Historical and creative stimulation and rest amidst grand nature. Reboot at Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen, adjacent to two National Treasures

TRAVEL | Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen

Aichi, Inuyama: Where History, Nature, and Culture Converge

Inuyama is a city located at the northernmost tip of Aichi Prefecture, bordering Gifu Prefecture, overlooking the Kiso River. It's a historic castle town that flourished under the shadow of Inuyama Castle, about a 30-minute train ride from Nagoya, with a population of around 70,000.

Text by IJICHI Yasutake | Photograph by KAWAMATSU Kentaro

Inuyama is a town where, in summer, cormorant fishing, boasting a 1300-year history, takes place on the Kiso River; in autumn, the nearby satoyama ignites with color; and in spring, cherry blossoms bloom in exquisite splendor. The area is rich with powerful and healthy ingredients, including ayu (sweetfish) and unagi (eel), seasonal vegetables, and fruits that absorb abundant natural energy. Various events steeped in history are also held here. Among them, the "Inuyama Festival" in spring is Inuyama's most iconic event. Originating in 1635 and designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, the festival features 13 floats (yamagasa) that parade through the castle town, showcasing karakuri mechanical dolls to the sound of flutes and drums. At night, lanterns illuminate the cherry blossom-lined streets, drawing visitors into a fantastical world. To coincide with the Inuyama Festival, held for the first time in four years, we visited Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen to explore the town.

Hotel Indigo is a lifestyle boutique hotel that offers a "neighborhood story" experience, reflecting the history and culture of its location in everything from guest rooms and dining to staff services. Following Hakone Gora and Karuizawa, Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen, which opened in March 2022, is adjacent to Urakuen Garden, home to the National Treasure tea house "Jo-an," and the National Treasure "Inuyama Castle." Its expansive grounds, approximately the size of one Tokyo Dome, offer an extraordinary space where one can feel both vivid stimulation rooted in history and a gentle sense of tranquility. In a world where daily life can feel overwhelming, this hotel is perfect for solo workations or vacations with friends, as well as for families and partners, offering a place that makes you want to return regularly for moments of healing.

To fully appreciate Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen in detail, one should first visit Urakuen Garden and Inuyama Castle. Urakuen is a Japanese garden constructed in 1972 under the supervision of Horikuchi Sutemi, a prominent architect of the Showa era. It features the National Treasure tea house "Jo-an" and the Important Cultural Property "Old Shoden-in Shoin," showcasing a serene atmosphere with the rich, seasonal expressions of flowers and trees. Jo-an is a tea house built around 1618 by Oda Yūraku-sai, the younger brother of Oda Nobunaga and a tea master. Over 400 years old, it is one of the three National Treasure tea houses currently existing in Japan. Originally built in Kyoto, it was moved to Tokyo, then to Oiso, and finally to Inuyama. Urakuen meticulously recreates the garden as it was when Jo-an was in Kyoto.

Inuyama Castle was built in 1537 by Oda Nobuyasu, the uncle of Oda Nobunaga, and its currently existing keep is designated a National Treasure. There are only five castles in Japan designated as National Treasures. During the Sengoku period, Inuyama Castle's strategic location on the border of Owari and Mino provinces made it a crucial point for territorial control, and its lords changed frequently. Situated atop a small hill, the view from the three-story, four-level keep is truly spectacular. The top floor of the keep, unlike in many modern castles, has no railings, which might make those with a fear of heights uneasy. However, it offers a dynamic panorama encompassing the entirety of Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen below, the Kiso River, Mount Ontake, and on clear days, Inuyama Castle, Gifu Castle, and the skyscrapers of Nagoya Station.

