Matsumoto, JapanAsama Onsen
Matsumoto Jūjō
Literary onsen inn
Asama Onsen Matsumoto, Japan
Renovated
2022
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Local WellnessOutside the door
Literary onsen inn
The inn runs like an open library, inviting guests to browse thousands of volumes between dips in thermal water.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Exposed concrete frames and corrugated ceilings meet tatami flooring and cedar woodwork.
Remarkable
Checking in at an off-site oyaki cafe brings guests through hot-spring town streets.
Notable
Continuous-flow Asama Onsen alkaline spring water fills open-air baths in every guest room.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
this is an ambitious redevelopment of a 17th-century inn in Asama Onsen, and is dedicated to continuing the story of this long-established resort town.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Old bathhouses and quiet cafes line Asama Onsen's footpaths, set against the foothills of the Northern Alps.
1 of 6
The rooms
Sliding shoji screens open toward the mountains, and each room steps onto a private terrace with an outdoor tub.
The onsen
Soak slowly.
Koyanagi no Yu is an open-air cedar bathhouse, and stone and timber tubs fill with continuous-flow alkaline spring water.
At the table
Dining 367 cooks regional Shinshu ingredients over a wood grill, and the bar pours house-made ciders and Nagano wines.
How it began
The inn originated in 1686 as Koyanagi, built for lower-ranking samurai beside baths reserved for the feudal lord of Matsumoto.
Matsumoto
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.