KAI Anjin — Ito, Japan
Ito is to Tokyo what Brighton is to London: a weekend seaside retreat within striking distance of the capital. Where Brighton offers the murky English Channel, walks along the pier and sticks of Rock, Ito boasts the sparkling Pacific, hot springs and spectacular sushi.
The Anjin, which is the latest offering by KAI, a chain of contemporary luxury hot spring ryokan operated by Japanese hotelier Hoshinoya, makes the most of Ito’s appeal, with 45 suites each opening onto panoramic sea views. Perhaps in a nod to its namesake, the 16th century British navigator, ship-builder and samurai, William Adams (known in Japan as Miura Anjin), the tatami mats and futons you’d associate with a ryokan have been replaced by queen-sized mattresses and seagrass rugs, though other traditional offerings, like the indoor/outdoor onsen on the roof and a full kaiseki dining experience, are retained.
Art pieces made of reclaimed wood lend the hotel a subtly nautical suggestion and like the interiors are the work of Tokyo design studio, Super Potato. Best known for its ongoing 30-year collaboration with home minimalists, Muji, the Anjin showcases studio founder Takashi Sugimoto’s preference for simple colours and the manipulation of contrasting textures and light, to create drama.
ADDRESS
5-12 Nagisa-cho
Ito City
Shizuoka
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Middle East Editor
-
Explore Cornwall's cosiest coffee shops
Cornwall is known for its natural beauty and stunning landscape, here is our pick of coffee shops to enjoy the views and refuel
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Maude’s Brâncuși-inspired sex toys go on display in a new Paris exhibition
Maude’s design-led vibrators are now on display at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as part of ‘Private Lives: From the Bedroom to Social Media’. Brand founder Éva Goicochea talks to Wallpaper* about partnering with the museum and opening up cultural conversations around sex
By India Birgitta Jarvis Published
-
‘I was captivated by the idea of merging two iconic brands’: Nigo on his 1990s-inspired collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz
Unveiled at Moncler’s ‘The City of Genius’ event in Shanghai this past weekend, Japanese fashion designer Nigo unpacks his three-way collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz, which includes a play on the G-Class alongside a fashion collection in his eclectic style
By Jack Moss Published
-
First look: Noma Kyoto returns and aims to ‘double-wow’ diners
Noma Kyoto opens on 8 October for a ten-week pop-up inside Ace Kyoto. Thomas Lykke, co-founder of OEO Studio, tells us of the interiors’ autumn-forest inspiration
By Danielle Demetriou Published
-
Kengo Kuma’s new Kyoto hotel is ‘a sanctuary of ethereal beauty’
A former ryokan inn, Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto offers onsen rooms equipped with natural hot spring water, and a contemporary take on a Noh theatre
By Danielle Demetriou Published
-
A minimalist teahouse makes a serene addition to a Tadao Ando-designed Kyoto hotel
Ogata at The Shinmonzen is a contemporary reinterpretation of a Japanese teahouse that sells traditional blends, confectionery, crafts and fragrances
By Danielle Demetriou Published
-
Tour the new Four Seasons Osaka, where time stands still
Set within a 49-storey tower, Four Seasons Osaka takes the traditional ryokan experience to new heights
By Danielle Demetriou Published
-
Aman Residences Tokyo float high above the Japanese capital
Aman Residences Tokyo, Aman Group’s first standalone branded residences, feature dramatic yet serene interiors by Yabu Pushelberg
By Dan Howarth Published
-
Step inside this rare Shiro Kuramata-designed cocktail bar in Japan
Shiro Kuramata designed hundreds of bars in his lifetime, but few remain intact. Now fans are making a pilgrimage to Comblé Bar in Shizuoka
By Danielle Demetriou Published
-
Find yourself at Six Senses Kyoto, the brand's breathtaking Japan debut
Six Senses Kyoto opens its doors boasting tranquil, luxurious interiors by Blink Design Group
By Danielle Demetriou Published
-
Dip into Janu Tokyo hotel, Aman’s sociable new sibling brand
Step inside the Jean-Michel Gathy-designed Janu Tokyo and discover its state-of-the-art wellness facilities
By Jens H Jensen Published