Hoshino Resorts KAI Kinugawa

Hoshino Resorts KAI Kinugawa is a modern ryokan in Kinugawa Onsen, built on a hilltop with views over the Kinugawa River. It belongs to the KAI brand, which focuses on regional character, so the design draws on the craft traditions of Tochigi: Mashiko pottery, Kurobane indigo dyeing and local stoneware appear in the rooms, the dining and the public spaces. The ryokan has 48 rooms, which keeps it small enough to feel personal, and its two baths are fed by the Kinugawa hot spring. It suits couples and adults who want a full Japanese inn experience, with a bath, a multi-course dinner and a quiet evening, rather than a simple bed in town.

The baths are the heart of a stay. One is a glass-lined indoor hall that lets you soak with the seasonal scenery in view, and the other is an open-air bath where the cool air and the sound of the valley make a perfect contrast to the warm water.

A spa and massage service is available for those who want to extend the relaxation. As in any Japanese hot spring, wash before you enter the water, keep towels out of the bath and check the policy on tattoos before you go if that applies to you.

Rooms are Japanese-style, with tatami floors and futon bedding laid out in the evening, and the KAI signature rooms give a contemporary reading of local ceramics, indigo and stonework. Rooms are designed for one to three guests, and some include their own bath, so look closely at the room descriptions when you book. Dinner is the other highlight, with a local speciality hot pot of duck, served with two broths in Mashiko-ware bowls.

Breakfast is served in the restaurant, and there are lounges for a drink or coffee in the afternoon. A hands-on Mashiko ceramics session lets you paint or shape a small plate, and some of the work you take home.

Location and logistics need a little planning. The ryokan stands on a hill above the river, about fifteen minutes on foot from Kinugawa Onsen Station, so ask the hotel how it prefers guests to arrive with luggage, particularly after dark or in wet weather. Free parking is provided for those with cars. Check-in is in the afternoon, so plan to arrive in time for a bath before dinner, and keep the following morning relaxed, because check-out is before noon.

Tobu World Square, Edo Wonderland and the Kinugawa river boat ride, which runs in the warmer months, are all within easy reach, so you can build a full two-day Kinugawa plan around the stay.

Who is it for? It suits couples, small families with older children and travellers who want a hot-spring night to be the centre of the trip. The shrines of central Nikko are about an hour away, so it works best as the second night of a stay or as a base for the Kinugawa area.

Breakfast, dinner and room options vary by plan, so confirm what is included when you reserve. If you want a more traditional inn with open-air baths and a lower price, the Kinugawa Grand Hotel Yume no Toki is the alternative, and if you prefer a lake setting, KAI Nikko at Chuzenji is the sister property.