世界が認めた日本の名宿7選

世界が認めた日本の名宿7選

⚠️
All footage was filmed at the time of shooting.
Due to renovations or changes in services,
some details may differ from the current situation.
Room rates shown are accurate as of the time of release.
Thank you for your understanding. Hello 🎵 I’m Pyon🐰 This time, under the theme of “7 World-Renowned Japanese Inns,” I’ll be introducing luxury ryokans in Japan that are attracting attention from guests around the world Now, it’s quiz time! What do all seven of the inns in this video have in common? In other words, what is the specific reason they are considered “world-renowned inns”? If you watch through to the end, I’m sure you’ll figure it out When you know the answer, please let me know in the comments All right, let’s begin: “7 World-Renowned Japanese Inns”! This time, I stayed at a well-known ryokan in Nagano Prefecture, Tobira Onsen Myojinkan On this channel, I use the theme “EATRIP,” a mix of EAT and TRIP, to share food-focused travel experiences, such as stays at inns with wonderful meals and great restaurants I encounter on my trips, and I introduce them here If you love both travel and good food, please consider subscribing to my channel Myojinkan is located in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture By car, it’s about 30 minutes from Matsumoto Station, 40 minutes from the Shiojiri-kita interchange, and 45 minutes from Shinshu Matsumoto Airport In the mountains at an elevation of 1,050 meters, you’ll find this secluded hot-spring ryokan that’s recognized around the world We’ve just arrived, so let’s check in My stay this time was in early November The leaves had turned color and it was the perfect season for autumn foliage Founded in 1931, the area around the property is designated as Yatsugatake Chushin Kogen Quasi-National Park We arrived a little early, and were shown straight to the lounge for a welcome drink It’s a lovely space with a view of the outdoors and a cozy fireplace We completed the check-in procedures while slowly enjoying a glass of sparkling wine This time we stayed in the room called “Kumano no Ma” Renovated in April 2019, it belongs to the room category called “Zen,” designed so that you can feel at one with nature and fully relax in your own way The interior is both warm and stylish, making it a very chic room Among everything, this large 20-square-meter open-air bath on the terrace is especially exciting The tub is designed so you can also enjoy it lying down, and on clear days you can gaze at the scenery or look up at the starry sky The indoor space is 72 square meters, so it feels very spacious The vanity area is generous as well, fully stocked with amenities that many women will really appreciate Behind this door is a modern shower booth, and beyond that it leads straight out to the open-air bath In early November the autumn colors were at their peak, and the view was absolutely stunning Behind the bed there’s a closet In addition to yukata and pajamas to wear inside the property, the luggage we left at check-in had also been brought here and neatly arranged As for the drinks provided in the room, there’s of course a selection of tea and coffee, as well as wine and wine glasses, plus snacks and cheeses to go with them There are three large communal baths in the hotel Let me show you all three First is the signature “standing bath” It’s a deep bath designed so you can stand and soak, just as the name suggests The fresh mountain air and beautiful natural scenery are incredible, and you can see why this bath is so famous Legend says that Togakushi Rock was left behind by the deity Amano-Tajikarao Next is the “lying-down bath” You can rest your head on the wooden pillow and soak while lying down The third is the main large bath This one has the most washing stations Now I’ll give you a quick look at the meals First dinner, and then I’ll show you breakfast For both breakfast and dinner, you can choose between a Japanese restaurant and a French restaurant This time, we chose Japanese for both The sommelier was wonderfully attentive, and we had a really fun, delicious meal Next, let me show you breakfast This restaurant was recently renovated and has a beautiful interior The sofa seats by the windows here were especially nice This is what breakfast looked like I have many more videos in the works, so please subscribe and look forward to future uploads If you enjoyed this video, I’d really appreciate it if you could give it a like as well Next, I stayed at Beniya Mukayu in Ishikawa Prefecture The food here is outstanding, and this was actually my second stay I booked this visit specifically for crab season In the first half I’ll show you the room, and in the second half I’ll focus on the food Every guest room here has its own open-air bath This time I stayed in a Western-style room; last time I stayed in a Japanese-style room This is the Western-style room It has two semi-double beds It’s simple and compact Right beyond here you’ll find the shower booth and bath You can enjoy warm hot-spring water 24 hours a day while feeling the forest air around you The water is a sulfate spring that’s said to be good for the skin’s surface and helps calm inflammation and add moisture By the way, this is the Japanese-style room I stayed in last time Simply doing nothing and relaxing there felt like the greatest luxury Now it’s time for the meal I’d been looking forward to We upgraded the course and ordered the snow-crab kaiseki We were served branded snow crab, complete with tag, landed at Hashidate Port, prepared in many different ways Since it was cold, we started with a warm dish And right away, the female snow crab—kobako-gani—arrived Here we have sashimi of snow crab, grouper, and sweet shrimp The fresh snow crab from Hashidate Port is lightly dipped into a rich crab broth before eating The meat was unbelievably sweet, and the crab broth was so delicious I wanted to drink every last drop Next, the crab was served charcoal-grilled The staff grill it for you and even remove the meat from the shells, so all you have to do is wait and enjoy—such a luxury It crackles on the grill, filling the air with a wonderfully toasty aroma They serve it at the perfect level of doneness They carefully removed each piece of meat for us The charcoal-grilled dishes continued The picked crab meat is piled into the shell and eaten together with the rich crab tomalley It paired perfectly with the flavor of the shell The blackthroat seaperch was beautifully fatty and rich The hot pot with duck meatballs was also very luxurious To finish, we had rice topped with kobako-gani and house-made bottarga From start to finish, every single dish was outstanding Breakfast here is wonderful as well It begins with freshly squeezed juice and milk from a local dairy farm The miso soup made with crab broth was especially memorable There are plenty of vegetables, so it’s very well balanced nutritionally, and the flavors of the fish and small side dishes really confirmed just how high the level of the cuisine is Next, I stayed at Kanamean Nishitomiya in Kyoto It was founded in 1873 and has a history of around 150 years It boasts impressive credentials, with a Michelin star and membership in Relais & Châteaux, but what kind of ryokan is it really? Check-in is from 2 p.m., and we were served sweets and tea in a drawing-room-like space This time we stayed in the room called “Wakana” I’ll reveal the room rate at the end of this video, so as you watch the room tour, facilities, meals, and service, please try to guess how much it costs Wakana consists of two eight-tatami rooms In the first room, where the dining table is, you’ll find the drinks The small 135 ml canned beers on the top shelf and the oolong tea are complimentary Between the two eight-tatami rooms there’s a