Minamiuonuma, Japan
Opened
2014
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Local WellnessOutside the door
The house
JiyujinSnow-country timber ryokan
The inn strips ryokan tradition back to rural essentials, centering each day on local harvests and massive lacquered timber beams.
“Old fuses beautifully with new through careful selection of modern designer furniture to complement the traditional architecture.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
A restored timber kominka framing mountain vistas, furnished with mid-century Scandinavian chairs.
Remarkable
Hyperlocal dinners centered on wild mountain vegetables and Koshihikari rice from local paddies.
What they say
Also in Michelin, Condé Nast Traveler, The 50 Discovery, Softer Volumes and AFAR.
Satoyama Jujo, sequestered deep within that enchanting mountainscape, blends eco-conscious boutique sensibilities with the region’s centuries-old kominka tradition.
“Interiors, however, bear the hallmarks of more modern Japanese design – elegantly minimalist with an emphasis on natural materials.”
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Terraced rice paddies and beech forests blanket the valley, and three ski resorts sit within a half-hour drive.
The rooms
Select rooms open onto outdoor terraces with private cypress soaking tubs looking toward Mount Makihata.
The onsen
Soak slowly.
Communal timber baths and open-air tubs at Yudokoro Amanogawa draw naturally alkaline hot spring water from Osawayama Onsen.
At the table
Michelin-starred Sanaburi serves course dinners under paper lanterns, steaming Koshihikari rice at the table in earthenware pots.
Details and design reflect that philosophy, from the wood fire burning in reception and the garden where your dinner grows to the private onsen steaming quietly while snow falls just feet away.
How it began
Magazine editor Toru Iwasa relocated a 150-year-old timber kominka to the site, preserving its original interlocking cedar joinery.
“The soaking tubs at Satoyama Jujo, in Japan’s mountainous Minami-Uonuma region, offer near-spiritual levels of peace and serenity.”
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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.