Experience Okayama while in the hotel

Standing on top of a hill in Higashiyama Okayama City, “Hotel Okura Okayama” is one of the most elegant hotels in Okayama City. Although the hotel is in the center of the city, it is surrounded by rich greenery, and the great location allows guests to view the castle city from above.
Views of the four seasons are pleasing, and the night view is also wonderful. One can enjoy a rich feeling by looking at the shining city for a while.
There are a wide range of accommodation plans to choose from, such as those with a set of local ”sake” and Bizen-yaki ”sake” cups, Valentine’s and “White Day” (Japanese day for returning gifts given on Valentine’s Day), hot-pot menu, and introduction to Zen meditation included in the accommodation fee. All plans are carefully thought out so that guests can fully enjoy Okayama within the hotel.

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Dogo Onsen boasts an abundance of hot spring water

The “BETEI Oborogetsuya” is a hidden inn tucked away in the midst of the bustle of Dogo Onsen.It is a traveler-friendly inn that combines the elegance of pure Japanese style with the comfort of modern architecture.All of the seven guest rooms are suite-type rooms with an open-air bath.In addition, the inn has a hot spring building called “Ochaya,” which boasts the largest volume of hot spring water in Dogo Onsen, so you can enjoy the silky smooth waters of Dogo even more luxuriously.Here you will find a rock open-air bath and a cypress open-air bath.
The cuisine is a monthly changing menu specially prepared by the chef.The cuisine is Japanese cuisine that makes the best use of the rich flavors of Ehime’s mountains and seas, and is not only pleasing to the palate, but also to the eye.The chef’s casual but warm hospitality is also very heartwarming: “Warm food should be served hot, and cold food should be served cold.
In the lobby lounge, there is a free drink corner and a listening corner, and the esthetic salon “Moon Sleep” offers full-body oil treatments, providing a relaxing experience.This is an inn where you can open up your mind and body and enjoy a time of high quality and elegance.

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Ryokan with a long history

Matsue City in Shimane Prefecture faces the Sea of Japan in the north and the Chugoku Mountains in the south. It is also surrounded by the natural beauty of Lake Shinji and the Nakaumi Sea. Minamikan is located in this rich natural environment.

Kaibikan is a long-established ryotei ryokan (Japanese-style inn) founded in 1888, and is located on the shore of Lake Shinji in Matsue, which was once a castle town. Although the ryokan has been in business for more than 120 years, it has undergone renovations and is loved by many people for its comfort and the sense of dignity that only a long-established ryokan can provide.

Minamikan, an inn nestled on a lake

The most attractive thing about the Minamikan is its location, which is said to be ” an inn nestled by a lake. Located near Lake Shinji, the Minamikan offers a panoramic view of the lake from its rooms. Not only that, but you even feel as if you are actually on the lake. The sun sets, the clouds drift by, and you can experience the changing face of nature in a more profound way. No other ryokan will allow you to experience nature to this extent.

In 2021, the lakeside garden was ranked fourth in the nation bythe Journal of Japanese Gardening, an American magazine specializing in Japanese gardens. The garden’s ingenuity in making the most of nature while providing visitors with a sense of peace and tranquility has also been highly acclaimed overseas.

The garden is also known to have been loved by the royal family, cultural figures such as Toson Shimazaki, Taro Okamoto, and Ryunosuke Akutagawa, as well as political and financial figures and artists in the past. In particular, Toson Shimazaki is said to have stayed at the hotel until after his scheduled departure, and the “Toson’s Room” still remains as it was in those days.

Healing the Tired Body

Of course, it is not only the beauty of the scenery that relieves the fatigue of travelers. The hot springs and meals are also prepared with heartfelt hospitality to the delight of guests. The hot spring water is sodium calcium sulfate/chloride spring water.

The restaurant uses local seafood from the sea and mountains to satisfy the palates of visitors with seasonal dishes and local cuisine. One of the most popular dishes is “tai-meshi” (rice with sea bream), which has been a favorite since the establishment of the restaurant. This tai meshi has been a favorite dish since the establishment of the restaurant. The sea bream minced from a 1.5- to 2-kilogram class domestic sea bream is lavishly used as the sashimi portion. When dashi broth based on bonito flakes, which is said to be the lifeblood of tai meshi, is poured over it, the dish has a deep, yet light and elegant flavor. The tai-meshi that is made with such care and attention is unlike any other, and is a taste that can only be found here.