three-tatami-mat space and a powder room The room at the very back is the main room It was raining and looked almost like night already, but it was still daytime, so we decided to relax here until dinner Next to the main room there is a doma—an earthen-floored area The shelves are filled with various books Now let’s head back towards the entrance and take a look at the wet area In the closet you’ll find gowns, yukata, samue loungewear, and tabi socks The washroom has a double sink, and the amenities include toothbrushes, hairbrushes, basic skincare, razors, and a small sewing kit In the basket there’s a hair dryer, hair iron, and plenty of towels The bath is not a hot spring There were two types of shower heads Both breakfast and dinner are served not in the room, but in a private dining room Here we have French caviar and sea urchin, with cream cheese made in Kyoto’s Tamba region underneath This is a simmered dish of matsutake mushrooms and sirloin There are four kinds of sashimi Spear squid from Nagasaki dressed in sesame oil, seared fatty tuna topped with flowering shiso, seared surf clam with young green onions, and red rockfish served with traditional “iri-zake” seasoning Freshly made soba noodles were finished at the table with black truffles from Alba in Italy shaved over the top The grilled course was tilefish with autumn vegetables, ginkgo nuts, and a peanut-and-chestnut purée The fried dish was deep-fried matsutake mushrooms and pike conger I love fried matsutake; all the flavor is sealed inside and bursts out in every bite The main dish was beef The cuts were fillet at the back and chuck flap at the front For the rice course, they served takikomi-gohan with homemade bacon and lotus root For dessert, we had two varieties of grapes While we were eating, the staff had laid out our futons Breakfast is served Kyoto obanzai style “Obanzai” can also be written with these kanji, and “ban” carries the sense of “everyday,” so it refers to homestyle side dishes enjoyed in Kyoto households Pickles, eel and cucumber in vinegar, called uzaku, chirimen-jako (tiny dried sardines) with sansho pepper, grilled blackthroat seaperch, prosciutto with avocado and persimmon, braised beef with turnips, and simmered eggplant Kanamean Nishitomiya is located in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture From Tokyo Station, it’s about 2 hours 10 minutes on the Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi A round trip in Green Car was around 38,000 yen per person If you’re flying, it takes about one hour from Osaka Itami Airport, and about an hour and a half from Kansai International Airport In Japan, 11 properties, including Tenku no Mori in Kagoshima and Asaba in Shizuoka, have been selected for Relais & Châteaux These inns have passed strict screening and are recognized worldwide as top-tier properties offering exceptional cuisine and hospitality The only Relais & Châteaux member property in Okinawa is the place I stayed this time: The Uza Terrace Beach Club Villas We checked in at the front desk, which has a lovely view They welcomed us with herbal tea made from Okinawan tankan oranges and lemongrass It really feels like being at a resort overseas There are 48 villas in total, and every one of them has a private pool This time, I stayed in the most affordable category: the Club Pool Villa One-Bedroom I’ll reveal the price at the end of the video, so as you see the room, the facilities, and the meals, please have a guess at how much it costs Even this smallest room type has a private area of 186 square meters On either side of this large private pool stand the bedroom building and the living-room building My stay was in early October During the day, temperatures reached around 28 degrees Celsius, which was perfect, pleasant weather for swimming First, I’ll show you the bedroom building on the left The beds are arranged Hollywood-twin style, with two semi-double beds placed side by side Opposite the beds there’s a TV and a window, giving the bedroom a bright pool view Heading further in from the bedroom, you’ll find the bathroom On both sides of the hallway there are closets, where three types of room wear are provided On the hangers is a light cover-up to wear over your swimsuit at the poolside, in the drawers are gowns and relaxing sleepwear, and on the bottom shelf there’s a safe, slippers, and a tote bag you’re allowed to take home Inside the pouch you’ll find a hairdryer, and there are plenty of towels, which can be replaced at any time on request The washbasin area has double sinks, which is really convenient The amenities are also very comprehensive There’s a set of original hotel skincare products containing shell ginger (gettou) extract, including toner, emulsion, and cleansing The blue bottles are shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and body milk There are also two kinds of tropical bath salts and shower caps for each guest The shower caps are surprisingly handy when playing in the pool, too There’s a hairbrush and shaving foam, and toothbrushes and body towels for the number of guests By the sink there are small hand towels and the hotel’s original bar soap laid out casually, and in the lidded container you’ll find individually wrapped cotton pads and cotton swabs The bathtub is very large, with plenty of length and depth Because it faces the pool, the space feels bright, open, and very relaxing Since the tub is so big, it takes about 15 minutes to fill with hot water Next to the bathtub there is a separate shower room, which you can also access directly from the poolside Separate from the ones at the sink area, there are also sets of shampoo and other toiletries in the shower room Behind the frosted-glass door next to it is the toilet Now let me show you the other building, which houses the living room The pleasantly cool, beautifully scented interior really makes you feel like you’re at a luxury resort overseas On the day we checked in, it happened to be my actual birthday, so the hotel kindly gifted me a bottle of sparkling wine It holds Italy’s highest quality designation, DOCG Franciacorta, and it was beautifully dry and delicious Thank you so much All of the food and drinks here, including sweets and alcohol, are available at no extra charge Chatan Beer from Chatan Harbor Brewery is actually their own in-house craft beer There are nine kinds of soft drinks, plus Haribo gummies, olives, and chocolates There’s also a microwave An electric kettle and a selection of teas and coffee are provided, and the coffee machine is a Nespresso There’s a small sink and an IH stovetop as well In the drawers you’ll find cutlery and snacks that keep at room temperature The nuts were so good I couldn’t stop eating them Even the spirits are complimentary There’s even a washing machine and detergent, which is incredibly convenient There’s another TV in the living room, hidden away behind doors The slippers are thick, fluffy, and feel very luxurious, and you’re allowed to take the beach sandals home All these thoughtful touches feel so considerate Let’s take the cute room key and go explore the property The outdoor pool for guests is open from April through October By the pool there are deck chairs and parasols, making it a lovely spot for reading or taking a nap The ground-floor shop has an impressive selection—far beyond what you’d expect from a hotel—ranging from classic souvenirs to clothing and lifestyle goods In one corner of the shop there’s also a café, selling smoothies, other drinks, and light meals like sandwiches Everything is available to-go, so you can bring it back to your room or enjoy a picnic on the beach right out front Between the café and the pool there’s a terrace area, where you can choose to have dinner instead of in the restaurant, with a