Kayotei

With just ten rooms, Kayotei is an immersive, onsen ryokan experience with a warm atmosphere in a beautiful mountain town near the city of Kanazawa.

• The warmth and care of the staff and property
• The relationship the ryokan has built with many local artisans and producers in the area
• The river walking path along the gorge where guests can stop by shrines, bridges, and ancient cedar trees.

This small ryokan is located in the onsen town of Yamanaka on the Japan's northwest coast, one hour from Kanazawa and two-and-a-half hours by bullet train from Tokyo. Kayotei is an excellent home base to visit Kanazawa and see important pre-Meiji era sites while enjoying a traditional mountain town onsen ryokan experience. Guests can also easily access the nearby small town and river gorge of Yamanaka, visiting shrines, unique bridges, temples and a generations-old sake brewery.

The ryokan is atmospheric and cheery, full of golden woods and glass, with the feeling of a treehouse perched above the mountain and gorge below. It has only ten rooms, which showcase both traditional tatami style mats and western-style beds. Important Indagare tip: The western style rooms do not have a private bath, but most guests will make use of the shared onsen, with its indoor and open air baths looking out over the mountain and gorge below.

The organic dining experience is central to the property. Guests can enjoy their kaiseki meals (multi-course traditional menus) in individual dining rooms while wearing yukata (bathrobes traditionally worn in onsen bath settings). The cuisine ranges from handmade tofu to aigamo-method rice and hand-harvested mountain produce provided by more than 20 local food producers, including shoyu makers, soba chefs, confectioners and master sake brewers. Kayotei has created a collective to support these producers, also including local artisans such as gold-lacquer craftsmen, furniture makers, and woodturners. Guests are able to visit these artisans and producers during their stay to learn and witness these time-honored crafts.

At Kayotei, the experience is nuanced and immersive—the perfect respite from busy city touring in Tokyo and Kyoto for seasoned and adventurous travelers that want to experience a more behind-the-scenes Japan.

Those looking for an authentic and immersive countryside inn experience in a lovely setting with access to a charming town and nearby river, all while just a short drive from Kanazawa.