As I pass through the entrance of Asaba Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn situated in the tranquil hot spring town of Shuzenji, Shizuoka Prefecture, I feel as though I’ve stepped into a living ukiyo-e from the Edo Period (1603-1868).
The panoramic windows reveal an idyllic vista: a waterfall cascading into a carp-filled pond, upon which sits a 19th-century noh butai, a covered stage for traditional theater performances. This timeless beauty, infused with a profound sense of place, exemplifies the elite hotel group Relais & Chateaux’s approach to preserving and celebrating cultural heritage properties worldwide, a mission the association has pursued in Japan for the past 36 years.
In an age of globalization and standardization that is seeing the hotel industry increasingly dominated by international chains, Relais & Chateaux has been instrumental in promoting luxury accommodations that reflect the distinctive character of its locales. Founded in 1954 by Marcel and Nelly Tilloy, the owners of La Cardinale hotel and restaurant in Paris, the association comprises a network of independently run properties united by shared values of exceptional hospitality, culinary excellence, cultural uniqueness and sustainability. Today, the organization encompasses 580 establishments across 65 countries.
This dedication to excellence is evident in the rigorous evaluation process that all Relais & Chateaux properties must undergo. Every three years, anonymous inspectors visit prospective and current members, assessing them based on the association's strict criteria. The Relais & Chateaux board of directors reviews and votes on new membership admissions annually. In addition to quantitative data on, for example, ingredient sourcing and gender equality, the emotional resonance of guests’ stays plays a crucial role in evaluations.
“A Relais & Chateaux property leaves a transcendental feeling that makes you remember the experience forever,” says Yukako Nishide, Relais & Chateaux’s director of member services in Japan and South Korea.
In Japan, Relais & Chateaux has partnered with 13 hotels and traditional ryokan inns and seven stand-alone restaurants spread across the country. Asaba Ryokan, which joined the association in 1989, remains the longest-standing member in Japan, followed by the Gora Kadan Ryokan in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture (since 1992).
As I wander through the grounds of Asaba Ryokan, it becomes clear why this historic inn was among the first in Japan to join the Relais & Chateaux group. Kazuhide Asaba, the inn's 10th-generation owner, says he aims to "showcase the culture of Japan, but in an updated way." The Asaba family has been running the 12-room ryokan — initially built as a guesthouse for nearby Shuzenji temple in 1489 — for more than 300 years, fastidiously maintaining its wooden structures and adding modern elements such as the open lounge outfitted with mid-century Bertoia chairs overlooking a pond. A contemporary art connoisseur, Asaba has adorned the ryokan with modern masterpieces, including yellow-and-white squares by French painter Daniel Buren, a polka-dotted coffee cup painting by Yayoi Kusama and pieces by Korean artist Lee Ufan.
The contemporary touches complement Asaba's traditional charms. An elegantly attired attendant, dressed in a kimono and wearing vermillion lipstick, leads me through the corridors. We pass miniature rock gardens and the outdoor hot spring bath before arriving at my suite: three tatami mat rooms with a view of the moss-covered garden. The kaiseki (Japanese haute cuisine) dinner, served at a Western-style table in the suite’s central chamber, is a seasonal feast of 10 courses: hairy crab topped with sea urchin, softshell turtle soup with winter melon, grilled ayu (sweetfish) and delectable, deep-fried abalone with charred Manganji green peppers. After dinner, a male attendant unfurls a plush futon on the floor, and soon I fall asleep to the murmurs of the stream outside.
For Asaba, the key to success in running a ryokan lies in the Japanese concept of omotenashi, or "the spirit of selfless hospitality."
"If you don't love hospitality, you can't do this kind of work," he says.
However, such personalized experiences come with a price tag. A typical one-night stay at Asaba with breakfast and dinner included costs around ¥173,000, slightly higher than other heritage properties like Kyoto's Hiiragiya (¥128,000). However, the price is well below the rates at a luxury resort such as Aman Kyoto, where you may pay upward of ¥300,000. Asaba acknowledges that prices may have to increase to ensure long-term financial stability.
