The lifestyle hotel chain ESTINATE HOTEL’s Okinawa Naha branch will turn 6-years-old on August 7, and to celebrate, it will hold a special event in collaboration with the character designer Ryu Ambe from August 6-15. This will be Ambe’s first-ever exhibition where his work will be sold in-person.

Pottery in Shujiro Castle Park

 

“Shima Map” design by Ryu Ambe to be used on posters and t-shirts

ESTINATE HOTEL has welcomed people from all regions of Japan over the years. It has held many events including one two years ago with the theme “Meet Local” and another last year themed on “Feel Global.” This year, the catchphrase is “Hello New World” which hopes to encourage people to discover new things by meeting the locals of Okinawa through the medium of art.

Ryu Ambe has a unique designer reminiscent of American comics. For this event, he has created the “Shima Map” which will be used on a variety of merchandise such as 30 limited-edition silk screen posters. There are also pottery pieces inspired by the sea life found in Okinawa’s oceans, amongst other art works.

MIMARU SUITES Kyoto Shijo rolled out its MIMARU Tool Shop on July 22. The new hotel service was made in collaboration with the 109-year-old Kawataki Kyoto Kitchen Shop and Kura Daily Store and gives guests the chance to rent out items from these shops to use in their hotel rooms, everything from cooking and sake sets to tea sets, kitchenware, and more. Best of all, the service is completely free.

 

The service aims to let guests feel like they’re actually living at their hotel room, adding an extra layer of relaxation and comfort.

A selection of antique and modern rentable items can be found in the top floor room of the hotel where they are displayed like a shop. Guests are invited to pick and choose as they please. There are also shops, supermarkets, cafes, and more right next to the hotel so you can pick up bites to eat and drink to enjoy in your room like cooking ingredients, sushi, and so on.

Rokuyon, which manages unique accommodations mainly in Shibuya, has opened the fourth room of “MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS”, the home-sharing facility, named “HARAJUKU” produced by ASOBISYSTEM, which introduces HARAJUKU culture to the world.

 

“MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS offers accommodation services in concept rooms full of originality not found in existing hotels or home-sharing facilities. The concept of the fourth room is “HARAJUKU”. The room is filled with “KAWAII”, one of the representative cultures of Japan. Once you step into the room through the archway, you will feel as if you have wandered into the world of a picture book. The room is inspired by Harajuku, a place where you can enjoy the extraordinary feeling of being lost in a different dimension.

 

With the opening of the room HARAJUKU, an entire building has been transformed into MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS, with four rooms available for booking via Airbnb. The rooms can be used for a variety of purposes, such as accommodation for domestic and foreign tourists, staycations (casual holiday at home or nearby), girls’ parties, and birthday parties with your friends. In order to ensure the safety of the guests, they carry out temperature checks, use alcohol sanitisers and disinfect the rooms with alcohol when cleaning.

 

The archway at the entrance is a gateway to a world of wonder. From the moment you step into the house, the excitement is bound to build.

The living room is decorated with colourful objects and animals reminiscent of a museum. Why not find your favourite objects and animals, and enjoy taking photos with them?

The bedroom has a queen-size bed, together with a sofa bed and an air bed in the living room, which can accommodate up to four people.

The shower room is equipped with amenities such as shampoo, conditioner, and body soap. The separated washbasins and Toto Washlet toilets have been installed.

The kitchen is fully equipped with a microwave, fridge, and other daily necessities. Colourful KAWAII tablewares are lined up so that you can enjoy the world of the room more.

 

MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS

The first room  ‘SAKURA’

The room has received high praise from both domestic and international travelers.

A monument of cherry blossoms, the symbol of Japan, fills the ceiling of the bedroom, creating a gorgeous and unique space.

 

The second room ‘ORIGAMI’

This room is themed on origami, one of the symbols of Japanese culture.

The living room is furnished with benches and stools inspired by a teahouse. Looking up at the ceiling, a number of Japanese umbrellas decorate the space.

 

The third room ‘DOSUKOI’

The room combined the traditional Japanese culture of sento, a Japanese public bathhouse and sumo, Japanese wrestling.

