KOMATSU, JAPAN–While Western hotel companies target Japan for development of contemporary high-rise properties, historic Japanese inns like the Hoshi Ryokan here balance traditional design with modernity.
The Hoshi public spaces, in particular, are decorated with museum-quality pieces of sculpture, ceramics, masks, screen painting, and examples of calligraphy, some of which are hundreds of years old. In fact, owner/operator Zengoro Hoshi, whose family has owned the property continuously for many generations, continues to scour antique shops and estate sales for additional items to display in the lobby and elsewhere through the property.
To accentuate the art-filled design, the walls of the public spaces are painted either a deep saturated red or equally saturated blue. Both colors are called royal red and royal blue in honor of the Japanese royal family.
Yet Hoshi said he is careful to remember that the inn is a lodging enterprise and hot a museum. Guests come to relax and enjoy themselves and not for a history lesson, he said, though he maintains that guests find the historic atmosphere edifying.
In contrast to the colorful surroundings in the public spaces, the guestroom design is cool and minimal with light beige rattan tatami maps on the floor, low wooden tables, highly polished, and white bedding.
Hoshi also understands that today’s luxury consumer expects up-to-the-minute technology, so the hotel features Toshiba flatscreen televisions and minibar refrigerator units, wireless high-speed Internet access available through the property, and Toto reduced water flow toilets.