Love Hotel Etiquette for Foreigners: I Almost Got Kicked Out (Guide)

I stood there, staring at a glowing panel of empty rooms in Shibuya, sweating through my shirt. The girl I was with—a local—looked bored. I looked like a deer in headlights. I tried to press a button. Nothing happened. I tried to walk to the front desk. There was no front desk. Just a small window and silence.

Then I made the mistake. I tried to “browse” a room by walking into an open door down the hall. A buzzer went off. A disembodied voice shouted something in angry Japanese. I froze. It was humiliating.

I didn’t know the rules. I thought it was a hotel. It’s not. It’s a system. A machine. And if you don’t know the etiquette, you will look like an idiot. I messed up so you don’t have to. (If you technically don’t even know how to get in, check out my guide on How to Book a Love Hotel.)

The “Panel” Panic: Don’t Touch, Just Look (At First)

The first thing that hits you is the panel. It’s a wall of lit-up photos in the lobby. I thought it was a touchscreen. I was poking it like an iPad. Wrong.

Most of these are physical buttons. You press the button of the room you want. If the light is OFF, the room is taken. If the light is ON/BLINKING, it’s available. Simple, right? No.

Once you press that button, a ticket might pop out, or the light will just change color. That is your commitment. You don’t get to go “check it out” first. You bought the ride. Go to the room. Do not wander the halls looking for “better views.” There are no views. There are only mirrors.

Shoes Off, Seriously (The Genkan Trap)

I walked into the room and kept my sneakers on. I was nervous. I just wanted to sit down. My date hissed at me.

“Shoes!”

Japanese love hotels have a tiny entryway called a genkan. It is usually tiled. There is a step up into the room. Do not step on the carpet with your shoes. This isn’t just a “culture thing.” It’s a hygiene thing. These floors see… a lot of action.

Take your shoes off at the door. Put on the slippers provided. If you walk on that carpet with your street shoes, you are the grossest person in Tokyo. Period.

The “Auto-Lock” Door: You Are Trapped (Sort Of)

This freaked me out. Once we were inside, I realized I forgot to grab a drink from the vending machine in the hall. I tried to open the door. Locked.

Love hotel doors lock from the inside automatically. You cannot leave until you pay. It locks you in to ensure privacy (no one bursts in) and payment (you don’t bolt). If you open that door, the system thinks you are checking out. The checkout process begins.

If you leave the room, your session ends. You pay. If you want to come back in, you pay again. Bring your snacks before you enter the room. Don’t be the guy banging on the door trying to get a Coke.

Checking Out Without Being Arrested

When we were done, I just opened the door and started to leave. The alarm sounded again. I nearly had a heart attack.

You must pay before the door unlocks.

Look for the machine near the door or the headboard. It’s usually a pneumatic tube system (old school) or an automated kiosk. You select “Checkout.” It tells you the price. You feed bills into the machine.

Only when the machine says “Thank You” does the door unlock. If you force the door, you are technically stealing. The staff will come. And they won’t differ from the police on this one.

No “Parties”: The 2-Person Rule

I once tried to bring a third friend—just to hang out, honestly—into a hotel in Shinjuku. We were stopped immediately. Most love hotels have a strict MAXIMUM 2 PEOPLE rule. No threesomes (unless specified), no parties, no guests waiting in the lobby.

Cameras are everywhere in the halls. They count heads. If you try to sneak a buddy in, you will be kicked out. Don’t argue. It’s policy. The business license depends on it.

Summary of My Failures

• Don’t browse rooms physically. Pick from the panel.
• Shoes off at the genkan. Non-negotiable.
• Don’t leave the room unless you are done. Ret-entry costs money.
• Pay the machine to unlock the door. Don’t force it.
• Two people only. Security is watching.

Love hotels are convenient, clean, and actually pretty fun. But they are not “hotels.” They are vending machines for privacy. Learn the buttons, follow the rules, and for the love of god, take off your shoes.