Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan (西山温泉慶雲館)[1] is a hot spring hotel in Hayakawa, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Founded in 705 AD by Fujiwara Mahito, it is the oldest hotel and perhaps the oldest company in operation after Kongō Gumi was acquired in 2006. In 2011, the hotel was officially recognized by the Guinness World Records as the oldest hotel in the world.[2][3]

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan
西山温泉慶雲館
Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan in March, 2020
Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan
Location within Japan
General information
StatusOperational
Architectural styleJapanese architecture
LocationHayakawa, Yamanashi
CountryJapan
Coordinates35°33′15.9″N 138°18′21.7″E
Opened705 (705)
Renovated1997
Known forOldest hotel in the world
Other information
Number of rooms37
Website
www.keiunkan.co.jp

History

The Keiunkan lies at the foot of the Akaishi Mountains. Since its foundation, the hotel has had all its hot water sourced directly from the local Hakuho Springs. It has been continuously operated by 52 generations of the same family (including adopted heirs) for over 1,300 years.[4] The onsen was created by Fujiwara Mahito, son of an aide to the 38th Emperor of Japan, Emperor Tenji.[5][6]

Upon its creation, the healing waters of the springs became widely popular in Japan.[7] Takeda Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu were among the onsen's historic guests.[8]

The hotel underwent a major renovation in 1997 but preserved the traditional architectural style of the original onsen.[5][9] In 2005, private, free-flowing hot spring baths were added to every room.[8] Between 2000 and 2016, the hotel's reservations dropped by nearly 50%.[8] In 2017, the inn's holding company Yushima created the company Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, transferred ownership of the inn to this company, and Yushima was dissolved the following year.[8]

Description

The hotel has 37 rooms, a restaurant (kaiseki), and a moon-viewing platform. There used to be no Wi-Fi on the site,[5][6] but now (at least since 2019), all rooms and facilities of the hotel have free and password free Wi-Fi. Tatami mats and classic art furnish the rooms. The staff wear nibu-shiki kimonos.[10][9] The hot baths' machinery pumps 1,000 liters of naturally heated water per minute[7] and plans to double that capacity.[6] The hotel features public and private hot spring baths (onsen). Two private ones are on the first floor and two public ones are on the fourth floor. The entrance and lobby is on the third floor.

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See also

References
  1. 西山温泉慶雲館 translates as "Western mountain onsen of the Keiun era". Japanese hot spring resorts are known as onsen and Keiunkan refers to the hotel's foundation in the second year of the Keiun era.
  2. "Oldest hotel". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  3. "Koshu Nishiyama Hot Spring | Keiunkan | [Official] English site". www.keiunkan.co.jp. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  4. "A 1,300 year-old hot springs hotel that's in the Guinness Book of World Records". www.japanpage.net. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  5. Morris, Chris. The World's Oldest Hotel Has Been a Family Business for 1,300 Years Fortune. 16 January 2016
  6. "Japanese family business profile: Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan". www.campdenfb.com. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  7. "Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  8. "Prior owners of Keiunkan ryokan, the world's oldest hotel, liquidate company". SoraNews24 -Japan News-. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  9. "The world's oldest hotel is in Japan and still open for business". Architectural Digest India. 19 July 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  10. "The World's Oldest Hotel: What It's Like to Stay at Japan's Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan". GaijinPot Blog. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
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