In this way, Minamikan is a place that should be visited at least once to get away from the busyness of daily life, and to experience and appreciate the beauty of nature.

Why not come and heal your body and soul after a long day of daily life?

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Tsukumo Bay, consisting of large and small coves, is a scenic spot that has been selected as one of the 100 most scenic spots in Japan. On top of a hill overlooking the deep bay is the Noto Tsukumo Bay Hyakurasou, a ryokan with a history of more than 90 years since its establishment. The inn offers the luxury of spending a leisurely time with a spectacular view of the sea and greenery. The inn’s motto, “One Hundred Pleasures,” will add beauty to the impression of your trip.

Tsukumo Bay with its calm coves

Noto Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, is located near the tip of the Noto Peninsula. Following the port towns scattered along the coast to the east, you will find Kujukyuu Bay, one of Noto’s most scenic spots.

Tsukumo Bay is a rias coastline with an intricate coastline stretching 13 km in total length. The bay is up to 1,200 meters deep, and small boats float in the calm, lake-like bay. The scenery created by the numerous inlets is beautiful from season to season and never gets old.

Noto Tsukumo Bay Hyakuraso is an inn located on a hill overlooking the bay. Passing through the tasteful gate and up the mountain path, you will see the neat appearance of the inn.

Away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, spend the day in a Noto retreat.

Founded in 1934. It is a long-established ryokan that has been welcoming travelers for many years at the foot of the beautiful sea. In addition to its location overlooking Kujuku Bay, the inn’s high quality hospitality, including the creation of a space based on the concept of the extraordinary, and the comfortable service that is both intimate and intimate, have attracted many repeat guests.

The cave bath was dug by hand by a stonemason over a period of three years.

The inn’s specialty is a cave bath located 30 meters underground. From the front desk, take the elevator down to the second basement level, and you will find a cave that was dug by a stonemason about 50 years ago over a period of three years.

In the past, this area was a production area of “ogiishi,” a type of stone used for kamados and sunken hearths, and many stonemasons were active in this area until the mid-Showa period (1926-1989). When the mining of ogiishi came to an end, a craftsman known as “the last stonemason” dug this cave at the request of the inn. The pickaxe marks left on the rock surface are also a part of Noto’s history.

With the light illuminating our feet, we finally entered the cave baths. Surrounded by rocks, the bathtub is filled to the brim with deep seawater pumped up from a depth of 320 meters off the coast of Tsukumo Bay. Deep seawater that has been lying dormant in the deep sea feels good against the skin, and a relaxing soak will immediately relax the body and mind.

The cave baths were renovated in June 2024, adding an open-air bath with a view of Tsukumo Bay and a cave sauna with fantastic indirect lighting. Many visitors come for this extraordinary space.

Rooms with a serene seascape all to yourself

There are a total of 26 guest rooms, ranging from standard rooms to upper suites. Each room has its own unique style, such as those with an open-air bath or terrace, and the carefully selected furnishings and lighting create a high-quality relaxing atmosphere. Above all, the view of Tsukumo Bay from the guest rooms is the best reward for forgetting everyday life. The quiet bay changes its appearance from morning to evening, allowing you to enjoy the luxury of doing nothing at all to your heart’s content.

There are many places to spend your time in the hotel, including a game lounge where you can enjoy darts and billiards, five private baths, and a premium lounge for the exclusive use of suites. The hotel has been renovated little by little every year so that each guest can enjoy “a hundred pleasures”.

Damaged by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, the hotel was temporarily closed.

On New Year’s Day, January 1, 2024, when most guests had checked in and were relaxing, the Noto Peninsula earthquake struck. The staff split up to guide guests to a safe place, but the road leading to the inn became impassable due to cracks in the ground, and the guests were isolated. They spent an anxious night. The inn staff worked hard to restore the road using blocks and other materials, and managed to see all guests off the next day.

Honomi Kumagaya, the general manager of the inn, recalls her thoughts at the time: “Our first priority was the safety of our guests. The safety of our guests was our top priority. When we received a call from a guest who had returned safely, we were deeply relieved.

