"You’ll feel zen from the moment you drive in from nearby Kyoto, along a narrow road through Japanese cedars and past temples and shrines, to the moment you sink into a hot bath at this intimate ryokan. Refreshed and relaxed, you’ll then sit down to an exquisite kaiseki meal of freshly foraged food prepared by a Michelin-starred chef. Oversized windows bring the outdoors in to the immaculate and simple tatami rooms, which come with both lunch and dinner. Book well in advance, given the inn’s small size and low-tech reservation system."

"A luxury resort on Hokkaido island, the Windsor Hotel Toya carries a certain cachet in Japan as the setting for the 2008 G8 summit. It continues to stay fit for world leaders and royalty, putting an emphasis on relaxation in nature and fine dining. The Windsor Hotel chefs have earned an impressive five Michelin stars in the French, Japanese and teppanyaki restaurants, plus more casual options include pizza, sushi, and Chinese cuisine. Live music in the lobby accompanies the breathtaking views of Lake Toya and the bay of Uchiura, and the cable car also takes in Nakajima island in the lake and Mount Yokei in the distance. The hotel has an exclusive onsen for guests with Japanese cypress and stone baths. The spa offers massages and reflexology, body treatments, and Vichy shower rooms, and the Crystal Blue Club has a gym and 25-meter indoor swimming pool under a glass ceiling. The Windsor Hotel is a 90-minute train ride from New Chitose Airport, with shuttle service available from the train station."

"The Green Leaf Niseko Village Under the same management umbrella as the nearby Hilton, the Green Leaf has a more intimate boutique feel with the same conveniences as the larger resort. Built for the Hokkaido winter slopes—the Green Leaf is ski-in and ski-out—but enjoyable all year round for the natural hot springs and its proximity to Niseko Village. Hand-drawn murals adorns the walls of the resort, created by contemporary artist Emi Shiratori,and guest rooms feature original artwork. Rooms also include kimono robes for the onsen, Eames furniture, and Shiseido toiletries. Guests can have après-ski cocktails in the lobby lounge, and a Japanese buffet at Goshiki, with more options available in the village (signing privileges extend to the Hilton restaurants and shuttle service is available). Head to Basecamp to rent ski equipment, arrange lessons, or hang out for a movie screening."

"A large resort at the base of the Niseko Village gondola, the Hilton combines a central location, breathtaking views, and convenient amenities. This is the choice for travelers who plan to spend their day on the ski slopes or golf links from post-breakfast to pre-dinner, perhaps bookending the activities with a soak in the open-air onsen (or indoor on bad weather days). Rooms have panoramic mountain views and if you are lucky, you might get a room with a view of the unkai sea of clouds and Mount Yotei. Unwind with a steak dinner at Melt Bar & Grill before booking a private karaoke room at the hotel’s Ezo Pub. The Wakka Spa focuses on post-ski restorative treatments with a cedar soaking tub for couples."

"Comprising nine modern and elegant apartments smack-dab in the middle of Niseko Village, Muse is for the skier who wants the option of cooking a meal in a kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances, or leaving it to the experts across the street at the Michelin-starred Kamimura restaurant. Attention has been paid to every detail of the luxurious accommodations, from the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Mount Yotei to the residents’ ski room to the serviced roof terrace with rock garden, available for private events. Keeping the focus on the slopes, the hotelhasa North Face retail store on the ground floor, and operates a shuttle service to the ski gondolas."

"Grandpapa Lodge Niseko Niseko may be known as the Aspen of the East, but the Grandpapa Lodge feels decidedly Alpine, with a gingerbread exterior, Swiss fondue restaurant, and pension-style friendliness. Modest rooms are cozy and sparse (some with a shared bath), but so are the rates: prices are generally well lower than the big resorts and include a hot breakfast. The family-run lodge’s lounge has a fireplace and games for socializing with the international mix of guests, and the Yukoro public onsen is next door (admission is 600 yen per adult). The village has a free bus to the ski lifts and restaurants."