The sumo wrestler’s hands and the large bath inspired by a sento attract the viewer’s attention. The painted pictures on the walls are the work of Kiyoto Maruyama, one of only three sento painters in Japan.

 

 

The rooftop

The rooftop offers an expansive space with a panoramic view of Harajuku. It can also be used for events such as tent saunas and BBQs. Only the rooftop can be rented out as a rental space.

 

 

Why don’t you create your own story at MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS, a place full of unique concepts that you can only experience here?

Japanese design company Jiyujin launched its new Satoyama Jujo THE HOUSE chain of accommodations this month which offer a single group of guests a one-night stay in an entire house.

 

The first branch to open is IZUMI which features a fully-renovated Japanese-style house located in the city of Uonuma in Niigata. A gorgeous outlook is offered from the house with an unbroken view of lush forests, rice fields, and Mt. Makihata, which is listed as one of the ‘100 Famous Japanese Mountains.’

A breathtaking view awaits guests from the open-air bath

The spacious living room

Fully renovated from a 150-year-old private house, the building is supported by beautiful wooden beams and columns, and in the middle the oe, a sunken hearth. This, along with the beams and sashigamoi joints, are made from keyaki Japanese zelkova which is an elm-like tree. This species of tree is rare even in a tree-covered region such as Uonuma. The lumber used for this house was cut, preserved, and dried out for a number of decades before being processed into building material for the house. The heart in the middle of the living room is reminiscent of a time when large families would gather around one and serves to recreate that lifestyle.

 

The Nishiyama region is known for is production of delicious rice. IZUMI in fact looks out over Kabanosawa, a special and important place of rice production in Nishiyama. This vantage point also gives guests an opportunity to appreciate the hot and cold temperatures of the daytime and evening, the rivers, the shape of the land, and the earth the city sits on. The drastic change in temperatures in the day and night are especially noteworthy as this, along with the basin between the mountains, gives rise to a sea of clouds.

 

IZUMI sits on a hill that overlooks the rice paddies, making it a perfect location for spotting the sea of clouds. Minamiuonuma’s sea of clouds has over a 70% chances of appearing in the autumn and spring seasons.

 

The number one reason why Japan’s old, long-standing, and precious private houses are demolished is due to the cold getting in and it being too dark inside. Even those who want to see them preserved for tradition, including those who live in them already, would rather live in a modern home. That’s why Jiyujin has begun a renovation project instead of a demolition one. By refurbishing the houses, the ancient framework can be fixed up and preserved while a range of contemporary amenities are incorporate to fit with modern lifestyles. The Satoyama Jujo accommodations are built so they can be used for over 100 years.

 

For dinner, there are three options for guests. The first is a dinner at SANABURI which earned itself a Michelin star in Michelin Guide Niigata 2020. The second is a meal at a restaurant that earned the status of Bib Gourmand in the same guide. The third is to prepare your own meal in the house. There are plenty of shops around the station nearby where you can buy local ingredients.

 

After a delicious meal, guests can take a soak in the open-air tub and enjoy gazing out across the fields and the beautiful mountains which stand almost 2,000 meters high.

Sunshine City Prince Hotel is set to open a room themed on the anime adaptation of Nisio Isin’s mystery light novel series Pretty Boy Detective Club. The room will be available for a limited time between July 22 and September 19.

Concept Room

Hotel Keyring

Pin

Card Key (*Can be taken home)

Located in Ikebukuro, the heart of Tokyo’s subculture, Sunshine City Prince Hotel has collaborated with numerous anime and manga series. There will be just one exclusive Pretty Boy Detective Club theme available where the five main guys are waiting to greet guests in the form of decorations. It’s a fantasy-come-true for fans of the series.

As part of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) project, Shiraraso Grand Hotel is offering a new experience for guests to create shades for warosoku traditional Japanese candles from July 7 to August 31.

Warosoku aren’t made with ordinary wax, they’re produced from plant-derived Japanese wax. Wakayama was once the biggest producer of this wax. Guests at the hotel will ghet to make their own shade decorations for these candles using decorations like the sea, food, hot springs, and panda.