The most severe damage to the inn was to its seaside facilities. The fishing pier, which had been popular for its dinner service of serving fish caught at the inn, was washed away by the tsunami. A separate dining room, which had also been built to jut out into the ocean, was washed away by the waves, along with its foundation. Although the building on the hill was not severely damaged, many facilities and equipment were destroyed, and the water supply was completely cut off. Mr. Kumagai decided that it would be difficult to operate for the time being.

What gave strength to the staff working on restoration

The water supply was restored the month after the earthquake. However, the water supply was still cut off in the neighborhood, and many people were living in evacuation centers. While repairing guest rooms and carrying out other restoration work in preparation for the resumption of business, the staff voiced their desire to do what they could for the community, and an event was planned to provide meals and baths to the local residents.

The smiles on the faces of those who had bathed and relaxed, and the energy in the inn for a brief moment, gave the staff a great boost.

The inn received many calls of support from all over the country, including from repeat guests. Kumagai recalls with a smile, “I realized once again that we are supported by the people of the community and our guests who love Hyakurasou.

The restaurant reopened on April 19, about three and a half months after the earthquake. Although the number of customers was not expected to return, the decision was made in the belief that attracting as many people as possible to Noto would help in the recovery effort.

The torrential rain disaster brought back the number of customers that had begun to return.

When the hotel first reopened, there was a mood of self-restraint in entering the disaster area, and the number of guests was low. However, the number of repeat guests who had been waiting for the reopening of the hotel and those who stayed to support the Noto community gradually increased, and the hotel was finally busy again during the summer vacation, the high season.

However, in September of that year, disaster struck Noto again. The Noto Peninsula torrential rainfall was the second serious disaster following the Noto Peninsula earthquake. Although there was no direct damage to the inn, which is located on high ground, reservations were cancelled one after another, and the number of visitors once again dropped off. The torrential rain disaster came just as reconstruction efforts were underway. Farmers with whom the inn does business were also severely damaged, and the inn was left with a heavy burden. It was heartbreaking to think of the damage to such a large area of Noto,” Kumagai said. Even so, the staff did their best to entertain guests and were encouraged by the outpouring of support.

One year after the earthquake and three months after the torrential rains, the rooms were finally fully booked at the end and beginning of the year. Many guests said, “I came here to support Noto’s recovery,” and Mr. Kumagai was reminded of the mission of an inn rooted in the community. If we can be of even the slightest help to Noto’s recovery, I am glad that we have worked so hard over the past year to build up our business,” he said.

Aiming to be an inn that works together with Noto’s producers

One of the specialties of “Noto Tsukumo Bay Hyakuraso” is its cuisine, which incorporates the rich produce of Noto. However, many producers were affected by the earthquake, and the market and distribution functions that handle the foodstuffs were paralyzed. Producers with whom they do business on a regular basis found themselves in a difficult situation: they could not go fishing, they could not sell what they produced, and they could not ship their products.

Although he could have ordered unavailable ingredients from outside of Noto, Executive Chef Daisuke Shimada decided to “use ingredients from Noto as much as possible. He visited producers to purchase ingredients, and when he heard that someone was looking for a place to ship, he asked for an introduction. By firmly connecting the producers and the inn’s business network in this way, Mr. Shimada says, “I want to protect Noto’s producers and its bountiful bounty.

On this day, the dish featured wild yellowtail purchased at the port of Ushitsu, Noto Town, and Kanou crab freshly landed at the port of Takojima, Suzushi City. Because the ingredients are so good, we don’t add anything extra to them. I want people to fully enjoy the charm of Noto’s ingredients,” smiles Mr. Shimada.

Until the day we can truly call it “reconstruction

About a year has passed since the reopening of business, but the fishing pier and restaurant lost in the tsunami remain untouched. Efforts to restore the facilities are still ongoing.

On the other hand, Mr. Kumagai believes that “complete restoration of facilities is not the goal. While Noto as a whole is gradually making progress in rebuilding its infrastructure and livelihood, the scars are still large. The real goal, Kumagai says, is for visitors to the inn “to be able to tour Noto, which has regained its vitality, and experience new attractions and enjoyment.

When touring Noto, I often hear people say, “I want people to see Noto as it is now,” or “I want many people to visit Noto. The more people who visit Noto, the stronger the recovery effort will be. Noto Tsukumo Bay Hyakurasou” will serve as a starting point for such trips, and will continue to move forward positively toward reconstruction in the true sense of the word.

