

Any fetish or desire one wanted could be found in a safe, private, and non-judgmental space. Commonly, during the peak of love hotel popularity, ending a date in a fun and fashionable love hotel became a standard practice. Much like fancy sports cars and jewelry, elegant, over-the-top love hotels became a status symbol that men used to impress women.

As the news and popularity of love hotels grew worldwide, many other Asian countries also saw love hotels spring up in their big cities. Many tourists from Europe and North America also flocked to Japan to experience love hotels themselves. Searching out tacky, quirky, and sometimes just weird love hotels became an adventure for love hotel enthusiasts. Everyone wanted to stay in the strangest, most colorful, and amusing hotel to show off to their friends and families back home. Chika, a Japanese university student, took her boyfriend, who was visiting from the US. “He wanted to see the hotel because it was colorful and interesting.”

Tom and his wife often visit love hotels to spice up their love life and take advantage of the free perks and amenities. “I love them. Probably the most underrated and misunderstood aspect of modern Japan. My wife and I go to them sometimes for a break. Some of them include food and beer, much cheaper than business hotels and a million times more comfortable. Bose stereos, massage chairs, rodeo machines, mechanical surfing machines, PlayStations, big-screen TVs...even went to one with a private rooftop onsen! And they even have other attractions the Missus likes...”

However, with the burst of the Japanese economy bubble and a change in the tastes of younger people, love hotels have also had to adapt and change to maintain their appeal.

Unlike in the past, when Japanese people got married and stayed with their extended families, resulting in large households, many Japanese singles tend to move out early, and once married, they often live apart from their parents.

This separation of living has caused the need to find private places to dwindle. Ryo, a mid-30s salaryman who lives near Shinjuku, said, "My apartment does the job. Love hotels are good for a lot of people, but I have other options for romancing a lady."

Many changed their names, designs, and marketing to seem less strange and more luxurious. The flashy lights and odd names were replaced with modern, sleekly designed signs and names. The interiors moved from gaudy carpeting, furniture, and randomness to an elegant, modern five-star hotel-style decor.

Video games and Karaoke machines were replaced with giant flat-screen TVs and Internet options. Food menus and in-room services became available with a variety of delicious and decadent Japanese and Western options. Becoming a member of the hotel also offers perks, such as free drinks, desserts, and room upgrades. Love hotels even changed their category names from 'Love Hotel' to 'Leisure', 'Amusement Space', or 'Boutique Hotel'.

Unfortunately, with all these changes and adjustments to appease government pressures, the original appeal of love hotels has started to decrease. Many competitive business hotels and regular hotels have started offering discount prices for short stays or day use at affordable rates. With big-name hotels offering competitive prices that resemble those of love hotels, many people are opting for mainstream hotels or Airbnb. By changing their look and removing the fun and mystery of love hotels, many have ironically lost their appeal to tourists and those seeking a fun escape.

But the love hotel hasn't disappeared. The current trend to keep love hotels afloat has been to rebrand them as more professional, modern, and affordable places for those looking for accommodation.

During peak vacation periods, many hotels are already sold out and booked well in advance, making accommodation in demand. Love Hotels, with their new and clean image, will benefit from this overflow from regular hotels.

Kana, a 28-year-old Japanese female who used to visit love hotels in the past with her boyfriend before they got married, mentioned, “There seem to be many people staying with their friends because it is cheap and spacious.” Love hotel owners have also noticed this and are once again pivoting their hotels to a different market.

Thinking ahead, many love hotels have reinvented themselves as a place of fun, resort-style getaway for friends and groups to gather and have parties. No longer just for couples, many love hotels have renovated their hotels to feel like day salons and beauty and health getaways.

Hair and face treatments, oil massages, face masks, aromatherapy, comfort, and beauty rooms that allow groups of young girls or guys to indulge in beauty and self-improvement are the trend. No longer the need to hide faces, identities, and be secretive, these love hotels have created beach island, chic New York, or fancy upscale backdrops for people to order in-room food and alcoholic sets along with various services to enhance a group experience.

Many have added kitchen cooking options for those looking to have food parties. The bathroom space and makeup counters have been widened for girls doing makeovers or facial and spa treatments. The rooms have couches and lounge furniture for people to gather and talk. Checkouts can even be as late as 3 PM, making it more appealing to those having late nights without the worry of having to check out early the next day.

Although these love hotels have updated their look and target audience, it is no secret that visits to love hotels have been declining over the years. Will love hotels disappear from the Japanese landscape? I highly doubt it. Much like they have in the past, they will face a variety of social, governmental, and external issues but will always adapt and find a way to adjust to the changing ideas of people.

They might change their name from love to leisure, amusement, or boutique. Still, Japanese love hotels will always remain an important and readily available option for those looking to find a short stay and a unique and different experience from a typical hotel atmosphere.

(This is a repost of an article originally written in July 2020)