 

The hotel is also offering free panda bookmarks to those who post a photo of their shade on Instagram, Twitter, or Instagram with the Japanese hashtag #白良荘グランドホテル.

In commemoration of the Randen tramway service’s 110th anniversary, Kyoto Tower Hotel introduced an exclusive new one-night hotel plan on Friday at one of its rooms. The Kyoto Tower Hotel Train Room is a themed guest room experience and celebration of Randen’s long history.

A look at the Randen Kitano Line

Randen tram photos decorate the guest room

Old train tickets and platform signs

A tatami area, train handles, and train priority seat

Randen Train Room souvenirs for guests

Randen was founded in 1910 and remains the only tramline in Kyoto. It’s part of Keifuku Electric Railroad and runs from Shijo-Omiya to Arashiyama. The Randen Train Room is a trainspotter and train otaku’s paradise. Inside, guests will find historical photos of trams that have run as part of the Randen service, as well as other train-related motifs like a Randen priority seat chair, carriage handles, and more. There’s also a little tatami seating area which is perfect for sitting on and planning your next day’s trip, putting out souvenirs you’ve picked up, or just relaxing. Guests can also watch a DVD on the TV that looks at footage of Randen trains, and even listen to a CD that has train sounds on it.

Imabari is a city in Ehime Prefecture that faces the Seto Inland Sea. Since olden times, it has flourished as an important location for marine traffic. It’s home to a bounty of recognised national treasures and historical heritage sights, and is also famous for its production of citrus fruits such as mikan. Japanese pop star, model, and icon Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took a trip to this ancient city to discover its wonder and beauty.

 

A Visit to the Historical Sea Route

 

 

Oyamazumi Shrine

A ‘power spot’ revered by prominent people

Oyamazumi Shrine has been revered by prominent figures throughout history as a place dedicated to the god of the mountain, god of the ocean, and the god of war. It’s home to numerous Important Cultural Properties which are available for viewing by the public such as the armour worn by the military commander Minamoto no Yoshitsune when the Minamoto clan won the Genpei War (1180-1185), armour worn by women, and more. The shrine is also a notable power spot for the ancient tree that has stood there for 2,600 years and is now recognised as a natural monument of Japan. Power spots are places in Japan where the spiritually-inclined draw energy from.

 

Information

Oyamazumi Shrine

Address: 3327 Omishimacho Miyaura, Imabari, Ehime 794-1393, Japan

TEL: 0897-82-0032

Opening Hours: Sunrise to 17:00

National Treasure Building: 8:30-17:00 (Last Entries 16:30)

Official Website: https://oomishimagu.jp/

 

Kurushima Kaikyo Service Area

Lip-smacking food aplenty

If you’re one for great views, then the Kurushima Kaikyo service area is a must-visit, offering a panoramic look at the Kurushima Strait of the Seto Inland Sea. The service area is very well know particularly for the Jaguchi Mikan Juice, something of a city legend in Ehime where you can enjoy fresh mikan juice straight from a tap. You can also tuck a rice bowl dish made with tachiuo hairtail caught in the Seto Inland Sea that’s made to look like Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge, or try Imabari’s soul food dish: the Imabari Yakibuta Tamago Meshi, a pork, egg, and rice bowl. Don’t pass up the chance to snap a photo at the designated photo spot with the Seto Inland Sea in the back either like Kyary above.

 

Information

Kurushima Kaikyo Service Area

Address: 3-9-68 Ohamacho, Imabari, Ehime, 794-0002, Japan

Food Court: [Weekdays] 8:00-21:00 / [Weekends & Holidays] 7:00-22:00

Shops: [Weekdays] 8:00-21:00 / [Weekends & Holidays] 7:00-22:00

Outside Shopping Area & Cafes: [Weekdays] 9:00-17:00 / [Weekends & Holidays] 9:00-18:00

Official Website: https://www.jb-highway.co.jp/sapa/kurushima.php

 

Murakami Suigun Museum

Dedicated to the Imabari heroes who protected the ocean

Murakami Suigun Museum is dedicated to kaizoku—pirates, or lords of the sea—something which conjures to mind villainy or bad guys, but the Murakami pirates were also considered heroes who helped maintain order and protect the sea during the Sengoku warring period of Japan. The museum features many displays of Murakami family treasures including the battle surcoat which the pirate leader wore over his armour, proudly bearing the Murakami family crest. Visitors can wear replicas of this coat, which Kyary tired herself: “Now I’m sorta like a military commander too,” she said.

