NINE HOURS LTD

What NINE HOURS LTD does

NINE HOURS LTD (株式会社ナインアワーズ) is a Tokyo-based private company founded on August 6, 2013, that operates Japan's first wellness-oriented capsule hotel chain under the nine hours brand. Its core product is a standardized capsule stay built around a 1-hour shower, 7-hour sleep, 1-hour preparation concept, delivered through proprietary FRP cocoon-shaped sleep pods. At select locations, the pods are equipped with non-wearable sensors (infrared cameras, microphones, body movement sensors) that produce a '9h sleep checkup' report covering heart rate, snoring, breathing, and disease risk indicators (apnea, depression, myocardial infarction). The company also operates the '9h sleep dock' co-developed with Yamaha Motor and a multi-brand portfolio (Do-C sauna, Capsule+, Hotel+Hostel, Smart Place Inn, plus third-party managed regenerations), for a group-wide footprint exceeding 30 properties across Japan.

The business operates a hybrid B2C and B2B model. Consumer revenue comes from accommodation fees (weekday 2,800-5,500 JPY, peak up to 14,500-20,000 JPY), short-stay nap bookings, standalone shower services, optional amenities, and a free 9h membership program offering lowest-price guarantees. Distribution runs through the official website with multi-language support (Japanese, English, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, Korean), OTA partnerships (Rakuten, Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia), and corporate accounts. B2B revenue derives from licensing anonymized sleep data to research institutions and healthcare companies, and from sleep measurement devices and programs sold to residential, elderly-care, corporate nap-room, and childcare operators. Notable enterprise partners include Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo Women's Medical University, ResMed, Yamaha Motor, NTT Data, Sumitomo Riko, Kokoromil, and Kinki Health Management Center.

Since December 2025, NINE HOURS has been an equity-method affiliate of SBI Holdings following a capital and business alliance, with Yasuyuki Watanabe appointed as Representative Director and CEO. Subsequent actions include a corporate identity refresh (February 2026), the opening of nine hours Shinjuku-North as a university-linked store with Tokyo Women's Medical University (June 2026), the opening of Smart Place Inn Hakata Gion (May 2026), and the deployment of the NEWT Chat multilingual AI agent on the official website (July 2026). The company has not publicly disclosed its revenue.

Name

NINE HOURS LTD

Legal name

株式会社ナインアワーズ / nine hours, Inc.

Website

https://ninehours.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NINE HOURS LTD (株式会社ナインアワーズ) is a Tokyo-based private company founded in 2013 that operates Japan's first wellness capsule hotel chain under the nine hours brand, combining proprietary non-wearable sleep-sensing capsule technology with B2B sleep-data licensing to research and healthcare institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Capsule Hotel Accommodation

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Capsule/Pod Hotels (Budget) (THAGABAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Value Inn / No-Frills Hotels (THAGABAL)

Keywords

• Capsule hotel accommodation
• Sleep analysis services
• Urban transit lodging
• Wellness hospitality
• Short-stay hotels

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Accommodation Fees: Core revenue from capsule hotel stays. Variable pricing by location, room type (standard vs. sleep analysis model), day of week, and seasonality. Check-in from 14:00-15:00 to 05:00, check-out by 10:00-11:00. Same-day cancellations incur 100% fee.
2. Nap/Siesta Bookings: Short-stay daytime bookings typically from 15:00-20:00 for check-in with checkout by 18:00-21:00. Priced separately from overnight stays.
3. Shower Services: Standalone shower access available 24 hours at select locations (1,000 JPY per hour at Narita Airport).
4. 9h Membership Program: Free membership program offering lowest price guarantee and 5% discount on advance payments. Revenue generated through higher booking volume and customer retention.
5. Sleep Data Licensing: Anonymous sleep big data from approximately 100 million annual users provided to hospitals and research institutions for preventive medicine and health research applications.
6. Sleep Device Sales: Sleep measurement devices and programs sold to companies wanting to offer sleep services in facilities outside hotels (corporate nap rooms, residential, elderly care, childcare facilities).
7. Optional Add-ons: Breakfast options, 'good sleep' items for sale, and optional in-capsule sleep enhancement products available at select locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NINE HOURS LTD operates Japan's first wellness capsule hotel chain under the nine hours brand, offering minimalist FRP cocoon-shaped capsule accommodation based on the 1-hour shower + 7-hour sleep + 1-hour preparation concept. The company integrates proprietary non-wearable sleep analysis technology (9h sleep checkup) using infrared cameras, microphones, and body movement sensors embedded in capsule units to deliver scientific sleep reports. Beyond consumer lodging, the company runs a B2B sleep business providing anonymized sleep big data to research institutions and licensing sleep measurement devices for corporate, residential, and elderly care facilities.