barbecue-style “Sunset Grill” as the main option On the same floor there’s also a gym, open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Water and towels are provided there as well On the second floor of the reception building, right next to the front desk, there’s a bar lounge It’s open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. it’s tea time, with drinks and sweets available Everything can be enjoyed freely with no extra charge For coffee, there’s an espresso machine, and the milk foam was wonderfully light and creamy Then from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. it turns into aperitif time An aperitif is a pre-dinner drink We enjoyed sparkling wine while leisurely watching the sunset They also provide perfect nibbles to go with your drink before dinner, such as salads, charcuterie, and cheeses And amazingly, there’s live violin music being played by the poolside This is the main restaurant, Fine Dining It serves French-inspired cuisine based on European dishes It’s a formal restaurant with a dress code—for example, men are asked to wear collared shirts In advance, I asked the hotel if we could have a table on the pool side rather than the ocean side Once the sun sets, the ocean side becomes completely dark, while the pool side is beautifully lit up and you can enjoy the live music, so I recommend it This time we ordered à la carte The amuse-bouche was confit of young chicken with couscous It had been cooked slowly at a low temperature, making it very tender Next came baguette and focaccia, both made from their own house-milled flour These first two items came out without us ordering them, and from here on are the dishes we chose ourselves Steamed mussels fragranced with herbs from “Our Farm” and white wine The garlic and herbs smelled incredible and really whetted our appetites There was so much that two people could help themselves to generous portions twice each By the way, “Our Farm” is the hotel’s own farm located on the grounds, where they grow produce using natural farming methods without pesticides or chemical fertilizers Seasonal vegetables, fruits, and herbs from the farm are used not only in the food and drinks, but also in many other parts of the hotel, including the spa This potage is made with pesticide-free potatoes and carrots grown at Uza Farm The soup was already divided into individual portions when it was served Bavettini pasta with local mushrooms and island vegetables, finished with the aroma of truffles This is the portion size before being divided for sharing I was especially impressed by how delicious the green vegetable, winged beans, were For the fish course, we had a premium local fish called kurukinmachi, landed fresh at Toya Fishing Port in Yomitan Village, grilled over binchotan charcoal and then lightly braised with clams, olives, dried tomatoes, and anchovies The broth, packed with the flavors of the seafood and vegetables, was incredibly good, and once again the herbs from their own farm added a wonderfully luxurious aroma Next came the meat course A grilled rare cut: Kuroge Wagyu “misuji” shoulder served with red wine sauce and red wine mustard Misuji is the inner part of the shoulder blade, and only a very small amount can be taken from each cow To finish, we had risotto with Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto, and island vegetables The okra was a rare variety called “Star of David” okra It was a wonderful restaurant, making generous use of local ingredients you can only find here I’ll also break down the à la carte prices at the very end of this video Good morning It’s a little windy, but very warm and pleasantly comfortable Since the sun isn’t shining directly, the cloudy sky actually feels just right Breakfast is a semi-buffet style It’s served at the Fine Dining restaurant Breakfast hours are from 7:00 to 10:30 You don’t need a reservation, so you can simply go whenever you feel like it after waking up You can choose one main dish from four different options There’s also free-flow sparkling wine in the morning In addition to the salad and fruit bar, there are six types of bread, plus butter and jams to go with them Today’s soup, which I highly recommend Ham and smoked salmon The steamed vegetables include Okinawa’s famous purple sweet potatoes While you’re at the buffet picking up side dishes, the main dish is being prepared in the kitchen In the morning we managed to get a corner table on the terrace, with views of both the sea and the pool This is the main dish in the meat option Beef steak served with mashed potatoes To keep it light for breakfast, the steak is around 70 grams I chose the egg dish An omelette and a croque monsieur The omelette was soft and runny—perfectly cooked The croque monsieur was filled with cheese and bacon, and that too was incredibly tasty From the buffet I kept it fairly light, with salad, soup, and toppings like vegetables, seaweed, nuts, and cheese Just a little bit of each After breakfast, we stopped by the lounge for a coffee break It was a lovely, relaxing time Okinawa Prefecture is one of Japan’s leading resort destinations This hotel is located in Yomitan Village on the central west coast of the main island By airport limousine bus, it takes about 90 minutes from Naha Airport; get off at Royal Hotel Okinawa Zanpamisaki That bus stop is right next to The Uza Terrace If you book in advance, the hotel will drive you between the bus stop and The Uza Terrace Next, I stayed at Bettei Senjyuan I had stayed here before and it was wonderful, so this was my second visit There are 18 guest rooms on a vast property of 35,000 tsubo (about 115,000 m²) Every room has its own open-air onsen bath with free-flowing natural hot spring water I’ll introduce the room, dinner, breakfast, and facilities in that order Upon arrival, we first checked in at the lobby We took our time with the procedures while enjoying a welcome glass of sparkling wine This stay was in early March, and there was still plenty of snow left, but there were no issues at all accessing the property by car, whether on the highway or local roads The architecture is a fusion of modern and traditional Japanese styles Starting with the 70-meter-long curved corridor connecting the front desk and the guest rooms, you’ll see decorations throughout the building using plaster, gold and silver leaf, earthen walls, and washi paper The comb-pattern finishes and other details showcase incredibly high craftsmanship This time we stayed in a 12.5-tatami room type called Japanese Room B Japanese Room B is the most affordable category here Entering the room, you’ll find the drinks corner immediately to the left I’m a café latte lover, so I was especially happy to see milk provided Snacks are charged, but they’ve kindly prepared some to enjoy with tea The coffee machine is a Nespresso Drinks in the fridge are not complimentary Directly behind the drinks corner, to the right after entering, is the 6.5-tatami main room It has only the essentials, compact and simple, in a very comfortable way Everything is well maintained, sunlit, and very pleasant The ease with which you can relax is, I think, one of the great charms of a Japanese-style room The untouched, pure-white snow outside is beautiful From the garden you can see the mountains of Mt. Tanigawa And what I love most about Senjyuan is, of course, the in-room open-air bath The shoji screens can be opened or closed as you like Let’s pass through the washroom and head to the hot spring area I’m impressed that even the most compact rooms have double sinks, and I was really surprised to find there are actually two toilets, one on each side of the drinks corner The amenities at Senjyuan are very luxurious There are many types, and Molton Brown products are used throughout the property