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On April 24, 2025, HOTEL R9 The Yard Yabuki held its grand opening in Yabuki Town, Fukushima Prefecture.
This is a new type of business hotel run by the hotel chain R9 HOTELS GROUP , and has branches throughout the Kanto region and Okinawa Prefecture
Unlike previous hotels, the hotel is made up of portable containers that have been customized into comfortable rooms and lined up around the premises
that this new concept " container hotel " had made its first foray into the Tohoku region, I immediately went to stay there.
What is a container hotel? What are its features?
A group of containers and a large parking lot seen from the entrance facing the national highway
The building is a "single-story row house" of independent rooms made from containers with an original design by R9 HOTELS GROUP, spaced apart on the site
The red pillars stand out against the black container
The exterior is unified in a calm black color scheme, with red accents creating a stylish atmosphere
Each unit (building) is completely independent, and there is space between them so you cannot hear the sounds from the container next door, maintaining privacy
The containers are spaced far enough apart for people to pass through
Containers also have excellent mobility features, and it is expected that they can be easily relocated to disaster areas in the event of a disaster or other emergency and used as temporary housing
Another characteristic of containers is that they are highly airtight, making them suitable for efficient heating and cooling by air conditioners
This one unit is all you need to control the temperature inside your room
In fact, the day we checked in was a midsummer day with temperatures exceeding 30°C, and when we stepped inside the container it felt like a sauna, but with the air conditioning on full blast it became a comfortable temperature within about 15 minutes
There are three types of container rooms at HOTEL R9 The Yard Yabuki
A Simmons bed with just the right amount of firmness to provide a good night's sleep
All rooms can accommodate one person, and all beds are made by Simmons, which is known for its comfort
The door is an auto-lock, but there is keyless entry, where you enter a pin number provided at check-in on a tablet next to the door, so there is no need to worry if you accidentally get locked out
In the twin room where I stayed, Room 3, there is a keyless entry touch panel under the entrance light
This time I stayed in a twin room (13m², capacity 2 people)
The furniture in Room 3 is functionally arranged, and although it is compact, the high ceiling gives it an open feel
There are two semi-double size beds (100-120cm wide) arranged in an L shape
Two outlets at the back of the bed and two outlets next to the refrigerator/freezer
There were two outlets by each bed and two next to the refrigerator/freezer, which were very useful for charging smartphones and PCs (all rooms have free Wi-Fi)
A spacious and clean unit bathroom that you wouldn't expect from a compact container
Even though it is a container house, the shower water pressure is high and comfortable
The unit bath has a toilet with a heated toilet seat, and is provided with shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and hand soap
Clean bath towels and face towels
Towels include bath towels and face towels for each person
The TV is placed in a position that is easy to see from the bed
The TV is wall-mounted and can be used to watch VOD (for a fee), and underneath it is an air purifier with a humidifying function that makes the air in the room comfortable
The large refrigerator has ample storage space and is suitable for long-term stays
The hotel's largest refrigerator-freezer and microwave oven are available for storing and heating complimentary frozen meals or food and drinks you bring with you
There was also an electric kettle, a hair dryer, and a folding mirror on a shelf with a mini table on casters
A deodorizing and disinfecting spray that is a great thing to have
In addition, almost everything you might need is provided, including deodorizing and disinfecting spray, hangers, slippers, clothes brushes, tissues, and trash cans
The shampoos provided in the rooms are from Bon Perle, which exude a sense of luxury
In addition, toothbrush sets, hairbrushes, T-shaped razors, cotton swabs, body towels, and nightwear (one size fits all) are available free of charge at the front desk
Amenities available at the front desk
In addition, the double room (13 m², capacity 2 people) has one double-size bed (width 131-151 cm), a desk and a massage chair that can be used as much as you like
The Deluxe Twin Room (24 m², maximum capacity 4 people) has two double beds, a mini kitchen and dining table, a separate sink and a separate bathroom and toilet
Large parking lot where you can park wherever you like
Large parking lot, if available you can park right in front of your room
There is a large free parking lot where you can park freely, and if you park near your room it will be easy to take your luggage in and out
However, there is a step at the entrance to the container, so you may have some difficulty getting your wheeled suitcase in and out
Self-service free drinks
There is a drink corner next to the front desk, and the tablet for automatic check-in is visible on the left
Dotour drip pack coffee and two types of tea (Earl Grey and Chamomile & Peppermint) are available in the front building, and you can help yourself to as much as you like
All-you-can-drink delicious coffee and tea
Take it back to your room along with a cup, milk, and sugar, boil some water, and enjoy it at your leisure
A free snack corner
The room is equipped with a freezer for snacks, chopsticks, spoons, and plastic bags to take to your room
There is a freezer in the front building, and guests can choose from several types of frozen food, such as curry, fried rice, and pasta, and receive one free meal per night
The snack menu probably varies from facility to facility. On this day, our family chose the European-style curry bento and the mapo eggplant bento, which were delicious
The selection of items seems to vary depending on the season and facility; when I stayed in Tochigi Prefecture previously, there was fried rice and pasta, but this time there were mapo eggplant bento boxes and grilled noodles
If you exchange the voucher given to you at check-in before checking out, you can heat up the food in the microwave in your room and eat it whenever you like
Other shared facilities available on site
Four coin laundry machines are also available for drying
Soft drink vending machines, four coin laundry machines (fee required: 8:00-24:00), and six trouser presses are available in the common building just behind the front desk
The outdoor smoking area has a roof to protect you from the rain, but it might be cold in the middle of winter
All rooms are non-smoking, so there is a smoking area on the premises
Easy and convenient auto check-in
Check in at the front desk!
Check-in is from 15:00 to 23:00, and check-out is at 10:00
The automatic check-in system, which can be used by simply holding your smartphone over the gate, is convenient and can be used if you register in advance when making a reservation
The steps are as follows :
After making a reservation on the official website or reservation site, you will receive an email from the hotel with information about your personal page
Enter guest information via the specified URL before the date of stay
You will receive a check-in QR code and check-in code at 8:00 PM the day before your stay
On the day of your stay, hold the QR code over the tablet at the front desk or enter the check-in code
The room number and key number will be sent to the email address to which you received the "My Page Information Email"
Enter the key number on the small touch panel on the room door to unlock it
Front desk (the attendant's face has been hidden)
If you are unsure of these procedures, the staff on-site will assist you with check-in up until 11pm, but be sure to contact the hotel if you plan to arrive after 11pm
Payment can be made online in advance or on-site, but on-site payment can only be made by cash or credit card; electronic money cannot be used
When I traveled around Japan last April, I stayed at one of this chain's container hotels in Tochigi Prefecture and was so impressed by how comfortable it was that I've been looking forward to seeing them expand to Tohoku
HOTEL R9 The Yard is compact, equipped with all the necessary facilities and amenities, and offers comfortable accommodation. We hope that it will become a new style of accommodation and be expanded further throughout the six Tohoku prefectures
I am a former Edo guy who loves Morioka, loves the six prefectures of Tohoku, and loves history, gourmet food, travel, sports, alcohol, and singing. We'll introduce you to some interesting, delicious, and good things about Tohoku!
