Welcome the New Year in Luxury: Top 3 Exclusive Stays
Malaysians love flying to Japan during the year-end holidays. After all, it’s the perfect time to experience winter and see how the Japanese celebrate the new year. Not to mention, it’s also during this season when luxury hotels tend to roll out great deals for an exclusive stay.
Of all the high-end accommodations across the country, which are the best to enjoy the length of your new year trip? Ahead, we list down the three best luxury ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) and resorts in Japan. Check into these places during your next trip to enjoy foreigner-friendly services that are unparalleled.
1) A tranquil escape at the foothills of Mt. Fuji: HOSHINOYA Fuji (Yamanashi)
Sitting on top of a hill that overlooks the beautiful Lake Kawaguchi and Mt. Fuj is HOSHINOYA Fuji, Japan’s first-ever glamping resort.
HOSHINOYA Fuji has been touted as one of the best luxury resorts in Japan for its accessibility and one-of-a-kind amenities. Only a two-hour drive away from Tokyo, the glamping site is the perfect hideaway for busy city dwellers who want to recharge and spend time with nature.
To preserve the surrounding scenery, all cabins are deliberately built following a minimalistic style. This seamlessly brings the outdoors in through floor-to-ceiling windows.
The rooms offer stunning views of the nearby Lake Kawaguchi throughout the year, so be sure to visit during different seasons too! See a snowy wonderland during winter, blooming cherry blossoms in spring, and falling red leaves during autumn.
HOSHINOYA Fuji also has unique activities that give guests a wide range of entertainment options. Outdoorsy types can explore the foothills of Mt. Fuji in a Private Electric Bicycle Tour. Foodies can smoke a variety of seasonal ingredients using the wood chips of their choice in the Food Smoking Workshop, then savor what they cooked with some beer or whisky.
Guests at HOSHINOYA Fuji have the chance to witness Sakasa Fuji, a breathtaking image of the grand volcano mirrored upside down in the clear lake waters. Sign up for the resort’s early morning canoeing on Lake Yamanaka to bask in the peaceful sight of the natural phenomenon.
What’s great about glamping at the foothills with HOSHINOYA Fuji is that you’ll certainly appreciate nature throughout your stay. Apart from the wide array of outdoor activities that it offers, the luxury resort also serves delectable food that delights the senses. Have a taste of delicacies seldom found elsewhere, including dishes featuring game meat freshly hunted in the area.
In Japan, it is believed that dreaming about Mt. Fuji on the first day of the year brings good luck in the next 12 months. So for your next new year trip, consider staying at HOSHINOYA Fuji. Sleep tight in any of the comfortable cabins right in front of the sacred mountain, and you might just get all the blessings you need for the new year!
Fun fact: They say dreaming about Mt. Fuji in your first dream of the new year brings good luck, but we believe it extends beyond the 12 months. With all its cabins boasting a gorgeous view of the auspicious mountain, HOSHINOYA Fuji could help you achieve your plans and bring you blessings in all the years to come.
Facility Information
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Name: HOSHINOYA Fuji ※Check-in starts from 3 p.m.; Check-out by 12 p.m. Website: HOSHINOYA Fuji (English) |
2) The embodiment of Japanese hospitality: Kagaya (Ishikawa)
Unlike most hot spring resort towns in Japan, which source their water from rainwater trapped underground, the Wakura Onsen resort area in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa is known to use the hot spring that comes from the ocean.
Among all of the luxury hotels in this historic resort area is Kagaya, a prestigious accommodation that outlines its service around the motto of “egao de kibataraki” or to “be quick-witted and smile.”
Kagaya’s commitment to hospitality has prompted critics to recognize it as one of the top 100 hospitable hotels in Japan for a whopping 36 consecutive years. Because of its achievements in service, the ryokan was voted first place in the 46th Top 100 Hotels and Ryokans by Industry Professionals Rankings.
Needless to say, taking a soak in one of Kagaya’s many hot springs is an absolute must-do, as each one offers a unique onsen experience.
Take your pick from outdoor baths, communal baths, and open-air baths. The three-story male bath Ebisu no Yu comes with a spacious indoor bath with a giant glass ceiling and an outdoor bath―both featuring a panoramic view of the Sea of Japan. It also has a drinking fountain that runs pure natural spring water from the source. A cup of this refreshing drink is said to give numerous health benefits including improving the digestive system and anemia.
Like the hot springs, Kagaya’s food does not disappoint. All meals are prepared with the freshest seasonal ingredients. You can have a taste of turban shells and abalone in summer and enjoy crab in winter. If you prefer some privacy or simply do not want to leave the comfort of your room, you can request your meals to be served in-room.
Of course, Kagaya offers more than just relaxing hot springs and good food. It’s also a museum that showcases local art pieces. Guided tours are available for guests who wish to explore their immediate surroundings. With so many things to do in one place, doesn’t it make you want to stay just a little bit longer?
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Name: Kagaya ※The above rate is for 2 guests in 1 room. Website: KAGAYA (English) |
3) Home of Japanese culinary delights: Ibusuki Syusuien (Kagoshima)
When in Kagoshima, take a train to Ibusuki, a famous hot spring resort whose biggest attraction is the Sunamushi Onsen or natural sand bath. Join locals and tourists and have yourself buried from the neck down in sand with temperatures that reach up to 55⁰C. Not at all painful, the experience is said to give health benefits like improved blood circulation. If this experience is part of your bucket list, consider spending a night or two at the nearby Ibusuki Syusuien.
Situated next to bountiful fishing grounds, Ibusuki has always been blessed with marine harvests, which the popular ryokan incorporates in its dishes.
Can’t decide what to order? Try the Premium Takumi Kaiseki course. Using freshly caught fish such as sea bream, yellowtail, and silver stripe round herring, the course meal offers you an amazing culinary experience with the natural bounty from Kinko Bay. The foie gras tamajimushi is another luxurious specialty, proof that Ibusuki Syusuien’s chefs do not skimp on the premium ingredients.
Once your culinary senses are satisfied, make time to refresh your mind, body, and soul. Ibusuki Syusuien offers a soothing footbath and sand footbath, relaxing hot spring options, and a gallery with traditional pottery and crafts from the Satsuma region on display. English assistance is readily available, which is always a plus for tourists who don’t speak Japanese, so no need to worry about language barriers with the staff.
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Name: Ibusuki Syusuien ※The above rate is an estimate for 2 people in 1 room. Website: Ibusuki Syusuien (English) |
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Fancy spending your stay at Japan’s best luxury resorts with superb views
