In Korea, “concept” cafes are ubiquitous - you can enjoy your coffee with kittens, houseplants, comic books, board games, and an endless variety of other distractions. In Japan, today’s “love motels” offer a similar array of kitschy themes and oddities to suit any taste or fetish, charged by the hour or overnight - no reservation required! We stayed in a Caribbean-themed love motel in Fukuoka during our 17-day Kyushu roadtrip in the winter of 2024. It was like being in Vegas, but a lot cheaper!

Love motels began post-WWII at a time when extended families still lived together in a single household — but dating practices were becoming more… liberal. Couples wanting a little privacy would spend some intimate time at hotels that charged by the hour. The concept exploded along with the economic boom in the 1980’s and 1990’s, with competition driving additional frills and amenities to capture the market. Beyond just a bed and privacy, love hotels began offering in-room spas, a broad array of toiletries, sex toys and related products, pornography, and so on…

With more singles living on their own now and an aging population, love motels have adapted by offering all sorts of themes and packages appealing to a broader demographic. Today’s love motels are not just aimed at couples looking for a quick hook-up; they have become a place for theme-oriented bachelorette parties, honeymoons, health and beauty retreats, birthdays, business functions, family vacations, and more. The hotels often feature pools, gyms, full-service food menus, and a variety of entertainment options (beyond porn). Look closely, though, and you can still find the sex toys in the gift shop LOL!

Staying in a theme hotel was a fun experience and the history of the “love hotel” concept explains the lavishness of hotels in Japan. You never have to carry toiletries - hotels in Japan have become a place for the beauty industry to market their products. Most hotels have a kiosk chock full of free brand-name sample-size shampoos, conditioners, perfumes, body and face cleaners, lotions, and more. Rooms feature hair straighteners, curling irons, brushes, face razors, make-up tools… Over the top amenities! At the hotel we stayed at in Fukuoka, we had an in-room wet sauna and whirlpool, in addition to an onsen-style bathing station… plus karaoke and casino machines.

Other Attractions in Fukuoka

We didn’t travel to Fukuoka specifically for the love motel, of course. The city has more to offer and we enjoyed exploring the castle ruins at Maizuru Park and strolling lakeside in Ohori Park.

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But the city really comes alive at night. Thousands of office workers hop bar to bar on their way home from a busy day, meeting up with friends or co-workers to grab little bites and drink sake cocktails at tiny shops that open late and close in the wee hours of the morning. A couple of tips: arrive early or make a reservation for popular restaurants and izakaya (bars). One night, we wandered around for two hours and never did find a place to eat. We ended up going to a supermarket and buying some snacks for our evening meal. Every place was packed to the gills! Also, the night market at Seiryu Park along the Naka River is a well-known tourist attraction — it is brimming with foreigners waiting in long lines to eat over-priced food. Worth checking out for the spectacle, but go elsewhere to eat. Our favorite food memory from Fukuoka was a local izakaya near our hotel; we were the only foreigners and the counter full of elderly regulars got a kick out of interacting with us.

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