 

Information 

Murakami Suigun Museum

Address: 1285 Miyakubocho Miyakubo, Imabari, Ehime 794-2203, Japan
TEL: 0897-74-1065

Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00

Closed: Mondays (or Tuesday if the Monday falls on a public holiday) / New Year Holidays (Dec 29-Jan 3)

Official Website: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/museum/suigun/

 

Roadside Station Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan

A bundle of fun and entertainment in one place

Roll on up to Roadside Station Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan to enjoy a shichirin BBQ feast with fresh seafood caught in the Seto Inland Sea while gazing out across Kurushima Kaikyo. This building complex serves as a resting spot and is also the perfect place to purchase local souvenirs including Ehime specialty products. It’s also famous for its offering the chance to board a boat to ride around Kurushima Kaikyo, renting out bicycles, and more. You’ll also be able to meet Koro-chan, a popular fish who has lived there for 30 years.

 

Information

Roadside Station Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan

Address: 4520-2 Yoshiumichomyo, Imabari, Ehime 794-2114, Japan

TEL: 0897-84-3710

Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00

Restaurant: 10:00-16:00 (Last Orders 15:00)

Closed: New Year’s Day (and certain days in winter)

Official Website: http://www.imabari-shimanami.jp/ikiiki/

 

Dolphin Farm Shimanami

Meet the cute and friendly dolphins

 

Dolphin Farm Shimanami, which is connected to Hakata Beach, is the best and biggest place in Japan to interact with dolphins. Visitors can get close to them and the dolphins will show off their tricks and skills. There’s even a car camping area you can stay at.

 

Information

Dolphin Farm Shimanami

Address: 1673 Hakatacho Kanoura, Imabari, Ehime 794-2302, Japan

TEL: 0897-72-8787

Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00

Closed: On days with bad weath

Official Website: https://www.df-shimanami.com/

 

Hakata Beach

A white sandy beach rolling out 200-meters 

 

 

Hakata Beach is located at the base of Oshima Bridge in Hakata. The beach is famous for its salt which is best tried on their popular sweet-tasting sea salt ice cream.

 

Information

Hakata Beach

Address: 1668-1 Hakatacho Kanoura, Imabari, Ehime 794-2302, Japan

Sea Bathing: Early July – Late August

Official Website: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/kanko/spot/?a=198

 

Imabari Towels

High quality towels woven with tradition and technique

 

Imabari is the biggest producer of towels in Japan. Even their white towels alone have countless types you can choose from, allowing you to pick which level of softness and comfort you want. The iconic brand logo is also impactful, capturing the quality, production, and enthusiasm that the makes have for the product. Kyary herself uses them all the time!

 

Information 

Imabari Towel

Official Website: https://www.imabaritowel.jp/

 

Sunrise Itoyama

Need a bike?

Sunrise Itoyama, located in the Imabari Central Cycling Terminal, is a rental bicycle service that has bikes and helmets for everyone’s needs. Rent out a bike and ride the Shimanami Sea Route which connects Ehime and Hiroshima with a series of bridges that hop across the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.

 

Information 

Sunrise Itoyama

Address: 2-8-1 Sunabacho, Imabari, Ehime 794-0001, Japan

TEL: 0898-41-3196

Rent-a-Cycle Details: https://www.sunrise-itoyama.jp/archives/rentacycle/

Official Website: https://www.sunrise-itoyama.jp/

 

Marutomi

The famous restaurant known to every local

If you want the real experience of Imabari’s yakitori soul food, you should visit Marutomi, a yakitori eatery. Imabari yakitori is different from the usual Japanese yakitori as it doesn’t come skewered. Instead, the chicken is cut into small pieces and fried that way. One of the most popular ways to have it is with the skin on so the outside is crunchy and the inside succulent. It goes perfect with a cup of sake too.

