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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A perspective of “no” rather than “zero” waste

HOTEL WHY, a zero-waste action hotel, opened in May 2020 in Kamikatsu-cho, Tokushima Prefecture, which has the smallest population of any town in Shikoku at 1,511 (as of January 1, 2021). Zero-waste” means “zero waste. In 2003, Kamikatsu Town became the first municipality in Japan to declare “Zero-Waste,” aiming for a society that produces no waste, rather than zero waste, which is defined by how waste is disposed of. The town does not collect garbage by the municipality, and each household composts food scraps, etc., and each resident brings bottles, cans, and other “resource garbage” to the “garbage station” to sort into more than 45 types for recycling.

HOTEL WHY is located in a corner of the Kamikatsu Zero-Waste Center, which has a garbage station and a research and educational function for consumers, sellers, and producers, and is a lodging facility where visitors can actually experience the 45 types of sorting. The unique architecture of the building is shaped like a “? The “HOTEL WHY” is located at the “.” part of the unique architecture, which is shaped like a “?

The “HOTEL WHY” is located at the “.” of the unique building, which is shaped like a “? But Kamikatsu Town, which is also the source of water, decided that this was not the way to go, so this waste treatment facility was built,” says Momona Otsuka, owner of HOTEL WHY.

The facility is made of scrap wood, window frames, and other materials brought in by the townspeople. Kamikatsu Town does not have a garbage collection system, but by having everyone bring their garbage and unused items here, it has become a place for communication and learning,” says Otsuka.

About 80% of the garbage brought here is recycled. Generally, about 20% is recycled, which is a fairly high figure, but the town of Kamikatsu is making further efforts to achieve the goal of zero-waste.

Why? from daily life

The design was led by the hot young architect Takushi Nakamura. Why are you buying it?” The interior has a calm atmosphere in contrast to the unique exterior, which is based on the theme of questioning consumers and producers about whether to make, sell, or dispose of products. The room windows overlook the rich nature of Kamikatsu-cho and are very cozy.

At the hotel check-in, guests are given an explanation of Kamikatsu Town’s zero-waste efforts, and drinks and soap are weighed out for their needs during their stay. At check-out, guests actually sort garbage into 45 categories, giving them a chance to experience life in Kamikatsu Town and review their daily garbage The hotel also provides an opportunity for guests to experience the lifestyle of Kamikatsu Town and review their daily garbage by actually sorting garbage into 45 categories when checking out.

We hope that by creating this hotel, we can provide an opportunity for people outside of Kamikatsu to learn more about zero-waste and the SDGs,” said Otsuka.

The hotel does not have a starred restaurant, nor does it have a large outdoor bath. The lack of disposable amenities is also not surprising considering the hotel’s concept. After dusk, there are almost no cars on the road, and even the nearest convenience store is a 30-minute drive away. However, this inconvenience is refreshing and pleasant. This is by no means a luxurious hotel. It is just a place with beautiful nature and starry sky in a small town in the mountains, but I felt as if I could see the shape of a hotel for a new era.

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Hotels with a deep sense of local charm「THE TOWER HOTEL NAGOYA」

Chubu Electric Power Company’s MIRAI TOWER (former Nagoya TV Tower) towers over the downtown area of Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture.Nagoya City approached Tatachu Naito, the “father of earthquake-resistant structures,” to design the tower as a symbol of its postwar reconstruction plan.Naito went through a series of trials and errors under strict conditions, such as the future construction of a subway line directly under the tower and the durability of the antennae that concentrated the TV signals.Finally, in 1954, the tower was born, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, as a TV tower that combines function and beauty.In recognition of this achievement, Naito went on to design other famous towers around Japan, including Tokyo Tower and Tsutenkaku Tower in Osaka, earning him the nickname “Doctor of Towers.After the 2011 termination of terrestrial analog TV broadcasting and the end of its role as a radio tower, the tower continued to be a symbol of the city, but it had become a problem due to its aging.

Stimulated by the artistic culture of the Tokai region

The plan to solve this problem was to renovate the tower into a hotel facility with seismic isolation.After various simulations and seismic reinforcement work, “THE TOWER HOTEL NAGOYA” opened in October 2020 on the first to fifth floors of the Nagoya TV Tower.The hotel has also attracted attention for being the first hotel in Aichi Prefecture to be certified as a “SLH” (Small Luxury Hotels of the World) hotel, which only hotels that are recognized as small-scale and world-class luxury hotels can join.The hotel has a total of 15 guest rooms, 13 of which are individually designed and full of character on the 4th floor, and two spacious 80m2 suites on the 5th floor.The spacious terraces of the suites offer a panoramic view of Sakae, Nagoya’s most prestigious downtown area.A banquet hall overlooking Central Park is located on the second floor and can be used for weddings and other events.The observation deck is a salon open only to hotel guests from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. the following day, providing a special space where only guests can enjoy the night view.The theme of the “TV tower where you can stay overnight,” a rarity in the world, is “ART × CRAFT × LOCAL.Artworks created by artists associated with the three Tokai prefectures will be exhibited at the front desk, lobby, guest rooms, and other locations, making the hotel a center of culture and art with the ability to accommodate guests.

