The Best Hotels Near Kasan, by the Record
-
-
Thatched roofs dissolving into the forest canopy set the tone at this small, deeply traditional ryokan in the mountains of Kagoshima, beside the Amorigawa River. Ten suites keep it almost conspiratorially quiet, and the carved-stone onsen baths, some on open wooden terraces, were the first private ones in Japan. A farm on the property supplies much of the kitchen. The Michelin Guide awarded it 2 Keys.
-
-
Two suites, a bamboo grove, and Edo-period joinery make this intimate guesthouse feel less like a hotel and more like borrowing a very old friend's very tasteful house outside Kamakura. Both rooms are split-level with tatami floors and exposed beams, and the deep soaking tubs do their job efficiently. A small counter bar and a teahouse round things out. Truly a two-room operation, so book early or accept defeat gracefully.
-
A living green wall climbs the atrium of this 228-room Sheraton, and it sets the tone for what is otherwise a surprisingly considered hotel. Jun Aizaki, the Japanese-born, Brooklyn-based architect, wove traditional Japanese landscape and cultural references through the design without leaning on any of the obvious clichés. The public spaces do the heavy lifting; the dining venues are genuinely varied, and the rooms are handsome if quieter about the whole thing.
-