Hanamurasaki
Contemporary cultural salon meets traditional ryokan. Wabi-sabi minimalism, lacquerware everywhere, gorge views from every room, and a tea bar that serves matcha beer layered over craft ale. This place takes Japanese craft seriously — not as decor, but as lived experience.
Book in-room massages before arrival — they fill up quickly, especially on weekends
Why It Matters
The 2022 redesign by Shinichiro Ogata (of Simplicity) combined with new Art Suites completed in 2024 put Hanamurasaki on the map for design-conscious travelers. The SABO tea bar draws day visitors from across the region. The kaiseki here is unusual in that it offers à la carte ordering rather than a fixed menu — a rarity at this level of ryokan. Ranked #1 of 42 hotels in Kaga on TripAdvisor.
Hanamurasaki is a sixth-generation family-run ryokan perched above the forested gorge of Kakusenkei in Yamanaka Onsen. The hot spring has been flowing for over 1,300 years, and the town itself has been Japan's center of woodturning and lacquerware craft for centuries. In 2022, owner Kohei Yamada and his wife Manami overhauled the property in collaboration with Tokyo designer Shinichiro Ogata — trading generic ryokan comforts for teahouse-inspired architecture, over 100 original artworks, and a tea salon that functions more like a cultural laboratory than a hotel lounge. The result is a 25-room inn that feels genuinely personal rather than polished.
Where You'll Stay
7 room types available
Art Junior Suite
A 90 sqm suite for two, featuring two Simmons beds, a living room with views over Kakusenkei Gorge, and a private open-air onsen bath. Like the Art Suite, it features commissioned artworks by Rui Sasaki and Kohei Ukai. A smaller, less expensive entry point into the Art collection without the sauna or side room. No in-room dining; children under 10 not permitted.
Western bed (Simmons) · 90 sqm
Art Suite
Hanamurasaki's most prestigious room type, completed in 2024. The 143 sqm suite features two Simmons beds, a living room overlooking Kakusenkei Gorge, a side room for up to 4 guests, a private open-air onsen bath with a monumental Shigaraki clay tub, and a private sauna. Original artworks throughout by Ishikawa artists — Rui Sasaki's glass installation (selected for the Rakow Commission) and lacquer sculptures by Kohei Ukai (LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize finalist). Note: no in-room dining; children under 10 not permitted.
Western bed (Simmons) · 143 sqm
Japanese Standard Room
Traditional tatami rooms with a tokonoma alcove for displaying art and shoji-screened seating area by the window. Guests can sip Hanamurasaki's original tea while watching the Daishoji River flow past below. The colorfully tiled bath uses tap water — not the onsen spring — but has the retro charm of an old-school sento. Sleeps up to 4 on futons. In-room dining available. Most traditional, most affordable option.
Futon · 80 sqm
Modern Junior Suite
The most affordable of the Shinichiro Ogata-designed rooms. Pleasantly textured mortar floors and wabi-sabi minimalism inspired by teahouse architecture. The private veranda holds an open-air onsen bath made of Ishikawa's green-speckled Takigahara stone, shielded by sliding wooden-slat screens. Copper sinks preserved from the original pre-renovation building add a burnished warmth. Sunken lacquerware kotatsu table by Akihiko Sugita. Note: several steps and a dark light setting.
Western bed · 90 sqmModern Suite
Redesigned in the 2022–2023 renovation and inspired by traditional teahouse architecture. Textured mortar floors and walls, wabi-sabi minimalism, and a sunken lacquerware kotatsu table by Akihiko Sugita that transforms into a heated kotatsu in winter. The open-air veranda has two hot spring tubs in a mirrored arrangement — one can double as a cold-plunge for the private sauna. Sleeps up to 4 with an adjacent room that serves as an extra bedroom. Note: several steps and a dark light setting by design.
Western bed · 143 sqmSuperior Japanese Room with Beds
A 120 sqm room blending traditional Japanese tatami in the main room with a Western-style bed in a separate adjoining bedroom. Captures the essence of traditional architecture while adding modern sleeping comfort. Views of Kakusenkei Gorge.
Western bed (with tatami main room) · 120 sqmUniversal Suite
The largest suite at 170 sqm and designed for barrier-free access with wooden floors throughout. The living room has a fireplace and a knit sofa, with washi screen window shades that open to views of the Kurotani Bridge arching across the gorge. The veranda holds both a private sauna and open-air onsen bath — one room has a bath seemingly carved from a single massive stone with mineral deposits painting its sides in polychrome streaks; the other is a traditional hinoki cedar tub. Sleeps up to 4 guests.
Western bed · 170 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
3 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Approximately 2-hour hiking experience in the Satoyama landscape around Yamanaka Onsen. Transport extra (30 minutes by taxi). Up to 4 people.
4–8 hour cycling tour through nature and craftsperson workshops around Yamanaka Onsen. From ¥50,000 per group plus an individual fee. Up to 4 people.
Monthly rotating contemporary art exhibits by Ishikawa artists and artisans, often launched with tea experiences and collaborations with guest chefs. Over 100 artworks on permanent display throughout the property, including pieces by Living National Treasures.
Hands-on kintsugi (gold lacquer repair) workshop at Yagi Kintsugi Studio. Up to 4 people, approximately 2 hours. Transport extra (20 minutes by taxi).
Exclusive pottery painting session at a private kiln with matcha ceremony. Up to 5 people, approximately 2 hours.
Private Japanese flower arranging workshop, approximately 3 hours. For guests staying 2+ nights. 2–3 people. Interpretation available for an additional ¥10,000.
A personalized half-day tour led by owner Kohei Yamada into the private studios, kilns, and workshops of Yamanaka Onsen's artisan community. Itinerary built around guest interests — could include a 4th-generation pottery kiln with matcha experience, kintsugi workshop, lacquerware studio, or a broader local crafts and art tour. Available to guests staying 2 or more nights; up to 3 people.
A 1.5-hour guided deep-dive into sake and fermentation with local brewer Fumiaki Matsuura of Shishi-no-sato sake. Explores koji, miso, and soy sauce culture. Opens from 14:00. Up to 5 people.
A 3-night immersive retreat for 4–8 guests combining accommodation at Hanamurasaki with cooking and foraging workshops at Mokkei, a 100-year-old open-air kominka kitchen. Includes lacquerware studio visit, wild landscape walks, meals with local experts, and tea ceremony. Accommodation, 3 dinners, 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, transportation to/from Kaga Onsen Station, and 4–5 artisan experiences are all included. Rate includes early bird discount.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Facility is accessible; complimentary wheelchair use within the ryokan. Two Universal Suite rooms offer wheelchair-accessible private hot spring baths. Traditional Japanese rooms are not accessible.
Multiple sake pairing courses available with kaiseki dinner. Wine, beer, and tea pairing also offered.
All rooms provided with traditional yukata robes as pajamas.
Accepts VISA, Mastercard, Diners, Amex, and JCB.
Open to guests at all hours. Dark-wood shelves inspired by Muromachi period teahouse architecture, stocked with books on food, art, and local interest curated by the Yamada family.
On-site shop selling original Hanamurasaki goods, local crafts, and specialty foods. Online ordering available for domestic shipping only.
Complimentary shuttle from Kaga Onsen Station (15-minute drive). Operates 12:00–18:00. Advance reservation required at least 1 day prior.
On-site free parking. Staff guide guests from the entrance to the parking area.
BUILD YOUR HANAMURASAKI PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
Start Planning