Glaminka SAYO, revitalizing rural charm

Glamping, by its very nature, immerses you in the surrounding natural environment without sacrificing the creature comforts of luxury accommodation. Launched in 2021, Glaminka SAYO takes the concept one sustainable step further by refurbishing an abandoned rural settlement into an architectural resort for a stylish retreat in the sleepy hills of western Hyogo Prefecture. Thus, the glampsite preserves the local architectural heritage, skillfully integrating its rural charm with modern comfort and contemporary elegance.

A central community house is surrounded by four kominka (traditional Japanese house) lodgings, each with its own unique character and concept, fully renovated and redesigned by a different architecture firm. Think preserved wooden beams and columns, kotatsu heated tables and irori sunken hearths. In addition, you’ll also find concrete interiors accented by a wall of raw wood in the house designed by HAZ, open loft spaces under partially thatched roofs in the house designed by handi, a large bench made from a fallen tree in front of the old house renovated by maenomeri, and even a cocoon-like room wallpapered with washi mulberry paper as an homage to the silk farming activity that once took place on the property renovated by YOUBI.

Okutsu-so, reviving historical hot springs

Okutsu-so is a historical inn founded in 1927 in Okutsu Onsen, Okayama Prefecture. Designated as a Japanese tangible cultural property, the inn’s architecture is typical of buildings from that period and blends harmoniously with the natural surroundings, creating a serene atmosphere.

Okutsu-so features a rare “foot-source” hot spring known as the Miracle Bath, where hot water flows directly up through the floor of the bath. The bath offers a relaxing experience with scenic views throughout the seasons. Japanese-style guest rooms offer a warm, calming ambiance. The cuisine features seasonal dishes made with local ingredients from the mountains and rivers of the region, which are best appreciated as a formal Japanese meal.

Throughout its history, the hot springs in Okutsu-so have been a favored destination for many notable cultural figures. During the Edo period (1603-1868), Mori Tadamasa, the first lord of the Tsuyama Domain in the northeastern part of present-day Okayama Prefecture, established the “Kagi-yu” hot spring and kept it for himself as a therapeutic bath; this precious bath is still in use today. Okutsu-so’s founder Suzuki Harujirou rebuilt the inn with the support of former Japanese Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi after the previous building, Kinseirou, was destroyed in a fire. Inukai visited often after the inn opened and donated many of his works. The renowned woodblock print artist Munakata Shiko was another frequent visitor, and he created several works inspired by the area, some of which are on display at Okutsu-so.

Matsudaya Hotel, restoring Edo-period elegance

In the ancient heart of Yuda Onsen in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Matsudaya Hotel maintains the graceful and historical grandeur of its Edo-period past. The hotel is known as the meeting place of the revolutionary rival leaders behind the Meiji Restoration, which restored the emperor’s power to replace the Shogun and marked the beginning of Japan’s rapid modernization in 1868. Saigo and Okubo of the Satsuma clan (now in Kagoshima Prefecture) and Katsura of the Choshu clan (now in Yamaguchi Prefecture) gathered in Matsudaya in 1867 to discuss the military Satcho Alliance by which both clans would work together to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate and forever change the course of Japan’s history.

Matsudaya’s traditional Main Building ryokan is a spacious two-story wooden structure built in the Edo-period sukiya-zukuri style of fine tea houses. While the building itself dates back to the early 20th century, the elegant architecture and atmosphere, further enhanced by kimono-clad hospitality, recreate the serenity of a secluded villa nestled within a feudal lord’s private garden. Likewise, the exquisite meals are made with seasonal and local ingredients, sustainably sourced directly from the surrounding Chugoku mountains and the Seto Inland Sea, including Yamaguchi Prefecture’s own fugu fish in winter, served right inside your dining room.

Another one of Matsudaya’s traditional Main Building ryokan’s authentic gems is a family bath and a large, modern hinoki cypress bath, including the Main Building’s historical Ishinoyu built in 1921, where the military reformist Takasugi Shinsaku and Japan’s first Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi once bathed. Two more majestic baths are housed inside a dedicated old tile house with a relaxing view of the property’s 150-year-old garden.

Onfunayado Iroha, preserving an inn for Ponyo

The story of Onfunayado Iroha is intimately linked to the history of Tomonoura, the small port town in eastern Hiroshima Prefecture that inspired the setting for the Studio Ghibli film Ponyo. Its first claim to fame was in 1867 as the inn that hosted Ryoma Sakamoto, the famous samurai who had negotiated the Satcho Alliance to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate, after his ship, the Iroha-maru, collided with a warship and sank with its cargo into the Seto Inland Sea. Sakamoto stayed here while negotiating compensation for the Irohamaru-go incident. The building eventually fell into ruin, but was purchased by its current owners, the Matsui family, a non-profit organization that mainly rehabilitated abandoned houses in Tomonoura, with the hope of raising funds to restore the historical inn.

By a stroke of luck, Studio Ghibli staff came to Tomonoura on an excursion, and Hayao Miyazaki himself fell in love with the town. Two days after they left, the Studio called and informed the Matsui family that they would be donating the entire amount needed for the renovation to their NPO, asking in return that they take care of Miyazaki when he came to stay in Tomonoura a few months later.

