Staff shooed me away from this historic inn. I’d still give it five stars
Strict check-in times may irk the modern traveller, but when a place has been perfecting its hospitality since 1662, you willingly play by their rules.
We’ve just arrived at Matsuzakaya Honten, a 364-year-old traditional Japanese inn nestled on the slopes of the Ashinoyu Onsen district, and we’ve already committed our first faux pas.
Our taxi ride from Odawara station gives us a first taste of omotenashi – the Japanese philosophy of wholehearted hospitality – courtesy of a driver who’s taken it upon himself to be our tour guide. As he speaks, the 25-minute journey unfolds like a moving canvas: historic village landmarks, white-water streams and ancient, dense forest.
We pull up three hours early, hoping to explore the historic ryokan. Big mistake. Check-in time isn’t a suggestion; ryokan hospitality follows a strict schedule formed over centuries. We manage to offload our backpacks before a smiling staff member politely ushers us off the property, towards the nearest bus stop. In any case, the blunder results in a brilliant impromptu side-trip to nearby Lake Ashi.
Established in 1662, the sprawling property is a patchwork of eras. The late-19th-century lobby is a shrine of European-Japanese nostalgia, featuring a fabulous retro blend of crimson carpet, bay windows, glittering chandeliers and antique Meiji-era furnishings. The property contains just 21 rooms split across five pavilions, each overlooking its enchantingly mossy 13,200-square-metre gardens. Kinnotake Resorts completed a room revitalisation in 2024, upgrading beds and amenities while preserving the original architecture and traditional aesthetic. Matsuzakaya Honten’s standing among the elites is written into the walls; past guests include members of the Japanese Imperial Family, and today you can stay in the same 1887 villa that hosted Emperor Taisho, or a room that formed part of the summer retreat of Prince Kanyin.
A practised welcome includes tea and a tour. We’re staying in a premium Akashi room teeming with traditional touches, like tatami flooring and futon beds. It’s enormous, featuring a separate living room and sunroom – both with low wooden zataku tables and zaisu chairs – and a striking private hexagonal open-air onsen.
The twin futons sit on a raised platform, so you don’t have to crouch too low to get in and out of bed, though our sobagara makura pillows (stuffed with buckwheat hulls) feel lumpy and take some getting used to.
Heating in every room is a welcome touch against the biting mountain air. Mini-bar items, pyjamas, toothbrushes and an astonishing array of lotions and grooming amenities are also provided. Slipping on a traditional yukata robe before exploring the grounds is all part of the fun (a room manual offers
📌 Source
This summary is auto-compiled from XML. Visit the original article for the full text.
Read original article →