Archive for 'Izu Peninsula' Category

Visit Japan Travel Mart and JATA Toursim EXPO Japan 2014

Two huge international travel marts were held at Tokyo Bigsight in Tokyo. One was “Visit Japan Travel Mart 2014″(Sep.24-26)(http://www.vjtm.jp/) and the other was “JATA Toursim EXPO Japan2014″(Sep.25-28)(http://t-expo.jp/en/index.html).  

More than 310 foriegn buyers and about 390 Japanese sellers joined VJTM2014 and had passionate exchanges of information and ideas and hosted busines seccions.  Buyers from Asian countries were especially a lot and about the half of the Japanese sellers were municipalities or relating associations of such local governments.

On the other hand,  a lot of domestic and foreign sellers and buysers joined  JATA Tourism EXPO Japan 2014. Such participants were embassies, tourism bureaus, travel agents, food companies, municipalities, railroads, airlines, hotels. universities, guide associations and so forth.  The main targets were end users of travel services and a lot of  lay Japanese people visited there and the total number was 157,589.  Upon the opening of the event, an ward ceremony  of  good  services and efforts of related promotions was hosted and the Best Tourism Award was given to The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Embassy awards were for  Thailand and Mexico, the best transporatation award was for Japan Railways East, the domestic inbound award was for  the tourism department of Tokyo Metropolis, the publicity award was for a TV show of CXTV, and the chairperson special award was for Okinawa Convention Bureau. (http://t-expo.jp/en/program/cms.html)   I personally visited the two big events and collected a lot of interesting information and exchanged ideas with the participants, some of whom were my friends or those I sometimes work with. I enjoyed the delicious food provided by tourism- related restaurants and local specialities and impressed by the greatly enthusiastic atmosphere of energies of the expos as well.

KAWAZUZAKURA : cherry blossom viewing in IZU

KAWAZUZAKURA in IZU peninsula Shizuoka prefecture is now blooming.
The schedule of festival was from Februaly 5th to March 10th. However couse of unusual cold weather of this year, we have no flowers one month ago. One of my friends complained that she couldn’t enjoy the tour, though she went by bus tour.
We were longing the flower, it is the time for KAWAZUZAKURA viewing now.
If you have a time, would you like to visit. You can also enjoy many local foods which are sold at stands along to the river bank.

大きな地図で見る

Total site is expanded over 3 times by the acquisition of next door property

 

  

Japanese inn ‘Taisho-kan Hosen’

 

While a large scale renovation had been carried out, a next door neighboring Japanese inn ‘Hosenso’ that was used as vocational resort house for Meidensha co. was purchased by R & M Resort co. Including site of this  acquired inn, their total land became 118,000 square meters that is more than 3 times larger than existing site.

Using this additional site, they accelerate their basic philosophy of providing facilities open to all arrivals, including day trippers without stay over night, all at once.

 

The new site was mainly renovated for day trippers. Some old facilities within the Hosenso area had been out of use while used as the vocational house, and therefore these old facilities are scrapped, excluding its main house and 3 guest houses. The main house was tried to preserve its Taisho Era appearance and just slightly repaired and named as ‘Taishokan Hosen’.

The renovated ‘Taishokan’ has a café & Bar ‘Milk Hall’ on the first floor, and a banquet hall ‘Kanemoto-ro’ on the second floor. 3 guest houses are provided for guests in middle rank prices after the renovation.

A new facility ‘Bakery & Café’ is additionally built as a symbol of open-door policy accompanied with foot bath terrace. Outdoor stage for multiple uses and a day spa ‘mahora’ with 3 treatment rooms, and museum are also newly built. A walking path and other facilities in the ‘Hosen Garden’ is also well maintained.

