Looking ahead to 2023, Hoshino Resorts, the leading family-owned Japanese hospitality company – with a contemporary take on the traditional ryokan (inn) – provides numerous reasons to visit Japan, Taiwan, Bali & Guam. A host of exciting new hotel openings, cultural events, seasonal splendour and hot new destinations make 2023 the year to book that long-awaited trip to Asia.
An award-winning Japanese hospitality brand, Hoshino Resorts operates 60 hotels across Japan, Taiwan, Bali & Guam, primarily under five distinct brands – HOSHINOYA (Hoshino Resorts’ flagship properties, all seriously luxurious), KAI (hot spring ryokan/inns with a focus on food), RISONARE (countryside resort hotels), OMO (urban-based mid-range hotels), and BEB (free-spirited hotels), together with other unique lodgings.
Here are Hoshino Resorts’ top reasons to travel to Japan,in 2023:
KYUSHU, JAPAN: New bullet train service and a raft of new KAI Hotel openings
Kyushu, the third largest and most south westerly island of Japan, is internationally famous for its tonkotsu ramen, varied hot springs, dramatic mountains, and peaceful beaches and in 2022 has become even more readily accessible with the announcement of the new Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen bullet train line all the way to the island’s capital of Nagasaki from Fukuoka (launched September 2022). Take the bullet train south from Fukuoka, to take in stunning views of Kumamoto Castle and the volcanic Mount Aso, but also Kagoshima’s sun-drenched Amami Oshima archipelago, a 2021 UNESCO World Heritage listing. In the Oita Prefecture, discover more hot spring sources than any other area of Japan, including more than 2,000 in the city of Beppu alone, as well as scenic lakes, stunning mountain ranges and majestic waterfalls.
The KAI hotel brand of hot spring ryokans with a focus on food has expanded significantly on the island since 2021 with:
- KAI Beppu (opened 2021): A hot spring ryokan offering a contemporary spin on the lively traditional Beppu hot spring experience and featuring exquisite rooms all with sea views and an onsite Toji Jug Band transporting the lively nightlife scene of old Beppu into the ryokan hotel.
- KAI Yufuin (opened August 2022): A restful hot spring ryokan, situated between majestic Mount Yufu and a landscape of beautifully terraced rice fields, designed by architect Kengo Kuma, and surrounded by pastoral scenery that changes with the harvest cycle.
- KAI Izumo, Shimane (opening November 2022): This hot spring ryokan with a modern design located in a coastal area steeped in Japanese mythology, offers rooms that provide guests with majestic ocean views at sunset, twilight, and dawn.
- KAI Unzen, Nagasaki (opening November 2022): Touches of Japanese, Chinese, and Dutch design can be found throughout this hot spring ryokan in an area known for its history as a cultural melting pot, as well as its steamy hot spring baths.
- KAI Tamatsukuri, Shimane (relaunching after a guest room refurbishment in November 2022): A hot spring ryokan in southern Japan with a retro design and rooms featuring private outdoor baths fed by the rejuvenating waters of Tamatsukuri Hot Spring.
TOKYO, JAPAN: New cultural and entertainment openings for 2023
Opening its wide, welcoming arms to international tourists once again, Tokyo’s cultural and entertainment calendar for 2023 is set to be a hugely exciting one. From a new Harry Potter Theme Park by Warner Bros opening in the first half of 2023 (date TBC) and the new Jurassic World Tokyo exhibition transporting visitors to the volcanic island of Isla Nublar (opening date TBC); to the new Tokyo Gendai Art Fair (6-9 July) which will be Asia Pacific’s new international art hub bringing together 80-100 exceptional galleries from around the world in a programme of exhibitions and cultural experiences, and the new teamLab Borderless Museum showcasing digital art will open in the second half of 2023 in Toranomon-Azabudai in central Tokyo, hot on the heels of the runaway success of the original teamLab exhibition which has been running for four years.
WHERE TO STAY:
- OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka (opened January 2022): Located in the Akasaka area of Tokyo, which was known for its many Samurai residences in the Edo period and today is known for its high end Japanese restaurants. This 140 room city bolthole hotel features a communal OMO Base lounge and café space with Go-KINJO MAP covering the latest local information of the city allowing guests to plan their sightseeing days around the city, OMO Ranger Guided Tours showcasing different aspects of the city, and collaborations with nearby restaurants showcasing specially created menus available in house at the hotel inspired by ryotei culture (high class Japanese dining) as well as craft beer culture.
- HOSHINOYA Tokyo: One of the city’s most iconic hotels and its first luxury traditional ryokan inn. Set in a 17-storey skyscraper in the prestigious Otemachi district, the property combines contemporary design, traditional craftsmanship and high-tech touches. The restaurant is renowned for developing a new culinary style, Nippon Cuisine, which fuses French techniques and Japanese ingredients. The top floor is home to an impressive open-air onsen (natural hot-spring bath) drawing hot spring water from 1500 metres below ground, and a spa offering Japanese-inspired treatments.
