FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - A Honeymoon to Remember: Hong Kong, Thailand, and Japan in Style
Old Jan 22, 2018, 4:54 pm
  #78  
Anlun
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: New York
Posts: 183
“If you're reading this, you've gotten out. And if you've come this far, maybe you're willing to come a little further.” – Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption


The previous night was our last night at the Ritz Carlton, and I honestly can speak highly of it enough. Of all the hotels we stayed at, the RC had by far the best service (though Aman was close). Mariko and the RC concierge team constantly checked in to make sure we had everything or needed any assistance. They secured all our restaurant reservations, organized transfers, anticipated our needs, and even hooked is up with a complimentary transfer on their Rolls Royce Phantom. Thus, it was bittersweet leaving the next morning to head to the Asaba Ryokan in the Izu Peninsula. We enjoyed our usual breakfast in the lounge, wherein I struck up a conversation with the chef that was making my omelet. When she brought it over, she discovered that it was our honeymoon, and I guess an omelet was not enough of a celebration so she said “I make you waffle!” before running off. She came back 15 minutes later with a delicious waffle, with a well wish written on it. She seemed genuinely emotional when she gave it to us and wished us a very happy marriage. Thank you Omelet Chef, I will never forget you!



Our itinerary involved one night in Asaba, then a return to Tokyo, and stay our last night at the Aman Tokyo. Knowing that ryokans provide you with daily yukatas to wear, we wanted to travel light. Thus, the RC concierge worked with the Aman concierge so that we could leave our luggage at the RC and have it ready at our room in Aman the next day. With no luggage weighing us down, we left RC via subway to Tokyo station, wherein we took a local train to Shuzenji Station located in the Izu Peninsula. The trip was incredibly scenic, and was almost straight out of a Miyazaki film. We passed through woodlands, small towns, rolling hills, and valleys.



Shuzenji, the town Asaba is located in, is beautiful. There is a lovely temple, small food shops, a gorgeous river, and a bamboo forest. Upon arrival at Asaba we were greeted with some delicious tea and some wagashi (Japanese sweet).



We dropped off our stuff, changed into our yukatas, and then immediately strolled through the town.





Shuzenji river


bamboo forest


Shuzenji Temple


alleyway


alleyway


Asaba entrance at night


Before discussing Asaba, I would like to note that we are big ryokan fans. While it is not for everyone (those not comfortable with public nudity, or with tattoos), ryokans offer an authentic look into a traditional Japanese lifestyle. Ryokans are a type of traditional Japanese bed and breakfast and feature tatami-matted rooms and public hot spring baths. A kaiseki dinner and breakfast are included with your stay, the higher the quality of the ryokan the better the quality of the food. Asaba is on the very high end of ryokan stays, with prices ranging from 1,000-2000 USD a night. On our previous visit to Japan, we stayed at the Kaikeki Onsen in Yuzawa, a mid-range ryokan. We thus wanted to compare whether the difference in price equaled a difference in service. We also considered staying at Gora Kadan, but based on the terrible reviews we’ve read, we decided against it.

So, is Asaba worth the exorbitant price tag? It’s a tough call, but I think it does, mainly due to the location and the food.



Location

As I noted, Asaba is located in the town of Shuzenji, a hotspring village that seems to be frozen in time. Lovely small proprietorships neighbor the adjacent river and small bamboo forest that divides the town. Overlooking the village lies a beautiful temple, with a rich history of power struggles connected with the Kamakura Shoganate. The best word I can use to describe the town is ‘relaxing,’ a panacea to the stresses of daily life.

Facilities

In terms of facilities, Asaba, while theoretically over 500 years old, has a very modern Japanese Zen aesthetic. The entry area’s floor to ceiling windows provide panoramic views of the river and Noh stage, and provide the space with an airy and welcome atmosphere. The lounge chairs are a nice touch as well; we enjoyed just hanging out with some tea and just taking in the breathtaking view and sounds of nature.












The rooms are very large by ryokan standards, with a private bath in the room itself (not common among ryokans). Our room was incredible. We splurged a little more to get a better room with a view of the 500-year-old Noh stage that still has yearly performances.



view from our room

Unfortunately, we were off by one day, and no performance was scheduled during our stay. Regardless, the views are gorgeous. The room itself consists of roughly four areas: an onsen-style bath area, the wash closet with a robot-toilet (man do I love these), a bedroom area with a television, and a dining area with a table and chairs. Prior to bed time, the futons are stored in the closet, and the bedroom area consists of a seating area with pillows. The futons are exceptionally comfortable and warm. We were there in early December, and despite the chilly evening, the room was still cozy.

I posted a video walk through of our room below:


As previously noted, when you stay at a ryokan you are provided with yukatas, which are traditional Japanese robes you wear while staying in the ryokan and while walking through a hot spring village. In colder months (like December), you are also provided with a haori, which is an outer vest-like garment that you wear over the yukata to keep you warm. The yukatas and haori we were provided with were also high quality. You may not think the yukata and haori are enough to keep you warm, but trust me they are. In the evening, we walked around the whole village and we were more than okay. In terms of facilities, the indoor baths are very nice with high end grooming amenities. One nice touch is that all the baths (including the private in-room ones) are filled with fresh yuzu fruits. A great citrus scent therefore permeates throughout the room, and lingers on your skin.

My only disappointment when it came to Asaba and why I struggled giving it higher marks than Kaikeki onsen, is the onsen itself. Whereas Kaikeki onsen had a large outdoor hot spring with rock sculptures and a snake-like bath, Asaba’s outdoor bath is relatively small, although it does overlook the river and Noh stage. The water was exquisitely hot, and the views of the stars while bathing was unforgettable, but I would have liked the bath to be a little larger. I wish I had pictures to show you all, so that you could decide for yourself, but it seemed weird to me to go into a public bath with my camera, so I refrained.

Service

Asaba’s service was top notch. Our hostess and server throughout our stay was a lovely older woman who spoke a little English. With her English and my poor Japanese, we managed just fine. We never wanted for anything, and they always changed the room from dinner to bedding without our notice. The food was also incredible. Ryokans are often judged by the quality of the kaiseke dinner meal, and Asaba does not disappoint. The highlights were the snow crab and local sake we ordered along with our meal. We also opted for a traditional Japanese breakfast, which was delicious as well.










Overall, our stay at Asaba was incredible and memorable and I recommend a stay there if you are traveling west from Tokyo. It is a little out of the way compared to Gora Kadan, and it is expensive, but I think you get more for your value and the area is amazing. One night, maybe two, would be enough to enjoy it. I think what made the stay so memorable, was that it came at the close of our trip. This was the second to last night we would spend on our honeymoon, and it was an unforgettable fond fair well to traditional Japan.


Was given the okay to post this pic!


Next time on the exciting conclusion of A Honeymoon to Remember: Aman Tokyo, dinner at Ryugin, and JAL F bring this incredible honeymoon to a close! げんきで!
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