We can contain you
There are a lot of unusual accommodations around Japan, but if you’re looking for one of the newest and most convenient places to stay, you can’t go past Hotel R9 The Yard. This chain with the industrial-sounding name is notable for its unique lodgings, which are made out of storage containers. This unusual style of accommodation first opened its doors to the public in December 2018, and when it was used to alleviate accommodation shortages at the time of the Tokyo Olympics, it became increasingly well-known. According to the chain’s official website, as of January 2025, 101 branches are being developed nationwide, and judging by the great reviews, it’s likely to become even more popular. Located outdoors with no shared walls, this may be future of travel while social distancing. This site is located in a good position near a number of tourist sites, and it’s also close to a golf course, making it a popular place to stay for golfers. With parking directly outside your door, hauling luggage, or golf clubs, in and out of your car is a breeze, and the orderly setup of the rooms gives the place a neat look and feel.
Given all the open space required for such setups, the hotels are located in smaller, countryside cities rather than main cities. You can get great deals on stays when booking at online accommodation sites, with prices starting at $38 a night. This gets you free Wi-Fi, amenities such as towels, gowns, and toothbrushes, and even hot drinks and light food. After I had checked-in and paid, the front desk staff told me to pick an item from the freezer in the lobby for breakfast. The freezer contained three types of frozen onigiri (riceballs), and three types of frozen pasta. Not really breakfast food in my opinion, but free food is free food. I picked a tuna onigiri and a seafood pasta before heading to my container.
The facilities are surprisingly luxurious, with a separate container for the front desk, and one container each for the laundry and vending machines. As for the rooms, each guest gets an entire storage container to themselves, and it’s well secured with a heavy, lockable door. The setup inside is similar to what you’d find in a business hotel, with a full-length mirror and coat hooks by the door, a TV and desk and chair at the back. There is a TV, fridge, kettle, free tea/coffee bags, hair dryer and most unusually, even a microwave. This is to heat up the frozen food you picked in the lobby. This is also an air humidifier in case you want to run the air-conditioning at full blast.
There’s even a window to let in some light so you don’t feel totally boxed in. Unlike many hotel rooms, this place gives you a reasonably sized fridge and freezer and your own microwave. You get your own bathroom inside the container, complete with sink and shower! The room we stayed in was beautifully spick-and-span, and the high-quality Simmons mattress gave us a great night’s sleep. With check-in beginning at 3:00 p.m. and check-out at 10:00 a.m., this is a very convenient place to stay. Plus, there’s something surprisingly wonderful about not having to wait for elevators or travel between floors like you would at a regular hotel, and having your car in sight and in a short walk as it makes you feel like you’re staying in your own private bedroom.
Accomodations
My local ski resort was ripped off last week for around $900.
The robber stole a burger, two beers, and some chips.
A large group of Japanese tourists finished their visit to the Sid Richardson collection of Western art in Fort Worth. As they descended the stairs, the friendly Texan guide said goodbye in the local vernacular calling after them, “Y’all come back now, you hear?” With that, the entire group turned and walked back up the stairs.
A frustrated Japanese father vented, “When I was a youngster, I was disciplined by being sent to my room without supper. But in my son’s room, he has his own color TV, telephone, computer, and CD player.” “So what do you do?” asked his friend. “I send him to MY room!” exclaimed the father.
A man is staying in a hotel. He walks up to the front desk and says, “Sorry ma’am, I forgot what room I’m in, can you help me?”
The receptionist replies, “No problem, sir. This is the lobby.”
February 4th Birthdays
1989 – Dallas Lovato, 1984 – Natalie Krill, 1996 – Aimee Lou Wood, 1913 – Rosa Parks
1973 – Oscar De La Hoya, 1746 – Tadeusz Kosciuszko, 1945 – David Brenner, 1906 – Dietrich Bonhoeffer