TATESHINA AI Travel Journal

Tateshina Ai is now known as a popular ryokan, but of course, it was not built overnight.
The efforts of the proprietor and his family are scattered throughout the 3,500 tsubo (about 2.8 acres) of land.
Tateshina Ai was established in April 1982 by Kazuyuki Niwa, the third generation president of a clock and watch precision machinery factory established by his grandfather in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture.
Although he was running the plant while feeling anxious about the future of the steel industry, he could not give up his long-held dream of "wanting to be in the service industry, whatever that may be".
Also, Kazuyuki's father owned land in Tateshina, which he often visited, and he naturally became attached to the area.

Tateshina Highlands where Tateshina Ai is located

After these two matters came together and he came to the conclusion that his dream could be "a service business that could be started in Tateshina = ryokan", he closed the factory and opened this inn.
However, as a business owner, he understood the danger of starting a business without knowing what to expect from an amateur.
Before opening the inn, he took a six-month unpaid training job at a tourist hotel that was introduced to him by a friend.
Kazuyuki told us that he was able to open the inn because he absorbed a variety of knowledge necessary for the inn business, which is one of the most important hospitality businesses.

When it first opened, it was a small ryokan with a total of seven guest rooms (all Western-style rooms).
For the first two years after opening, there were only three staff members: Kazuyuki, his wife Yukiko, and his mother. The three of them worked together on every little job, no matter how small.
Perhaps because of this, the spirit of doing what one can do oneself is deeply rooted in his heart, and even today, there are many times when Kazuyuki himself washes dishes and serves food.

Current "Tateshina Ai"

In 1986, the current main building was expanded and the number of rooms increased to 13.
Around this time, a head chef was brought in from the outside to reduce the workload on Mr. Yukiko due to conflicts with her other duties.
In 1993, the large public bath was renovated and an open-air bath was built.
In 1996, the original building was torn down and a new building, "Airakutei" and a new restaurant, "Yamami-an" were built.
This became the prototype for the current Tateshina Ai.
At that time, there were 18 rooms.
Later, in 2003, a private open-air bath was opened.
In 2005, the "Ai" guest room was remodeled as Japanese/Western-style rooms with beds.
In March 2008, the long-awaited guest room with an open-air bath was opened, giving the inn its current appearance.
The man who headed this renovation is Yuji Niwa (born in 1965), who assumed the position of president in 2009. He is the eldest son of the founder, Kazuyuki Niwa.
Of the five guest rooms with open-air baths, "Suho" and "Akane" were converted to Japanese-style rooms with bedrooms, the layout was widened, and the number of rooms was reduced from 18 to 17.
Furthermore, the large public bath was also renovated.
The lobby has also been renovated, with every detail of the lobby being carefully designed to create an impressive finish.
Tables and chairs custom-made by a furniture craftsman line the lobby.
Looking at the space where the next generation of innkeepers put their sense of style to use, we look forward to the future growth of the inn.

Lobby	Large Public Bath

The inn is surrounded by fresh air and has the appearance of a "Soan (thatched hut)" surrounded by flowers and greenery, as represented by the approach from the parking lot to the front door.
The various scenes that change with the seasons are a delight to the eyes of visitors.
Once inside the inn, there is a perfect balance of "elegance" and "wabi and sabi", which is exquisite.
This is truly a "Japanese" inn for adults.