Product overview

NINE HOURS LTD operates a dual business structure combining sleep technology services with hotel operations. The core product portfolio includes the nine hours capsule hotel brand (ナインアワーズ), Japan's first wellness capsule hotel chain featuring FRP sleep pods designed with cocoon-shaped interiors. The company offers 9h sleep checkup (9hスリープ チェックアップ) sleep analysis services at select locations using proprietary sensors embedded in specialized capsule units. Hotel operations span multiple sub-brands: ℃ (ドシー) for sauna experiences, Capsule+ for enhanced transit stays, HOTEL+HOSTEL for diverse room types, and SMART PLACE INN for private room accommodations. The company also operates an accommodation regeneration business managing third-party hotel properties, and provides sleep big data and sleep device businesses for research and residential applications. Nine hours brand currently operates 13+ locations across Tokyo, Aichi, Fukuoka, and Miyagi prefectures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ℃（ドシー / do-c）: Finland-style sauna combined with accommodation. Brand name represents the temperature unit for sauna experience.
• Capsule+（カプセルプラス）
• HOTEL+HOSTEL（ホテルプラスホステル）
• SMART PLACE INN（スマートプレイスイン）

Products and services

• nine hours Capsule Hotel Accommodation (ナインアワーズ) Japan's first wellness capsule hotel brand operating 14+ locations across Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sendai). Offers minimalist FRP cocoon-shaped capsule accommodation with both standard and sleep-analysis models, available with women-only or men-only sections, late-night check-in, and 24-hour operations at select locations.
• 9h sleep checkup (9hスリープ チェックアップ)

