Short Stay | an onsen weekend from Kyoto or Tokyo
Hi all and welcome to the first edition of Short Stay, a new getaway vertical on Shortlisted.
A bit more on what to expect: Short Stay features one-off, highly-recommended properties that I love + think you would love too. Sometimes they’ll be within driving/train distance from an existing Shortlisted city (for instance, the following is an excellent weekend trip from Kyoto or Tokyo). Sometimes they’ll be standalone getaways nowhere near a relevant Shortlisted city but worth traveling to all the same. Less formal review, Short Stay is formatted in the way I would describe a property to a (VERY) inquisitive friend who cares about f&b, a good massage, a comfortable bed, excellent service and so on. Basically these are properties that are SO GOOD you won’t want to leave (for at least a night or two).
Excited to hear what you think, happy holidays and I’ll see you next month,
Rebekah
PS | in case you missed it, Shortlisted is in Paris this month! Read it here!
[Hanamurasaki | Yamanaka Onsen | Japan]
In Short | An ideal weekend trip from Kyoto or Tokyo, Hanamurasaki is a 6th generation-owned boutique property in the 1,300-year-old onsen (hot spring) village of Yamanaka Onsen. Think multiple soaks a day in mineral-rich hot springs, peaceful walks through nature, impeccable meals + access to incredible crafts and artisans.
F&B | From breakfast to afternoon tea to kaiseki dinner, the food + drink program at Hanamurasaki is locally and seasonally-focused and is tops. Everything is served in locally-made lacquerware and vessels and both breakfast and dinner are served in their 3rd floor dining area (each space is strategically privatized via a series of wooden partitions so even when the space is full you still have privacy). Opt for the Japanese breakfast and be sure to ask in advance for one of the dining spaces with a window facing the outdoors. You can also choose to take breakfast in your room if you want to switch it up.
Dinner is served as a modern kaiseki course meal (though you can opt for à la carte if you prefer). Even if you’re enjoying the coursed option, you can add on to it — we were there during snow crab season and added the tempura snow crab to our meal one night which turned out to be one of the most memorable bites of the whole trip. Pair with hot or cold sake / wine / beer / tea as you like (I highly recommend ordering a sake from Yamanaka Onsen’s local brewery — you can also visit Matsuura Brewery in town to bring home a bottle / try their saké kasu soft serve. For beer, order the local craft beer made in nearby Kanazawa).
The sabo (tea room) is on the same (4th) floor as Hanamurasaki’s entrance + lobby + art gallery and serves tea, tea-based cocktails as well as wagashi sweets. Try the local Kaga bōcha (a variety of roasted twig tea) — I ended up bringing home a few bags (along with some other treats) picked up in the their v. chic gift shop on the same floor.
The rooms offer complimentary bags of both coffee and Kaga bōcha + a kettle if you want to cozy up with a cup and a book and the view (which you will definitely want to do at some point). If you want something sweet to pair, I highly, highly, highly recommend walking five minutes into town to the century-old, family-owned wagashi shop Sankaido and bringing back a seasonal daifuku (when we were there it was kumquat and it was amazing).
For more f+b outside the property: go to Engawa and put yourself in the hands of Shimoki-san for a night of impeccable sake paired with excellent food all served at a tiny 6-seat bar in/on an incredible collection of local lacquerware and antique ceramics.
Rooms | The long‑standing ryokan was recently renovated by owners Kohei and Manami Yamada in collaboration with famed designer Shinichiro Ogata and the result throughout the property combines modern and traditional design, art and local craftsmanship. The rooms (there are 25 total) are a mix — some have a more contemporary design, others are more traditional — all are stunning and offer views of the Kakusenkei gorge below.
We stayed in one of the Japanese standard rooms which is a tatami room that includes a tokonoma alcove and shoji-screen dividers. The daytime table and chairs in the main room change over for futon bedding at night and the room is spacious, tranquil and incredibly comfortable. I loved sitting with a tea in the mornings in the shoji-screened windowside seating area admiring the view of the Daishoji River below.
I personally love sleeping on (and sleep exceptionally well on) traditional futons while in Japan though next trip I am dreaming of booking one of the newly-designed suites which also include private open air baths.
Wellness | the main reason to take a trip to Yamanaka Onsen is to…unsurprisingly spend time in the sodium and sulfate-rich onsen. I made my way to one of Hanamurasaki’s two on-site onsens (there is a communal onsen as well as separate baths for men and women) multiple times a day during our stay. While there’s not a dedicated spa on site, you can book in-room treatments if you like. You could also head to the public bathhouse, Kiku no Yu, in the center of town (about a 7 minute walk from Hanamurasaki). Even if you don’t enter the bathhouse proper, there’s an ashiyu (foot bath) just outside the women’s bathhouse entrance that is free of charge. On the weekend we were there there was also a stand set up in the afternoon selling freshly-shucked oysters and beers.
Between onsen dips and meals, stroll the nearby 1.3km (about 3 mile) stone walking path that follows the flow of the Daishoji river. There’s a large map right by the entrance just behind the hotel (at the Korogi Bridge). It’s maybe a 30 minute walk and along the way you’ll pass waterfalls, stunning moss-covered rocks, a café with tatami seating and more. We were there in the autumn and the foliage surrounding the riverside trails was beyond special — I’m certain the same can be said throughout all seasons.
Extras | There are local artworks on display throughout Hanamurasaki from contemporary artists and artisans to antiques to pieces from Living National Treasures. Be sure to pop into the in-house gallery as well (exhibits change regularly). The Yamanaka Prefecture is particularly known for wooden tableware and lacquerware and Hanamurasaki’s small but very well curated shop carries stunning pieces by local artisans. While they carry some of their work in the shop, I highly recommend walking to Gato Mikio’s shop near the Korogi Bridge to properly shop the full collection. The family woodworking house was founded by Komakichi Gato in 1908 and you’re going to want to make sure you have plenty of extra room in your suitcase before you walk in there.
Hanamurasaki also offers local experiences such as pottery painting, Ikebana, Kintsugi and hiking that offer the opportunity to connect deeply with the region’s traditions and artisans (book these in advance when you make your reservation). In spring 2026, they’re offering a Foodways and Craftways retreat in collaboration with Hannah Kirshner + Mokkei that I would so love to join.
Logistics | Yamanaka Onsen is tucked in the mountains of Ishikawa on the Sea of Japan coast. It’s just under 2 hours from Kyoto Station to Kagaonsen Station (there’s one transfer but don’t stress, it’s easy) or about 3h direct from Tokyo on the Shinkansen. Once you get to Kagaonsen Station, Hanamurasaki offers complimentary transfers to / from the station (about 15m by car) | Book a stay here