The hospitality of a luxury hotel and the feeling of visiting a museum at the same time will pique the curiosity of art lovers.In addition, the space, which makes use of the steel frame of the TV tower and has the atmosphere of a registered tangible cultural property, is filled with arts and crafts unique to this region, including Nagoya yuzen, Arimatsu shibori, and other traditional crafts from the Tokai region centering on Nagoya.

Enjoy the ingredients of the Tokai region

The restaurant on the 4th floor of the tower is “glycine,” a French restaurant in Yagoto, one of the most exclusive residential areas in Nagoya, where reservations are not taken.The restaurant offers dishes beautifully presented on tableware made by local artists and using local ingredients in abundance.Lunch and dinner are open to the public, but breakfast is a Japanese breakfast available only to guests.Of particular note is the “Ryu no Hitomi” brand rice served, which is well known among rice lovers for its large grain size (1.5 times larger than Koshihikari rice) and excellent taste.The food is cooked using a vermiculator and served freshly cooked at mealtime.Each dish is so elaborate that it may seem too luxurious for a breakfast, and the number of dishes is enough to fill one’s heart from morning.The cafe “lily” on the second floor offers a wide variety of dishes, including a variety of freshly cooked dishes,Enjoy dishes made with abundant local ingredients, beautifully presented on tableware made by local artists.

Just as in the past, four stations and five waves of television signals were transmitted from this location, delivering entertainment that brightened people’s daily lives, it is still a place that transmits culture, even though its form has changed.Overlooking the center of Nagoya, this place is sure to be a special place for the seasoned traveler to take a breather while still being able to feel the breath of the city and its history.

あわせて読みたい

On the boundary between the past and the future “Toyota Municipal Museum of Art” Collection of contemporary Japanese art In the center of the city of Toyota, on an elevated area where Koromo Castle once stood, is the ”Toyota Municipal Mus…

あわせて読みたい

Teapots of brilliant crimson “Potter, Jozan Yamada” Pottery called “Tokoname-yaki” The history of ”Tokoname-yaki” is very old, and can be traced back to the late Heian period. In Tokoname, large jars and pots,…

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Shimayado Mari, the Top Hot Springs Hotel in Western Japan

Shimayado Mari is an inn that stirs up nostalgic and heart-fluttering feelings of travel. The relaxed, laid-back atmosphere blends perfectly with the scenery of Shodoshima, a mountain range surrounded by blue skies. The inn offers three perfect features: courteous hospitality, comfortable and relaxing guest rooms, and kaiseki cuisine that makes the most of Shodoshima ‘s local soy sauce (a specialty of Shodoshima). It has been selected as the top hot spring hotel in “The Best Selection of Hot Spring Inns in Western Japan” published by Shobunsha.

Old private house designated as a cultural asset

The main building, a renovated 90-year-old private house, is a historic building designated as a cultural asset. The beams transferred from a soy sauce warehouse, the barrel baths in each room, and other subtle Shodoshima touches will soothe the hearts of travelers.
All of the eight guest rooms have different interiors. The names of the rooms are “Hishi,” “O,” “De,” “Momo,” “Te,” “Na,” “Su,” and “Satoh. Two of the rooms are detached, the “Hishi” room is in a renovated storehouse designated as a national tangible cultural property, and the “O” room is a two-story special room in a detached building with the largest area.

あわせて読みたい

Auberge de Oishi (translator’s note: the website of the auberge says Oishi, not Ooishi), serving … From a French restaurant to an auberge The Taira clan was brought to an end at Yashima in the Genpei War at the end of the Heian Period. Yashima is a plateau…

An old private house featuring “hishio” hospitality

As the name “Hishio de Omotenasato” (hospitality with Hishio) implies, the essence of “Shima Yado Mari” is “Shoyu Kaiseki” using Shodoshima’s specialty, soy sauce. Hishio” is an old Japanese reading of “shoyu,” or soy sauce. At Shima Yado Mari, soy sauce, which is supposed to play a supporting role in the cooking, is as much a part of the menu as the fresh fish, shellfish, and vegetables of the Seto Inland Sea. The dishes are accentuated by the “moromi,” which is made from soy sauce that has been re-fermented and the umami of the soybeans that have matured before the soy sauce is pressed. Many guests return to the inn to enjoy these dishes.
The inn also offers rental bicycles. The rental bicycles are Canadian “Luigano” sport bicycles, which are a heartwarming gadget that can make your trip even more wonderful.
The “Island Inn Mari” is filled with attention to detail throughout. It is a pleasant mix of history and tradition with fashionable lightness.

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Hotel Granvia meets a variety of needs

Hotel Granvia Okayama is conveniently located directly connected to JR Okayama Station. It is an ideal location for train travel.
The 19-story white building has eight restaurants and bars to choose from, depending on your mood. The rooms are functional and sophisticated, and all but the Japanese-style rooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access, and laptop computers can be rented for 1,000 yen per night.
In addition, a store featuring local specialties of Okayama is located on the first floor, so you can browse for souvenirs in your spare time. There is also a bakery called Granvia Kobo in the annex, where you can enjoy freshly baked hotel-made bread.

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