About Kinugawa Kanaya Hotel
EAST
MEETS
WEST
The “Villa in the Valley” Beloved by John Kanaya
Our worldview derives from the spirit of hospitality and aesthetically refined “dandyism”
that were set forth by our founder, John Kanaya.
The Kinugawa Kanaya Hotel is a place where guests can converse to their heart’s content
with friends and loved ones as they luxuriate in the natural beauty produced
by the free-flowing Kinugawa River and the rugged valley.
Comfort that applies a brilliant flair to the everyday and our modern,
refined atmosphere and service speak to the fact that our hotel is truly a “Villa in the Valley.”
East Meets West
Our roots extend back to being the oldest resort hotel in Japan.
Through our atmosphere, service, and cuisine
that achieve a splendid fusion of East and West
and the traditional and modern,
we promise that the time you spend here
will leave you absolutely delighted in any day and age.
A Spirit of Hospitality
and Aesthetics
Our hotel offers service befitting resort elegance
that soothes the body and soul
through hospitality that comes from the heart.
A Japanese-style
Luxury Resort
We promise an unforgettable stay
that will bring you closer to nature through furnishings
that offer a uniquely Japanese sense of the four seasons.
Kanaya’s Kaiseki Cuisine
Carefully selected seasonal, local ingredients make for dishes
that provide indulgence course by course.
Our hotel offers a luxuriant dining experience
that is rooted in traditional Kaiseki cuisine
while also incorporating Western influences.
John Kanaya
How do you do?
Nice to meet you.
Senji Kanaya, a Leader in the Modernization of Japanese Hotels
“Nice to meet you,” said the man in fluent English. These were the first words spoken by Senji “John” Kanaya, who was overseeing the establishment of the Kinugawa Kanaya Hotel, to his newly-born grandchild.
While his Christian name was “John,” the man himself was true-born Japanese. He was the grandson of Zenichiro Kanaya, the founder of the Nikko Kanaya Hotel, which is renowned as the oldest resort hotel in Japan. Senji was raised in a Western home environment, where he inherited a profound pioneering spirit. Having amassed training and experience at first-class hotels,, he was appointed to be the first president of the Kinugawa Kanaya Hotel. He made significant contributions to not only the development of the hotel and the Kinugawa area, but also to the modernization of the Japanese hotel industry.
An “East Meets West” Spirit of Eternal Heritage and Continuous Evolution
In 1971, Senji opened Seiyo Zendokoro John Kanaya Azabu. The restaurant, which fused Japanese culinary culture with Western cuisine, interior design, and service, was an embodiment of Senji’s managerial philosophy of “East Meets West.” It offered first-class facilities and service furnished with the best aspects of both Japan and the West. The Kinugawa Kanaya Hotel was later opened in 1978 as a grand culmination of this.
Unfortunately, as he was eagerly awaiting the opening of the hotel, Senji succumbed to illness and passed away the year before it opened. While he was unable to fulfill his wish of seeing the hotel through to completion, his spirit has been passed down to his descendants. They have renovated and reformed the hotel in tune with the times by upholding his managerial philosophy, combining the sense of relaxation of a villa with the sophistication and convenience of a hotel. It has developed from Japan’s oldest resort hotel to Japan’s best resort hotel. Moving forward, we will continue striving to live up to the Kanaya spirit.