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Hotel Metropolitan Akita: the perfect base for sightseeing in Akita

Hotel Metropolitan Akita, located adjacent to JR Akita Station, the gateway to Akita City, opened in 1986 as Akita Terminal Hotel. It was later renamed the “Metropolitan Hotel Akita” in 1996, and has been widely used for business, sightseeing, and events. In May 2021, a new annex, the “North Wing,” opened. The number of guest rooms has doubled to 247 with the addition of the 132 rooms in North Wing to the 115 rooms in main building.
The annex was designed based on the concept of “Remnant of Akita” while maintaining the relaxed atmosphere that is unique to Hotel Metropolitan Akita. Akita cedar was used for the walls and ceiling, and the lobby on the first floor, which welcomes guests, is covered with a coved ceiling that resembles a butterbur-leaf umbrella, a reference to the lyrics of the folk song “Akita Ondo.” It is a special space where one can experience the new Akita as well as the heartwarming Akita.
In addition, the elevator halls on the third through ninth guest room floors display delicate kumiko-zaiku (braided craftsmanship) with Omagari fireworks as a motif. In addition, guest rooms are decorated with tissue boxes made of Akita cedar, Naraoka-yaki mugs, and artwork of Honjo Gotenmari and Itaya horses, allowing guests to feel Akita while relaxing.

Experience the charm of Akita in every corner

For lunch or dinner, go to Dining Manyo on the 3rd floor of the main building. Enjoy a course menu of creative dishes blending Japanese and Western flavors, using seasonal Akita ingredients. The dining room offers fresh seafood landed from the Sea of Japan and Japanese beef produced in the prefecture in an elegant and relaxing atmosphere.
Breakfast is served at Restaurant Quare, located on the same floor as Dining Manyo. The restaurant is well known for its buffet-style breakfast buffet featuring Akita’s local cuisine. The buffet offers a wide variety of Akita’s unique dishes and specialties, such as kiritanpo nabe, damako nabe, tonburi, and iburigakko (pickled ginger). Vegetables and rice are all grown in Akita, of course, so you can enjoy the taste of Akita to the fullest from the morning.

A little sightseeing around the hotel

Another attraction of Hotel Metropolitan Akita, which is well located, is that you can enjoy petit sightseeing in front of Akita Station. A five-minute walk from the hotel is Chiaki Park, which is located on the site of the former castle of the Satake clan of the Akita Domain. The cherry blossoms in the spring, lotus in the summer, and autumn leaves in the fall are spectacular. Near the park is the Akita Museum of Art, which houses and exhibits the works of Tsuguharu Fujita, who was active in Paris and was widely recognized in Western art circles for his “milky white skin” nudes and other works, and has friendship with Picasso. One of Mr. Fujita’s representative works, “The Events of Akita,” is exhibited only at this museum. The large mural painting, measuring 3.65 meters in height and 20.5 meters in width, will overwhelm the viewer. The Akita Shimin Ichiba, located about a 5-minute walk from the park, is another must-see spot. Visitors can purchase Akita vegetables, seasonal fish, and local specialties at market prices, and the market is also lined with restaurants serving local food. Hotel Metropolitan Akita is the perfect location for sightseeing to the attractive spots around Akita Station. It will be a memorable page of your trip to Akita that will never fade away.

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The Ise-Shima Summit was held in 2016. The Shima Kanko Hotel in Kashikojima, Mie Prefecture, which became known not only in Japan but around the world as a result of the summit, is a long-established hotel that overlooks Ago Bay, famous for its pearls. How has it managed to continue to attract visitors even now, some 70 years after it first opened?

A space of the highest quality that has hosted world leaders

The Shima Kanko Hotel is a resort hotel made up of three buildings: The Classic, designed by the famous architect Togo Murano, who also designed the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Cathedral; The Bay Suite, a high-end hotel with all rooms as suites; and The Club, which has no guest rooms but retains the appearance it had when it first opened, and is the heart of the hotel. All three buildings have a wonderful individuality that attracts visitors.

The hotel is located on the island of Kashikojima, which is situated in Ago Bay in Shima City, Mie Prefecture. It is a small island of about 68 hectares, where around 100 people live. It is about the same size as Tokyo Disneyland, and you can walk around the island in an hour.

