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.

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.

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.

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