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Hindustan Times

Japanese hotel offers mini beds and pyjamas for stuffed toys, all for just $3

In a heartwarming effort to cater to a growing trend, a Japanese hotel chain is now offering mini beds and pyjamas for stuffed toys, winning over young travellers who rarely hit the road without their plush companions, reported the South China Morning Post. For an additional 300 yen, guests receive a miniature bed and toy-sized pyjamas.(Pexel/Representational image) On June 25, the Japanese hotel chain Toyoko INN introduced a service where, for an additional 300 yen (about US$3), guests receive a miniature bed and toy-sized pyjamas for their stuffed animals to use during their stay. A representative from Toyoko INN told J-Cast News that he often travels with stuffed animals himself and hopes the offering will strike a chord with Generation Z travellers. The response, he said, has exceeded expectations, with the chain now planning to expand the service to more locations. Many young people in Japan have embraced the idea of travelling with plush toys, dressing them up and including them in every aspect of their trip. Some tuck them into backpacks with transparent windows, while others carry them in their arms. Photos of plush toys in restaurants, on bullet trains, and tucked into hotel beds have gone viral on social media. Chiikawa One traveller brings Chiikawa, a shy and tearful white hamster from a Japanese manga series, on every trip across Asia. He takes it to restaurants, styles it in adorable outfits, and arranges it in different sleeping positions on hotel beds. Another social media user shared snapshots of two Japanese amberjack plush toys on a bullet train, writing, 'My little fish loves watching the scenery roll by. It was so happy it flipped onto its belly.' The emotional connection behind this trend runs deep. Wang Liufeng, a psychology consultant with the Chinese Association for Mental Health, explains the comfort plush toys offer: 'They do not talk, they do not judge, but they are always by your side. It is a form of unconditional emotional support,' said Wang. The movement has gained traction outside Japan as well. In China, travel-related posts featuring plush toys have racked up over 10 million views. In April, a user named 'do not Wanna Get Up' took two stuffed dog toys on a tour of Europe, photographing them at 18 different tourist attractions. 'Everywhere I went, strangers wanted to take pictures with my plushies. It made me even happier than being in the photos myself,' she said. Earlier in January, a woman in Shanghai brought a stuffed eggplant toy on a flight and placed it in the seat next to her. A flight attendant buckled it in, delighting passengers around her. As one online observer perfectly put it: 'One look at my plush toy, and all the memories from that trip come rushing back. That is their magic.' Toyoko INN's initiative has been widely praised online. 'Affordable and heartwarming, this is truly a hotel with love,' wrote one user. 'I feel like my five teddy bears will fight over who gets to sleep in the special bed,' joked another. (Also Read: Japanese princess flies economy class, praised for her humility as viral photo wins hearts)