In ancient times, it was called “Kachikoejima” (Island that can be crossed on foot) because it was possible to walk from the mainland to the island when the tide went out. It is said that this gradually became corrupted into “Kashikojima. The location, with Ago Bay in front of you, is very beautiful, and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe praised it as ‘an area where you can enjoy the scenery of Japan’s hometown, with its natural beauty of large and small islands and beautiful coves, which could be called the original scenery of Japan’.

The Ise-Shima Hotel has been standing in such a place as Kenkōjima, and has been communicating its beauty to Japan and the world in the form of “Omotenashi” (hospitality). When the G7 Ise-Shima Summit was held in 2016, the hotel served as the venue for the summit, and US President Barack Obama stayed at “The Classic”, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President François Hollande, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, and and British Prime Minister David Cameron stayed in The Baysuite.

The hotel loved by Emperor Showa and novelist Toyoko Yamazaki

The Classic is the main building of the Shima Kanko Hotel. Since it opened, it has been visited by many famous people, and the stories of those visits have become the core of the hotel. In 1951, Emperor Showa visited Ise-Shima to inspect the state of post-war reconstruction, and stayed at the hotel. He wrote a poem about the beauty of Kenkōjima, “The view of Ago Bay is beautiful, like the red berries of the Sarutoriibara bush that have turned red”. After that, the Showa Emperor was very fond of this facility and stayed there five times in his life. With anecdotes like this, the hotel, which has been used by many people related to the Imperial Family and foreign dignitaries, has become a facility that represents Mie Prefecture. Novelist Toyoko Yamazaki also used the hotel frequently between 1955 and 2007. The scene in the opening sentence of her masterpiece, “The Glorious Family,” “As the sun begins to set and the tide begins to rise, a glorious twilight descends on Ago Bay on the Shima Peninsula,” is probably this place. The desk and chair that Toyoko Yamazaki used to write at the time are currently on display at “The Club”. You can reflect on the traces left by the literary figures and feel the depth of the history of this hotel.

All rooms are suites of at least 100 square meters.

The Bay Suite, on the other hand, was newly opened in 2008. As you enter the building, you are greeted by a large object decorated with pearls, a local specialty. As you walk further in, you will see pearls not only in the lobby, but also on the walls, information boards, and even the elevator railings, making it look like a scene from a storybook. There is also a refined fragrance in the air. The scent is a combination of garden roses, jasmine and musk, and it is a refined, fresh scent that exudes a sense of luxury, soothing the hearts of visitors and creating a high-quality, adult space.

The shared spaces are wonderful, of course, but what is particularly worth mentioning are the all-suite rooms. There are a variety of room types, including the “Royal Suite”, “Corner Suite” and “Superior Suite”, as well as the “Spa Suite”, where you can receive spa treatments from expert staff, and the “FUTON Suite”, where you can relax as if you were in a private residence. All of these types of rooms have a spacious area of over 100m2, with a separate living room, bedroom and bathroom. You can enjoy a superb stay in this spacious and luxurious atmosphere.

Togo Murano, an architect who thought about the feelings of the people who would use the place

The architect of the Shima Kanko Hotel (now The Classic and The Club) was Togo Murano, who is highly regarded as an architect and is known for his work on the Nissay Theatre (Tokyo), the main building of the State Guest House (formerly the Akasaka Imperial Villa), the Osaka Shinkabuki-za (Osaka Prefecture), and the World Peace Memorial Cathedral (Hiroshima Prefecture). He is widely known in the field of architecture as a builder of buildings of historical value. The Shima Kanko Hotel is a building that harmonizes Japanese, Western and modernist styles, while also retaining its own originality. Mr. Murano was not only involved in the building itself, but also in the design of the furniture inside the hotel, and he paid attention to even the smallest details. This attention to detail was not limited to the pursuit of stylistic beauty, but also included the pursuit of ease of use and comfort.

For example, on the stairs leading up to the second floor of the old building, there is a landing before you reach the top, and Mr. Murano thought that this would allow people to take a breather when descending the stairs, and also make it easier to start walking again once they had reached the top. In addition, Murano’s expression of modernism is to create a “connection” within the building and give the space continuity by making the banisters of the stairs curved rather than ending in right angles or straight lines, and by deliberately making some of them protrude forward, and you can sense that the design takes into account the feelings of the people who will use the space.

