On the banks of the Sugomo river, less than 100km from Tokyo, a 1987 ryokan has been given a makeover by the century-old boutique hotel firm, Hoshino Resorts Group. At first glance, the rooms of the hotel appear traditional, with exposed beams, paper screens and tatami bedding, but sleek wooden furnishings and clean-lined grey sofas by local carpentry Gallery Tsuyuki nod to modern design and comfort. Guests can immerse themselves in the therapeutic waters of the in-house hot springs while enjoying views of the verdant Hakone woods, or head to the spa, which features Yon-ka products in scents of cedar, Japanese beech and hinoki cypress.
Every evening, regional teas and cakes are served in the lobby lounge while traditional Kamishibai storytellers narrate folk tales using paper scrolls. The fourth floor restaurant, features a nine-course kaiseki menu that combines fresh Pacific seafood and seasonal produce from nearby Ashigara. The headlining dish is the ‘Meiji nabe', a pot-au-feu of Ohmi beef and Edo miso originally prepared more than a century ago for Japan's first foreign visitors. If you deign to leave all this for the day, you can explore the neighbourhood, choosing a guide from their extensive travel library.
ADDRESS
230 Yumotochaya
Hakone
Japan
-
Hermès perfume Un Jardin à Cythère is a cinematic exploration of a Greek gardenWith Un Jardin à Cythère, Hermès perfumer Christine Nagel recreates the sensations of crunchy grass, watery pistachios, and windswept olive trees
-
Exploration, travel, adventure: the lowdown on Herno’s S/S 2023 collection
A closer look at Herno’s latest collection, which riffs on the brand’s heritage with a new fashion-focused lens
-
Constance Guisset makes her Fuorisalone debut with a scenographic design party
Salone del Mobile 2023: ‘Surprise Party! Carte Blanche à Constance Guisset Studio’ (17 April – 13May 2023) is the first Milanese solo show of the French designer
-
Kyoto's Maana Kiyomizu boutique hotel is the epitome of modern craftsmanship
Maana Homes’ latest boutique hotel with a twist opens in Kyoto, including suites, a café, and a shop specialising in modern Japanese craftsmanship
-
Kai Yufuin by Kengo Kuma revisits Japanese farmhouse architecture
Hoshino Resorts has launched Kai Yufuin, a hot spring ryokan hotel by Kengo Kuma on the island of Kyushu in the Ōita Prefecture
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
-
Teruhiro Yanagihara creates terroir-inspired interiors for new restaurant Sower in Japan
Sower, the new Japanese restaurant on Lake Biwa, features a minimalist design and a material palette inspired by its surroundings
-
Kengo Kuma’s Ace Hotel Kyoto opens in a converted telephone office
Discover the design details of Asia's first Ace Hotel, as realised by architect Kengo Kuma and Commune Design
-
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland
-
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia
-
KLoé Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
