Capsule hotels, the uniquely Japanese accommodation solution
no doubt on every Japanophile’s to-do list, have never really caught on outside
of their homeland. Whether it’s down to individuals’ ideas of what constitutes
comfort and privacy, or simply the fact that so many Westerners freak out at
the very thought of climbing into a space resembling something between a
spaceship escape pod and a coffin, most capsule startups outside of Japan have
failed. While these unique hotels continue to serve those who are on a budget
or simply too intoxicated to make it home safely, and show no signs of
disappearing from Japan’s cityscapes any time soon, it is with deep regret that
we bring you news today that Kyoto’s Nine Hours, arguably the coolest and most
modern capsule hotel in the country, is to close.