Savor Seasonal Crab at a Hot Spring Inn! 3 Hoshino Resorts KAIs to Visit in Winter

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Japanese hot spring ryokans, traditional Japanese inns will warm up your mind and body during the winter months with hot springs, cuisine showcasing seasonal ingredients, and superb hospitality. This article introduces three hot spring ryokan in the Chugoku region where you can enjoy crab kaiseki cu...

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Japanese Hot Spring Ryokan: A Must-Visit Winter Destination

During the cold winter months, Japanese hot spring ryokan become a soothing oasis to warm your mind and body.

Hot springs with various therapeutic effects will warm your body from the core. Therefore, you can fully experience the charms of hot springs throughout the winter.

Another attraction of Japanese hot spring ryokan is tasting seasonal meals.

In the winter, snow crab caught in the Sea of ​​Japan is incredibly delicious. Since the fishing season is limited, dishes featuring snow crab are popular winter delicacies available only in the winter months.

KAI: A Hot Spring Ryokan Brand Featuring Regional Charms

KAI is a leading brand of hot spring ryokan and operates 22 facilities in Japan.

KAI is unique in that each facility not only has hot springs where you can enjoy spectacular seasonal views. There are also special guest rooms where you can experience the traditional charms of the area and activities to familiarize yourself with traditional crafts and performing arts.

This article introduces three hot spring ryokan in the Chugoku region where you can enjoy fresh crab kaiseki cuisine (*), an exclusive culinary delight in the winter.

Take advantage of how to snag a great deal at KAI inns and stay at the lowest price; this information is introduced at the end of the article!

*Kaiseki cuisine: Japanese course-style cuisine typically served at banquets.

Learn more about Hoshino Resorts KAI

1.Hoshino Resorts KAI Izumo (Shimane Prefecture)

Hoshino Resorts KAI Izumo is a hot spring ryokan with a spectacular view of the Sea of ​​Japan that opened in fall 2022 in Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture.

Hinomisaki, where Hoshino Resorts KAI Izumo is located, is at the westernmost tip of the Shimane Peninsula. There's also a white lighthouse at the tip of the varied coastline and the rippling Sea of ​​Japan. You can enjoy bathing with a sweeping ocean view from the inn's large public bath or guest rooms.

During the winter, this inn serves a kaiseki meal where you can enjoy Matsuba crab (male snow crab). Eight dishes are on the menu, with the main dish being the luxurious "Matsuba Crab Lighthouse Platter," served with caviar and sea urchin.

Since Shimane Prefecture is the setting for many myths, you can also enjoy the arrangement of dishes that resemble these sacred legends.

Click here to view this ryokan

2. Hoshino Resorts KAI Tamatsukuri (Shimane Prefecture)

KAI Tamatsukuri is a hot spring ryokan in the Tamatsukuri Onsen district of Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, where all rooms have open-air baths.

Tamatsukuri Onsen ranks among the famous hot springs known for having beautifying properties on the skin since the Nara Period (710-784). You can enjoy hot springs to your heart's content, not only in the spacious public bath but also in the open-air bath in each guest room while maintaining your privacy.

During the winter, the ryokan serves kaiseki cuisine so guests can enjoy Matsuba crab in various ways.

In particular, the "Kani Suki Nabe" is a stand-out meal featuring a hot pot dish served in a custom-made dish from Sekishu Kawara tiles produced in Shimane Prefecture. This is a special menu that the inn is proud of, allowing guests to fully savor the luscious crab broth.

Click here to view this ryokan

3.Hoshino Resorts KAI Kaga (Ishikawa Prefecture)

Hoshino Resorts KAI Kaga is a hot spring ryokan in Yamashiro Onsen in Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture.

Part of the building is a registered tangible cultural property of Japan, with guest rooms decorated with traditional crafts and cultural arts performed by the staff. You will be able to experience first-hand the traditional culture of the area.

Yamashiro Onsen is a historic hot spring that was reportedly discovered by a high priest about 1,300 years ago. At this ryokan, you can enjoy hot springs in three types of large public baths, as well as some rooms furnished with open-air baths.

Hoshino Resorts KAI Kaga serves a dynamic crab dish created by wrapping a rope soaked in salt water around the crustacean before steaming it.

We encourage you to check out the beautiful presentation of the dishes and tableware, which adhere to the culinary philosophy of the gastronome who said, "Utensils are the kimono of food."

Click here to view this ryokan

How to Stay at KAI Inns at the Lowest Price

If you make a reservation from KAI's official website, you can stay at the inn at the lowest price.

The Japanese hotel group Hoshino Resorts, which operates the hot spring inn brand KAI introduced this time, has five hotel brands under the theme of "making travel fun."

Please check Hoshino Resorts’ official website to find a hotel that suits your preference for comfort, style, and convenience!

Click here to check other hotels

Written by

Hoshino Resorts was first established as a Japanese inn/ryokan in 1914 in Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture before it began the operation of other resorts in Japan. Today, it has evolved into a highly influential hotel management company and is run by 4th-generation family member Yoshiharu Hoshino. Providing a unique experience focused on the local charms of each destination and a high level of omotenashi, Japanese-style hospitality, the company has expanded rapidly out of Karuizawa since 2001 and now operates more than 60 accommodations both in and outside Japan with one of the following categories: luxury hotel brand "HOSHINOYA," hot spring ryokan brand "KAI," countryside resort hotel brand "RISONARE," city tourism hotel brand "OMO," free-spirited hotel brand "BEB," or other unique lodgings.

The information presented in this article is based on the time it was written. Note that there may be changes in the merchandise, services, and prices that have occurred after this article was published. Please contact the facility or facilities in this article directly before visiting. Some of our articles contain affiliate links. We kindly ask our readers to exercise careful judgement when making a purchase or booking a service online.

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