＜Reference materials＞

http://www.tfyjapan.com/

Monthly Hotel Ryokan June 2011

http://ja.wikipedia.org/ 

http://www.jalan.net/

■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 ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’ in Shizuoka Prefecture. If you have something to ask, like to make reservation, or need English speaking tour guide when visit to Yoshina 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

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/

View Larger Map

Guest rooms are renovated according to the demand of customers on prices

 

 

Semi-western A in the west house	Semi-western B in the west house

 

The new management draws a distinct line for renovation of guest rooms, depended on their prices of demand. Verandas are remodeled for providing better observation of the river from the most popular 7 guest rooms in the west guest house. Although, new bed and furniture are arranged, other parts, such as open-air bath and living area are only partially renovated almost similar as for maintenance. And partial renovation is done on other 6 rooms in the annex.

Western single in the annex	Western twin in the annex

 

On the other hand, total renovation was done for 3 of old Japanese style rooms mainly used for drivers and guides for tour buses. A new western style room with open-air bath and 2 western style single rooms are newly provided. Demand on single room is not bad in resort hotel, as shown at Akakura Kanko Hotel that average occupancy rate is over 68%.

Gyoki-no-yu outdoor public bath	Kodakara-no-yu charter Onsen

 

A part of Onsen facilities are slightly renovated. Women’s out door bath was changed to charter Onsen for family use. And an outdoor public bath is provided for switching use at the timetable for men and women.

＜Reference materials＞

http://www.tfyjapan.com/

Monthly Hotel Ryokan June 2011

http://ja.wikipedia.org/ 

http://www.jalan.net/

■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 ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’ in Shizuoka Prefecture. If you have something to ask, like to make reservation, or need English speaking tour guide when visit to Yoshina 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

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/
View Tofuya Reasort & Spa in a larger map

Rare natural beauty was the key of take over

 

Although, it could be said ‘revitalization of a long-established Japanese inn’ in a straightforward expression, why took over by Akakura Kanko Hotel. Rare natural beauty of surrounding area was the key of take over for a one of the well-known resort hotels in Japan. They were interested in its potential attraction of the long established old inn.

A number of guest houses are built along ‘Yoshina-gawa’ river in the precinct and an original atmosphere of Japanese scenery is still preserved there. A part of facilities were required to be renovated and also its surrounding nature was not kept well. However, the old inn could be able to regenerate again if proper renovation and struck-and-build are done while preserving its valuable and attractive facilities.

Key point of the renovation was choosing which facilities must be kept untouched and which would be remodeled. Original inn was consisted of three guest houses; the main house was built in 1960, the annex in 1987 which was connected with the main house through the corridor, and the west house in 1991. The guest rooms were 30 and could accommodate 173 guests altogether. A large amount of investment were required if total struck-and-build, including maintenance of surrounding nature, was done. The new management had also considered that tasteful appearance of 400 year-history of long established inn must be kept.

After a long and careful consideration, the first impression is one of the key factors for arrival guest so that the existing old main guest house must be dismantled and a new entrance hall would be constructed for creating authentic atmosphere of resort hotel.

The new entrance hall with approach was come to the fore front rather than deeper area of the old guest house. Spacious in height and floor space, a lobby lounge with hearth, library, reception, and souvenir shop are laid out in the new entrance hall. Arrival guests now can check in while enjoying a cup of welcome drink at the lobby lounge.

A large amount of investment was put on the remodeling of Japanese restaurant ‘Kaiseki-chaya Mizuoto’. Old timber of beams and posts from the Edo period house were reused for creating new atmosphere in a thatched roof building. And a terrace deck with an outdoor fireplace and bar was additionally built along the river. The Japanese restaurant was reborn as really a resort style eating place.

Not only renovation of facilities, but function of service has been changed. Last time, all arrivals must take their shoes off at the entrance before step in to the guest house, but all guests are now putting their own shoes or ‘geta’ or Japanese clog. The old main kitchen was moved to beside of the Japanese restaurant, because almost all of breakfast and dinner are served at the renovated restaurant.