 

Information 

Marutomi

2-3-6 Katayama, Imabari, Ehime 794-0063, Japan

TEL: 0898-23-2740

Opening Hours: 17:30-22:00

Closed: Wednesdays

Official Website: https://maru-marutomi.jp/

 

Imabari Castle

A castle by the sea

Imabari Castle, built by the daimyo Tōdō Takatora, is known famously as one of Japan’s three “Castles on the Sea” and was also listed in Japan’s Top 100 Castles. When it was first constructed, boats could enter the moat from the ocean. It’s a site that breathes the prosperity that Imabari has enjoyed as a significant location for maritime traffic, the same Imabari that the Murakami pirates sought to protect. Head on up to the top of the castle to stand on the observation deck and gaze at an unbroken view of the city.

 

Information

Imabari Castle

Address: 3-1-3 Toricho, Imabari, Ehime, 794-0036, Japan

TEL: 0898-31-9233

Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00

Closed: December 29 – December 31

Official Website: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/museum/imabarijo/

 

Kirosan Observatory Park

A breathtaking spectacle to remember

Kirosan Observatory Park is officially recognised by Setonaikai National Park. Standing atop the observation deck fills the eyes with wonder as they gaze upon a panoramic stretch of Imabari, the Seto Inland Sea, and Kurushima Kaikyo all at once. Kyary wrapped up her time in Imabari here as the sunset coloured the sky and sea in warm evening hues.

 

Information 

Kirosan Observatory Park

Address: 487-4 Yoshiumicho Minamiura, Imabari, Ehime 794-2115, Japan

No Fixed Holidays

Open 24-hours a day

Official Website: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/kanko/spot/?a=182

 

Imabari Tourism Information: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/kanko/

 

We hope you enjoyed joining Kyary on her adventures across Imabari, and perhaps she even got you a little curious in wanting to visit the city yourself. It’s a treasure trove filled with vistas by the sea, in nature, and in the city itself with its Important Cultural Properties. Food is also a big part of travel for many people, so you can rest assured that your belly will be satisfied in Imabari as you try their speciality mikan, fresh seafood fished in the Seto Inland Sea, and more.

Ace Hotel Kyoto marked its 1st anniversary on June 11 since opening. In celebration of hitting the milestone, the hotel is collaborating with Japanese artist Yu Nagaba by displaying his work at its gallery until June 30. The works displayed are of the sights and people that Nagaba saw and penned in a memo pad while staying at Ace Hotel Kyoto. All of the illustrations were made for this exhibition and so they are being exhibited for the first time. One of the pieces is also being sold at stickers in the hotel’s shop.

 

Yu Nagaba‘s work

 

Yu Nagaba | Comment

“After I heard whispers that Ace Hotel was setting up in Kyoto, I hoped I could do something, so I was happy to take part in this project, but I also spent my time wondering what I could draw, and no ideas came to mind. After pondering I went to find inspiration by deciding to stay at Ace Hotel. I drew what came to mind during my time there as I walked the streets of Kyoto and spent time at the hotel. I drew a total of 49 illustrations in my memo pad. I painted six of my favourites on canvas. I hope people can get a feel for my experiences of Kyoto in these pieces.”

Yadoru KYOTO HANARE is a hotel in Kyoto that blends seamlessly into the town, offering a stay experience that’s like living there. For guests who use their baths, they have introduced a new selection of five ingredients to be put into the bath like bath salts. Each comes with a different effect, enhancing your bathing experience beyond getting clean.

 

Yadoru KYOTO HANARE is continuing to enforce precautions against the spread of COVID-19 so guests can enjoy getting away from home to relax and unwind safely. The hotel has and continues to enjoy many guests during this time who are seeking out some healing. One of the biggest selling points for guests is the hotel’s bathing experience. With that in mind, they have set up the Yadoru YUAMI service which allows guests to try a variety of bathing products made by local Kyoto businesses.

 

‘Yuami’ is an old Japanese expression for getting in the bath. The word ‘yadoru’ in the hotel’s name is also an old phrase meaning ‘to stay at a lodging on your travels.’ Yadoru KYOTO HANARE is wanting to have its site feel even more like a traditional Kyoto townhouse for guests to experience, so they are now using the word ‘YUAMI’ as part of their services.