Sliding open the glass door reveals the shower room Beyond that is the open-air bath you could see from the room Once I got in, I could really feel how silky it made my skin The mildly alkaline water gently cleanses the skin It’s a calcium–sodium sulfate–chloride hot spring; the salt content helps keep you warm after bathing and has antiseptic properties as well With check-in from 1 p.m. at Senjyuan, you can really make the most of your first day Now it’s finally time for the long-awaited dinner Both dinner and breakfast are served at the dining area called Nagacha-ya Nagacha-ya consists entirely of private dining rooms Personally, I’m not a big fan of in-room dining, so I always look for places where meals are served in a separate dining room rather than in the guest room If meals are brought to the room, I feel like I have to keep it perfectly tidy and I get restless, not knowing quite how to spend the time while the staff are setting up Even after going to bed, the smell of the food can linger in the room So having a dedicated dining area, and in private rooms on top of that, is incredibly comfortable and appreciated Here the cuisine is Japanese kaiseki It focuses mainly on ingredients from Gunma Prefecture Japanese cuisine really puts you at ease The clam broth was rich in umami, yet not too strong—perfectly balanced Gunma is famous for its konnyaku and trout, too The grilled course was sakura sea bream with kinome herb The generous kinome gave it a taste that truly evoked spring The steamed dish was Akagi chicken and mugibuta pork Served in a grated-daikon style broth, it was light and refreshing For the main, we grilled Masuda beef fillet on a hot stone Masuda beef is a carefully raised Kuroge Wagyu bred by Mr. Masuda in Takasaki City For a palate cleanser, we had a chilled new-potato vichyssoise This plate is made from lava stone You can season the meat with either mountain salt or butterbur-miso Masuda beef is raised with particular care for bloodline and feed, and only female cattle are reared over a long period of 32 months The vegetables were also sweet and delicious We finished with bamboo shoot rice and chigiriko soup The soup contained chewy flour dumplings For dessert, we had strawberry ice cream and sakura mochi The sakura mochi was especially luxurious, with a whole strawberry inside Just as we’d been told in advance, when we returned to the room the futons had already been laid out They ask each guest about their preferences for pillow and mattress, which is a nice touch They also leave a late-night snack in the room, which is so tempting that I always end up eating it even when I’m full The snack is kept warm in a steamer, and I was really impressed by the thoughtfulness of serving it hot The fruit is in the refrigerator, ready for you whenever you like Good night Good morning Good morning again Thanks to a wonderful arrangement, they kindly served our breakfast after checkout For someone like me who usually doesn’t eat early in the morning, this was really appreciated We spent a slow, relaxing morning soaking in the onsen and went to the dining room after checking out at 11 a.m. For breakfast, you can choose between a Japanese or Western set This time I chose the Japanese breakfast It’s nice to see plenty of protein This one has spicy cod roe inside The simmered beef was especially delicious For the grilled fish, you can choose from salmon, mackerel, or splendid alfonsino I’ll now show you around the rest of the facilities There are some unique spots here, so please stay with me until the end Here’s the now-familiar curved corridor Let’s walk from the guest-room wing towards the front desk About halfway along the corridor is the large communal bath The indoor bath was filled with the soothing scent of cypress This path leads to the open-air bath With stones laid underfoot and the river right in front of you, the natural atmosphere feels almost seamless Because there are so few guest rooms, we had the baths almost entirely to ourselves Being surrounded by nature is truly healing The air is so clean here, and they say the negative ions are 50 times higher than in Tokyo The large bath area is divided into two sections, and the men’s and women’s baths swap by time of day Naturally, towels and skincare products are fully provided This indoor bath is made of stone Both large bath areas have saunas as well There’s also a cold plunge pool and ice-cold drinking water The open-air bath at night, when the air is crisp and cool, is also wonderful Let’s continue our tour of the property Next to the front desk there’s a gift shop These are the sofas where we checked in There’s more lounge seating further back as well They even provide rubber boots for when you want to walk out into the garden, which is reassuring From the corridor, you can catch glimpses of a dome, so let’s go take a look Inside the transparent dome, which offers 360-degree views, there are fluffy sofas and a stove heated with biofuel, making it a very cozy place to relax It felt like a completely out-of-the-ordinary space unlike anything I’d experienced before—very refreshing Let’s head even further in There’s a small cabin that looks like a mountain hut Inside, there’s a solid wood table made from a single slab and a refrigerator Inside are local strawberries and complimentary drinks Right next to the cabin there’s a hand bath With the cold weather outside, it feels especially comforting Now let’s head back along the curved corridor towards the guest rooms This time we’re going to the reading room The path is quite buried in snow We switch to the rubber boots provided here and continue through the snow Carefully making our way so as not to slip, we eventually spot the building That’s the reading room We hardly ran into any other guests, and we had this space all to ourselves as well The smell of wood and the crackling sound of the fireplace were very soothing You can help yourself to coffee here There are also seats by the windows where you can sit and gaze outside Cross-sections of trees from this area are displayed on the walls, which I found fascinating Next, I stayed at Asaba, one of Japan’s most renowned ryokans It’s located in Shuzenji Onsen, in the Oku-Izu region of Shizuoka Prefecture The temple Shuzenji, which gives the area its name, is a Zen temple founded by the monk Kōbō Daishi Kukai In 1484, Yakuro Yukitada Asaba, the temple warden of Shuzenji, opened a lodging house at the temple gate
This is the origin of the ryokan, which has been passed down through generations of the Asaba family for some 540 years The large noren curtain at the entrance bears a wave pattern that feels cool and summery, and the karahafu-gabled roof with its elaborate wood carvings exudes a dignified presence Thinking of the exquisite time that awaits, my heart was already dancing Are you familiar with the organization Relais & Châteaux? It’s a worldwide association that only accepts inns and restaurants that pass strict screening,
and Asaba was the first property in Japan to be admitted, back in 1988 Once you step onto the roughly 10,000-tsubo (about 33,000 m²) grounds, you feel completely removed from the outside world, with time flowing at a gentle pace Across the pond where colorful carp swim, a waterfall cascades down, and in early August the chorus of cicadas combined with the sound of water lets you fully feel the height of summer One of the key features that sets Asaba apart as a ryokan is its Noh stage, “Tsukimiden” Under the title “Shuzenji Arts Performances,” Noh, kyogen, and other classical Japanese performing arts are staged here
