KAI Yufuin by Hoshino Resorts is now open in Oita Prefecture, Japan. Its concept is a hot spring ryokan with a sculpted landscape painted with nature’s brush, where the cascading rice terraces with Mount Yufu as a dramatic backdrop can be captured.
The name Oita of Oita Prefecture, where KAI Yufuin is located, derives from words that mean “grand rice field” and is an area associated with rice fields and rice terraces. There are rice terraces in the Yufuin area, which is located between mountains, and there used to be rice terraces where KAI Yufuin now stands. This hot spring ryokan is nestled in a quiet location overlooking Mt. Yufu, and is located in Yufuin Onsen, which has one of the highest numbers of hot spring sources and spring water in Japan.
The Rice Terrace Deck with a panoramic view of rice terraces is placed in the center of the accommodation. Change in season can be felt as the rice terraces and mountain range changes their appearance. Before rice planting in spring, the rice terraces are filled with water, where the clear blue sky and the surrounding landscape are reflected on its surface. After rice planting, the fresh green of young plants spreads, and in the summer, the grown rice moves with the wind, producing a refreshing tone. In autumn, the ears of rice grow in abundance, turning rice terraces into gold. The landscape of rice terraces with rice straws after harvest is a familiar scene of Yufuin in winter. When seated on the deck, the sense of time can be forgotten as one is surrounded by the original landscape of Yufuin. The vast scenery of the open sky and the rice terraces that change with the season can be enjoyed, evoking a feeling of nostalgia.
Two types of villas situated near the rice terraces or Sawtooth oak forest
With a total of 45 guest rooms, the guest rooms are situated either in the main building or in villas. There are two types of villas, one of which stands quietly on the rice terrace with a luxurious structure that can make one feel as if the views of the cascading rice terraces and the expanse of the sky are available only to themselves. Lounge at the personal veranda of this villa type amid the sounds of insects echoing in the silence. This will surely bring back a feeling of nostalgia at a place away from home, as the original landscapes of Yufuin spread in front. The second villa type faces the sawtooth oaks and has a private outdoor hot spring bath. In both villa types, the tatami floors are made from rare shichitoi grass which is grown in the Kunisaki Peninsula of Oita Prefecture.
Public Hot Springs – Grand views of Mt. Yufu
There are two indoor baths, the “Atsuyu” (hot water), which flows directly from the source, and the “Nuruyu” (warm water), which calms the mind and body with its gentle warmth. The outdoor bath has a lie-down area so a long and calming bath can be enjoyed as the seasonal wind blows through. It is a great location for Mt. Yufu, also known as “Bungo Fuji.”
Dining
Kaiseki dinner course that incorporates local food culture is served in a semi-private dining room. The meal makes use of nature’s blessings from the mountains such that for starters, wild boar meat and shitake mushroom pate sandwiched in monaka wafer is served along with watercress salad with a dressing of kabosu citrus, a signature agricultural product of Oita Prefecture. For the special kaiseki course, a shabu-shabu style hot pot of thinly sliced beef, wild boar meat, deer meat, and bear meat using can be enjoyed. Dipping sauce for each type of meat is prepared so that different flavors can be savored.
Property Name: Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin
Address: 398 Kawakami, Yufuin-cho, Yufu, Oita
Price: Starts from 35,000 JPY per night (per person in a 2-person room, includes tax and service charge, breakfast, and dinner)
Number of Rooms: 45
Facilities: lobby, dining area, Travel Library, shop, public hot springs (separated by gender, in both areas: 2 indoor baths, 1 outdoor bath), rice terraces, Rice Terrace Deck, Asagiri Terrace, Yuagari Lounge
Directions: Approximately 10 minutes by car from JR Yufuin Station, approximately 60 mins by car from Oita Airport
Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/kaiyufuin/
