Tachibana Shikitei
In the picturesque Yamashiro Onsen, there are over 20 onsen ryokans to choose from to enjoy a night of relaxation after exploring the sweet onsen town. For those looking for a stunning luxury amalgamation of Japanese and Western design aesthetics, Tachibana Shikitei (established 1868) is a perfect choice. With 20 rooms available to choose from and over half of them having their own private onsen to enjoy, you will be spoilt for choice in deciding which particular room design you want to treat yourself too.
Wonderfully spacious, all their rooms (can sleep up ~4-5 people) showcase beautiful modern minimalism paired with the stunning touches of famed Ishikawa kogei art and pieces, like gorgeously detailed kutani-yaki porcelain (I was particularly enamoured with the bespoke Kutani-yaki door handles - middle photo of the 2nd trio of photos below). Paintings, hanging scrolls, other various pieces of art and pottery that have been collected by the former family head and previous generations adorn the rooms
"Wa" JUNIOR SUITE
JAPANESE ROOM with OPEN AIR PRIVATE ONSEN
For my stay, I enjoyed relaxing in this luxurious modern Japanese Junior suite which opened in March 2023
There are 6 rooms available in this design all found on the upper floors of Shikitei, with a delightful open air private onsen on the balcony.
Beautiful touches of welcoming omotenashi treats & fresh matcha are given as you unwind from a day of exploring.
One can enjoy wearing the room’s yukata around the ryokan or have fun choosing from their collection of over 200 prettier yukata & obi downstairs in the lobby (see the vivid magenta floral yukata I chose below).
MY OPEN AIR PRIVATE ONSEN
I am someone who will try and fit in as many onsen soakings as possible especially if I have a private onsen accessible to me.
After check in, before dinner, after dinner, middle of the evening, before sleeping, before breakfast, after breakfast… haha I will find the time!
When the onsen is so spacious and has lovely views of the surrounding area, it just makes it that much more enjoyable.
My particular style of room features a more modern stone private onsen whilst other styles of rooms may have hinoki.
MORNING TEA
Love starting my onsen ryokan days with delicious regional green tea, and especially when there are such stunning views like this (see below)
Shikitei is located opposite the beautiful Yakuoin Onsenji Temple, and only a few mins (really like 1 min) walk from the iconic Kosoyu public onsen.
However I just adore waking up to views of lush greenery, there’s something so reinvigorating for the soul to be near nature.
The onsen waters of Yamashiro Onsen are truly some of the most silky, luscious onsen waters I have ever experienced, which is why I was utterly delighted for my sensitive skin that their waters are known for their beautifying properties and are loved for being “Bijin no Yu/Bihada no Yu” (hot spring of beauty). I was also pleased to find out that Tachibana Shikitei draws their onsen straight from the source, so it’s as pure as it can be.
THE PUBLIC ONSEN
Shikitei’s public onsen baths Sakon no Yu (women’s bath) & Ukon no Yu (men’s bath) both feature various baths to enjoy, from a large “indoor” hinoki onsen where the concertina windows fully open, to two types of stone outdoor rotenburo to enjoy, one with a pagoda roof covering.
Both men’s & females baths are similar in design and number of baths to enjoy, however they just have a slightly different layout.
DELICIOUS KAISEKI FOODING
I’ve written it before, and no doubt I will write it again, but fooding is one of my greatest pleasures and Japan indeed will spoil you for some of the most mouth-watering, seasonal delights of taste.
Ishikawa prefecture, and specifically the Kanazawa, Kaga region is probably one of my favourite regions to go eating for divine fresh seafood due to their proximity to the Sea of Japan.
Plus with the rich history of traditional arts & craft within Ishikawa prefecture, the creative in me truly appreciates the combination of delicious food paired with beautiful works of pottery that is prevalent in the area.
