Beniya Mukayu Ryokan
Japanese inn · Kaga ·
Zen rooms with hot springs, woodland views, kaiseki dinners, onsen
Information
55-1-3 Yamashiroonsen, Kaga, Ishikawa 922-0242, Japan Get directions
Zen rooms with hot springs, woodland views, kaiseki dinners, onsen
55-1-3 Yamashiroonsen, Kaga, Ishikawa 922-0242, Japan Get directions
"A leading example of the modern ryokan, Beniya Mukayu embraces updated and sometimes radical design while retaining the core attractions of ryokan life — onsen baths, kaiseki dinners and a deep connection with the surrounding countryside." - The MICHELIN Guide
"Beniya Mukayu is a modern ryokan in Japan known for combining traditional attractions with modern features, recognized with a MICHELIN Key." - The MICHELIN Guide
"Beniya Mukayu is one of many strong examples of this convergence — further proof that the two traditions are even closer than we think." - The MICHELIN Guide
"A moss map in my room set the tone for an obsession with detail: a 20-year, season-by-season catalog of the garden’s botanical treasures that had me arriving well before evening—truly, I’d come at daybreak if allowed—just to watch komorebi, the play of light and shadow filtering through leaves, move across the earthen lobby floor made of local diatomaceous earth. Thirty years after the Nakamichis took over (he the third generation), this 16-room ryokan delivers elite hospitality recognized on the MICHELIN Guide’s inaugural Key list; you’ll likely meet the owners and be served matcha by them, the powder ceremoniously scooped from a smooth, handcrafted natsume as they remind you, “It’s not only about drinking tea. It’s a showcase of Japanese culture and aesthetics.” The aesthetic mixes tradition and contemporary touches—outside the spa, a round black pool by Kenya Hara once shown at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art—while rooms are pared-back sanctuaries facing a near-forest of 300-year-old pines; only four offer futons on tatami, the rest two Western full beds, and every room has its own private, open-air onsen. “Richness in emptiness” defines the place, from shoji-lined spaces to three libraries honoring monks who studied here (including Library Zero), and it’s easy to feel “free to expand,” as one guest put it. Meals lean into the seasons and local sourcing: Japanese or Western breakfast; omakase dinners with optional upgrades to sushi or in-season oysters, duck, or snow crab, with dietary needs accommodated. Practical notes: no children under seven; rooms fit two guests max; in winter the snowy garden is magical, and in spring certain suites—especially the Wakamurasaki—gain a prized view of a century-old cherry tree from a bamboo veranda. Perched above the tiny spa town of Yamashiro, the ryokan can arrange hands-on experiences with local artisans or hikes to a natural cold spring. By edict here, this isn’t a “hotel”—a ryokan is the trip—so come ready to soak in every detail." - Mitchell Friedman
"Beniya Mukayu is part of theMICHELIN Guide hotel selection. Each of the 5,000+ hotels in the selection has been chosen by our experts for its extraordinary style, service, and personality — and each can be booked on the MICHELIN Guide website and app. ... One of the great ryokans of Japan — the passion for detail is miraculous; about equidistant from Tokyo and Kyoto, make a special trip here to appreciate an ancient form of hospitality updated for a new millennium." - Mitchell Friedman