Skillful design work changed an old hotel along the busy street to a quiet and high quality relaxation facility
A Japanese style inn ‘Kokian’ quietly opened on July 6, 2011 at the gateway to Yuda Onsen Resort which was the old site of ‘Hotel Tanaka’. The Kokian Co., a subsidiary of ‘Hotel Tanaka Group’ runs this new inn. A public space in mountain villa style building and 6 guest houses are arranged in a 10,000㎡ man-made forest. Although, you are in a corner of busy street of Yamaguchi city, you can really feel comfortable as in a natural forest.
‘Yuda Onsen Resort’ in Yamaguchi
‘Yuda Onsen’ is a hot spring resort in Yamaguchi city. Origin of Yuda Onsen dates back to 600 years ago. Old story said that a monk of Buddhist temple in the food of Mt. Gongenyama found the hot spring as he happened to see a bathing white fox in the Onsen. ‘Yuda’ （湯田） or Onsen paddy is derived from that a hot spring water with a golden image of ‘Jizo’ or a guardian deity of children gushed out in paddy fields.
Samurai warriors from ,the Chōshū Domain (長州藩,) and people from the kuge (公家) or a Japanese aristocratic families had once stayed here at the end of Edo period, those who belonged to Sonno –joi group. Sonnō jōi group (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians) is a Japanese political group and was backed by a social movement derived from Neo-Confucianism; it became a political slogan in the 1850s and 1860s in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate, during the end of Edo period.
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| Chuya Nakahara and Santoka Taneda |
A Japanese poet Chuya Nakahara（中原中也） was born in here in 1907 and his parents’ home still exists. Santoka Taneda （種田山頭火）, a famous Japanese author and poet of haiku had once lived here too. He is known for his free verse haiku.
It takes only 10 minutes walking from Yuda Onsen Station on the Yamaguchi Line of JR West. Route 204 runs through the center of Onsen resort and frequent bus services are available provided by Bocho Kotsu and JR Chugoku Bus. And also, there is large number of high way bus services from and to Yuda Onsen Bus Stop for every direction. Quality of hot spring water is about 64 to 73 degree Celsius (°C ) of simple alkaline. Large scale hotels, Japanese style inns, and B&B type hotels cluster together in the southwest of Yamaguchi city.
Sanyo route has only a few Onsen resorts; it is the largest one among them. The Onsen resort attracts tourists to nearest popular sightseeing spots in the districts, such as to Hagi and Tsuwano, and therefore sightseeing bus services are available from and to the city. There are also large number of restaurants, bars and night clubs as the most bustling street and busy shopping area in Yamaguchi city. It is one of the Onsen resorts in the seat of the prefectural government, along with Akiu Onsen in Sendai city, Miyagi and Tottori Onsen in Tottori city.
The area retains nothing of the flavor of the characteristic Onsen streets because there are various kinds of present style buildings and hotels bristling. It is a most unusual and unique Onsen resort which has both urban and sightseeing functions. In recent years, the Onsen resort tries promoting its ‘food baths’, and there are five foot baths, including one at Takada Park, in the city. Although, ‘Kameno-yu’ is only one public bath in the city, there are a few hot spring facilities for quick bathers without stay overnight.
[Five points rating to evaluate hotel’s performance through the grapevine]
● jalan rating
●ikkyu rating
＜Reference materials＞
http://www.kokian.info/
Monthly Hotel Ryokan September 2011
http://ja.wikipedia.org/
http://www.jalan.net/
http://www.ikyu.com/
■For travelers from overseas
As a certified guide-interpreter in English and also a writer of the website “Cool Japan Guide”, I am very happy to introduce ‘Kokian’ in Yuda Onsen in Yamaguchi Prefecture. If you have something to ask, like to make reservation, or need English speaking tour guide when visit to Yuda Onsen Resorts, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for your kind cooperation, I am looking forward to your contact.
Please Contact Us/お問合せ
■Introduction of the specialist for Onsen design
If you like to build a real Japanese style hot spring facility in your country, I would like to introduce one of the best Japanese architects, Mr. Hiroshi Ebisawa, who is specialized in Onsen facility.
Please contact: http://www.e-koubo.co.jp/
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