Founded in 1662, Matsuzakaya Honten at Ashinoyu carries an extraordinary weight of history, and its main baths were renovated and reopened in February 2023. Important figures from Japanese history and members of the Imperial Family have stayed here, so there are many rare pieces on display to enjoy. Seen across the neatly clipped garden, the main building keeps its calm, muted colors, and our expectations rose. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, a member of staff came out to greet us and showed us to the entrance and front desk. Although we never knew the Meiji or Taisho eras ourselves, the lobby felt like stepping back in time, and we settled in with a dark-roast coffee and biscotti.
The building and its rooms are designated cultural properties. From the moment we checked in, it felt as though we were visiting a museum.
A museum on the way to the room
On the wall hangs a map of the building. It sounds like an obvious thing to provide, yet it is surprisingly rare. This charming, easy-to-read map is labeled in English as well, a thoughtful touch made with guests’ needs in mind. The corridors are lined with exhibits and books, like a museum, and with so much to catch the eye, the walk to the room takes a long time. There are books that discuss the famous Hakone hot spring depicted in Utagawa Hiroshige’s ukiyo-e prints, and displays about the place where Saigo Takamori and Kido Takayoshi met, including its memorial. It is captivating, and not only for history enthusiasts.
Reading room and lounge
The reading room holds a collection of traditional toys that anyone, from children to the elderly, can play with. Warm lamps and sunlight from a skylight make it a quiet space, but one where it would be easy to linger far longer than intended.
In the lounge, a kettle had been set out to keep the air moist, a kindness we noticed. The rooms are generously proportioned throughout, so each guest can spend their time as they please. We looked out over the garden, refreshed ourselves with all-inclusive drinks and let the conversation wander.
All-inclusive drinks
As mentioned, Matsuzakaya now offers all-inclusive drinks. As a rule they may not be taken to the rooms, but they can be enjoyed to the full in the lounge or out on the terrace.
The selection runs from beer and the ryokan’s own soft drinks to wine and sake.
The Emperor’s mirror
As befits a ryokan with Imperial connections, a full-length mirror actually used by the Emperor is on display, the real thing. It was presented by France to the Emperor and Empress Meiji in 1886 (Meiji 19). Being able to see it so close that we could almost touch it felt like a privilege, and standing in front of it, we found ourselves straightening our backs. We also admired the decision to dim the lighting around it.
Renovated baths
We went straight to experience the waters of Ashinoyu, with a history of more than 1,200 years. Watching the yunohana, the mineral flakes of the spring, drifting in the bath, we could feel the force of a source that delivers 200 liters a minute. There is no mistaking the words gensen kakenagashi, straight from the source and never recirculated, in this main bath. Since its renovation it feels clean and fresh once again, and an open-air bath leads on from it. The private open-air baths are also lavishly built, and we highly recommend trying them.
We also discovered a bar to enjoy after dinner. It sits just before the way into the dining area.
A spring dinner
The first course to arrive was a sakizuke, an opening appetiser, as lovely to look at as to eat. Spring mountain vegetables had been dressed with the fragrance of dashi, cooked without losing any of their natural bitterness and flavor. House-made miso and a sesame dressing added a variety of savory notes. At the back was a namero of firefly squid, chopped and seasoned, the perfect thing to have with a drink. With the scent of spring brought in through tara no me (angelica tree shoots) and fuki no to (butterbur buds), it was a carefully considered opening, and it left us torn over what to order to drink.
The all-inclusive drinks extend to dinner too, of course.
Next came a chawanmushi (savory egg custard) with a scallop shinjo (a delicate seafood dumpling) and namafu (fresh wheat gluten). Taken with the thick, silky dashi, it offered a double pleasure: a smooth texture and gentle saltiness, followed by the soft, springy chew of the namafu.
Then the fresh fish. Each piece of sashimi had been prepared individually and had a rich, almost silky texture; dipped in a soy sauce with a hint of dashi, it made the drinks go down all the more easily. Tuna dressed with seaweed brought together sashimi cured in koji, the scent of the sea and kinzanji miso (a chunky miso studded with vegetables) in fine harmony.
Fried sea bream and kakiage (a fritter of mixed vegetables) came in an exceptionally light batter, with the freshness of lemon, and were a pleasure to bite into.
On a plate decorated with a small sign of spring sat a fish grilled after marinating in saikyo miso (a sweet white miso), hidden under an egg-yolk sauce. Even the stem wasabi and myoga (Japanese ginger) beside it had been carefully seasoned, making them ideal for refreshing the palate between bites.
After this came rice, miso soup and pickles, and the meal finished with a fruit dessert. The polite, attentive service and careful choice of words throughout made for a comfortable evening, and this, we felt, is the quality and the pride of this ryokan.
A change since our last visit
We had stayed once before, a few years ago. Since then the head chef has changed, the seasoning has leapt forward, and even the attitude of the staff seemed to have moved up a level. Seeing a member of staff we had met on that earlier visit now promoted to a leading role, directing the team, filled us with emotion.
The traveler’s breakfast
Breakfast the next morning.
A wide variety of side dishes came in small bowls, including kamaboko (fish cake), a local speciality, and jinenjo, a wild mountain yam, grated. Sweet shigureni (simmered with ginger and soy) and barley rice topped with the yam were, needless to say, a perfect match. In the wooden box on the far side, yudofu (simmered tofu) was prepared, and the ingenious vessel let the dipping sauce warm up at the same time, which we found great fun. The natto in one of the small bowls may have been made in-house: the soybeans kept their shape, wrapped in their stickiness, and seemed thoroughly wholesome.
When we checked out, a very young man looking after us took the initiative to carry our bags and saw us off with a pleasant, well-judged farewell. We could sense the passion of Matsuzakaya, now marking a remarkable anniversary, and the commitment of its staff. It is a ryokan that evolves with every year, and our time there left us thinking, “We want to come back, and we will.”
The words Tabibito Chōshoku, “the traveler’s breakfast”, were printed on the menu left at our table that morning. Just reading that one phrase put us in a playful mood.
This review reflects a visit in March 2023. Menus, drinks policies and prices change; please confirm current details directly with Matsuzakaya Honten before visiting.
