Matsumoto Honbako
“Jujo means “ 10 stories.” We chose this name in the hope that our visitors will experience
the various stories related to this place and begin stories of their own during their stay”
My first time to Asama onsen in Nagano Prefecture, was a visit to the amazing Matsumoto Honbako which I had been eagerly looking forward too as it combines two of my favourite things in one place, books & onsen.
Matsumoto Honbako has a beautiful story; originally an iconic traditional onsen ryokan named Koyanagi that was founded in 1686 (owned by the Miura family who unfortunately had no heir) the ryokan was renovated as a modern book hotel ryokan by architect Tanijiri Makoto in July 2020 under the Jiyujin Hotels “Matsumoto Jujo” project.
It is hoped that the continuing development of the “Matsumoto Jujo” project will rejuvenate & invigorate the surrounding area of Asama Onsen. The creation of including books to Honbako was to encourage a greater love of reading in the local community, for their guests, especially guests with children as the town has no book store. The dream is to return Asama Onsen & it’s main streets of Yuzaka & Yamanote-dori bustling not only with people but several shops & boutiques in the not so distant future.
In Sept 2020, Koyanagi (the four photos below) opened next door, built with traditional Japanese craftsmanship and methods, it is a homage to the original Koyanagi. Koyanagi was designed in soft, bright, warm wooden hues to contrast with the hard, dark, cold lines of Honbako.
哲学と甘いもの
PHILOSOPHY & SWEETS
The project has also seen the launch of two off site cafes, one charmingly filled with books on philosophy, warm lighting & pleasant reading areas.
Whilst the other is called “Oyaki & Coffee”
ASAMA ONSEN SHOTEN
The gift shop located on the 2nd floor of Koyanagi has a beautiful selection of local artisan, food & craft products, along with a curated selection of plants, other goods & beautiful keepsakes.
What was once the former onsen baths of Koyanagi have been converted to a sumptuous book lovers paradise, with a large book store (over 10,000 books all available to be bought), hidden reading nooks and large squishy bean bags to curl up in & get lost in the written word.
The female onsen bath has become the main book store (non-staying guests are allowed to come, visit & shop at the store) whilst the male public bath shape has been maintained but filled with comfortable bean bags & cushions to read away. The smaller public baths, have been incorporated as the children’s book area along with the baths being filled as a ball pit!
Twenty-four rooms are available in Matsumoto Honbako, with all rooms having their own open-air private onsen on the balcony & many with views of stunning sunsets over the Japanese Alps. A sleek, minimalistic, industrial feel favours the rooms, with the original concrete walls & steel plates being kept, a perfect blend of the past & present merging together to form the ideal for the future. Each room has a selection of books personally curated & changed every month by the renowned book director Yoshitaka Haba, and Hiraku, the book selection team from Nippan, a major Japanese publisher. The books in your room are available to read as you wish or purchase if you desire.
MY OPEN AIR PRIVATE ONSEN
Fed from Asama Onsen’s natural hot spring source, it’s a delight to soak in your own private hinoki onsen bath whilst watching the sun go down over the breathtaking Japan alps.
Several room types are available to choose from; the Standard twin, Designer twin, Yusaka twin to the ultimate luxury where you can splurge for a special occasion either on their; Corner Suite, Panorama Suite, Terrace Suite & lastly the largest of them all the Grand Suite. Remember every room comes with their own private open air onsen.
Asama Onsen town being on the road towards Matsumoto & the capital of Edo (modern day Tokyo), was an important resting stop for the local Daimyo (lord) as he journeyed to the Emperor. Within the town are three hot spring sources;
Biwa no Yu - the hot spring that was reserved for the Matsumoto daimyo (~ 4 mins walk from Matsumoto Honbako)
Yanagi no Yu - a hot spring reserved for high ranking samurai (straight ahead from Koyanagi no Yu)
Koyanagi no Yu - a bath house reserved for the lower ranked samurai
Today, Koyanagi no Yu has been restored in the front of the main entrance of Matsumoto Honbako, where one can experience the historic bathing of the past. A simple half open air onsen bath with small changing area, no shampoo or body soap is provided so please rinse in one’s room beforehand & bring down a towel from the room. Of course feel free to wear the hotel’s yukata.
367 (sanrokunana)
367 is Matsumoto Honbako’s signature restaurant. A homage to the ever-changing resilient climate of the Shinshu region (the old name for Nagano prefecture) along with aspects of the region’s rich culture and history.
For the name itself, is taken from the S-shaped Shinano river (Japan’s longest river) where it travels through the region at a length of 367km, where a diverse source of produce, flora & fauna can be found from it’s source at Yatsugatake, the Chikuma River in the Southern Alps until it reaches the Sea of Japan.
MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS
FOOD
For those who love more of a modern, haute couture fine dining experience, our time at 367 was truly divine. A vision to the eyes, delight upon one’s taste buds, every dish was carefully thought out and paid beautiful respect to the ancient Shinshu region whilst successfully marrying the past & present together. Wines were also selected from the surrounding areas and it’s lovely to see how Japanese vineyards have strengthened & become more robust over the years. The wood fired oven also adds a delicious hint of smoke to dishes as well.
*note: since our stay, the chef has moved on, however friends who stayed there after were greatly appreciative of the food as well.
ONSEN
Though guests are more than welcome to have a bathe in the historic Koyanagi no Yu - but with every room having their own private onsen (with majority overlooking the Japanese Alps) I found myself & most guests just simply enjoyed having the luxury to one’s self. It is perfect for those who have always wanted to experience having a private onsen or are simply uncomfortable with public onsen nudity, and love more of a modern, minimalist, industrial, architectural vibe.
ROOM AMBIANCE
Matsumoto Honbako’s rooms are a wonderful modern contrast to the warmth & historic tones of the rooms in Hotel Koyanagi. It really depends on one’s taste, I appreciate both modern, industrial almost brutalistic interior decor and the beautiful artisan craftmanship of Japanese cedar, carvings, artwork etc so for me I’m happy with either. It’s always wonderful if you get to experience both!
VENUE AMBIANCE
The bookstore encompassing the original onsen baths are truly the showpiece, with its rich red carpet, cozy reading nooks, along with a few pieces of pop art (almost 80s Jetsons vibe) furniture come together for a warm, welcoming environment whilst still being complimentary to the modern vibes of it’s original concrete walls & steel patina throughout.
SURROUNDING AREA
I will admit because of the grand book collection (10,000+) I was perfectly happy to just stay ensconced in Honbako for days on end, browsing the shelves, curling up with a good book or soaking in my private onsen on the balcony. The town itself is quiet & charming, make sure to stop by their cafes especially if you’re a coffee/tea drinker & love a good Japanese sweet. Otherwise meander, go for walks and if you wish to explore further - head back into Matsumoto City to enjoy all it’s scenic sights.
MATSUMOTO HONBAKO FACTS (at time of stay)
COST: starts from 55000JPY+ per person per night (all rooms have private onsen)
MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast & Dinner
CHECK IN/CHECK OUT TIME: 1500 / 1100
PAYMENT: cash & credit card accepted
ROOMS: 24 rooms
ENGLISH SPEAKING STAFF: some
WEBSITE: MATSUMOTO JUJO HONBAKO
IG: @matsumotojujo
