CNA – My family loves visiting Japan. I’ve been to Japan eight times but mostly stuck to Tokyo.
This time, travelling with my teenage son in June, we ventured further – to five different cities.
One reason was because we were already buying a 14-day JR Pass (JPY47,250 or SGD459 at press time; a seven-day pass costs JPY29,650; a 21-day pass JPY60,450), which allows unlimited travel on all local and high-speed trains throughout Japan.
Japan is split into eight regions but to cut down on travelling time, we skipped Hokkaido (northern Japan) and Kyushu (far south). Landing in Tokyo in the morning, we hopped onto our first Shinkansen to Takayama via transit at Nagoya.
Takayama, because of its well-preserved Edo-period historical centre – and because we wanted to eat its famous Hida beef. We also wanted to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Shirakawa-go, renowned for its unique Gassho-zukuri architecture and a 50-minute bus ride away.
From Shirakawa-go, a 75-minute bus ride took us to Kanazawa, famous for its samurai roots, historic geisha district and amazingly fresh seafood. Next, we headed south in Hiroshima because my son and I are history buffs.
Miyajima island is a 10-minute ferry ride away from Hiroshima and most tourists pop by for a couple hours to see the famous floating torii gate. We spent a night so as to experience a 300-year-old ryokan.
Next, we headed upwards to Kyoto to fulfil my dream of living in a refurbished machiya, a traditional wooden townhouse, for two nights. Finally, we ended our trip in Tokyo.
Here are four of our favourite unusual hotels, ranging from a Zen-inspired mod-ryokan, to a hot spring resort and centuries-old traditional wooden building.
TAKAYAMA
Hotel Wood Takayama is a modern take on the traditional wooden inn or ryokan. The hotel, which opened in 2019, was built using local wood and offers complimentary sake tasting (and non-alcoholic drinks and popsicles) every evening.
A 14-minute walk from Takayama Shinkansen station, the hotel is smack in the old town.
It’s near Sanmachi-dori, a picturesque street of preserved merchant shops and five minutes from Miyagawa morning market, where we bought miso from Koujiya Shibata Miso Brewery. Bonus: There’s a Family Mart next door.
The modern room mimics the futon-on-tatami look, except it’s a low platform with a proper mattress that our back was thankful for. There’s no TV. Instead, spend time in their public hot bath (not a natural hot spring, unfortunately), sample locally-made sake, or meditate in the dimly-lit Zen room, where they sometimes host local cultural experiences.
WHAT TO EAT IN TAKAYAMA
Gifu prefecture is best known for its Hida beef, a black-haired Japanese cattle breed recognised as one of the finest quality of beef in Japan. You can find it everywhere at Sanmachi-dori, from raw beef sushi (JPY1,000 for three), to grilled beef skewers and beef croquette, for under JPY500 a pop.
Our favourite find was Yamate Shoten. A 12-minute walk from the hotel, this local butchery has been raising its own cattle since 1947. At their no-fuss restaurant on level two, we had 400 grammes of Hida beef sirloin with beautiful marbling.
Each chunk, eaten grilled and dipped in salt, pepper or wasabi, burst with flavour and juice. Comes with free flow of veggies and a dessert of canned peaches. The meal cost just JPY8,200. A bargain.
KANAZAWA
Onyada Nono is the Japanese-style premium brand from the Hotel Dormy Inn group. This branch is centrally located in the ancient castle town of Kanazawa.
It’s a 15-minute walk from Kanazawa Shinkansen station (two bus stops away); two minutes from Omicho Market, famed for its fresh seafood stalls and restaurants; and well connected to local attractions and malls on the JR tourist bus that’s free for JR Pass holders.
While every hotel on this list has a hot bath facility, this is the only one with a natural hot spring. Note that Kanazawa charges a daily accommodation tax (from JPY200 to JPY500 depending on the cost of your room) and hot spring tax of JPY150 per person.
The entire hotel is laid with tatami mats so shoes go into the lockers. Complimentary Japanese toe socks are provided on request. Everyone wears their Japanese-style pyjamas everywhere, even at the restaurant where they serve an amazing buffet breakfast. Think free flow of uber-fresh sashimi rice bowl, an eye-boggling array of side dishes and freshly fried tempura.
Perks include free coffee, ice cream, yoghurt drinks, a manga library, and even ramen for supper. The gender-separate hot spring spas offer hot and cold indoor pools, an open-air bath, individual deep tubs, and a sauna. My skin felt silky smooth after a soak.
WHAT TO EAT IN KANAZAWA
Try the famous Kanazawa curry at Champion Curry, the OG that pioneered it in 1961. This thick curry is as rich as its deep brown hue. Popular toppings include a tonkatsu fried upon order, served with rice, cabbage and pickles at just JPY960. The nearest branch is at basement one of Omicho Market’s Ichiba-Kan building.
The Higashi Chaya District, where geishas used to perform in the teahouses, is a must-visit. Most have been converted to cafes and shops, with some selling gold leaf products that are a hallmark of Kanazawa (its name means “marsh of gold”).
Skip the common gold leaf-covered ice cream cone that costs JPY1,000. Instead, take a break at Morihachi, a traditional confectionery established in 1625. We enjoyed an elegant gold-flecked yokan (Japanese agar-agar) with freshly whisked matcha for JPY950.
MIYAJIMA ISLAND
We recommend staying one night at Ryoso Kawaguchi to slowly enjoy Miyajima island and its famous floating torii gate after the day trippers are gone, especially if you’re fortunate enough to book the highly popular ryokan. We were so thrilled that we did.
This family-run ryokan in a 300-year-old wooden house has been managed by 15 generations of inn keepers. Masayoshi and Yoko Kawaguchi, a sweet couple in their 70s, currently run the seven-room property.
Tucked away in a quiet lane behind the main shopping strip, it is a 10-minute walk from the ferry terminal, five minutes from Itsukushima Shrine, 10 minutes from Momijidani Park, and a leisurely stroll past the shops to the torii gate.
Their rooms take one to five people and the largest has a loft. Their best feature is the terrace on the third floor with a breathtaking view of the five-storied Senjokaku pagoda, mountain and sea.
Our room overlooking the garden was clean and the futon comfortable enough. Each room comes with its own toilet but you need to book a one-hour slot every evening for the two private baths (one family-sized and the other for one to two people). You can pop in for showers anytime.
What truly made our stay was the warm service. Although they currently only offer dinner service on weekends, owner-chef Masayoshi agreed to cook us a “Japanese Petit” kaiseki set on a Monday night. The seven delicious courses include sashimi, soya milk chicken hot pot and wagyu beef with blueberry sauce.
Our hearty breakfast came with udon bubbling in a claypot, grilled salmon, onsen egg and sides. The overnighter and two meals for two cost JPY25,300.
WHAT TO EAT IN MIYAJIMA
As soon as you disembark from the ferry, you will, like all excited tourists, rush towards the wild deer roaming the island. Avoid their poop, which inspired the hilariously named deer poop ice cream. Our goma ice cream covered with chocolate crisps looked just the part and was yummy.
Don’t miss Miyajima’s famous oysters. Although they are most plump in winter, our set meal at Kakiya was still scrumptious in summer. For JPY2,700, we devoured oysters grilled, fried, pickled in oil, braised in rice, and more. But look out for the deer. We got hilariously photobombed when one tried to steal our dessert. And they even walked right up to our ryokan at night. – Stella Thng