During the filmmaker’s months-long sojourn, reconstruction plans had started on the building with help from Mizumoto, the last master carpenter living in Tomonoura. The plan was to stay as true as possible to the original construction, and Mizumoto spent the initial period testing the remaining structure to determine what original materials could be reused. After closely observing Mizumoto at work, one day Miyazaki requested blueprints of the house, and a few days later reappeared with sketches of a new floor plan and new purpose for the building. These sketches became the foundation for the inn and restaurant that is now Ofunayado Iroha.

Copies of Miyazaki’s sketches are on display in both of the inn’s guest rooms, which are decorated with furnishings from about 20 other buildings that the Matsui family helped to renovate since the success of Ponyo breathed new life into Tomonoura’s tourism industry. Particularly enchanting is the “Elopement Room” on the second floor of the merchant house storeroom, with its high ceiling, small window and dramatic wooden beams. From the street, look for traditional latticework next to Miyazaki’s iconic stained glass windows.

Tougenkyo-iya Udoku, reinhabiting the mountain village

Udoku is one of several traditional thatched roof houses in Ochiai Village, situated in the western Iya Valley of Tokushima Prefecture. It is one of several properties that have been lovingly restored and renovated by the Chiiori Alliance under the aegis of Alex Kerr, an American longtime resident of Japan who founded Tougenkyo-iya to revive the rural mountain village of Iya by inviting tourists to spend a few days in these traditional homes as part of the local community.

Opened in 2012, Udoku is located about halfway up the cliffside village, next to Seiko, the main house of this multi-building residence (with Udoku being the retirement house, presumably where the in-laws would have lived). Udoku’s simple layout is typical of such mountain village homes, with a main dining room, a connected living/sleeping room, and a small toilet and washroom. Bathing facilities and a laundry room are contained in a smaller building just outside.

As you make your way to the house along the undulating village road, passing stone walls and cultivated land, you can appreciate the remote natural beauty of this rare historical landscape, along with its sustainable rural lifestyle. Dinner is delivered to your door in the form of a bento from a local restaurant made with local produce, including river fish, simmered vegetables, fresh tofu and konnyaku (jelly made from the konjac yam). After sunset, it offers an opportunity to simply enjoy the tranquility, gaze at the stars on a clear night, and brew local tea in a cast-iron pot.

Naoshima Ryokan Roka, recreating the island hamlet

As one of the most famous art islands in the Seto Inland Sea, Naoshima attracts countless international visitors every year, who come to see contemporary art set in one of Japan’s most scenic landscapes. Although the island was host to luxury art hotels such as Benesse House, for a long time there were no accommodations offering more traditional Japanese hospitality. Naoshima Ryokan Roka opened in April 2022 to reclaim this precious facet of Japanese culture – from the central outdoor irori fireplace to the guest room with rotenburo open-air baths to fine kaiseki meals – while creating a place that exists in harmony with its natural environment.

The property was built using sustainable materials such as cedar and cypress commonly seen in Naoshima, handmade washi paper from Kyoto, soil from Awaji Island, the biggest island in the Seto Inland Sea. for the earthen walls, and Mikage and Kagawa-Aji stones for the contemporary zen garden. In an effort to recreate the ecosystems of a rural hamlet, a piece of woodland behind the ryokan was transformed into a lush vegetable patch that provides vegetables and herbs for the restaurant almost all year round. Fine seasonal seafood is sourced directly from the surrounding Seto Inland Sea in Okayama Prefecture, and the sushi shari is made from local Kagawa Oidemai rice and red vinegar. Roka’s Restaurant EN chefs can also cater to the needs of pescatarian or vegetarian guests with special course meals, or prepare traditional shojin ryori (Japanese Buddhist cuisine) for vegans.

Itomachi Hotel 0, refreshing an oasis of zero-energy

Since it launched in May 2023 as Japan’s first zero-energy hotel and a certified Net Zero Energy Building, Itomachi Hotel 0 has been experimenting with new ways to promote a carbon-free society and revitalize the rural area of Saijo, the “Water City” of Ehime Prefecture. The hotel has already achieved zero-electricity consumption in its daily operations, thanks in no small part to ecologically designed minimal lighting fixtures and solar panels that cover the entire rooftop of the building, designed by eco-conscious architect Kengo Kuma. Other environmentally friendly elements include recycled materials for furniture and uniforms, reusable tote bags and water bottles, organic bathroom amenities, and locally produced linen and Tobe ceramic wares.

Saijo is characterized by uchinuki, pure spring water that flows down from Shikoku’s sacred Mt. Ishizuchi and below the city to provide a constant source of fresh, drinkable water. This refreshing theme permeates every aspect of Itomachi Hotel 0. The soothing blue-green of the Iyo stone used in much of the decor recalls the colors of the clear mountain streams and the shallows of the Seto Inland Sea. Clean sightlines are most evident in the long white hallway that seems to stretch out to the horizon. Several rooms feature a beautifully curved sink with custom-molded counters around a faucet that bubbles up water like an artesian well, or your own private fountain of pure spring water.

Outside the hotel is a large grassy park surrounding a small pond filled with uchinuki, where young families who come to cool off and play. It’s a community space that was planned as part of Itomachi Marche, which sells fresh Ehime produce, with a large section dedicated to crafts made in Ehime, including ceramics, mizuhiki, and Imabari-produced textiles. Like the hotel, Itomachi Marche is also designed by Kengo Kuma as a certified Zero Energy Building.