by top masters, including Living National Treasure Mansaku Nomura On the way to the guest rooms there’s a stone pillar that makes everyone pause for a moment There are elegant touches everywhere, and the more refined your own sensibilities, the more you can appreciate and enjoy them There are 12 guest rooms in total; I booked “Mantenboshi,” a room on the second floor I’ll reveal the price at the end of the video, so as you watch the room, meals, facilities, and service, please try to guess how much it might be Mantenboshi is an 80 m² room with a 12-tatami main room and an 18-tatami bedroom Soft cushions are placed discreetly at your feet Check-in is at 2:30 p.m., and checkout is at 11:30 a.m. There are no fussy procedures; everything is completed smoothly while you enjoy tea and sweets The tea and sweets are delicious, and even the quality of the hand towel shows how high-end everything is While preserving tradition and the inherent beauty of a Japanese house, the space also harmonizes modern comfort and functionality For example, in the main room the low table and chairs are arranged so you don’t have to sit directly on the tatami, and the alcove and other features of the room are set slightly higher than usual so that they look perfectly balanced from a seated position The TV and telephone are hidden behind doors so they don’t disturb the view Looking up, you’ll notice a neat, beautifully grained wooden ceiling The lighting fixtures are extremely simple—an exercise in minimalism Opening one of the doors reveals a closet with two yukata per person, prepared to match each guest’s height Next, let me show you the bedroom By the way, when opening and closing the sliding doors, I noticed that only the edges are made from a different material so that the doors glide more smoothly The bedroom is even more spacious than the main room, with higher ceilings that make it feel very open Light also pours in from high windows on the side opposite the main window The beds are known for their impeccable preparation by highly experienced staff, with duvets that hold a gentle cushion of air and perfectly taut sheets The light switches, air-conditioning controls, and remote controls are all neatly gathered between the two beds At the far end of the room, beside the bed, there’s a safe and a telephone There’s also a print by world-renowned artist Lee Ufan The colors harmonize beautifully with the season’s natural scenery The Tendo Mokko rocking chair showcases exceptional craftsmanship, and is famous for having been used by Isamu Noguchi in his studio This room, too, has a ceiling that’s immaculately regular and beautiful There are two televisions in total—one in the main room and one in the bedroom Let’s take a look at the drinks corner Everything in the fridge is complimentary Inside you’ll find Shuzenji craft beer, mandarin orange juice, Shizuoka tea, and natural mineral water from Izu Shizuoka Prefecture is Japan’s top tea-producing region Its soil and climate are ideal for tea cultivation, and about 40% of Japan’s tea fields are located in Shizuoka The coffee is drip-style from Sarutahiko Coffee, and the black tea is Ahmad Tea from the U.K. They pair Wedgwood cups with wooden saucers, which looks very elegant In the bedroom closet, you’ll find pajamas prepared for you They’re made from soft cotton that feels like gauze against the skin Lastly, let me show you the bathroom I really liked the design, with a full wall of windows instead of a mirror in front of you—something I’d never seen before Mirrors are placed on the two side walls, making it feel almost as though there are three windows This is Japanese-level excellence in bathroom design The basic skincare products are by SENSAI, a high-end Japanese cosmetics brand, and include makeup remover, face wash, toner, and emulsion The towels are fluffy and very high quality The gown in particular felt incredibly luxurious—smooth and finely woven You can also enjoy the beautiful view from the bath The tub itself is made from premium Koya-maki, considered one of the finest bathtub materials and it’s filled with continuously flowing Shuzenji Onsen water, which is listed among Japan’s 100 best hot springs It’s a simple hot spring that contains a relatively high amount of metasilicic acid, which helps moisturize the skin The pH is 8.51, making it alkaline The scent of Koya-maki wood fills the entire bathroom All the warm water from the taps is hot spring water as well The toilet is a TOTO Neorest Lastly, about the room door key: you lock it by pressing the round button on the handle before closing the door Now let’s take a leisurely walk around the property Over there you can see the spacious salon, where the iconic “Diamond Chair” by world-famous artist Harry Bertoia immediately catches your eye You’re greeted by “Digital Counter,” a representative work by contemporary artist Tatsuo Miyajima Just inside the entrance is an iconic striped piece by French conceptual artist Daniel Buren The sofas are placed with wide spacing between them The last time I stayed at Asaba was in the autumn of 2020 This visit is in the summer of 2024, so I’m back for the first time in about four years Asaba underwent major renovations in 2022 and 2023, reducing the number of guest rooms from 16 to 12 and doubling the size of the salon The terrace built right in front of a dramatic rock face feels like a hidden retreat Even in the evening the sun is still strong, and the chorus of cicadas makes it feel even hotter—
but I know that in a few months this heat and humidity will feel like part of a cherished summer memory, so I’m trying to embrace it all In one corner of the lobby there’s a spacious shop area The same furnishings and amenities you see around the property and in the rooms are sold here, making it easy to understand just how high the quality of everything used to host guests is The selection is stylish and well curated—I never get tired of looking around There are three bathing areas on the property First, the indoor bath The design combines the warmth of wood with the coolness of stone All the baths—both in-room and communal—use free-flowing spring water with no chlorine disinfection Even so, the water quality is of course crystal clear Everything you could need is provided here, from basic amenities like toothbrushes and razors to skincare products, hair dryers, and towels, so you can come without bringing anything from your room The second is the open-air bath Unlike the indoor baths, which have separate facilities for men and women, there is only one open-air bath, so the men’s and women’s hours are separated by time slots To enjoy different views in the evening, morning, and at night, the men’s and women’s time slots are switched very frequently, so please check the sign at the entrance to the bath and the timetable posted in your room carefully You can enjoy the changing seasons in a beautiful setting overlooking a bamboo grove and pond At this time of year, the lotus flowers were in bloom The alkaline water gently smooths and cleanses the surface of your skin The third bath is a private family bath Shuzenji Onsen is the oldest hot spring area on the Izu Peninsula, and legend says it was opened in 807 A.D. by Kōbō Daishi Kukai in the early Heian period It is also associated with the Genji clan, and appears frequently in tales from the Kamakura period From the mid-Edo period, it developed further as a hot spring resort After the Meiji era, as transportation networks improved, it came to be loved by writers seeking a quiet environment Many literary greats, such as Natsume Sōseki, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, and Yasunari Kawabata, stayed here and produced numerous masterpieces Mineral water is available near all three bathing areas All 12 guest rooms fall into eight different price categories If you’ve stayed at Asaba before, I’d love to hear your impressions of the room you chose in the comments Now that we’re back in the