This branch of the 9 hours capsule hotel is located near Namba station. On the same trip that I visited The Millennials in Kyoto, I stayed at this hotel as well. It is another modern capsule hotel which seem to be getting more popular is Japan’s larger cities. Let’s have a look at my experience staying at this hotel for a night.
The entrance was a little difficult find, the entrance is found 1 level above street level in the shopping mall above Namba station. There is a big sign for the hotel at the bottom of the escalators you need to take to get up to the hotel.
9 Hours Check-in
Check-in was easy and went smoothly, I just need to fill in some information on an iPad. The I got given an access card with a QR code which you scan to get access to your locker, bathroom and the sleeping hall. It also contains all your capsule and stay information which is very helpful. It worked really well, I had no issues using the access card.
The 9 Hours “room”
The sleeping halls are split into male and female dormitories and they look futuristic, its very cool. The capsules are look like what I thought a capsule hotel would look like which was exciting. There is plenty of room inside the capsule, I could move around and sleep comfortably (I’m about 180cm/6 foot). The mattress and pillow were comfortable and the temperature was kept at a nice range throughout the hotel. You get a bunch of USB ports for charging your devices and control for the lights within the capsule.
Capsule with screen down – 9 Hours hotel 
Capsule – 9 Hours hotel 
Pillow and headspace – 9 Hours hotel 
Capsule control panel and power – 9 Hours hotel 
Capsule foot space – 9 Hours hotel
Facilities
Bathroom/locker room
Locker room – 9 Hours hotel 
Bathroom area – 9 Hours hotel
The locker room and bathroom is separated by gender as well and is access using your QR code. You also use the QR code to unlock the locker that has been assigned to you. In your locker you get an amenities kit with some toiletries, pajamas and some slippers. The lockers are full length so you get plenty of room to store your luggage, this is important as there is not much room in the capsules to store your items. The locker area is connected with the bathroom which has plenty of sinks, toilets and showers for guests.
Shower aisle – 9 Hours hotel 
Shower – 9 Hours hotel
There are plenty of showers in the bathroom, so you shouldn’t ever have to wait too long for a shower. Soap, shampoo and conditioner are all provided within the shower booth. Each booth has a rain shower as well as a detachable head to suit your preference.
Toilet aisle – 9 Hours hotel 
Toilet – 9 Hours hotel
Again there are plenty of toilets in the bathroom so waiting shouldn’t be an issue. The toilets were clean throughout my stay at the hotel. As a bonus all the toilets are technology enhanced Japanese toilets. So if you are brave, you can have some fun playing with all the features :).
Common Area
In the lobby, next to the check in desk there is a common space which some guests use for eating or getting some work done. There is a large table with plenty of seats so many guests are able to use. There is also many power points for those who need to charge devices.
Summary
Overall, I really enjoyed my stay at the 9 Hours Namba capsule hotel. It nicely fit the idea I had in my head for what a capsule hotel would look like. It was modern, clean and comfortable. The access card was novel and work well throughout my stay. For a very reasonable price you can stay at a high quality location if you are willing to share amenities with other guests. YOU can make a booking for this hotel here.
Have you stayed at a 9 Hours capsule hotel or any other capsule hotel? What did you think of the experience? Would you do it again? Comment with your experience below, we would love to hear it.