Semboku, JapanKakunodate
Wanoi Kakunodate
Restored samurai storehouses
Kakunodate Semboku, Japan
Opened
2020
Price
$$$
Rated for
Heritage Local DesignOutside the door
The house
wanoiRestored samurai storehouses
Private lodgings occupy historic storehouses scattered across town, letting guests sleep inside former samurai armories and merchant workshops.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Preserved Meiji and Taisho storehouses, from samurai armories to family pickling kura.
Remarkable
Scattered quarters across samurai lanes, serving Akita dishes in cherry-bark lacquerware.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
This collection of three old houses in the Akita prefecture town of Kakunodate aims for a time-travel experience, each one a meticulous preservation of its former use:
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Preserved samurai manors line the surrounding lanes, and Kakunodate Station is a short walk away.
The rooms
Each storehouse is rented to one group at a time. In Gakkogura, the cedarwood tub is shaped like a pickling barrel.
At the table
Komegura occupies a former rice storehouse and serves seasonal Akita dinners centered on local Akitakomachi rice and regional miso.
How it began
Most of the buildings belonged to the Nishinomiya family, high-ranking samurai retainers who served the regional Satake clan.
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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.