Introducing '9h (Nine Hours),' a capsule hotel that offers accommodation tailored to urban living and a new kind of stay. Since its debut in Kyoto in 2009, the brand has expanded to 12 locations, widely recognized for its high-quality services for urban dwellers and its sophisticated design that has redefined the image of capsule hotels. On December 1, 2019, the 13th location, 'Nine Hours Suidobashi,' will open. Let's explore its design and services.

The 13th Nine Hours location, 'Nine Hours Suidobashi,' offering a transit service for urban dwellers, opens on Sunday, December 1, 2019.

Its name derives from basic human actions: '1h (to wash away sweat) + 7h (to sleep) + 1h (to prepare) = 9h (Nine Hours).' Beyond just accommodation, it has consistently provided convenience that goes beyond a mere capsule hotel, offering services tailored to urban life such as use as a running station and desk rentals for work or study.

One notable aspect of Nine Hours is its exceptional design.

The architectural design for this Suidobashi location is by architect Hisakazu Hirata, who has previously worked on the Akasaka, Otemachi, Asakusa, and Shin-Osaka branches.

The area around Suidobashi Station, with its active flow of major transportation routes like the Shuto Expressway and the JR Chuo-Sobu Line, and the dense cluster of buildings surrounding them, is characterized by elevated levels. The plan envisions a hill-like structure suddenly appearing on a virtual ground plane set at this altitude.

This space, created in mid-air as if carving out a section of the 8-story building, becomes a lounge that captures the surrounding cityscape from 360°, embodying the new style of stay that Nine Hours proposes: a direct connection to the city.

On the first floor, 'REC COFFEE,' a Fukuoka-based specialty coffee roaster, will open its first standalone store in Tokyo.

Furthermore, three more locations are scheduled to open sequentially in the first half of 2020: Nagoya Station, Hamamacho in Tokyo, and Hanzomon in Tokyo.

'Nine Hours Nagoya Station,' the first in the Nagoya area, is slated to open in February 2020 near JR Nagoya Station, a major terminal station second only to Tokyo and Osaka. Architect Keiji Ashizawa is responsible for the interior and penthouse design.

The 10th-floor penthouse will serve as a lounge space, offering business travelers a place to concentrate on their work. Additionally, the first floor will feature 'GLITCH COFFEE@9h,' similar to the Nine Hours Akasaka location, offering world-class specialty coffee.

In the Tokyo area, 'Nine Hours Hamamacho' is scheduled to open in March 2020, followed by 'Nine Hours Hanzomon' in June 2020.

Architect Hisakazu Hirata is also in charge of the architectural design for these locations. Hamamacho, the gateway to the city from Haneda Airport, and Hanzomon, near the verdant Imperial Palace area, will each feature an exterior that resonates with their respective neighborhoods and interior spaces that blend seamlessly with the landscape, allowing guests to enjoy a stay that is directly connected to the city.

With these four openings next year, Nine Hours will expand to 16 locations nationwide. By concentrating its openings in highly convenient locations, we anticipate even greater convenience in the future.

Nine Hours Suidobashi
Opening Date: December 1, 2019 (Sun) 13:00
Address: 3-10-1 Kanda Misaki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Nearest Station: 2-minute walk from JR Suidobashi Station West Exit
Business Hours: 24 hours, year-round