Located 3 hours by train from Tokyo, KAI Kawaji is a riverside hot spring ryokan that pays homage to pastoral Japanese scenery, with an entryway that passes right under a traditional row house and a watermill located on the premises. Large windows offer scenic views of nearby hills and a river that runs past the ryokan's outdoor baths.
- 150 min. From Tokyo
- English-speaking staff
- Best Rate Guarantee
- Free Wi-fi
- Outdoor bath
- Half-board
What is KAI?
What is KAI?
Japan’s hidden luxuries—at your fingertips
KAI is a leading brand of luxury boutique hot spring ryokans. Every establishment offers a contemporary take on the traditional Japanese inn, providing unique, location-specific experiences—from exclusive activities to specialty suites—designed to immerse guests in the lavish world of Japanese regional craftsmanship.
Rooms
Rooms are designed to allow guests to fully soak in the area's majestic scenery. Each room features a custom-built sofa that invites guests to lie back and enjoy the views, which fill the room's windows like a private art display.
KAI Signature Rooms
KAI Signature Rooms incorporate elements of regional craft cultures in their design. At KAI Kawaji, each room is decorated with paper ornamentation made from locally sourced Yashu hemp, with a different seasonal motif that recalls Japan's pastoral landscapes.
Room types (7)
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KAI Signature Room
KAI Amenities
100% flax yukata
These casual kimono have been meticulously woven to provide cooling in the summer and heat in the winter.
Wrapping cloth
In Japan, objects are traditionally carried around in a makeshift bag formed from a sheet of cloth. Guests are invited to use these cloths to carry their belongings around the premises.
Luxury mattresses
Our own brand mattresses have been designed to provide proper support to the body while also being soft enough to sink into, allowing for undisturbed sleep.
Other amenities
Bath / TV / phone / electric kettle / fridge / safe box / hair dryer / toilet with bidet functions / air purifier with humidifying function
Dining
Meals are enjoyed in semi-private booths, where guests are served dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients, such as river fish and konjac—a type of yam that is grated and then jellied to create a local delicacy.
Dinner
Dinners consist of multi-course kaiseki meals that include visually pleasing dishes made with seasonal ingredients. Guests may choose between standard and special.
Breakfast
This set meal features a vegetable-rich casserole that is derived from a dish featured in a Kawaji legend.
- No Western meals are served, either at dinner or breakfast.
- Standard prices include half board.
- Allergy Information
Hot spring
Spacious indoor bath halls and two riverside outdoor baths fed by Kawaji Hot Spring—known for its waters' skin healing effects—provide the perfect location to comfortably enjoy the vibrant surrounding scenery, which changes dramatically through the seasons.
Yuagari Lounge
Located between the men's and women's bath halls, this lounge provides complimentary cold tea and refreshing local beverages that allow guests to cool off after a dip in the baths.
KAI Activities
Every KAI establishment offers a selection of free activities designed to introduce guests to Japan's regional cultures. At KAI Kawaji, guests are invited to learn about the creative innovations that the Japanese developed in the past to make life comfortable even in the deepest mountains, such as rotary querns and hibachi braziers.
Kinako making
Guests are invited to use a small rotary quern to grind a variety of soybeans—red and green, small and large—into a flavorful flour called kinako, which is used in Japanese confectionery.
Papermaking
This workshop involves making paper from unusual materials, such as fall leaves picked from the ryokan courtyard. The final product makes a perfect souvenir.
Water mill tour
This tour introduces guests to the mechanisms of traditional water mills, which were once used in Japan to scoop up water for irrigating rice fields, husking grains, and turning querns.
Sightseeing
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A
Nikko Toshogu Shrine
- 40 min.
- Info
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B
Rinno-ji(Temple)
- 40 min.
- Info (Japanese only)
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C
Edo Wonderland
- 20 min.
- Info
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D
Ryuokyo Canyon
- 10 min.
- Info (Japanese only)
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E
Hunter Mountain Shiobara
- 40 min.
- Info (Japanese only)
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F
Nikko National Park
- 80 min.
- Info
Directions
- From Narita International Airport
- From Haneda International Airport
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From Tokyo area
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Free shuttle service
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- Free shuttle service is available to and from Kawaji Yumoto Station on the Yagan Railway Line.
Free Winter Shuttle Bus from Utsunomiya Station
(Nov 26, 2018 – Mar 31, 2019)
Information
| Check-in | 15:00 |
|---|---|
| Check-out | 12:00 |
| Rooms | 54 53 Japanese-style Rooms / 1 Japanese-style Room with outdoor bath |
| Parking | 40 |
| Facilities | Shared bath halls / Yuagari Lounge / Restaurant / Travel Library / Shop |
Travel Library
Every KAI establishment features a library consisting of books on the area's history, culture, crafts, and geography. Complimentary refreshments are also served.
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Hoshino Resorts Reservation Center
10:00-19:00 GMT+9