 

With Yadoru YUAMI, guests can pick from five different bath products, each wrapped in pouches. Each offers a completely different bathing experience with different benefits and fragrances.

 

1. Sake Lees

Sake lees from Kyoto’s long-standing and historical sake brewery Sasaki Shuzou. Massage the lees in the bathtub while they are still in the pouch to create a milky white water that fills the bathroom with the fragrant smell of sake lees. The ingredients in the lees have a moisturising effect, improve blood circulation, and leave skin looking beautiful.

 

2. Gyokuro Green Tea

The Kyoto Distillery stands as Japan’s first establishment specialising in gin. One of their gins is called Ki no Bi, a Japanese craft gin. Its smell and taste is the result of a combination of 11 kinds of botanical products including gyokuro green tea, junpier berry, and hinoki cypress, all of which are featured individually on this list. Gyokuro is a type of high-grade Japanese green tea and contains theanine which stimulates relaxing, making it perfect for unwinding after a long day.

 

3. Juniper Berry

Juniper berry is an indispensable ingredient in making craft gin. This bathing product is made with the type that’s actually used in making Ki no Bi craft gin. When submerged in the water, the air is filled with the woody, relaxing, and inviting scent of gin.

 

4. Hinoki Cypress

This bathing powder is also made with the same hinoki cypress used in Ki no Bi which, when put in the water, emits the smells of a forest. Hinoki cypress contains phytoncide which has a relaxation effect, calming the autonomic nervous system and blood pressure.

 

5. Matcha

Matcha is the quintessential flavour of Kyoto. Guests who check in at Yadoru KYOTO HANARE are offered a cup. They can also bathe in it with Yadoru YUAMI.

HOSHINOYA Karuizawa has announced a special summer plan for guests called “Mori no Hotori cafe&Bar ~Suijo no Tokutoseki~” (Cafe & Bar by the Forest ~Special Seats on the Water~). The midsummer evening plan is available for one group per day and takes place at the hotel’s cafe and bar which sits by a forest and faces the Kera-Ike Pond. It invites guests to relax under the starry night sky on the water and enjoy the sounds of nature while enjoying drinks and bites to eat.

 

Japan is known for its summer hot summers. However, Karuizawa enjoys a cooler climate, so evenings dip to around 20°C for a comfortable temperature.

 

Stargazing on top of the water

HOSHINOYA Karuizawa is connected directly to Karuizawa Wild Bird Sanctuary. At the entrance, by the Kera-Ike Pond, is the hotel’s Mori no Hotori cafe&bar which is open all year. The cafe/bar fusion is surrounded by Karuizawa’s lush forests, and it’s here that guests can enjoy sitting on specially-prepared seats on the water. It will feel like they are walking on water as they approach their seats where they can take their shoes off and sit on the tatami mats to gaze at the stars.

 

Calm the heart with an enchanting performance

When you walk up the stairs that face Kera-Ike from HOSHINOYA Karuizawa, your ears will be met with the enchanting sound of crystal bowls which add a mysterious depth to the natural sounds of the forest, spiriting guests away to another wonderful world.

 

Indulgent drinks and food

Guests can pick from a range of drinks and bites to eat scented with fruits, wood, and other natural fragrances of the forest. There arw six drinks to choose from including a gin and tonic made with lindera umbellata, a type of camphor, as well as a whisky made with ripe fruits. Food includes chocolate made from lindera umbellata and kuma bamboo grass, cherry blossom and walut chips, and more.

Kissho Yamanaka, a hot spring hotel in Kaga, Ishikawa, is now offering a firefly-viewing experience as part of a new guest plan until June 15. This gorgeous resort, situated by the Daishoji River in the Kakusenkei Gorges, was awarded three Michelin stars in the Ryokan category of Michelin Guide Hokuriku 2021 Special Issue.

The firefly tour arrives as early summer is soon to begin. As part of the hotel plan, guests can also enjoy a dazzling Firefly Cocktail too.

Feel the rays of early summertime at Kissho Yamanaka.