Hotel R9 The Yard Ashikagaekinishi

The room had the best heating and AC I came across in Japan, plus a big mini fridge, microwave, desk, and full bath. It was quiet too, with no noise from outside or the neighboring units. There’s self-serve laundry and vending machines on site, and the station is about a 10-minute walk away. One of my favorite hotels from my Japan trip.

The place is modern and super clean, and the staff were really kind and helpful. There’s a massage chair in the room you can use freely, plus a meal and a TV. For the price, it’s unbelievably good value, and it’s the best “hotel” we’ve stayed at so far, even compared with places twice the price or more. If you have trouble sleeping, bring earplugs, since you can hear a little train noise.

The rooms are made from recycled shipping containers, which is a neat idea. They’re small, very clean, and well equipped. One odd moment was the receptionist saying that foreigners had to show passports. As long-term residents, we don’t carry ours around, though our driver’s licenses were accepted.

The staff were especially kind and patient when I locked myself out of my room, which I managed to do more than once. Inomata-san deserves a special mention for helping me through check-in and making me feel welcome each time I came to the front desk for one of the complimentary frozen dinners. The room was a good size for a container, with a decent bathroom, microwave, and mini fridge with a freezer. The on-site coin laundry washes and dries clothes in one cycle, which was handy. Each day you get a voucher for a frozen rice or pasta dinner. It’s fine as a snack, though for a proper dinner I’d suggest Yakitori-kun or Grimm Cafe nearby. Checking in was fairly easy thanks to a staff member’s patience and customer service. For the price and quality, R9 Ashikaga Ekinishi is hard to beat in Ashikaga. I recommend it if you’re in the area.