Satoyama Jujo

The place

Satoyama Jujo began as a 150-year-old Japanese hardwood house, just west of Minamiuonuma. The renovation kept what mattered — exposed wooden beams, traditional floors — and the original building now serves as the reception hall.

The 15 rooms and suites occupy the annex, an extension of the old house. White walls, wood, a mix of designer and vintage pieces. Some rooms add tatami mats and a private outdoor wooden bathtub.

The heart of the place is the outdoor onsen, open to Mt. Makihata and the ranges beyond, with nothing to interrupt the view. At Sanaburi, the organic restaurant, seasonal mountain vegetables meet traditional local preservation methods.