"Glamping in Japan The woodblock prints from ukiyo-e artist Hokusai first introduced me to Japan’s most iconic volcano. Between 1826 and 1833, Hokusai traveled to many provinces in Japan to see Mount Fuji from different vantage points as represented in his works Great Wave off Kanagawa, Watermill at Onden, and Nihonbashi bridge in Edo in order to produce the famous “36 views of Mount Fuji” series. I have always loved these graphic prints and was determined to get at least one view of this magnetic mountain in my lifetime. During my stay at Hoshinoya Fuji, I was able to get the same view that Hokusai etched almost two centuries ago in print number #35 of the series: Mount Fuji reflected in Lake Kawaguchi. Set northeast of Lake Kawaguchi, Hoshino Fuji is the destination for those interested in “glamping” and exploring Japan’s natural side. Barely a year old, the resort rises like concrete tree houses among the red pine forest. Upon check-in you’ll be given a backpack with headlight, water bottle, snacks and portable blanket to urge you on for nearby adventures. Around the resort, camping elements are incorporated with hammocks between the pines, open camp-fires at the Cloud Terrace, and portable in-room coffee kit. Each cabin has a plush bed, minimal furniture and a balcony for panoramic views of the lake and Mount Fuji. You can “rough it” with nature outside, but I couldn’t resist pampering myself with the amenities provided by the resort. My perfect morning started with a bath scented with hinoki and flowers before a wholesome breakfast with fresh baked bread on my private balcony. During the day you can go out for a hike or kayak or learn how to smoke food from one of the members of staff. In the evening, learn how to cook over an open fire from the chefs before you enjoy the best dinner with local meat and vegetables. The staff at Hoshinoya Fuji thought of all the details that would create a great camping trip and combined it with the attentiveness of a luxury hotel to create a truly unforgettable experience. A work of art led me here and I can’t wait to return and experience this level of hospitality again."

"The Okura is a midrange hotel with well-sized rooms (a rarity in Japan) and a few niceties like kimonos and a tea ceremony room. The Okura is situated a few minutes’ walk ofSapporo's wooden Clock Tower and the tree-lined and fountain-dotted Odori Park (really a wide street, pleasant for strolling), with the main train station in close proximity. Dining options include the usual Japanese, Chinese, and international restaurants, but the central location means guests are spoiled for choice of food, entertainment, and shopping. Executive level rooms offer better city views. (The nearby JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo is a sister property.)"

"The hotel of choice for Sapporo visitors who want stellar city views and easy access to shopping and food, the Hotel Nikko Sapporo is located on floors 23-34 of the JR Tower, the tallest building on the island of Hokkaido. The Tower tops the main train station, and includes a shopping center, an observation deck, a branch of department store Daimaru, and a dedicated ramen restaurant complex. The hotel itself offers French fine dining, a casual European-style cafe and bakery, a buffet restaurant with live jazz music, and traditional Japanese cuisine. The full-floor spa pipes water into its thermal pools from 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and can be visited for just bathing or for beauty and body treatments. The guest rooms’ main attraction are the views, but don’t lack for comfort or style."

"Sansou Murata On Japan’s smaller island of Kyushu, the towns of Yufuin and Beppu are known for their hot springs, or onsen . The Sansou Murata blends traditional and modern elements for those seeking a unique onsen experience, with old Japanese houses comprising the ryokan, or Japanese inn, brought in from the countryside around Tokyo. The twelve unique guestrooms have high wood-beamed ceilings and private soaking tubs. Dining options include traditional Japanese and casual soba noodles, plus roll cake and chocolates for dessert. Rates include two meals daily (served in your room or in a private compartment in the inn's restaurant) and as many thermal baths as you can handle."

"Hot springs are a Japanese institution for relaxation and healing, and the Myoken Ishiharaso is an exemplary natural spa experience. The inn sits on the Amorigawa Riverin a volcanic valleythatfeeds abundant, free-flowing springs. Relax in a communal rotenburo outdoor bath or bird-watchwith your toes in a footbath along the river. Fifteen guest rooms range in styles from traditional tea ceremony-type room with tatami mats to modern designs with sleek Western-style furniture. Meals (included in the overnight rate) are carefullymade with respect to local ingredients and seasonality. Visit in early spring for the Dancing Horse festival at the Kagoshima Shrine to see elaborately decorated horses and traditional music. The inn can be reached from Kagoshima Airport or Hayato train station."

"A luxury hotel befitting the massive Grand Front commercial complex, the Intercontinental Osaka has all the bells and whistles of a five-star property. Amply sized rooms include Bose speakers, soaking tubs with separate rain showers, and bath amenities from San Francisco aromatherapy company Agraria. The guest rooms and residential suites are located on floors 21-28 of the building and may have views of the Yodo River, Umeda Sky building, Umekita garden, or bright-red HEP Five ferris wheel. The spa level includes a Japanese bath, saunas, and an indoor lap pool. On the 20th floor, the hotel has French fine dining, an open-concept grill, a cocktail bar with “standing stools” overlooking the city, and a lounge for afternoon tea. Interconnected walkways and elevators take visitors to a dizzying array of shopping and dining options, and Osaka’s main station is a few minutes’ walk away."

