It is often said that the Japanese will do anything to avoid conflict. An assumption that arguably contains a fair amount of truth. Or at least it does if you consider the recent case of a man arrested for overstaying his welcome at a manga/internet cafe in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture.
Homeless Kentaro Shimada it seems quite enjoyed his private room at the cafe. So much so in fact that he stayed there for almost two months. Yes, you read that right — two months! He strolled in there on August 2nd, and didn’t leave again until September 26th.
Unusual it has to be said, but hardly a crime. Except that after his elongated stay, the 33-year-old fled without paying — leaving behind a whopping 520,000 yen (2,593 pound) bill. A figure that amongst other things included 140 drinks.
To their credit, the staff had asked Shimada-san to pay up; but the impudent internet lover waved them away each time, claiming he’d pay later — much later obviously.
Surprisingly, the fact that young Shimada is homeless – and manga cafes boast a whole host of amenities – has seemingly escaped the attentions of the police. The on the ball officers reportedly grilling him over his motives.
Justin says
didn’t they check the room when they closed for the night? i sure hope he got in his fill of Doraemon before they kicked him out.
ifrit says
Justin, I guess it’s 24 hours open 🙂
joel says
Yeah, Justin. Most internet cafes in Tokyo are open 24 hours a day. Subways stop running at around midnight-ish, so anyone who misses them usually buys a discounted hourly rate for the evening hours, sleeps there, and then gets on with business in the morning.
jk says
Why is Japan known for its conformity where if you tried this in the US, for instance, you wouldn’t last more than a day or two. The cops would drag your ass away on the very first day, even if you did pay your bills. A 33-year-old that reads manga for 2 days straight? Must be a terrorist or somethin’, let’s lock him up just in case.
Justin says
interesting. yeah i wasn’t sure of the hours. here i the US, all night comic shops are unheard of. oh well.