room from the bath, I’m going to enjoy the Shuzenji beer that was in the fridge There’s nothing like a beer after a summer bath Asaba’s charm is not limited to its beautiful scenery, art, and hot springs The level of the cuisine is incredibly high, and on one major gourmet review site it ranks number one in Japan in the hotel and ryokan category The first course is chawanmushi with sea urchin and horsehair crab From the very first dish, they use luxurious ingredients with real impact The second course is two seasonal corn dishes They use a sweet corn variety called “Kankan-musume” Served as a crispy tempura fritter and a rich, silky corn soup Japanese cuisine really puts me at ease For the aperitif I ordered a serving of local sake “Manyo” from Shuzenji Even though dinner is served in the room Cold dishes are perfectly chilled and hot dishes piping hot—temperature control is flawless The third course is a turtle and tofu soup There’s no trace of gaminess, only deep, concentrated umami The fourth course is an assorted sashimi platter Local me-ichidai sea bream, bigfin reef squid, and striped jack with summer vegetables The sea bream has a refined fat, and the squid is tender and sweet The striped jack, tossed with summer vegetables, tastes light and refreshing The fifth course is a summer classic: salt-grilled ayu sweetfish They use fresh fish from the local Kano River I used to think smaller ayu were better, but at this time of year the flesh is fatty and tender, and I realized ayu has its own unique charm At this point our oshibori towels and chopsticks were replaced with fresh ones The sixth course is prawn and scallop with chopped okra and ginger jelly The yellow flower is a cucumber blossom, and it really tastes like cucumber The seventh course is conger eel sushi made with black rice It’s an Asaba signature dish that’s served year-round The eighth course is deep-fried tokobushi and Manganji peppers Tokobushi is a small abalone-like shellfish It’s fried until very tender The final rice course is ayu rice Tade leaves, a classic herb for ayu, add a distinctive sharpness and aroma You sprinkle them over the rice to your liking The miso soup is filled with summery watershield greens The dashi is seasoned perfectly—simple and delicious For dessert, each person can choose one of three options I chose melon from right here in Shizuoka Prefecture It’s very sweet, yet still feels light since it’s fresh fruit The other options were kuzukiri noodles and blancmange To finish, there’s ice cream In front is mandarin orange and honey, and in back is Manganji pepper flavor I’m absolutely stuffed Every single dish was wonderful After dinner, we head out to stroll around the inn again The atmosphere is different from daytime—much calmer and more serene The library shelves are lined with rare books I could sit here and relax forever Someday I’d love to stay here when there’s a Shuzenji arts performance on Good night Good morning It’s another clear, refreshing start to the day Breakfast is also served in the room, and you can choose a start time between 8 and 9 a.m. About 15 minutes before, the attendant comes to begin setting up Warm dishes are prepared after you’re seated so they arrive hot Let me walk you through each item one by one Okara with sakura shrimp and edamame It’s so moist it feels more like tofu than okara Komatsuna greens in a creamy sesame dressing; the ground sesame is wonderfully fragrant The rolled dashi omelet is extremely soft, with a very high dashi ratio and a gently seasoned flavor A generous mound of grated daikon is served on a separate plate Inside the lidded dish are sweet-simmered eggplant and a local dried horse mackerel, nicely rich and oily Paper-thin, wide flakes of freshly shaved bonito show off the chef’s skill You spoon these bonito flakes over freshly cooked white rice The rice is Koshihikari from Shuzenji, not distributed on the general market Even the wasabi is surprisingly delicious—you can tell every ingredient is carefully selected The red miso soup has plenty of clam flavor and the seasoning is perfectly balanced Dessert is marinated Amela tomato Garnished with shiso blossoms and a shiso juice sauce Thank you for the meal Let me explain how to get here Asaba is located in Shuzenji, Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture From Tokyo Station there’s a limited express train called “Odoriko” that goes directly to Shuzenji Station in 120 minutes The nearest Shinkansen stop is Mishima Station, and from there it’s 35 minutes to Shuzenji on local trains From Shuzenji Station it’s a 7-minute taxi ride to the inn By car, it takes about two and a half hours from central Tokyo It’s already late September, but the weather still feels like midsummer Today we’ve come to Kinosaki Onsen in Hyogo Prefecture We’re staying at Nishimuraya Honkan, a famous ryokan representing the San’in region I’ve admired this inn for years, and I’m finally visiting for the first time Check-in is at 3 p.m. For reasons I’ll explain later, we arrived quite early, but when I called ahead they kindly arranged to welcome us We’re waiting in the lobby lounge until our room is ready It’s 35 degrees today, so I’m very grateful to sit in air-conditioning and even enjoy complimentary drinks Nishimuraya Honkan was founded in the Ansei era in the late Edo period and has over 160 years of history Since its founding, it’s been loved by many cultural figures and celebrities The exhibition room inside the inn holds valuable calligraphy, traditional crafts, and historical materials You’ll see the names of great figures you’ve likely heard of in history textbooks and famous literary works everywhere you look Kinosaki Onsen is also known as the setting for Naoya Shiga’s short story “At Kinosaki” Legend says that over 1,400 years ago, in the time of Emperor Jomei in the early 600s, villagers saw an injured stork healing its wounds in a puddle, and when they approached, they discovered hot springs bubbling up—that story marks the beginning of Kinosaki Onsen The Japanese word “toji” (therapeutic hot spring stay), still widely used today, first appears in a Kamakura-period diary, Meigetsuki, where Fujiwara no Teika wrote that he went to Kinosaki for toji—this is said to be the oldest record of the term There are 29 guest rooms in total This time we stayed in Kumo-i, a special room with an open-air bath I’ll reveal the price at the end of this video, so as you watch the room, meals, facilities, and service, try to guess how much it costs There’s a 15-tatami main room and a sunroom-style space about 5 tatami mats in size It’s a corner room with windows on two sides, making it bright with beautiful greenery outside This room was renovated in 2022 It used to be two separate rooms that were combined into one So the layout feels very spacious and open Even the wall without windows has a lightwell, so it’s still bright Once we’ve settled in, the attendant brings matcha and a chilled mizu-yokan jelly as a tea sweet Now let me show you the bedroom The bedroom is six tatami mats with a king-size bed With textured walls and soft indirect lighting in latticework, it has a calm, cozy feel perfect for sleeping Just outside the bedroom is a small drink station The coffee machine is a Nespresso The counter is designed like a tea room’s mizuya preparation area Everything in the fridge is included in the room rate Next to that is the closet And at the very back is the powder room Lastly, let’s take a look at the bathroom There’s cleansing, toner, and lotion from the Japanese brand Naris Men’s toner, lotion, and hair tonic And bath amenities from the French luxury brand Guerlain Toothbrush sets, a hairbrush, cotton pads, and cotton swabs are also provided The hair dryer is a Dyson The bathing area is spotless and gleaming