"Upholding the brand’s five-star standard, the Ritz-Carlton Osaka is an opulent city hotel with all the expected amenities. The decor feels more 18th-century England than modern-day Japan, but the location,in the central Nishi-Umeda district, is perfectfor business and shopping. The six fine-dining restaurants range from traditional French delicacies to seasonal Japanese sushi to a "chocolate factory" buffet; the whisky bar is noted for its extensive list of more than 100 malts. Plush and spacious rooms have sweeping views of the Osaka skyline, including the unique Umeda Sky building. The fitness center and spa has a heated indoor pool, baths, and jacuzzis which overlook a small garden. The Ritz-Carlton completed a refurbishment of their guest rooms and club lounge in summer 2017, in celebration of the hotel’s 20th anniversary."

"The understated and modest villas at the Hoshinoya Taketomi Island resort are a far cry from the characterless concrete and stucco ofmany beach resorts, but then again, this is Japan, where tradition and elegant simplicity are standard. The island of Taketomi prohibits modern buildings and encourages the traditional practices of red-tiled roofs and gukku stone walls with embedded talismans. Accommodations are either Japanese-style with tatami mats and futons, or more western with wood floors and modern furniture; all have deep soaking tubs, private gardens, and floor-to-ceiling windows that can be fully opened to let in the outdoors. The restaurant serves nouvelle French cuisine featuring island seafood and local ingredients, and the lounge encourages guests to unwind with a beverage and a book. For more active stays, the swimming pool is heated and shaded by banyan trees, and guests may borrow a bicycle to explore the island’s white coral sand beaches and watch the sun rise and set from the observation deck. The resort is reached by ferry anda shuttle from Ishigaki port, and visitors get around the island by water buffalo cart rather than car."

"The island of Okinawa has long been a favorite beach and golf getaway destination for the Japanese, and the Ritz-Carlton opened their first luxury resort in the country here in 2013, blending island style with the hotel brand’s warm opulence. Sip a Sima cocktail, made with Okinawan Amawori liquor and Shikwasa citrus fruit, or listen to live music played on the three-stringed Sanshin at dinner at the hotel’s signature Gosuku ("castle" in local dialect) restaurant. Fine dining at the property includes classic Italian and teppaynaki steak (grilled on an iron pan), with afternoon tea served in the lobby lounge and snacks in the library and seasonal pool bar. Rooms have large terraces and panoramic windows that overlook the East China Sea or golf course greens, and spa treatment roomsenjoy forest and bay views. While not directly seaside, a short shuttle ride can whisk guests away to the resort’s private beach."

"Bordering Midosuji Avenue, a north-south city artery brimming with businesses and gingko trees, the St. Regis Osaka inhabits a 27-story building that required special permits in its predominantly mid-rise environs. The property prides itself on the butler service, with one butler responsible for the care of a single guest, from check-in to check-out. Services include a welcome beverage proffered on a traditional silver tray, and unpacking and packing. In the imminent future, the hotel will start using iPads to make services more seamless. Occupying 19 floors of the stone-clad Honmachi Garden City building, the property features classic Japanese motifs throughout, including chrysanthemums and lilies. The canopied entryway recalls the St. Regis New York, while the lanes of Kyoto inspire the foyer’s crystal tree. The 12th-floor lobby, with its high ceilings, is dominated by a mural symbolizing the sun. Rooms have headboards made of Kawashima silk, with motifs of gingko and cherry blossoms—symbols of Osaka."

"Why we love it: A modern, art-focused take on the ryokan experience The Highlights: - Traditional kaiseki dinners crafted from local ingredients - A private, mineral water–filled outdoor tub in each room - Art classes and other creative activities The Review: About a two-hour drive fromTokyo, some 2,300 feet up in the mountains of the hot springs-rich Hakone region, sits this modern take on the ryokan bathhouse experience. Opened in 2018, Kai Sengokuhara is part of the Kai group of luxury ryokans throughoutJapan, each of which has been designed to reflect its location and celebrate local craftsmanship. Here, art is the focus, with the property doubling as an evolving gallery for works by local and international artists. Also on offer is a roster of creativity-stimulating activities, including nightly classes in hand-painting traditional tenugui handkerchiefs. The two room categories—one for up to two guests, the other for up to three—also feature original artwork inspired by the surrounding region, along with private terraces with outdoor tubs fed by spring water from the valley. Other touches include elegant flax kimonos, custom mattresses, and free Wi-Fi. Rates are typically half-board, so all guests are able to savor traditional Japanese breakfasts (centered around the use of a local yam) and flavorful, multi-course kaiseki dinners, crafted with local proteins (from beef to abalone) and elegantly presented on handpicked tableware. And then there’s the soaking: two bath halls (male and female) are each equipped with indoor and outdoor pools filled with mineral-rich Owakudani volcanic valley waters, in which you can soak away the world while gazing out at the lush green forest."