The luxurious Asaya Hotel, a traditional ryokan in Kinugawa Onsen, boasts a stunning open-air bath at the village’s highest point – all right in the middle of a Japanese garden.
Kinugawa Onsen is one of Japan’s most famous hot springs towns, admired for the majestic, lush natural scenery all around. Looking like a scene out from a Japanese anime, the Asaya Hotel is such an amazing experience that it’s even won numerous travel awards.
And the outstanding hospitability at Asaya Hotel is just one of its unique charms. Here we’ll take you around the hotel itself, and introduce some of the fun things to do in Kinugawa Onsen!
Asaya Hotel: A Hot Spring Ryokan with 130 Years of History
It takes about two hours to get to Kinugawa Onsen Station from central Tokyo.
The easiest way to get to Kinugawa Onsen is by train via Tobu Railway. From there, simply take the shuttle bus that stops at each ryokan and get off at Asaya Hotel after about eight minutes (190 yen for adults, 100 yen for children).
Inside Asaya Hotel, numerous historic exhibits tell the story of how the hemp shop evolved to the inn of today.
Kinugawa’s hot spring was discovered in 1691 and named “Taki Onsen” back then. However, only a select few people got to enjoy it, such as the feudal lord of Nikko and priests.
When the hot spring was opened to the general public, a man named Zenpachi Yagisawa, who also ran a charcoal and hemp shop, acquired the source’s rights and opened an inn for travelers called Asaya Ryokan – the origin of today’s Asaya.
Gaze over all of Kinugawa Onsen from Asaya’s rooms.
Asaya Hotel was founded in 1888. The following 130 years have evolved Asaya into a spectacular, breathtaking hotel featuring the Shuhoukan annex and its luxurious atmosphere. In contrast, the Hachibankan annex reproduces the laid-back atmosphere of an authentic hot spring inn. Nowadays, it offers 192 rooms in total.
The staffs greets their guests with a warm, welcoming smile.
Welcomed warmly by the female hotel staff called nakai, let’s take a look at what awaits inside.
Stepping Into Asaya Hotel is Like Stepping Into the World of Ghibli…
As you step through the entrance on the 6th floor of the Shuhoukan annex, a breathtaking view suddenly sprawls right in front of you.
The lobby is simply gorgeous. The third to the twelfth floor is all part of the colonnade, and three glass elevators smoothly move up and down in one corner.
The atmosphere feels just like the otherworldly bathhouse of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away and immediately puts you in a holiday mood.
The organ usually is automatic-playing, but concerts featuring genuine pipe organ players are held from time to time.
The entire lobby is engulfed in elegant sounds created by the pipe organ on the third floor. Its music echoes gently throughout the spacious colonnade.
Enjoy the Kinugawa Onsen Experience All Day: Spring Water Flows to All Rooms!
The standard Japanese-style room where we stayed at is 10 tatami large (16.5 square meters; from 16,200 yen per person per night for a group of four, features two meals).
After admiring the lobby, proceed to the check-in, and you’ll be guided to your room immediately. We stayed at the Shuhoukan. It is mainly made up of Japanese-style rooms, but some of the 158 rooms are Weste…