The shower room and bathtub are cleverly separated for ease of use A hinoki cypress tub with hinoki walls—an incredibly relaxing bath wrapped in the scent of cypress There are plenty of windows, so it feels open, yet it faces the mountain so privacy is well protected Now I’ll show you the two large public baths First, the large bath near the main building front desk Delicate monochrome tiles inspired by ancient Chinese motifs A high-ceilinged indoor bath and Fuku-no-Yu, marked by a round window The open-air bath is a rock bath that blends beautifully with the surrounding garden The water is a sodium-calcium chloride spring with a neutral pH of 6.99 The second large bath is in a separate wing called Hiratakan Soaking here, you can reflect on the 1,300-year history of these beloved hot springs A slow, relaxing bath washes away everyday fatigue My skin felt soft and moisturized when I got out I dozed off in the sunroom, and before I knew it, it was time for dinner We begin with an appetizer platter full of autumn flavors Seared barracuda sushi, pickled myoga ginger, chestnut with yuzu miso, simmered carrot, river shrimp, deep-fried tofu, simmered ochiai fish with sansho, skewered mukago and cheese, simmered pumpkin, and tsurumurasaki greens with smoked salmon I ordered Nishimuraya’s local sake Red snow crab landed nearby in Kasumi Steamed with local Asakura sansho pepper for extra aroma Steamed egg custard with matsutake and conger eel This style of egg custard is essentially chawanmushi Next is an assorted sashimi platter In the little pot is Japanese whelk; beside it are tuna, flounder, sweet shrimp, squid rolled with shiso, and seaweed rolls The rice for the closing course is cooked right in the room The grilled dish is teriyaki local fish from the Sea of Japan Today’s local fish is grunt Here we have a seaweed called katanori and grilled salted squid innards This item isn’t listed on the menu—it’s a little extra from the chef For a palate cleanser, tender simmered abalone Served with chilled “spaghetti squash” in aspic and grilled turnip The hot pot is Tajima beef grilled on a hoba-miso ceramic plate Tajima beef is the original breed behind Japan’s three famous wagyu brands: Kobe, Matsusaka, and Omi beef The rice course is terraced rice from Tajima with red miso soup Dessert is seasonal fruits—persimmon, fig, melon, and grapes—and a sweet crab-shaped monaka wafer Thank you for the meal I woke up early and didn’t sleep much, so I’ll take a bath and go to bed soon Good morning Breakfast is served in a large room Called “Izumi-rei no Ma” on the second floor near the front desk There are two types of breakfast—Japanese and Western Today I’ll show you the Japanese set, and tomorrow the Western The miso soup pot simmers on the table, and when it’s ready You stir in the miso yourself to finish it Appetizers are edamame yuba, pickled and jellied sandfish, seaweed and carrot in tofu dressing, marinated squid noodles, and komatsuna greens with shimeji I have their original crab with sansho pepper as a topping for rice The main dishes are brought out later Grilled overnight-dried flounder from the Sea of Japan and fish cakes from Tsuiyama Port Dashi omelet and simmered burdock The simmered dish is deep-fried eggplant in dashi Drinks are vegetable juice and milk Dessert is seasonal fruit Thank you for the meal We head straight to the lounge, grab coffee to go, and return to our room During the day we hike up a nearby hill and wander through the hot spring town When we come back, the room has been cleaned, and the attendant brings matcha and sweets Sipping beer from the fridge, we enjoy a slow, lazy afternoon It’s now 5:30 p.m. Time for dinner Since this is our second night, the menu has been changed The aperitif is a medicinal liqueur infused with ginkgo leaves It has a distinctive flavor but is mild and very pleasant The appetizers are served in a cage-shaped dish, like an autumn insect cage There’s grilled pike conger wrapped in burdock, ginkgo nuts on a skewer, fig fish cake, mustard lotus root, kelp-marinated sillago, green beans with whitebait, grilled shrimp with rice cracker coating, and a cosmos-inspired garnish In the white dish is squid and celery tossed with spicy cod roe, presented like autumn leaves The soup course features Spanish mackerel kenchin-maki with seared karasumi and matsutake Next is an assorted sashimi platter Sea bream in vinegar sauce, stone bream, prawn, and geoduck clam The vinegared sashimi is eaten with ponzu, the others with soy sauce The main fish course is grilled steamed abalone Topped with a Japanese-style sauce and pink peppercorns For a palate cleanser, sesame “Rikyu” tofu In Japanese cuisine, dishes featuring sesame often carry the name Rikyu Next is steamed rockfish and matsutake mushrooms Today’s rockfish is kasago Then Tajima beef grilled on a hot plate You cook it to your preferred doneness at the table The rice simmering earlier in the small pot was corn rice We each polished off a whole little pot Dessert is seasonal fruits—persimmon, fig, melon, grapes—and a crab-shaped monaka wafer The clatter of wooden geta sandals echoes down the street Kinosaki Onsen is a hot spring town where yukata look perfectly at home Kinosaki Onsen embraces the idea that the entire town is one big ryokan: each inn is a guest room, the station is the entrance, the streets are hallways, souvenir shops are the gift corner, and public baths are the large communal baths It’s a charming place with real atmosphere—I’m so glad we came Good night Good morning I slept soundly Today we ordered one Western breakfast and one Japanese I’ll start by showing you the Western breakfast Chef’s special onion soup Prosciutto from Tamba and cream cheese with additive-free local vegetables The bread basket has a croissant, twist bread, and soft rolls For the egg dish, you can choose from five styles I chose the Nishimuraya-style Japanese omelet Dessert is fruit and yogurt The drink is apple juice Next, I’ll show you the Japanese breakfast The Japanese set also differs between the first and second day There are five appetizers in front In the ice bowl is squid served like somen noodles The miso soup pot contains clams from the Maruyama River and prawns Today’s egg dish is a soft-boiled onsen egg The grilled fish is blackthroat seaperch The simmered dish is fried tofu dumpling from a local tofu shop Thank you for the meal Check-out is at 11 a.m. Thank you very much for your hospitality Let me explain how to get here Nishimuraya Honkan is located in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture The reason I had never visited Kinosaki Onsen before Was because it’s not very easy to reach from the Tokyo area This time, I’ll show you exactly how we got here as one example route We flew from Haneda to Itami, then from Itami to Tajima The downside of this route is that it costs more than going by train or highway bus And there isn’t a flight that lines up perfectly with the inn’s check-in time The upside is that while other methods take about six hours door to door By plane it only takes about three hours, even including transfer time Kounotori Tajima Airport, the nearest airport to Kinosaki Onsen Has flights only to and from Osaka Itami Airport With just two flights a day You can choose between a 9:30 a.m. arrival Or a 5:30 p.m. arrival; we chose the morning flight From Tajima Airport it’s about 20 minutes to the inn by taxi Or 45 minutes by bus to Kinosaki Onsen Station From Kinosaki Onsen Station it’s about a 7-minute walk to Nishimuraya Honkan, and there’s also a free pick-up service If you watched until the end, please leave me a comment Likes and new channel subscriptions are also a huge encouragement I’ll see you again in the next video Thank you so much for watching to the very end

