Yamatoya Honten (Review)

A hundred meters away from Dogo Onsen ♨️ Honkan bath facility, Yamatoya Honten inn welcomes its guests with a discreet entrance displaying a traditional architectural style, lined with an indoor rock garden and ornamented with an ikebana flower arrangement, the air lingering with a soothing fragrance of incense.

The sliding doors open on a large lobby encompassing the whole ground floor. The thick flowery pattern carpet, the cozy armchairs, the decorative wainscoting and the soft lighting create an impression of comfort and intimacy, with a touch of an old-fashioned atmosphere reminding of the opulence of the Meiji Era (1868 - 1912).

Traditional Aesthetic and modern amenities

Yamatoya Honten has 91 rooms distributed between its 5th and 10th floors, the largest (62 or 73sqm) being placed at the sides of the building. Each floor has 5 Western-style single rooms (15sqm), and several standard-size rooms (45sqm) that can accommodate up to 5 guests.

The decoration and interior layout are based on the codes of the tea ceremony aesthetic (the sukiya style), characterized by the use of natural materials, such as walls coated with Juraku plaster, a type of clay supplied in Kyoto, and the variation of textures and natural colors of the tatami mats, wood and fabrics. A Japanese copy of Junichiro Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadows is placed in the room, like a guideline for good taste.

A standard rooms is akin to a small apartment, with:

• A large entrance, where one must take shoes off;
• A fully equipped bathroom, and a separated WC;
• A large multi-function room (used for sleeping at night and relaxing on the daytime);
• A lounge space, with a large bay window overlooking the street.

A hot water dispenser is available to enjoy the provided tea and coffee, and a mini-fridge is filled with water bottles. Slippers and yukata 👘 robes are provided, in various sizes.

Hot baths in the basement floor

Soap, shampoo and toiletry items are freely available at each floor, for pick-up before going down to the bath area. Located in the basement floor, it preserves a view on the outdoor garden while still protecting the bath users’ privacy.

Men and women’s baths are separated, and suited with large cloakrooms where users undress and put their clothes in large baskets. Towels are provided, as well as a drinkable water dispenser to make sure to stay hydrated.
After the bath, guests can enjoy various massage chairs while sipping on a cup of sake 🍶 and snacking on traditional dagashi sweets, that are offered freely during the bath facility's opening hours.

Ryokan inn’s kaiseki cuisine

Dinner and breakfast are usually included in the room’s price. Guests can choose their evening meal hour within a limited time frame. It is important to be on time, as the ryokan’s staff is waiting for the room to be vacated to set up the futon bedding for the night.

The evening meal is of the kaiseki type, and is served in miscellaneous small dishes brought successively to the table. It can be served in a classical restaurant room setting, shared with other guests, or in small private rooms, in one of the hotel 🏨’s restaurants.

Breakfast is served at the 2nd floor’s large room, in a self-service buffet, that will cater to everyone’s tastes and appetite.

Other characteristic, Yamatoya Honten has its own open-air Noh theater stage, that can be visited on the 4th floor. It also has 2 bars, a karaoke, a local souvenir shop and an ashiyu-café at the ground floor.

Yamatoya Honten is the ideal place for to relax for a couple of days, in a venerable institution in the heart of Dogo Onsen. Its location allows to walk to Ishite-ji temple and to the baths facilities open all day long, and is ideal to learn more about the city’s literary history. On a side note, the staff is helpful but not English-savvy.