Spacious indoor bath halls and two riverside outdoor baths fed by Kawaji Hot Spring Ryokan in Japan — known for its waters’ skin healing effects
About
KAI Kawaji is a riverside hot spring ryokan that pays homage to pastoral Japanese scenery, with an entryway that passes right under a traditional row house and a watermill located on the premises. Large windows offer scenic views of nearby hills and a river that runs past the ryokan’s outdoor baths, while the traditional kaiseki dinners highlight unique Tochigi cuisine and the cultural activities offer an inside look at the customs of the past.
Spacious indoor bath halls and two riverside outdoor baths fed by Kawaji Hot Spring—known for its waters’ skin healing effects—provide the perfect location to comfortably enjoy the vibrant surrounding scenery, which changes dramatically through the seasons.
Every KAI establishment offers a selection of free activities designed to introduce guests to Japan’s regional cultures. At KAI Kawaji, guests are invited to learn about the creative innovations that the Japanese developed in the past to make life comfortable even in the deepest mountains, such as rotary querns and hibachi braziers.
Soybean flour grinding – guests are invited to use a small rotary quern to grind a variety of soybeans—red and green, small and large—into a flavorful flour called kinako, which is used in Japanese confectionery.
Washi Paper workshop – this workshop involves making paper from unusual materials, such as fall leaves picked from the ryokan courtyard. The final product makes a perfect souvenir.
Water mill tour – this tour introduces guests to the mechanisms of traditional water mills, which were once used in Japan to scoop up water for irrigating rice fields, husking grains, and turning querns, through a rare inside view.
Healing in Tochigi
Rooms
Rooms are designed to allow guests to fully soak in the area's majestic scenery. Each room features a custom-built sofa that invites guests to lie back and enjoy the views, which fill the room's spacious windows like a private art display.
This partner is a recognized and trusted member of Healingguide’s certified retreat and wellness network — part of a curated collection of transformative healing sanctuaries, hotels, and resorts around the globe.