NOT A HOTEL MINAKAMI TOJI, a Mountain Retreat Where the Bath Takes Center Stage

Screenwriter Kundō Koyama advocates for the recognition of yudō, the ‘way of the bath’, alongside sadō, the way of tea, and kadō, the way of flowers, as a fundamental element of traditional Japanese culture. He immerses himself across Japan in different types of baths, from hot springs (onsen) to public bathhouses (sentō), as well as domestic bathtubs. In each issue of Pen, he records these journeys in his ‘Bath Chronicle’.

In the world of traditional Japanese arts, and especially in the tea ceremony, the term sukisha refers to someone deeply devoted to a refined aesthetic pursuit. This is precisely the kind of ultimate bathing space that could only have been created by a sukisha of hot springs, someone who has turned his ideal of bathing into physical form.

Within the overwhelming landscape framed by the architecture, not a single artificial object interrupts the view. As you soak while gazing out toward the Akagi mountain range, the tightly bound ribbons of time seem to loosen. As its name suggests, NOT A HOTEL MINAKAMI TOJI is an innovative place for hot spring retreat.

The living and dining area, with its six-meter-high ceiling, is extraordinarily comfortable. Yet the layout makes it clear that the true protagonist here is the bathing experience. In the spot with the finest view, a 15-meter infinity pool, a free-flowing natural hot spring bath, a dimly lit cave-like sauna and a cold plunge are arranged side by side.

The mildly alkaline spring water emerges at 46°C and reaches the open-air bath at an exquisite 42°C. The heated pool beside it can be warmed to 30°C. After heating the body in the onsen, there is the quiet happiness of floating in lukewarm water. Then comes the sauna, the cold plunge, and finally the pleasure of lying back in a relaxing chair by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, surrendering to the breeze. It is hard to imagine a greater luxury.

Makoto Tanijiri of SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE, who designed the architecture, says the idea was something he had quietly been nurturing for his own holiday home. If I were to build a house where the bath was the main character, what would it be like? Letting myself drift into that fantasy, I spent the day immersed in the pleasures of bathing.