Feel the luxury of simplicity at “Satoumi Residence”.
Oarai Town, located in the center of the coastline of Ibaraki Prefecture, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is a port town known for Oarai Beach, which has been selected as one of the “100 Best Shore Sceneries of Japan” for its wonderful seaside scenery. In the middle of the Meiji period (1868-1912), the town was a place for “tio-touji,” a type of sea bathing for medical treatment, and was lively with inns built by people coming from Tokyo and other places to stay at. The inn that stands along the Oarai coast is “Rikai-tei Kinparo Hontei.
The “Satoumi House” was first opened in 1888 by Tousuke Ishii, who was engaged in the river steam business (water transportation) between Mito and Oarai, as “Kinnamaro,” a recreational inn where people could enjoy a therapeutic sea bath in a bath filled with seawater regardless of the season. The inn was reborn as “Rikaitei” in order to recreate the charm of “a recreational inn where one can deeply enjoy the taste of the sea,” which was once the goal of “Kinnamaro. The distance from the inn to the beach is approximately 30 meters. It is a wonder that the inn’s guests feel nostalgic and calm as they listen to the rhythm of the waves in the sea breeze in front of the ocean.
A place to stay that makes you want to come back again.
Nothing glamorous is placed in the inn. The inn is designed to be barefoot so that guests can feel as if they have returned to their own countryside or vacation home, valuing simplicity and coziness. All of the eight rooms are oceanfront, and not only are the views spectacular, but the rustic warmth of the wooden furniture and solid wood in every room is comfortable and calming, making you feel as if you want to stay there forever. There is nothing special about the inn, but the simplicity and rustic atmosphere created by “Satoumi Residence,” as if it were your own special time and place, creates a “place you will want to come back to.
The cuisine at the inn is also centered on dishes that offer a taste of “everyday life by the sea. The kitchen at “Satoumi House” is said to be very busy as it goes to a nearby fishmonger and vegetable market every day to stock up, and starts processing the ingredients in the afternoon. Meals served in a room with a view of the Oarai coast and the warmth of wood create a special yet cozy dining experience unique to “Satoumi Residence. The view of the sea can also be enjoyed in the baths, of which there are two types: a “wooden bath” and a “stone bath. Both baths use spring water from Mt. Oarai, the source of the sacred water of Oarai Isomae Shrine, which has a history of more than 1,000 years. The “wooden bath” has a relaxing space for guests to use after taking a bath, or to quench their thirst with a cup of herbal tea or juice while enjoying the view of the sea from the roof balcony.
Near the inn, there are spots to enjoy each of the four seasons. We recommend a visit to Hitachi-Kaihin Park, where nemophilas bloom in spring and kochias cover the entire area in autumn, and to the beach and aquarium in summer. If you visit the inn in winter, you can stay in your room and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere of the “air storm,” which is said to be seen on cold mornings. The inn offers both the pleasure of going out and the coziness that makes you want to go home as soon as possible.