And Tachibana Shikitei did not disappoint! Just some snapshots for your enjoyment! (the bottom photo is breakfast)
EVENING CONCERTS
If you’ve ever watched Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli “The Wind Rises” (風立ちぬ) there’s a scene where Jiro visits the famed summer resort Karuizawa and in the evening guests enjoy a piano performance. There’s something very evocative of Japan’s Showa period in that moment, when East was meeting West, of old world luxury and nostalgia.
So when I heard Shikitei has a private piano performance for guests every evening, I just had this great sense of nostalgia, and it was utterly lovely, to listen to not only great classics, and favourites of my father like pieces from “The Carpenters” but some of my absolute favourites of Studio Ghibli’s soundtrack, like “Country Road (concrete road), Totoro, Spirited Away etc” (I did request all the Studio Ghibli music! hahaha)
TIP:
From MARCH 16th 2024, the Hokuriku shinkansen will extend to Kaga Onsen Station (where onsen ryokan shuttle buses generally arrive for transfers) , making it even easier to reach for weekend getaways from Tokyo, Osaka & Kyoto! currently one has to transfer from JR Kanazawa Station to a limited express train to reach Kaga Onsen Station
MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS
FOOD
Every meal I’ve had in my visits to Ishikawa prefecture has always been sublime, and my stay at Tachibana Shikitei did not disappoint! The freshest of seasonal ingredients from the surrounding areas, comprised with beautiful presentation in it’s pairing with stunning Kutani-yaki dishes gives the experience an extra ooomph wow factor! (that is if you’re a creative, visual person like me who greatly enjoys those stunning extra touches)
The only thing to note is that Ishikawa prefecture is famed for some very very seasonal produce, for example their rare Kobakogani Crab (female snow crab) which is only available in winter and at very limited numbers (the region restricts the number of Kobakogani crab allowed to be caught for consumption), so be aware if there is something you particularly want to eat, make sure you book in the correct season,
ONSEN
The public onsen are wonderful to enjoy, the main onsen (semi open air/indoor) is large and spacious, with beautiful kutani tiles decorating the wall. Having multiple baths for guests to try is always lovely, and ensures that you never really feel that crowded because one can move around to the two other outdoor onsen, to feel the fresh air upon one’s face or even the pitter patter of rain.
For those who are shy, or have tattoos, having the majority of their rooms with private open air onsen allows one to indulge in the beautifying onsen waters in the comfort and privacy of one’s own time.
Of course I absolutely adored the fact that Yamashiro Onsen’s waters are gentle on the skin and promote the “Bijin no Yu” experience.
ROOM AMBIANCE
For those who love a luxury modern vibe but still want to have touches of Japanese design, Shikitei’s rooms are perfect! Luxurious, spacious and some comfortable, I think the hardest choice will be choosing what type of room you want to experience for your stay.
Depending on the room, some have a slightly more traditional atmosphere than others, with an extra tatami room with the low lying traditional chabudai (卓袱台 | 茶袱台 | 茶部台) tables paired with the classic Zaisu (座椅子) seating & zabuton (座布団) cushions to relax in.
VENUE AMBIANCE
The lobby and lounge/bar common area holds true to the history of Shikitei, with it’s comfy chairs, antique furnitures, pieces of Japanese art and other touches evocative of the personal mementos collected by the family throughout the years, popularised during the Showa era.
A comfortable spot to relax away later in the evening, enjoying some live music and a nightly apertif (I chose sake - nihonshu as always).
SURROUNDING AREA
Yamashiro Onsen town is an absolute delight, picturesque, quaint and utterly charming. One can definitely enjoy this small town over a one night stay, but to embrace it and have a leisurely experience I would definitely stay two nights - you can read about what I did during my time at Yamashiro here & here.
TACHIBANA SHIKITEI FACTS (at time of stay)
COST: starting from ~46500JPY per person per night (for a room with a private open air onsen)
MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast & Dinner
CHECK IN/CHECK OUT TIME: 1500 / 1200
PAYMENT: Cash or Credit
ROOMS: 20 (roughly half have private onsen as part of the room available)
ENGLISH SPEAKING STAFF: A few
WEBSITE: TACHIBANA SHIKITEI
