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They say that if you've never been to Asaba.
Even if you've never been to Izu.
The hot springs season is filled with hotels recommended by various platforms, but when it comes to Asaba, they all have to step aside.
Asaba is the birthplace of the traditional Japanese inn concept of “one bed, two meals”;
It has a history of nearly 350 years;
The centuries-old inn on the hot spring street where “The Dancer of Izu” is set;
The place where the men and women in Paradise Lost meet and become entwined;
A member of the Rolle Chateau Boutique Hotel Alliance;
The hotel has been recognized as “Japan's No. 1” in the onsen hotel industry.
It is Asaba, the top hot spring inn that we are going to introduce to you today.
Asaba is the pinnacle of traditional Japanese hot spring inns, and in fact, it is an inn with a truly ancient history.
In fact, it is one of the oldest hot spring inns in Japan, with a history dating back more than 300 years.
The hotel is located in Shuzenji Temple in Izu, Shizuoka. As a historical building, the hotel still preserves the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty in China right at the entrance of the main gate.
The Japanese garden of Asaharu ASABA is the highlight of the hotel. The traditional Japanese architecture of the house and the high standard of landscaping together form a Zen-like, natural and peaceful Japanese garden.
As a hot spring hotel, the highlight of Asaharu Asaba is the hot spring. The hotel has the oldest hot spring in Izu , “Dokuro-no-yu”, which provides guests with an excellent hot spring experience.
At the same time, the women of Asaharu, who have been handed down through the generations, provide the hotel with excellent service, and residents can enjoy traditional Japanese Noh theater at intervals throughout the hotel.
🤗 Japan's No. 1 in hot spring inns
One of the oldest hotels in existence
“Tawaraya in the west and Asaharu in the east" is a local saying in Japan, which proves its high status.
Asaharu has won the top spot on the Japanese tabelog website with a score of 4.41, and has a consistently high reputation in Japan, making it a must-stay series.
With a history of more than 350 years, it is one of the oldest surviving ryokan in Japan and is located in Shuji Temple in the central part of Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tokyo.
It is also the birthplace of the Japanese inn concept of “one bed, two meals”, and every guest who has stayed here has been impressed by the hotel's food, which is really delicious.
Shuji Temple should not be unfamiliar to spa-goers. It is not a temple, but a hot spring street.
Soseki Natsume, Ryunosuke Akutagawa and other literary figures have strolled through this hot spring street. It is a quiet and quaint place where the most original and unknown side of Japan really exists.
The restoration of the temple's hot springs has a legendary story to tell, as it is said to have been built by a Buddhist monk named “Monk Kukai”, who used a one-drilled tool to hammer stones out of the river about 1,200 years ago.
The Asahina House has been gradually remodeled, but still retains its original appearance, replacing rotted wood with new wood and upgrading all the details of the hardware, and is now owned by Rolle Chateau.
🤗 Pure Japanese Zen atmosphere
17 rooms surrounded by streams and trees
From the moment you step through the door of Asahina House, it is as if you have entered a secluded and elegant art space.
The paintings on the wall originate from Lee U-hwan, a contemporary Korean artist who created an art gallery with Tadao Ando on Naoshima Island in the Seto Inland Sea, the chairs are from Swedish designer Bruno Marson, and the salon space features works from contemporary artist Tatsuo Miyajima and Italian designer Harry Bertoia...... Everywhere you look you'll be impressed.
The number of rooms has not been expanded over the centuries, and there are still only 12 rooms and 5 suites. Each room has a different design and is equipped with a private bath, except for the one-bedroom rooms.
The ancient Tang Dynasty style facade and the wide Japanese garden make visitors feel relaxed and refreshed. In the garden, a traditional Japanese Noh play is performed almost every night in the “Tsuki-den,” which is located next to the water, and all the guest rooms have an excellent view of the stage. At night, the garden is lit up with stone lanterns, and the gold-leafed Tsuzuki-den has a quiet, mysterious elegance.
The skilled room service staff work in perfect harmony with the kitchen to bring the food to you while it is still hot.
Imagine enjoying your meal in your guest room while looking out over the illuminated Noh stage. At night, you can fall asleep under a soft and cozy blanket.
