Sakaeya

Sakaeya is a seven-room ryokan in Yuwaku, a hot spring hamlet in the hills above Kanazawa known since long ago as the city's oku-zashiki (奥座敷), its quiet inner retreat. The baths are split by gender: the women's, Tsuki no Yu (月の湯), is the larger of the two, its outdoor hinoki tub edged in tatami and trimmed with mountain flowers through the seasons. The men's, Hoshi no Yu (星の湯), sits on the top floor, its open-air tub looking out over the town of Yuwaku and the green hills around it. The spring water is clear, with no smell or taste, and feels soft and fine on the skin. One room type is a two-story maisonette with its own half-open-air bath. Dinner is a seasonal kaiseki course built on foraged mountain vegetables, organic Kaga produce from partner farms, and fish landed that morning at the Kanazawa docks. The Michelin Guide Toyama Ishikawa named the inn for its comfort in 2016, and it was picked among Japan's ten best small inns in 2010.