Kinugawa Onsen Hana no Yado Matsuya

Hana no Yado Matsuya occupies a rare position on the Kinugawa, with a path from the garden down to the riverbank. Rooms and the open-air bath look directly into the gorge, so rushing water, foliage and winter snow become part of the stay rather than a distant view.

Bathing includes indoor and open-air communal pools, a private family bath and selected rooms with their own open-air bath. A sauna adds variety, while the riverside perspective remains the strongest feature.

The chef changes the Japanese kaiseki with the month and season, combining local ingredients with a freer approach to composition. Matsuya suits travellers who want Kinugawa’s landscape at close range, paired with a garden, a substantial bath circuit and a dinner that changes often enough to reward a return in another season.