The Best Hotels Near Myoken Ishiharaso, by the Record
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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.
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A five-room guesthouse on the road into Kirishima Kinkowan National Park, Kasan frames its whole existence around "mind-body unity," which sounds like brochure copy until you see the rooms. Each one is different, mixing modern design with traditional craft, and two come with private hot spring baths while two more have detached bathhouses. Whether the philosophy lands or not, the physical delivery of it is hard to argue with.
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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.
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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.
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A bamboo forest wraps this 30-room boutique hotel so completely that the city outside feels like a rumor. Rooms go clean-lined and pale-wood minimalist, some with outdoor terraces, others with indoor Jacuzzis, which is a decision you'll spend approximately four minutes agonizing over at booking. Three restaurants, a lobby lounge, and a summer pool fill out the picture for a property that manages to feel serene without trying too hard about it.