The low birth rate and aging population were serious... Love Hotel, Funeral Home Transformation Topic
Mar 19, 2025
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According to Hong Kong media South China Morning Post, a Japanese netizen posted photos and articles, saying that the Love Hotel in Saitama Prefecture has recently been turned into a funeral hall. He then argued that it was a sign of an aging society with a low birth rate.
The Love Hotel, which appeared in Japan in the late 1960s, grew rapidly during the peak of the Japanese economy known as the 1980s 'Bubble Era'.
It was popular among couples for privacy and comfortable rest areas. In particular, various themes such as spacecraft, animation, and Wonderland also delivered fun.
However, as the low birth rate and aging population continue, the Love Hotel, where consumers have decreased, is on the decline.
If you look at the pictures of Saitama's funeral home posted online, the rooms of the past gorgeous Love Hotel are now painted white, creating a solemn atmosphere.
Netizens are saying, "This is what it means to be like from the cradle to the grave 'Da'", "Some people may start and end their lives in the same place',''I don't want my funeral to be held in the old Love Hotel" be posting comments such as.
The emergence of the Love Hotel in Japan coincides with the country's second baby boom, with the annual number of births exceeding 2 million between 1971 and 1974.
Recently, however, the number of love hotels and the birth of newborns have been decreasing together.
Japan's birth rate fell 5 percent on-year to a record low of 729,988 in 2024, according to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, which declined for the ninth consecutive year.
On the other hand, the elderly population increased to 36.25 million, and the population aged 65 or older accounted for 29.3% of the total population. There is also an estimate that the elderly population will account for 34.8% of the total population by 2040.
According to statistics released by the Japanese National Police Agency, the number of registered love hotels also decreased from 5,670 in 2016 to 5,183 in 2020.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
