Link: Tourists Are Flocking to Japan - and Leaving Their Luggage - Unseen Japan

One hotel at least has found a neat way to deal with abandoned suitcases without the headache of disposal. Hotel Niwa in Chiyoda, Tokyo has a greenhouse where it grows herbs and vegetables that it uses in the hotel’s restaurants. Among the planters they use are customer’s abandoned suitcases. The hotel hit upon the idea when it started growing food using fallen leaves, egg shells, and used coffee grounds as compost. While searching for planters to use, the general manager’s eye fell upon the large collection of left-behind, busted-ass suitcases that the hotel hadn’t gotten around to disposing. It now grows eggplant, tomato, and other veggies in the suitcases. Managers say the cases are light and, so long as the wheels aren’t broken, easy to move around. Hotel Niwa, which has operated since 2009, says they see customers leave behind one or two suitcases monthly. Using them as planters means they don’t have to hassle with the monetary and time cost of disposing of them. The entire greenhouse project has been so successful that the hotel has started beekeeping, which gives its chef a supply of fresh honey for their culinary creations. #

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