2023-07-25 01:08:00
|
The front of the Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan hotel. Photo: CNN
|
Legend has it that, in 705, the eldest son of the most powerful noble family of the time, Fujiwara no Kamatari, discovered a hot spring while wandering in the area.
Soon following, a traditional Japanese hot spring inn (ryokan) was built. For more than a millennium, guests from all walks of life have come here, from ordinary civil servants to famous leaders. Even the current Emperor Naruhito of Japan comes to take a dip in the water and enjoy the idyllic scenery here.
This place has long been famous in Japan. However, its popularity increased significantly in 2011 when the Guinness Book of World Records confirmed Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan as the oldest hotel in the world. Now, still open to serve tourists, the hotel remains faithful to its 1,300-year-old tradition.
Located far from urban area
Getting to Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is not easy. Visitors first pass through the bustling Shizuoka station in the prefecture of the same name, then board the bullet train heading east.
The hour-long train ride offers panoramic views of Mount Fuji if the sky is clear, rice fields and ancient tile-roofed houses. Visitors get off at Minobu, a village of only 11,000 people, and wait for the hotel bus to pick them up.
Minobu is so small that the ticket booth at the station here accepts only cash and issues paper tickets – a stark contrast to Tokyo’s technological modernity.
There are no convenience stores or McDonald’s in Minobu. Instead, the side streets are home to local businesses that have been around for generations.
Visitors take an hour by car into the mountains, until the Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan hotel comes into view. Hotel staff in traditional kimono greet guests, taking them to the lobby. They give guests slippers with their names written on a piece of paper next to them.
“From the bathroom to the other amenities, I can feel the presence of history here,” said Michiyo Hattori, a guest to Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan to celebrate his 70th birthday.
 |
|
Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan has 4 outdoor hot springs. Photo: CNN |
Take advantage of local produce
The standard rooms at Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan have 3 parts: 2 seating areas and a living space. Traditional Japanese scroll paintings called kakejiku hang on the walls, representing images of nature.
The windows here are so large that the view of the forest looks like a large painting covering the wall.
A large river flows below and steam rises indicating the presence of hot springs. There are 6 hot springs here – 4 outdoor and 2 indoor.
Nature is not only on the outside but is also a key element of the interior: The floors are made of local stone, the bathtub is made of wood and decorated with plants.
Diner dishes here are served with locally produced wine, sushi, tofu, fish, barbecue, hot pot…
Usually, soba noodles are made from buckwheat, but here, they are made from acorns picked from the local tree. The stone used for grilling is taken from the volcanic rock of Mount Fuji.
When guests return to their rooms following dinner, they will discover their accommodation has been changed. The living room is now a bedroom with soft mattresses spread on the floor.
No detail is overlooked: The pillow is perfectly positioned so that guests can enjoy the most beautiful morning forest view as they slowly open their eyes following a deep sleep.
 |
|
Dinner at the oldest hotel in the world. Photo: CNN |
Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan’s long history includes many impressive moments. It experienced major fires in 1909 and 1916. A large rock destroyed one of the hotel’s houses in 1925. A strong storm hit the area in 1982. As a result, the hotel’s main building was moved three times.
The current manager of the hotel is Ryokan Kenjiro Kawano. He believes the hotel’s secluded location has kept the business alive over the years. Despite its appeal, the hotel never intended to expand.
Mr. Kawano first worked at the hotel in 1984 at the age of 25 and took on various jobs such as fixing walls and assembling computers before becoming a manager.
Mr. Kawano’s decades at the hotel have forged a strong bond between him and his predecessor. However, the 53rd manager of the hotel has no idea what will happen next.
“One day, I was called to my predecessor’s office and he said that I would take over the business,” Kawano said. “I felt great pressure to take over such a historic site. It took me six months to accept the offer.”
 |
|
The hotel’s manager Kenjiro Kawano. Photo: CNN |
New challenges
One of the hotel’s challenges includes maintaining tradition while adjusting to a new wave of visitors, many of them foreigners. Currently hotel staff can speak different languages, including English.
Many hotels have adapted to modern times by allowing shoes to be worn inside and adding beds to rooms, Mr. Kawano said. However, it was an adjustment he did not want to make.
Instead, he has custom-made mattresses in larger sizes to accommodate the new group of customers coming from the West.
“We plan to keep guests taking off their shoes at the door. We want to ensure that our guests experience a tradition that we have kept for many years. I feel it is my duty to make this hotel live. When I transfer the hotel to the 54th manager, I will fulfill my obligations,” Mr. Kawano said.
1690247289
#Nishiyama #Onsen #Keiunkan #called #place #time #stops
