A 16-room ryokan in the Yamashiro Onsen hot spring town, where every room has its own open-air bath facing the garden.
Beniya Mukayu takes its name from a Zhuangzi idea of things in their natural state, and the whole place follows it: plain wood, clean lines and a garden of native trees that fills every window. There are only 16 rooms and suites, and each has a private open-air hot spring bath.
It pairs well with Kanazawa, whose gardens, samurai streets and crafts make a natural stop on the way. Dinner at Kaiseki Horin follows the omakase tradition, built on what the mountains, rivers and coast of Kaga produce that week, from bamboo shoots in spring to snow crab in winter.
This is a place for people who like to do very little, well. There is no pool, and the town is small and sleepy. Travellers who want dramatic scenery or a long list of activities will be happier in Hakone or on the coast.
A 70-square-metre tatami room facing the garden, with a private open-air hot spring bath.
A 60-square-metre room with Western beds, garden views and a private open-air hot spring bath.
A 70-square-metre suite with a private open-air bath and a jacuzzi.
The most common suite, at 95 to 100 square metres, with a private open-air hot spring bath.
A single 120-square-metre suite, one of the two largest in the house, with its own open-air bath.
A single 110-square-metre suite with a terrace and private open-air hot spring bath.
Dinner at Kaiseki Horin follows the omakase tradition, with seasonal menus drawn from Kaga’s mountains, rivers and coast and a terrace over the Forest Garden. Upgrades include sushi kaiseki, meat courses and vegetarian menus.
Spa Entei draws on the herbal and hot spring traditions of nearby Yakushiyama, with treatments of 50 to 140 minutes using herbal balls and creams. There are also gender-separated indoor and outdoor communal baths and a sauna.
Some rooms and suites sleep three or four. Ask us about the current policy for younger children.
| Rooms | 16 rooms and suites, all with private open-air hot spring baths |
|---|---|
| Location | Yamashiro Onsen, Kaga, Ishikawa |
| Restaurant | Kaiseki Horin |
| Spa | Spa Entei |
| Check-in | 15:00, check-out 11:00 |
Yamashiro Onsen, Kaga, Ishikawa, Japan
A few of the things we plan for guests in Japan.
Kyoto has hundreds of temples, so choose a few and go early. Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji and its rock garden sit together in the northwest; Ginkaku-ji and the Philosopher’s Path in the east. In the evening, walk the lanes of Gion and Pontocho. A private guide for one day repays itself in context and in avoided queues.
A ryokan is a traditional inn: tatami rooms, a multi-course kaiseki dinner in your yukata and a hot-spring bath before bed. Hakone, 90 minutes from Tokyo, has a good choice, with Mount Fuji views on clear winter mornings. Choose a room with a private outdoor bath if you are shy of communal bathing. One or two nights is plenty.
Tokyo is a city of villages. Spend a morning in Asakusa around Senso-ji, an afternoon in the backstreets of Yanaka, and an evening in the tiny bars of Shibuya or Golden Gai. Tsukiji outer market is best for breakfast. A food guide for the first night helps with menus and seating etiquette.
Four nights high above Tokyo, two in a ryokan in the Hakone hills with its own hot spring baths, then four on the river in Arashiyama for Kyoto. Your luggage goes ahead by courier, so every train is easy.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
