ROCKET NEWS


 

When you get that urge to pamper yourself like a princess while traversing the big city.

Are you a tired lady after a long day at work? Don’t feeling like waiting for Prince Charming to give you a lift? If you live in the vicinities of Tokyo’s 23 special wards, Mitaka, or Musashino (both in western Tokyo), then there’s a perfect solution–the Sleeping Beauty Taxi is at your service.

 

This one-of-a-kind ride lets you unwind from a stressful day in a luxurious, private vehicle and partake of some beauty and skincare amenities, all while comfortably sipping coffee on your ride home.

The promotion is now available by reservation thanks to a partnership between Nihon Kotsu, a taxi company, and Nescafé (thus the coffee connection). However, it’s only running on weekdays from 6 pm to midnight, in two rounds between May 17 to May 25 and May 28 to June 1, so this is your one and only chance, princesses of Tokyo!

 

Our Japanese-language reporter Sweetsholic from our sister site, Pouch, couldn’t resist the chance to try out the service for herself and immediately booked a ride on the opening day. Her excitement mounted as soon as she caught sight of her ride, a medium-sized Toyota Esquire van, waiting to sweep her off her feet near Roppongi Station. Not quite the noble steed of fairy tales, but definitely a lot more suited to the big city.

▼ The taxi drivers of this service are also all women, by the way.

 

Inside, she was immediately struck by the soft and luxurious material completely enveloping the seats and floor. She took off her shoes and let her toes sink into the divine fluffiness, feeling as if she were inside some high-end royal boutique.

▼ Even the curtains looked fit for a castle!

The driver promptly served her a cup of iced coffee to further add to the magic. Interestingly, the beverage was decaffeinated–a fairly unusual standard in Japan, but the driver explained that it was out of consideration for the majority of customers who request this taxi service at night shortly before going to bed.

 

Actually, the coffee wasn’t the only gift Sweetsholic received. She was also presented with a small skincare set and some face masks to take home, neatly wrapped in a satin gift bag.

In the backseat, there was also a packet of makeup-removing sheets, wet wipes, and a compact mirror in case she wanted to get started on her skincare routine before arriving home…

 

…as well as a neck massage roller and a futuristic-looking 3-D Eye

Magic massager to relax her tired eyes. (Don’t worry–no prickly spindles were to be found anywhere inside the vehicle.)

After soaking it all in, she reclined in her seat and marveled at the amazing amenities. The Eye Magic massager was particularly intriguing, so she strapped it on over her eyes. A warming sensation immediately struck her and she felt pressure being gently applied to her eye area, along with some gentle background music. She let herself be lulled to near sleep before the magic came to an end and she was dropped off at home.

Sweetsholic highly recommends trying out this service if you’re in need of a few minutes of special pampering on your commute home. Apart from the usual taxi fare, the reservation costs 410 yen (US$3.70) on top of another 410 fee for meeting you at a predetermined location.

 

Up to two people can take advantage of the service at any one time, and while the company doesn’t specifically state whether men can take part in the campaign, they do say the offer is designed for women.

Unfortunately, at this time, it appears that Nihon Kotsu has suspended taking any new reservations–but keep your eyes peeled to their website (Japanese only) in case they decide to open up a third round of magical rides.