The paintings, which evoke traditional crafts and stories, can be felt everywhere.

The props that decorate each room are also remarkable. The Royal Suite where President Hollande stayed during the Ise-Shima Summit was decorated with a hanging scroll of calligraphy by calligrapher Hota Shisen, and ikebana. The room where President Obama stayed was furnished with furniture designed by Togo Murano, including chairs, tables and chandeliers, just as it was when the hotel first opened. Of course, the room is also available for use by ordinary guests, and there are also accommodation plans available that allow you to experience the same space and scenery as the great men who stayed there.

Also, the summit table used during the Ise-Shima Summit is still in the hotel, and you can actually sit at it, so it’s interesting to be able to feel the atmosphere of the summit.

La Mer” is a French seafood dinner that is full of the thoughts of the executive chef.

The executive chef of the Shima Kanko Hotel is Hiroe Higuchi, who was also in charge of the working dinner for the Ise-Shima Summit. She entertained the leaders of each country with the desire to “deliver the deliciousness that is unique to the food country of Ise-Shima with a sense of surprise”. The working dinner featured lobster, abalone, Matsusaka beef and other local Mie ingredients, and the chefs even sliced the abalone into bite-sized pieces so that it would be easier to eat during the meeting.

The menu from the summit was called the “Ise-Shima Summit Commemorative Dinner”, and you can still eat it when you stay at the hotel.

Chef Hiroe Higuchi’s cuisine, which is known as “French cuisine with seafood”, has delighted the palates of gourmets all over the world. The hotel’s signature dishes, such as the lobster cream soup and abalone steak, which have been passed down since the time of the previous executive chef, represent the Shima Kanko Hotel’s traditional menu, and the many dishes that make the most of the nature and seasonal produce of Ise-Shima are the hotel’s famous dishes, where you can fully enjoy the fusion of traditional flavors and the ingredients, culture and thoughts of the producers of Ise-Shima. Chef Higuchi actually goes to fishing ports and other places to meet with the producers. The inspiration he feels through these interactions is the source of the dishes he comes up with, which include local culture and historical background.

In addition to this, the hotel also has a range of restaurants where you can enjoy the blessings of Ise-Shima, such as Hamamoyou, where you can enjoy Japanese cuisine that makes the most of the seasonal ingredients of Ise-Shima, and Yamabuki, a teppanyaki restaurant where you can watch the seafood, produce from the countryside and produce from the mountains of Mie Prefecture being grilled in front of you.

Enjoying the time in Shima, both from inside and outside, while feeling the atmosphere of the Ise-Shima Summit

If you walk a little further from the hotel, you will find a number of tourist attractions in the surrounding area, such as Ise Jingu Shrine, Yokoyama Observatory, Shima Spain Village, Daiozaki Lighthouse, and Anorozaki Lighthouse.

However, the Shima Kanko Hotel is no less than these tourist attractions, with its own history and stories to tell. The beautiful spaces, with their attention to detail, and the experience of staying there, with the superb hospitality nurtured by its long history, is called “Shima Time” and even captivates important people and cultural figures.

The thousands of ways to spend your time and enjoy the culture and history that have been spun together by fine cuisine and culture cannot be experienced in a single stay. That is why you will want to visit again, and each time you visit you will be able to experience a new Shima time. It is no exaggeration to say that the wonderful accommodation experience is the reason why it has been affectionately nicknamed “Shima-kan” for so long. From now on, the appeal of the Shima Kanko Hotel will only increase, and it will provide many people with a wonderful Shima time.

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“Resort Hotel Moana Coast” with an overseas resort atmosphere

In the city of Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, which is rich in nature and abundant in foodstuffs, floats a small resort island called Ogejima. Located between Shikoku and Awaji Island, the island is the gateway to Shikoku, where the whirlpools of the Naruto Straits can be seen. There, surrounded by the sea and mountains, is the Moana Coast Resort Hotel, a secluded hideaway for adults. As the name of the hotel means “beautiful coast” in Hawaiian, the contrast between the blue ocean and the white sandy beach seen from the guest rooms and lounge creates an atmosphere as if one were visiting an exotic resort.
The hotel has only 14 guest rooms on its vast grounds of approximately 3,000 tsubo. All rooms are maisonette type with an open-air bath, a luxury that is rare in Japan and the world. The main building, “Moana Coast,” is a three-story structure with a jet bath on the rooftop overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. The rooftop bathtub has a view of the Seto Inland Sea, and the open-air rooftop is the perfect place to spend a special moment while feeling the ocean breeze and admiring the spectacular view. Villa Beltramonto” means ‘villa with a beautiful sunset’ in Italian. All rooms are suites, and from the open-air bath you can watch the beautiful sunset over the Naruto satoyama through the courtyard. The amber-colored light of the sunset and the view of the sky will give you a different experience from the one in the main building. The concepts of the main building and the detached house are different, so you can choose the one that best suits your mood and the season you visit.

