Suiden Terrasse Reimagined as a "Hotel Floating in a Rice Field for Times of Sunny Farming and Rainy Reading"

TRAVEL | Shonai Hotel Suiden Terrace

New Bar Lounge and Library Enhance Stays

Shonai Hotel Suiden Terrace in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, has been renovated to enrich the guest experience. Embracing a new concept of "A hotel floating in a rice field for times of sunny farming and rainy reading," it now allows guests to enjoy their stays in even more diverse styles.

Text by YANAKA Tomomi | Edit by TSUCHIDA Takashi

Restaurant Offers Meals Featuring Local Shonai and In-House Farm Ingredients

Shonai Hotel Suiden Terrace, which grandly opened in 2018 inspired by the iconic rice paddies of the Shonai region, has evolved further. The renovation was again overseen by the hotel's architect, Shigeru Ban, who maintained the design that blends with the surrounding landscape, allowing guests to feel the presence of the rice fields from anywhere. The interior facilities have been enhanced to further enrich the guest experience.

The restaurant has expanded its seating capacity to 110, with new private rooms. It serves seasonal dishes that highlight the ingredients of Yamagata's Shonai region, known as a "food treasure trove," and the wholesome vegetables grown on the hotel's own farm, emphasizing freshness and seasonality.

The menu has also been revamped, with meals now served in tiered boxes as part of enhanced COVID-19 safety measures. Breakfast features a simple Japanese meal evoking local flavors, while dinner is a three-tiered Western-style bento box, offering a taste of the chef's culinary artistry inspired by the abundant blessings of the sea, mountains, rivers, and plains.

The hotel also features a new bar lounge and library, curated by book director Munetaka Fuwa, with approximately 1,000 selected books. Guests can enjoy local sake, prefectural wines, and craft beers amidst a thoughtfully curated selection of books.

Additionally, a new open-air bath for women has been added. The hot spring bath, designed to be at the same eye level as the rice paddies, offers a tranquil escape where guests can immerse themselves in the seasonal rural scenery.

Furthermore, rooms catering to families and groups have been expanded. This includes connecting rooms, where two adjacent rooms can be used together, and a 87-square-meter family room with two bedrooms and a living area, accommodating larger parties and longer stays while ensuring privacy.

SHONAI HOTEL SUIDEN TERRASSE