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 100,000 sleep analysis measurements conducted annually across 7 facilities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Tokyo Medical and Dental UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research on arrhythmia detection in capsule hotels. TMDu, Nine hours, and Kokoromil collaborate on arrhythmia detection methodology using sleep condition data from capsule hotel sensors.
• Tokyo Women's Medical UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research partnership with Medical AI Center and Institute of Oriental Medicine. Services include oriental medicine constitution type assessment at Woman Shinjuku. University partnership space at Kita-Shinjuku location with medical measurement equipment.
• Kokoromil, Inc. (株式会社ココロミル)coreTechnology or IntegrationSleep technology startup specializing in cardiac rhythm analysis. Joint research collaboration on arrhythmia detection using Nine hours sleep data and Kokoromil analysis technology.
• NTT Data Group CorporationcoreTechnology or IntegrationPoC (Proof of Concept) collaboration for health promotion service realization using Nine hours sleep analysis sensors combined with Fitbit and Google Cloud platforms.
• ResMed Corporation (レスメド株式会社)coreTechnology or IntegrationGlobal sleep-tech brand and leading provider of sleep apnea treatment devices. Partnership for sleep technology development and service enhancement leveraging ResMed's global sleep healthcare expertise.
• Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (ヤマハ発動機株式会社)coreTechnology or IntegrationJoint development of new-generation capsule '9h sleep dock' with enhanced soundproofing performance using hatch-type door design. Capsule equipped with sleep analysis sensor suite.
• Kinki Health Management CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint provision of 'Health Checkup & Sleep Analysis Set Plan' combining medical examinations with non-wearable Monilife Wellness sensor for sleep monitoring. Aims to promote behavioral change in preventive healthcare.
• Sumitomo Riko Limited (住友理工株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint provision of 'Health Checkup & Sleep Analysis Set Plan' combining health examinations with sleep monitoring technology for preventive healthcare applications.
• UCHINO Co., Ltd. ( Uchinoタオ儿)minorOthersPremium towel manufacturer. Collaboration on long-pile towel specification designed for industrial laundry durability while maintaining softness and absorbency.
• Tamanohada Soap Co., Ltd. (玉の肌石鹸株式会社)minorOthersTraditional soap manufacturer since 1892. Provides Tamanohada brand shampoo, conditioner, and body soap (Model 005-FIG - fig scent, silicone-free). Located in Nagoya.
• GLITCH COFFEEminorOthersSpecialty coffee roaster from Jimbocho, Tokyo. Operates cafe at Nagoya Station location. Provides drip coffee and latte menu with fresh fruit-forward specialty coffee.
• REC COFFEEminorOthersFukuoka-based specialty coffee brand's Tokyo debut. Operates cafe at Suidobashi location. 'Seed to Cup' philosophy connecting coffee producers with consumers.
• JA Mitsui Leasing Building Co., Ltd. (JA三井リース建物株式会社)minorOthersProperty owner partnering with Nine hours for Smart Place Inn Hakata Gion operation. Nine hours selected as operator for re branded hotel facility.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Toyoko Inn: Japan's largest budget business hotel chain with 300+ properties nationwide. Comparable as a broader incumbent targeting similar price-sensitive domestic business and tourist travelers, though operating traditional rooms rather than capsules.
• APA Hotel: One of Japan's largest hotel groups with extensive urban and roadside properties. Comparable as a mass-market budget hotel incumbent competing for the same urban business traveler and domestic tourist segments.
• Dormy Inn: Japanese mid-tier hotel chain known for onsen-style bath facilities, operating urban and regional properties. Comparable as a broader Japanese lodging incumbent targeting business and leisure travelers, though with full rooms rather than capsule pods.

Direct peers

• Pod Hotels: US-based pod hotel brand (originally affiliated with BD Hotels) operating micro-room hotels in NYC, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. Comparable as a pod/capsule-style hotel targeting budget-conscious urban travelers.
• Yotel: International pod-style hotel brand with properties in airports and cities (including Tokyo). Closely comparable as a global 'compact cabin' hotel operator with automated check-in and design-forward capsule/pod rooms.
• First Cabin: Japan-headquartered capsule hotel chain offering premium 'first-class cabin' sleeping pods in Tokyo, Kyoto, and other major cities. Directly comparable as a Japan domestic capsule hotel operator targeting similar urban transit and business traveler segments.
• The Millennials: Capsule hotel concept operating in Shibuya (Tokyo) and Kyoto, targeting design-conscious urban travelers. Comparable to nine hours as a design-led, social capsule hotel brand in Japan's major cities.
• Glansit Hotel & Hostel: Japan-based capsule/hostel hybrid brand operating properties in Akihabara and Kyoto. Comparable as a Japanese capsule-style accommodation operator in transit-oriented urban locations.
• Book and Bed Tokyo: Tokyo-based capsule/hostel hybrid where guests sleep in bookcases. Directly comparable as a niche, experience-driven capsule accommodation concept targeting similar urban solo travelers.

Emerging players

• Eight Sleep: US-based sleep technology company selling smart mattresses and the Pod system with biometric sleep tracking. Comparable as an emerging sleep-tech player pursuing B2B and consumer channels with non-wearable/embedded sensing — adjacent to nine hours' capsule-based sleep sensing model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ninehours9
• Instagraminstagram.com/ninehours9h
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ninehours9h

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NINE HOURS LTD