Let's return to the hotel. There are 156 rooms in total. Premium rooms offer views of the National Treasure Inuyama Castle, the Kiso River, or the National Treasure tea house Jo-an, and the spectacular scenery from any room heightens the anticipation for the time ahead. True to the Hotel Indigo brand, the rooms are adorned with numerous inspired interiors and designs reflecting the history and culture of Inuyama. Examples include walls mimicking "koyomi-bari" (calendar-paste), a technique used for the lower part of the walls in the National Treasure tea house "Jo-an"; lights reminiscent of the Kiso River's cormorant fishing baskets; and art walls featuring ukiyo-e prints by the Edo-period artist Eitoku Ikeda, depicting Inuyama Castle. Traditional Japanese tones are interwoven with contemporary trends, elevating the ambiance to be both creative and stylish. The space, combined with the magnificent scenery, the gentle flow of the Kiso River (one of Japan's 100 Famous Waters), and the blessings of the sun, offers a stimulating yet calming and special experience.

For dinner, we experienced "Mejiro," a course menu launched on April 17, 2023, featuring seasonal ingredients from Inuyama's neighborhood, presented with a compelling narrative. The drink menu, titled "RIVERSIDE STORIES," offers a diverse selection of alcoholic beverages inspired by rivers worldwide. The meal began with a tartare of tuna served with Moriguchi-daikon pickles, made from a traditional Hida-Mino vegetable known for its over one-meter length and firm texture, pickled in sake lees and mirin lees. The unique texture and balanced saltiness were a perfect start, whetting the appetite for more. Next, a salt-koji marinated Alps salmon was accompanied by a neighborhood salad featuring wild vegetables, whose aroma and slight bitterness evoked a mature sense of contentment. A clam soup, simmered with water from the Yoro mountain range in Gifu, known for its soft, pure water ideal for dashi, offered a rich umami flavor. The collaboration of Madaka (a young sea bass) from Shizaki on the Chita Peninsula and spring vegetables was truly remarkable. The final savory dish, Wagyu beef fillet wrapped in bamboo leaves with a tarragon sauce infused with bamboo buds, drew inspiration from the surrounding bamboo groves and the National Treasures, showcasing both exceptional taste and creative presentation. The dessert, a white citron blancmange, was designed to be eaten from top to bottom with a single spoonful, allowing for a harmonious blend of natural honey and lemon flavors. The overall balance of the meal was exquisitely refined.

And most importantly, after your meal, be sure to enjoy the signature cocktail at the adjacent bar. This cocktail, crafted with Inuyama's matcha, brandy, cocoa, and gold leaf, was conceived by imagining what kind of cocktail Oda Yūraku-sai would drink if he were alive today. The original aroma and bitterness of the matcha blend with the brandy, providing a sophisticated end to a quiet Inuyama night.

The spacious public bath is Inuyama's only natural hot spring. The clear, alkaline simple spring water is said to have skin-beautifying effects, and of course, it includes an open-air bath and sauna. The expansive fitness center is environmentally conscious, using self-powered machines made from renewable wood from Germany. The gym is open 24 hours, and the public bath opens at 6 AM, so you can enjoy a run along the Kiso River in front of the hotel if you wish to break a sweat in the morning.

For breakfast, choose between Japanese or Western style, complemented by a semi-buffet. Overlooking Inuyama Castle bathed in the morning sun, the colorful array of neighborhood vegetables and fruits, freshly baked bread, fluffy omelets, and thick, succulent grilled horse mackerel might tempt even those who usually skip breakfast to indulge.

Inuyama, a city where nearly 500 years of history are condensed. A food culture nurtured by the abundant nature surrounded by satoyama and the flowing Kiso River. At Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen, where you can intimately experience two National Treasures, the tea house "Jo-an" and Inuyama Castle, you can engage your senses with the history and culture that have continued since the Owari and Mino periods. Now that the world has become more active after the pandemic, why not consider a reboot in this land, where you can find healing while receiving historical and creative stimulation?

Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen
Address | 103-1 Inuyama Kitakoken, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, 484-0082

Contact

Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen
Tel: 0568-61-2211
https://inuyama.hotelindigo.com/