HOSHINOYA TOKYO: Set daringly in the capital and not in remote rurality, this vigorously modern number has become a model for the urban ryokan. Accessible to in-house guests alone, Tokyo’s most private address generates wonder about what lies behind towering wooden doors. Enter and you’re in a vestibule with tremendous ceilings. Geometrically patterned walls, made up of boxes of bamboo and chestnut, are fancy repositories for your shoes (taken away in ryokan tradition upon entry).
HOSHINOYA TOKYO: The 84 rooms at Hoshinoya Tokyo flout convention. Enclosed in washi-paper windows, the rooms are lantern- like. They have bold-hued walls and low Japanese chairs with marvellous fluted armrests. TVs, the bane of contemporary existence, are mercifully concealed in slick wooden cases.
Check it out at www.hoshinoya.com/tokyo/en.
BENIYA MUKAYU, RYOKAN COLLECTION: “Mukayu” means empty and this place is about the elegance of emptiness. The lobby is white, light and strikingly nude, barely alleviated by minimalist seating. Stretches of glass overlook lovely gardens but, here, glass doesn’t “frame” the surrounds; it conjures a seamlessness with nature. There’s a purity that’s palpable, an infusion of calm.
BENIYA MUKAYU, RYOKAN COLLECTION: The shrewd use of space and the impression of void create that sense of what’s fashionably called “zen.” Now, there are artworks, hand-picked by owner Mrs Nakamichi. But the art is as silent as the space, and all the more eloquent for it.
Check it out at www.ryokancollection.com/ ryokan/beniya_mukayu.
ZABORIN: This British-owned contemporary ryokan is a live-in art gallery with artworks selected and curated by co-owner and creative director Peter Grigg. His own art adorns 15 individually decorated rooms. Here, vast windows and floor-to-ceiling glass function like tableaux framing the ethereal natural surrounds.
ZABORIN: The windows showcass a vista of the looming Mount Yotei amid forested trees.
Check it out at https://zaborin.com.
HIRAMATSU HOTELS & RESORTS ATAMI: Perched on a hill against a bamboo forest is Japan’s most exclusive ryokan, a converted private villa combining Japanese finesse and French influences. The original villa was transformed into two contemporary tatami-matted Japanese suites flanking a French auberge-style restaurant.
HIRAMATSU HOTELS & RESORTS ATAMI: Next to it is a modern new wing comprising 11 sophisticated Western rooms with Monte-Carloesque jacuzzi-encrusted private terraces. Communal spaces feature a clever assemblage of European antiques, uber-cool Danish chairs and owner Mr Hiramatsu’s amazing collection of antique model boats that reinforce a maritime feel.
Check it out at www.hiramatsuhotels.com/eng/atami.
HOSHINOYA KARUIZAWA, NAGANO: Nestled in the Yukawa River valley and located at the foot of Mount Asama, an active volcano, this hot spring resort features guest pavilions that sit by the river as well as those atop a hill — shrouded by trees and with a view of a wild bird sanctuary.Here, you can catch a glimpse of a flying squirrel, hear the symphonies of songbirds and watch waterfowl play.
HOSHINOYA KARUIZAWA, NAGANO: As a sustainable resort, Hoshinoya Karuizawa is 75 per cent energy self-sufficient, has a mandatory recycling programme in place, and promotes the protection of local wilderness.
Check it out at www.hoshinoya.com/en
AMANEMU, MIE: Amanemu’s idyllic location at Ise Shima National Park is the perfect place to soak up the sights. The low-slung tiled roofs let tourists catch sunsets, while the floor-to-ceiling windows open to unobstructed views of Ago Bay or romantic maple and cherry trees.
AMANEMU, MIE: Inside, a classic ryokan aesthetic — light-coloured Japanese timber, woven textiles, and basalt stone tiles in the bathrooms — puts you in a restful mood. Two of the villas come with private onsen.
AMANEMU, MIE: Amanemu keeps true to ryokan traditions with an “okami”, a female manager who has been honed in the art of Japanese hospitality.
Check it out at www.aman.com.
HOSHINOYA KYOTO: To get to this century-old ryokan, you will first – just like court nobles in the past – have to take a scenic boat ride up the Oi River. The ryokan's 25 rooms offer river views and unique layouts, and have sliding doors clad in Kyoto-style woodblock- printed paper as well as tatami sofas made of cedar and pine.
HOSHINOYA KYOTO: An interesting tidbit: The woodblock-printed paper in the rooms were made by Takeo Honjo, the master printmaker who has created paper for the Nijo Castle restoration, as well as Detached Palace.
Check it out at www.hoshinoya.com/en
KIMAMAYA, HOKKAIDO: This hotel’s name, Kimamaya, translates to “be yourself”. With a toasty fireplace that encourages you to put your feet up and sip some hot chocolate, we say this invitation is hardly necessary.Owned by Odin Property, this nine-room mountain lodge was redesigned in 2009 to combine the classic features of a Nordic chalet with the zen and eco-consciousness of Japanese design.
KIMAMAYA, HOKKAIDO: Architect Koichi Ishiguro made sure to use sustainable and recyclable materials, and created rooms that exude laidback luxury. The chocolate-hued wood and elm floors add to the cosiness, and the premium down bedding and cotton linen are perfect for unwinding in, after a day in the mountains.
Check it out at www.designhotels.com.
RYOKAN SANGA, KUMAMOTO: This family-run, eight-room ryokan was built by Kenji Gotoh in 1977, before his son, Kengo, took over and renovated it in 2003. The mountain trees you see in the garden were planted by Kengo himself – a landscape designed to “enable people to experience the original landscape of Japan”, says Kengo’s daughter, Mayu.
RYOKAN SANGA, KUMAMOTO: The highlight of Ryokan Sanga, located in Kurokawa Onsen, would be its two hot springs: one is a medicinal bath, and the other a soothing treat for your skin. A shuttle bus will send you to the ryokan.
Check it out at www.sanga-ryokan. com
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