＜Reference materials＞

http://www.tfyjapan.com/

Monthly Hotel Ryokan June 2011

http://ja.wikipedia.org/ 

http://www.jalan.net/

■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 ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’ in Shizuoka Prefecture. If you have something to ask, like to make reservation, or need English speaking tour guide when visit to Yoshina 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

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/

View Larger Map

A current style Japanese Resort with full of originality

 

Unified regeneration of 2 long-established Japanese inns to one current style Onsen & spa resort in creating a great deal of Japanese atmosphere 

 

‘Tofuya’, one of the long established Japanese inns in ‘Yoshina Onsen Resort’ renamed as ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’ and restarted its business under the new management ‘R&M Resorts co. on November 3, 2010. The new management company is one of the groups under famous resort hotel, ‘Akakura Kanko Hotel’ in Niigata Prefecture.

The long established Japanese inn was totally renovated and employ management know-how in the resort hotel industry from the famed resort hotel in Japan, under the new concept ‘Authentic Japanese Resort harmonized in Tradition and Modern’.

As well as constructing of a new reception house, its annex building built in 1987and west house built in 1991 are remodeled while trying to make good use of these buildings as much as they can.

Although, number of total guest rooms is reduced to 23 from 30, its total premises are expanded because the new management purchased a neighboring Japanese inn ‘Taisho-kan Hosen’.

Yoshina Onsen Resort is located in Yoshina, Izu city, Shizuoka Prefecture. It is well known as ‘Kdakara-no-yu or good cure hot spring for sterility lady ’. It is in a mountain village along Yoshina-gawa river where is surrounded by rich natural forest of Mt. Amagi.

Buddhist temple ‘Zenmyoji’ & Ieyasu Tokugawa’s mistress ‘Odai-no-kata

 

The chemical properties of hot spring water are simple and weak alkaline.

The output of hot spring water is 500 liters in a minute and its temperature ranges from 44 to 55 centigrade. The hot spring has prospered in long years as an Onsen for visitors to Zenmyoji Temple. It is said that ‘Gyoki’, a famed Buddhist great teacher and the founder of the Zemyoji Temple, discovered the hot spring in 724. The good cure hot spring for lady has become nationally known since ‘Oman-no-kata, or an Ieyasu Tokugawa’s mistress, was given two babies after stayed and prayed for being blessed with children.

There are only three Japanese inns　 such as ‘Sakaya’ and ‘Hosen’, including ‘Tofuya’, all which have more than 400 year-history, and source of hot spring used to be owned by each inn. But all three sources are now under the joint control of the Yoshina Onsen Business Association.

 [Five ranking to evaluate hotel’s performance through the grapevine]

 

＜Reference materials＞

http://www.tfyjapan.com/

Monthly Hotel Ryokan June 2011

http://ja.wikipedia.org/ 

http://www.jalan.net/

■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 ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’  in ‘Yoshina Onsen Resort’, Izu city, Shizuoka If you have something to ask, 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

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/

View Tofuya Reasort & Spa in a larger map

Joe Odagiri to star in drama “Atami no Sousakan”

Joe Odagiri (オダギリジョー) will star in a new drama series this summer on TV Asahi, titled “Atami no Sousakan.” Read the rest of this entry »

Ticking down slowly in Atami

Do you know what is “Sukiya Zukuri (数寄屋造り)” ? It is one of the Japanese traditional architectural style. “Sukiya” is not sukiyaki, it is built in the style of a tea-ceremony house. “Suki (数寄)” originally means delight in poems(waka), tea-ceremony, flower arrangement and those elegant pursuits. It means the house built accordance with their taste synonym for tea-ceremony house.

We stayed at Sukiya Zukuri hotel called “Seki-tei (石亭)” in Atami, Shizuoka prefecture. It is high class Onsen (hot spring bath) hotel. What a peaceful and beautiful place it is…

Read the rest of this entry »

Premiumoutlets Gotemba

Premiumoutlets Gotemba

御殿場プレミアムアウトレット

1312, Fukazawa, Gotenba-shi, Shizuoka 412-0023

0550-81-3122

http://www.premiumoutlets.co.jp/gotemba/

Since2000

Chelsea Japan Co.,Ltd. Read the rest of this entry »