Unusual feeling of relaxing and spending time together

The meals at Moana Coast are creative Italian courses that focus on locally produced, locally consumed food, with an emphasis on seasonal seafood and fresh vegetables from our own vegetable garden in Naruto, Tokushima, a treasure trove of culinary delights. This is exactly the restaurant’s concept of “once-in-a-lifetime Italian cuisine that can only be enjoyed here and now. In particular, the “Sauteed Tokushima Live Abalone with Bourguignon Sauce” and “Grilled Natural Naruto Sea Bream in Saltine Sauce” are must-try dishes.
A short distance from the hotel are the Otsuka Museum of Art, the German Pavilion, and the Naruto Straits, famous for Naruto’s whirlpools. However, we recommend that you do not make too many plans and spend your time relaxing in the hotel, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Enjoy a cup of Moana’s original blend coffee in the free lounge, take a walk in the large lawn garden on the grounds, or go straight to the beach and walk along the sandy beach. You will be able to reset your mind and body, and enjoy an extraordinary experience of the highest quality.

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River Retreat Garaku Club

Do you know that there is a beautiful valley created by the Jinzu River in the south of Toyama City, near the border with Gifu Prefecture? The valley is one of the most scenic spots in Toyama Prefecture, and is designated as a Toyama Prefectural Park for its clear river flow and mountain ranges. River Retreat Garaku Club” is quietly located on the banks of the river, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of this rich natural environment from every corner.
It was originally opened in May 2000 with the concept of a “healing inn by the river. The main lobby was renovated in 2005 with the aim of creating a place where one can enjoy art, baths, and meals. The hotel was designed by architect Hiroshi Naito, who also designed the famous Japanese confectionery store Toraya Café in the Tokyo Station City Hotel and the Takata Matsubara Tsunami Reconstruction Memorial Park, which was partially completed in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture in 2019. In March 2021, a new “Garden Terrace” will be built along the shoreline, providing a relaxing space where guests can enjoy the seasonal scenery while feeling the flow of the river more closely. The new terrace is a relaxing space where visitors can enjoy the seasonal scenery while feeling the flow of the river more up close. Furthermore, it is the only ryokan in Toyama Prefecture to be featured in the “Michelin Guide Hokuriku 2021” as a 4 Red Pavilion ryokan.

There are 23 guest rooms in total. Each room has a different concept. The rooms are decorated with works by contemporary artists, making guests feel as if they are at an art exhibition. The suites with private saunas are also very attractive. The rooms are decorated with artwork that can only be seen in that particular room, so you can enjoy staying in a different room during each stay to find the one you like the best. The hotel also pays special attention to bedding. Horsehair bed pads and mattresses, which are considered the highest quality bedding material, are used in all guest rooms. A good night’s sleep in an art space and waking up refreshed the next morning will be a special experience that can only be had here.

A healing moment even at mealtime

Another attraction of River Retreat Garaku Club is the food, which can be enjoyed at two restaurants. At “Wasai Zensho Rakuumi,” the chef’s carefully selected local vegetables and seafood from Toyama, including firefly squid and white shrimp, are popular in kaiseki cuisine. Just the thought of having these dishes with Toyama’s locally brewed sake is enough to make one’s cheeks loose a little weight. The other is the French restaurant “Trezonier. The chef himself goes to the mountains and fishing ports to select the best seasonal ingredients. Both restaurants also use carefully selected contemporary artisanal tableware, allowing diners to enjoy the dishes while appreciating the tableware.