"Many traditional ryokan have low profit margins, which makes operating extremely difficult," he explains. "Without healthy profits, the business won't be sustainable."
The vulnerability of independent hotels and ryokan became evident during the pandemic, which forced many facilities to close their doors permanently. A Nikkei survey revealed that approximately 1 in 10 hotels, inns and travel agencies in Japan closed permanently between 2020 and 2022, including notable losses like the 64-year-old Fujimisou Ryokan in Aichi Prefecture and Tokyo’s Hotel Grand Palace.
In contrast to the traditional approach at Asaba Ryokan, Gora Kadan has found its niche by blending the modern aesthetics and amenities of a five-star luxury hotel with the essence of a classic ryokan — a balance that has helped the 41-room property thrive in the competitive hospitality industry.
Situated roughly an hour away from Tokyo in the heart of Hakone National Park, the ryokan stands on the site of the former summer villa of Prince Kaninnomiya Kotohito. The Western-style villa building, completed in 1930, now houses the inn’s kaiseki restaurant and the newly opened Sushi Kadan restaurant, overseen by two-Michelin-starred Tokyo chef Masahiro Yoshitake. The inn’s entrance is located in the adjacent main building, where the spectacular, 120-meter “pillar corridor” leads guests from the lobby on the fourth floor to the hot spring baths and relaxation areas, traversing a vast rock garden below. Facilities such as the fitness gym, swimming pool and recently renovated spa — rare finds in traditional ryokan — cater to the needs of contemporary travelers.
The Japanese-style rooms in the main building are expansive and tastefully appointed, with some featuring hinoki (cypress) wood open-air baths and wide verandas offering sweeping views of the forest-covered mountains. At Sushi Kadan, the omakase (chef’s selection) meal showcases the finest seasonal ingredients, such as tender abalone, served with a creamy sauce enriched with abalone liver.
“We’re always trying to decide what elements to keep and what to add in order to move forward,” says General Manager Kunihiro Shiono, who has worked at Gora Kadan for more than 20 years.
Echoing the sentiments of Asaba, Shiono notes that the inn’s “focus on omotenashi” hinges on retaining dedicated staff. To this end, the company provides career development opportunities to its 120 employees through job rotations among Gora Kadan’s three properties and overseas exchange programs.
In 2023, the Kitano Hotel Tokyo, in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, became the newest addition to Relais & Chateaux’s Japan contingent. Director Mari Koike also credits the family-run hotel's carefully curated staff for their ability to create unforgettable stays for visitors. For Koike, personal connection and intuition have been integral to the hiring process — such as for Akira Tada, the genial concierge and former instructor at the famed Urasenke tea institute.
"Although he had no previous experience (in hotels), I approached him and asked if he’d like to join the team as a concierge,” Koike says. “He has amazing charisma, and the guests and staff love him.”
Thanks to Tada's background in tea, the hotel is now considering offering tea ceremony lessons for guests: “He studied abroad at the University of Hawaii to help spread Japanese tea culture after the war,” Koike notes with admiration.
As a hotel in central Tokyo, the Kitano overcomes the challenges of establishing a sense of place by providing unique experiences and leveraging its history. In 1964, the property debuted as the Kitano Arms, the city’s first luxury apartment hotel, and was relaunched after a full refurbishment as the Kitano Hotel in 2019. With the July opening of its new restaurant, LʼOrangerie Koh-an, the hotel hopes to express the spirit and terroir of the Japanese capital through innovative French fusion dishes using locally sourced ingredients.
“The Kitano Hotel was chosen because of its family spirit and the owner’s philosophy toward hospitality,” says Nishide. “They create an atmosphere that transports guests to another world.”
When I visit the hotel for lunch on a recent afternoon, I’m struck by the warmth that permeates the space. Tada stands at the entrance holding a colorful paper lantern, much to the delight of my companions. Inside, Koike escorts us to the elevator.
“Welcome to the Kitano Hotel,” she says with a bright smile and a courteous bow.
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