世界が認めた日本の名宿7選

⸻

⚠️
映像は撮影当時のものです。改装やサービス内容の変更により、現在とは異なる可能性がございますことをご了承くださいませ。
料金は動画公開時現在の情報です。

⸻

🐰 SNS 🥕

➤Twitter
Tweets by pyon_eatrip

➤Instagram
https://instagram.com/pyon_eatrip

⸻

▶ ぴょんへのプレゼントはこちらからお願いいたします🐰🎀
https://www.amazon.jp/hz/wishlist/ls/2SJKPLOCO9AUK?ref_=wl_share

※同じ物が重なってしまわないように、現在はギフト券で受け取らせていただいております🧁

⸻

🎧 BGMはThematicを利用しています
私は有料プランに入っていますが、無料プランでも充実したラインナップでおすすめです🎵
公式ウェブサイト⬇️
https://app.hellothematic.com/invite/7217C8A2

⸻

高級旅館 温泉宿 国内旅行 おすすめ宿 美食 食事が美味しい 料理が評判 日本の名宿 一度は泊まりたい 客室露天 絶景 景色が良い 記念日 新婚旅行 夫婦旅行 大人の旅行 老舗 格式 和風 和モダン 伝統建築 日本文化 贅沢旅行 ラグジュアリー 海外評価 外国人に人気 世界が認めた 国際評価 懐石 会席 日本料理 和食 ミシュラン ルレエシャトーあさば べにや無何有 別邸仙寿庵 強羅花壇 要庵西富家 神戸北野ホテル 西村屋本館 登大路ホテル奈良 天空の森 ザ・キタノホテル東京 ジ・ウザテラスビーチクラブヴィラズ 扉温泉明神館