The baths are also a pleasure, and River Retreat Garaku Club has two large baths. The view of the Jinzu Gorge while soaking in the baths will be one of the most memorable parts of your trip. After soaking, it is recommended to further refresh yourself at the spa. Treatments using Chinese herbal oils and 100% natural essential oils are tailored to your physical condition and mood, and are a welcome treat that only Toyama, also known as the “Medicine Capital,” can offer. An inn like a museum in the midst of nature. The combination of art and nature creates an exquisite experience that can only be experienced here.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

美男の大仏「大佛寺 高岡大仏」／富山県高岡市 – NIHONMONO 日本三大大仏のひとつ「高岡大仏」 奈良、鎌倉とともに、日本三大大仏に数えられている高岡大仏。現在ある大仏は19

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

古くから親しまれる山岳信仰の地。富山県随一のパワースポット「大岩山 日石寺」 – NIHONMONO 黒部館山の雄大な山々と美しい富山湾、そして薬売りの文化によって育まれたというガラスのアートが有名。しかし、寺院数が日本で3番目に多いというのは意外と知られていな…

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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.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

地域に根付いたお稲荷さん「笠間稲荷神社」／茨城県笠間市 – NIHONMONO お稲荷さんとして親しまれる神社。 茨城県笠間市にある笠間稲荷神社は創建が651年と伝わり、約1360年の歴史を

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World-renowned service “Asaba”.

Shuzenji is known as the most historic hot spring resort on the Izu Peninsula. Founded more than 500 years ago in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the Asaba Ryokan has been loved by many famous people throughout its history and is one of the most prestigious ryokan in Japan.
Asaba was the first ryokan in Japan to join the French association “Relais & Chateaux,” which only the most prestigious inns and restaurants in the world are allowed to join.
The hotel’s history dates back to the time when the ancestor of the Asaba family, Yakuro Yukitada Asaba, visited the area to establish the Soto sect of Buddhism at Shuzenji Temple, and the natural healing features such as bamboo groves and waterfalls in the grounds of approximately 10,000 tsubo (approximately 1.2 acres) and the elegance of the Japanese architecture that seems to blend with the landscape make visitors feel relaxed and enjoy themselves. The first thing that catches the eye upon entering the museum is the “Gekkeiden” Noh stage, which floats on a vast pond of 600 tsubo. Although it was moved to the inn in the late Meiji period (1868-1912), it is still in use as a Noh stage, and together with the regular performances of Noh, Kyogen, and other leading figures in the classical performing arts, it has become a symbol of the inn. Each room has a view of the Noh stage, making the inn a place to “enjoy the Japanese miyabi” where one can savor not only the history of the inn itself, but also the history of Japanese art.

The well-maintained interior of the inn is refreshing, and the quality of the furnishings is evident at a glance. In addition to historical Japanese artifacts, masterpieces by world-renowned artists and contemporary art are casually placed throughout the inn. The luxury of being able to appreciate them to your heart’s content is another of the museum’s attractions.

Seafood from Izu, a treasure trove of ingredients

In addition to the 15 guest rooms, there is a special “Tenko” room located in a separate building. Tenko” has an indoor bath and an open-air bath with free-flowing hot-spring water, and is a whopping 220 square meters in size. The terrace, veranda, and open-air bath offer a view of the entire garden, and the special space is both elegant and relaxing. Each of the other guest rooms also has its own view of the garden, and by choosing a different room each time you visit, you will be able to admire nature as it is at any given moment. There is a salon by the pond in the hotel, where you can relax with a cup of coffee and a good book, and enjoy a different aspect of the garden from that of your room.
The best part of the trip, the food, is also top-notch. Izu is a treasure trove of ingredients, blessed with Suruga Bay and a rich variety of traditional vegetables from the foothills of Mount Amagi. Asaba, which has an established reputation for its cuisine, assembles its menu based on the day’s catch, using mainly local ingredients. The kitchen is located near each room, and all meals are brought to the room. Hot food is served while it is still warm, and ingredients whose aroma is important are served at the most delicious time, according to the tempo of the meal. This kind of attention to detail ensures that the quality of the meal is of the highest order.

“Asaba” has been loved by customers for more than 500 years. There is a sense of beauty and hospitality that has been passed down from generation to generation.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

名匠の技 歴史を感じる趣深い宿「沼津倶楽部」／静岡県沼津市 – NIHONMONO 伊豆半島の自然に囲まれたお宿 静岡県の東部に位置する沼津市は、伊豆半島のちょうど付け根の部分にあたる。日本一高

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