Korinkyo
Located in downtown Kanazawa lies Korinkyo, a former art gallery now renovated into a boutique luxury hotel with a distillery. Don’t be surprised if you walk past the subtle entrance, only distinguishable by it’s name written in Kanji vertically and with the matching romaji next to it.
A shopfront showcasing their homemade beauty lines of creams, soaps, shampoos, conditioners and scents (which you can also enjoy in your room) greets you on the ground floor with steps leading down to their intimate dining room if you choose to have meals on their premises, whilst up a short flight of stairs an elevator leads you into the hotel’s lobby.
High arched windows (the originals from it’s former life) beckon you in with charming city views of Kanazawa and are a constant feature throughout the premises. Recline on the lobby’s comfortable settee as you take in the stunning minimalism, industrial, concrete architectural vibes bathed softly in natural light, as you sip on perhaps the most delicious herbal floral Taiwanese tea served in a gorgeous antique Japanese teacup.
Every aspect of the hotel has been meticulously designed and thought of by the various artists and founder who brought Korinkyo into being, from the art in the dining room, the distinct pottery dishes in each room to even the pyjama design you will wear all have a sense of being to the philosophy behind Korinkyo which has been influenced by the wide-reaching impact of the ancient Maeda Clan who turned Kanazawa into the cultural heart of Japanese arts.
A HIGH FLOOR SUITE
There are several different types of rooms at Korinkyo, from their standard to superior/deluxe with free standing baths to their suites, one with it’s own sauna and decadent bath or perhaps my fave the high floor panoramic view suite. Located on floors 7 - 9, the high floor panoramic suites feature the original floor to ceiling high arched windows.
PANORAMIC HIGH FLOOR VIEW BATH SUITE
Home for a time! My beautiful room filled with natural lift, soft whites, neutral tones lifted with greenery was utterly perfect as a base for Kanazawa City - and those windows!
It is the perfect place to unwind after a long day exploring! The room is spacious with a wide sunken bed reminiscent of a modern futon along with a sitting area to relax upon and enjoy the views, or if you wish to ultimately relax, sinking into the bath tub which also faces the windows with a drink handy as you just soak away. With all the recent travels I’ve been doing, I always pack a couple sachet of herbal bath salts in case I’m not onsen-ing away and it’s just delightful to have that extra little touch of relaxation.
After a night out barhopping with Kana, then of course getting in a soak, it was a pleasant surprise to discover I had a portable projector in the room where I had access to a whole bunch of streaming services! Was pretty stoked to have Disney+ and consequently fell asleep to old childhood favourites.
THE ROOFTOP CYPRESS BATHS
Natural morning light is something I love waking up too (not a fan of blackout curtains) and the light streaming in was a perfect morning reminder that I had a session at Korinkyo’s rooftop private open air bath & sauna to enjoy to start my day.
Perfect for those who wish for an extra little splurge, the rooftop of Korinkyo has two spacious hinoki cypress baths (not hot spring) to enjoy, with one slightly cooler than the other whilst enjoying Kanazawa’s breeze.
Indoors has a sauna for those who enjoy sweating it out, a small comfy lounge perfect to relax in with all the comfy towels they provide, and a rain shower. Downstairs the hotel also has an isolation tank for those who enjoy the weightless experience.
Breakfast is inspired by Taiwanese cuisine and based on oriental medicine, resulting in a delightful fusion blend of flavours. There were three options to choose from but I decided to try and was delighted with their version of congee along with other side dishes, something I haven’t had for such a long time.
Korinkyo was a perfect base to explore central Kanazawa and to enjoy a bit of luxury before heading off to participate in a cooking workshop with Cooking Studio Kanazawa.
Read about the tasty food I made, delicious sake sipped and a whole lot of laughs with Chikako-sensei and Moe-sensei.
WEB: KORINKYO INSTAGRAM: @KORINKYO_KANAZAWA
