"A sliding door in a jigsaw of dark timber beneath waves of gray roof tiles is the quiet arrival to Azumi Setoda. Located on an island famed for its lemons in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, it’s as understated and exquisitely executed as you’d expect from Adrian Zecha, original Aman founder and godfather of hotel minimalism. The first opening for his new Azumi brand, co-created with Naru Developments, it aims to reinvent Japan’s traditional ryokan for contemporary times. Azumi Setoda has taken over a 140-year-old residence with a pared back modern renovation by Kyoto-based architect Shiro Miura. Doors open onto an intimate lobby, with exposed timber and a wall of sea blue plasterwork. The loosely communal restaurant is a central hub—citrus fruits piled high in ceramic dishes—surrounded by wooden tables, where chefs serve modern Japanese dishes with a Silk Road edge (from octopus sashimi to coriander and tofu), tapping into the island’s shipping route heritage. An inner garden is wrapped in 20-foot tall fences known as kakine— a signature design feature of interlocked cedar wood—showcasing a cherry tree and curved pines. Nearby is Azumaya—a meditative space on the site of the family’s teahouse, glass walls overlooking a fenced garden of exotic foliage. The 22 guest rooms are no less serene with light cypress and paper screens; low white beds; and hinoki bathtubs. But it’s no bubble: Azumi is rooted in community, reflected not only in activities (from lemon picking to Zen temple meditations) and local projects (the hotel repaved the main street). It’s perhaps best embodied by Yubune, its sleek new sento bathhouse, just opposite, where guests and locals can soak together in steaming pools, lemons bobbing on the surface. Rooms from $640. —Danielle Demetriou" - CNT Editors