The rock bath is topped with a rattan roof and connected to a small pool. The hot spring is filled with water from the Shuzenji hot spring. In the fall, you can enjoy the red leaves here, and to the left of the bathtub is the Nokuraku stage.
Inside the guest room, both the furniture and decorations can be described as Japanese style, but there is a little bit of beauty in the bonsai plant and the handmade cool fruit wrapped in a rice dumpling leaf. It is worth mentioning that the semi-open bathroom can be used for bathing in the private hot spring, looking at the stars at night, or listening to the mountains and forests in the morning when you get up to freshen up.
🤗 The Birthplace of Ippo and Two Foods
A must-try, top-notch cuisine
The most admired thing about Asahina House is still the gourmet cuisine, which is described as the living signature of its house. This is what attracted Loreal Chateau, which also focuses on food, to join in, coincidentally.
And in a rare move, it continues the Japanese tradition of having breakfast and dinner delivered to your room.
As many as 10 chefs are in charge of the meals in the 17 rooms, and the menu is adjusted according to the seasons - for example, Suruga Bay scallops in spring, and sea eel and matsutake matsutake nabe from mid-September to late October - and every bite is so good it will bring tears to your eyes.
Asaba's “food” experience, which has won the top spot in Japan's best ryokans, will not disappoint. The exquisitely plated evening meals, ranging from Ise lobster and shiitake mushroom and bamboo shoot soup, to whitefish sashimi and rice cooked in a clay pot, are all memorable and memorable.
🤗 Nokuten Hot Spring + Private Noh Theater Stage
What's not to love?
In addition to the private baths in the rooms, Asaharu House also has three communal hot springs: the men's and women's baths made of hinoki wood, and the Norten hot spring with a view of the bamboo forest and pond.
At night, you can enjoy a relaxing bath while gazing at the bamboo forest and the starry sky.
Asaharu is popular not only for its hot springs, but also for the Japanese Noh stage set up in the center of the 600-tsubo pool.
Traditional Japanese Noh, Kyogen, and Bunraku are performed for guests almost every night, and the backdrop changes with the seasons. It is probably the proudest moment for the Asahina descendants to sit by the pool and enjoy the theater, as if they were transported back to the era of Japanese Noh theater in a second.
“Noh plays” are the main traditional plays in Japan, and the ‘Tsuki-den’ in the garden is the first Noh stage dating back to the Meiji period, and has become a symbol of the spirit of Asaba from generation to generation. Traditional Japanese Noh plays are performed almost every night, and all guest rooms have an excellent view of the stage. At dusk, when the lights are swirling, it's like being transported to a fantasy world. After maintenance, the siding on the stage has been restored after 100 years, and the old pine trees in the paintings have been re-outlined in copper green.
🤗 Izu, a favorite of the literati.
Hiding the beauty of Japan's niche
Atami MOA Art Museum
When you come to Izu Atami, you should not miss the MOA Art Museum.
The museum has a collection of thousands of items, including paintings, ceramics, and works of art, and it also hosts interesting exhibitions and Noh theater stage performances from time to time.
Moreover, the museum is located on the top of a hill, facing the sea and built on the hill, with a particularly good view.
Atami Rose Garden
Nestled on a cliff facing the sea, Atami Rose Garden is one of the gardens closest to the sea in Izu, and many people come for Kengo Kuma's COEDA HOUSE cafe.
The cafe is almost entirely of original wood construction, with floor-to-ceiling windows and glass elements surrounding it on all sides, making it a 360-degree viewpoint with no dead angles. There is also a swing outside the cafe, which is very romantic.
The restaurant's food is also a big deal, with world-class pastry master Yukiharu Fujii adding to the mix, so you can't go wrong if you don't read the guide to ordering.
Izunokuni Panorama Park
If the other beauties of Izu are sophisticated and romantic, Izu no Kuni Panorama Park is vast and magnificent.
A must-do in the park is to take a gondola ride to see Mount Fuji. The ride lasts about 1,800 meters and takes 7 minutes each way, so you can take your time and enjoy the beauty of Izu from different angles.
Upon reaching the 452-meter summit of Mt. Katsuragi, the view of Mt. Fuji is spectacular and breathtaking.
- Author:japan guides
- URL:https://japan-guides.com/article/lodging-13
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