Beniya Mukayu is a cozy 17-room hotel that embraces a wild garden with Red Pine, Cherry, Maple and Camellia trees in the mountains of Yakushiyama, Yamashiro Onsen.
Sun-dappled leaves wave in the breeze against the backdrop of a blue sky and a pleasant scent of trees wafts in the air. Leave behind your daily routine and spend a quiet, blissful time tuning into the rhythms of nature.
The building's open-plan design accentuates the beautiful surrounding landscape. Every room features an open-air hot spring bath so that you can mentally and physically relax in your own private spa.
"Empty rooms fill with light" go the words of the famous Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi, who lived 2,300 years ago. His words signify that a mind entirely free of everything exists in a place of nothing. "Mukayu" meaning "non-existence" or "in the natural state" is a word of which Zhuangzi was particularly fond. Japanese often use the term in the saying "the countryside of mukayu".
In "the countryside of mukayu" people's values are overturned. Things ordinarily considered useless are instead regarded as possessing great value.
Take for example a large tree standing beside a road. The tree is bent, twisted and of no use for timber. As such it is left uncut.
Because it is left uncut, it is able to grow tall and so provide much-needed shade to weary travelers on the road.
Consider the time that rests as empty space in a busy schedule book. It is in fact time filled with freedom because it is empty.
It is the peace of mind found in the shade of a large tree which had initially appeared useless. Such are the thoughts and feelings that reside in the name of this inn "Mukayu".
Pure indulgence featuring floor to ceiling sliding doors with views to mountain cherry and maple trees, Japanese tatami living and dining area, bamboo veranda, Western style bedroom.
These luxurious suites, located on the top floors offer an authentic Japanese tatami living area and indoor bamboo veranda with Western style bedroom, walk-in closet and private open air hot spring bath with views into a traditional Japanese garden or Yamashiro town.
Located on the 2nd – 4th floor. 6 Persons maximum. Futon mattresses available upon request. Children below 7 years old are not permitted.
An authentically decorated Japanese room with tatami flooring, bamboo veranda and balcony with private open-air hot spring bath and views into an authentic Japanese garden.
Optional jacuzzi or hammock available on request. Located on the 1st floor. 5 Persons maximum. Children below 7 years old are not allowed.
Pure Western luxury with authentic Japanese moss garden views. Featuring a balcony with skylights and hammock, comfortable sofa for relaxing and private open-air hot spring bath. Located on the 2nd floor.
2 Persons maximum - no extra bed possible. Stairways leading up to the room. Not suitable for elderly or disabled. Children below 7 years old are not permitted.
To relax at a ryokan means to empty the soul and wash away that which stains the body - to fully enjoy a time with nothing to do. However, an empty soul seeks for something fresh.
Something starts to emanate from the bottom of the soul. Time spent relaxing seems unguided, but rather it is time spent cultivating creativity.
Byakuroku, literally translated white green, is a new room at Beniya Mukayu that houses a secluded garden bath and a veranda that faces a garden that changes with the seasons.
Between them is a study where one can put to shape the thoughts that arise while enjoying a time free of constraints in the bath and veranda.
A surge of vital energy is poured into the freshly blank, white soul .
A lively green splashes into an empty whiteness. Another space to enjoy the serenity of creative time has joined Beniya Mukayu.
The hotel's staff is committed to serving cuisine with the greatest affection and care, choosing the finest in season ingredients from the Kaga region and Noto peninsula.
The hotel continues to craft Mukayu’s original cuisine to renew your inspiration every time. Each dish is presented on local
Kutani pottery or Yamanaka and Wajima lacquerware representing a sense of the cusine culture in Kaga.
The selection of drinks, including Japanese sake and wines are picked to enhance the flavours of your dinner and so immerse you in the delicacies of the Kaga region.
Mukayu’s owner will prepare and serve Matcha (strong green tea) in a ceremonial manner and share a friendly conversation.
Please ask in advance if you are interested.
Dinner is provided at a table in the Dining room facing wild garden. As you can spend relatively short time for dinner, you will have much time to enjoy bathing, library, the Entei Spa and so forth.
Your futons are left without putting away during breakfast, so that you can go back to your room and relax more until the checkout time.
The “Spa Entei Sejutsu-in”, located in the “Horin Entei” area, provides the signature “Yakushiyama treatment” inspired and developed from more than a thousand-year history of the healing spot of the Yakushiyama area at Yamashiro Onsen.
The treatment uses hot spring water, rich in life-invigorating minerals and medical herbs and full of wondrous blessings of nature.
Please feel the components of the hot spring water and medical herbs lavishly absorbed into your body and let your five senses fully enjoy the deep, comfortable relaxation.
At the approach to the Spa, Kenya Hara’s artwork, “Tsukubai” welcomes you. The Spa provides the same treatment services for men and women.
Separate indoor and open-air natural hot spring baths and saunas for men and women. The alkaline hot springs provide natural benefits for neuralgia, rheumatism and female disorder.
Entei: the garden with a circular spring from which water continually flows forth. This is the place to care for the body.
Treatments for mental and physical health using water and herbs, inheriting the spirit of traditional Yakushiyama hot spring and herbal remedies provided by local monks.
Horin: the space that releases the mind and brings tranquility in a forest of pillars spread within a spacious environment. The Japanese character “Rin” means to gather together. “Horin” is the place to get together and enjoy a fresh new perspective.
Entei Spa provides counseling based on the principle of the medicinal herbal matrix, “Ho, Sha, Ryu, Cho,” and prepare a custom blended “herbal ball” and “herbal cream,” according to the physical condition and constitution of each guest.
Morning Yoga class is held every day.
There are numerous attractions near Yamashiro Hot Spring. Kaga City, in which Yamashiro Hot Spring is located, is less than an hour from the center of Kanazawa City by bus or train.
Other famous sightseeing spots, such as the sacred Mt. Hakusan, Eiheiji temple and Hida-Takayama are also just a short distance away.
Beniya Mukayu’s English speaking staff can guide activities on site or take you to a local exclusive experience & access to discover the real Japan by family spirit.
Museum features a unique circular design and elegant galleries white in tone. It is round in shape as if it were the sight of a UFO that has touched down.
The lobby is finished with diatomite earth coating, receiving pleasant sunshine through the tree leaves in the hotel'sprivate garden. Guests may access terrace and garden for a stroll directly from the lobby.
Kanazawa is a very popular destination for tourists from all over Japan. Kanazawa offers a glimpse of its former glory of the richest domain ruled by the Maeda clan, whose abundant wealth was put into cultural development.
Visitors can enjoy the changing seasons from plum and cherry blossoms in Spring, azaleas and irises in early Summer that give way to the red and yellow hues of Autumn and the snow covered scenery with Yukitsuri, meaning “snow hanging” in Winter.
Kosoyu is a restored public hot spring bath from the Meiji period. The external appearance and interior decorations have of course been restored, and you can also enjoy the history and culture of the hot spring while taking a relaxing bath.
Hotel stocks a large collection of traditional Japanese and international art, graphic and design literature.
Nata-dera Temple is a historic Buddhist temple which is said to have originated in 717 when Taicho Daishi housed a multi-armed deity in a rocky cavern. This temple is famous for its foliage-viewing spot.
Mukayu’s original crafted products, popular fancy goods, foods and Kaga region’s artifacts and specialties are available.
When visiting Takayama, you can certainly savor the arts and culture of traditional craftsmen while enjoying the feel of the ancient city.
BENIYA MUKAYU
55-1-3 Yamashiro OnsenKaga, Ishikawa922-0242 Japan