Online but off the grid - Japan’s internet café homeless
In an example of interstitial existence that sounds like it leaped straight from the pages of a William Gibson novel, the Japanese government has announced that there are over 5,000 “internet café refugees” eking out a living at the bottom of the social strata, taking what temporary work they can and dossing down in 24-hour internet cafés in the absence of a home of their own. Even in the shadow of our ubiquitous technologies, the same social issues that have existed for centuries are following us into the future … [Image by Kai Hendry]
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:34 pm
It’s interesting; I’d heard that these things are in use by businessmen who quit drinking at 02:00 or later, and don’t want to sleep on benches until the first trains start running at 05:00 or so. I’ve also seen them touted as an alternative to youthhostels, esp. since many boast shower facilities.
This is the first I’ve heard about interstitial residency in them.
September 5th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Living in Japan, I’ve come into contact with these quite a bit. A friend of mine crashes out in one when he stays out drinking past last train (a ridiculously early 11:30pm).
Last week I went to one to check emails after our connection was cut for some reason. The one I used to use often has moved to a bigger place and you can choose between a reclining chair to browse in, or a ‘mat.’ I opted for the mat because a recliner isn’t conducive to sitting close the monitor or keyboard. But the mat was just that, a padded mat. It wasn’t quite enough for me to stretch out fully, but then at 188cm, I’m rather tall for this country.
If I can find a good one, it would be a good alternative to the claustrophobic capsule hotel when I go to Tokyo and go out drinking. In my town of 250k people, it’s a quite economical US$25 or so for a 5hr stretch.
My colleagues told me about a previous coworker, a heavy drinker with ’social problems’ who was evicted from his apartment and spent the last 6 months he was there living in cafes.
Hope you find these anecdotes intriguing.
September 7th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
[...] know how many of you have looked at the CHI 2008 Student Design Problem, but I found this little blurb from Wired that may help us get some motivation. Basically there’s a sizable amount of [...]
September 19th, 2007 at 9:36 am
[...] they can and dossing down in 24-hour internet cafés in the absence of a home of their own.” Link. (Futurismic via Bruce [...]
September 19th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
I visited an Internet cafe in Tokyo back in 2002. I don’t think it was open 24 hours a day but I could see people living in there, it was definitely dark enough. The food prices were kind of high, I seem to remember french frys being about 300 yen. However, it is good to know that if I find myself on the streets of the neon city after the trains stop I can catch a few z’s and check my email at the same time.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
[...] Online but off the grid - Japan’s internet café homeless — Futurismic (tags: Japan culture computers internet social toread) [...]
September 19th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
[...] boingboing and futurismic]The internet cafe refugees – no friends or prospects, and only a cubicle to call [...]
April 7th, 2008 at 2:05 am
[...] rel=”dc:source” property=”dc:titleOnline but off the grid - Japan??s internet caf? homeless Blog …Online but off the grid - Japan??s internet caf? homeless ?? Futurismic tags: Japan culture [...]