Sado Island, Japan
Ryokan Urashima
An homely inn close to Mano Bay
Ryokan Urashima is located close to Mano Bay to the west of the central part of Sado Island on a stretch of coastline popular with bathers.
Originally, Urashima started out as a fish shop, and with the change of the times, it transformed itself into a caterer’s shop, and then into a Japanese-style restaurant. It was in 1980 that Urashima became an inn. Late at night there were no means of transportation available for the guests who would go home after enjoying the dinner. Providing guests with a place to stay, Ryokan Urashima came into being.
Today the inn remains popular among islanders as well as visitors, maintaining its authentic feel. The inn itself has two elements – the East Building, designed by Hiroshi Naito, one of Japan’s leading architects, and the South Building by prominent architect Japanese Koh Kitayama, a modern design with the building enveloped in glass.
Being the original attraction, the seafood here is a real highlight and the chef personally goes out to the fish market to get the best fresh catch daily. The in-season dishes such as abalones, stonefish and rosy sea bass here are renowned among locals and visitors alike.
Highlights
12 Japanese-style rooms
28 Western-style rooms
Restaurant
Trip Inspiration
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Places to combine Ryokan Urashima with
Phuket
Tucked away on the fringes of Khao Sok National Park, one of Thailand’s most ancient and biodiverse rainforests, Thanyamundra Organic Resort offers an intimate sanctuary with nine guestrooms. The setting is mesmerising: a patchwork of cultivated organic farmland gently gives way to dense jungle, while mist drifts across rolling emerald hills in the early morning.
Two teakwood residences, built in traditional Thai style, house the guest rooms. Within, antique furnishings add a sense of heritage and handwoven textiles bring warmth and colour.
Begin with yoga at dawn or a leisurely walk among rice paddies and vegetable gardens, before setting out to discover the wonders of the rainforest. Back at the resort, the infinity pool seemingly spills into the surrounding hills. From here, the horizon becomes a living panorama of forest, farmland and sky, shifting in colour as the day passes from morning to the glow of sunset. The spa provides another form of retreat, where traditional Thai treatments restore balance after a day outdoors.
Food is at the heart of the Thanyamundra experience. The resort’s organic farm supplies the kitchen with fragrant herbs, just-picked vegetables, tropical fruit and locally produced cheese. Meals, whether enjoyed in the open-sided pavilion or al fresco under the stars, are thoughtfully prepared to highlight the freshest seasonal ingredients.
