Azumi Setoda

A little island best known for its lemon production, Ikuchijima in the Seto Inland Sea welcomed an unlikely new addition in 2021 — Azumi Setoda, a contemporary ryokan inn where modern luxury meets the warmth of a family-run inn.

It’s co-founded by Naru Developments and Adrian Zecha, the hotelier behind the ultra-luxe Aman Resorts.

The 22-room hotel is set within a 140-year-old compound that was formerly home to Setouchi’s influential Horiuchi family. It was transformed by Kyoto architect Shiro Miura, who worked to strike the right balance between traditional aesthetics and modernized comfort in his blueprint.

Its interior is minimal, modern, and tranquil — defined by clean, contemporary lines and traditional materials (washi paper, shikkui plaster, local granite, and wood).

Guests can soak in their room’s deep hinoki cypress bathtub, or head to the bathhouse just across the way called yubune with its series of hot baths and a sauna.

Paying homage to its location, Azumi Setoda tapped Ikuchijima’s cultural roots to inspire the hotel’s design, service, and menu, as well as its wellness and cultural programs.