Japan’s 2025 MICHELIN Key additions showcase the breadth of the country’s hospitality, from secluded retreats and serene ryokans to contemporary city towers and ultra-boutique destinations that unite dining and lodging in one. Together, they capture the richness of Japanese hospitality today, where tradition and innovation are partners, not opposites.
Boutique Hideaways and Ryokans
Some of the most special, and uniquely Japanese, forms in our selection.
ESPACIO The Hakone Geihinkan Rin-Poh-Ki-Ryu
One-Key in Hakone
Located deep in a secluded Hakone valley, the Hakone Geihinkan Rin-Poh-Ki-Ryu hotel is a retreat designed for a tranquil escape along the banks of the Hayakawa River. A private cable car takes guests down to the nine unique villas, which feature traditional Japanese detailing such as kumiko woodwork and karakami paper.
Guests have exclusive access to the source of the Dogashima hot spring, which pipes its prized mineral water directly into private onsen baths in select villas.
Asaba Ryokan
Three-Keys in Izu
Founded in 1484, Three-MICHELIN-Key Asaba is one of the most esteemed ryokans in Japan, with over five hundred years of history behind it. Its central feature — a Noh stage poised over a reflective pond — still shows traditional Japanese performing arts, such as Noh, Kyogen comedy, Shinnai storytelling, and Japanese dance in seasonal performances.
Rooms are lined with tatami mats and shoji screens, gardens are meticulously manicured into living works of art, and the hot spring baths draw from centuries of restorative waters.
Yufuin Tamanoyu
One-Key in Yufu
It’s hard to imagine a more Zen atmosphere than at Yufuin Tamanoyu — particularly as it once served as a retreat for Zen monks before being converted into a hotel. The cottage-style rooms are set across the sprawling garden, with footpaths connecting them to the rest of the property, which includes a restaurant, tea room and bar — the latter two with views of the peaceful forest.
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Izu:
Fugaku Gunjo
Kami Amakusa:
TAYUTA amakusa
Kōda:
Hitotsu Notojima
Otake:
Simose Art Garden Villa
Kutchan:
SHIGUCHI
Yamanouchi:
Shoraiso
Kyoto:
Hoshinoya Kyoto
Kirishima:
Myoken Ishiharaso
Kirishima:
GAJOEN
Takeo:
Onyado Chikurintei
Kitasaku-gun:
The Hiramatsu Karuizawa Miyota
Nanyo: Yamagata The Takinami
new keys in the cities
Luxury hotels in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
Patina Osaka
One-Key in Osaka
The first Japanese outpost of Patina, the sister brand of Singapore’s Capella Group, opens with striking views of Osaka Castle and its surrounding parkland. The contemporary facade is softened with vertical greenery, while inside, the design turns to quiet, understated luxury — warm tones, natural textures and references to traditional craftsmanship.
Guestrooms are generously scaled, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the castle, and the hotel’s spa and wellness facilities reflect a high-tech, urban approach to relaxation. Dining highlights include a series of Japanese restaurants and Iñaki, a Basque venue on the 19th floor that looks directly onto the castle grounds.
Four Seasons Hotel Osaka
One-Key in Osaka
The Four Seasons Hotel Osaka towers above the Dojima district, pairing a bold, modern profile with interiors rooted in tradition. One floor is devoted entirely to a contemporary ryokan concept, with tatami mat rooms, futon-style beds and washi-lined walls offering a rare take on Japanese hospitality in a high-rise setting.
The rest of this Key hotel combines clean-lined sophistication with subtle nods to local craft, from lattice details to soaking tubs. At the top, the spa features ofuro baths and an indoor pool with sweeping city views.
Fairmont Tokyo
One-Key in Tokyo
The debut of Fairmont in Japan comes with commanding views of Tokyo Bay from the upper floors of the Blue Front Shibaura Tower South. It presents a modern take on luxury both stylish and comfortable, with rooms that look toward either Tokyo Tower and the city skyline or across the water.
Fairmont Gold accommodations provide added services and a dedicated lounge, while shared spaces include a spa with an open-air pool deck. Dining covers a broad spectrum of options, from Japanese specialties to Mediterranean and French offerings.
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Destination Stays & Experiences
New MICHELIN Keys centered on experiences and unique locales.
Fuji Speedway Hotel
New One-Key in Oyama
Part of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection, this trackside hotel opened in 2022 on the edge of Fuji Speedway. It is equal parts luxury resort and motorsport museum, with vintage cars in the lobby, racing memorabilia in the suites, and pit-lane access for driving programmes. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame both Mount Fuji and the circuit, while facilities include a spa, pool and Italian and Japanese restaurants.
Osteria Sincerita
One-Key in Nanyo
Half destination restaurant, half boutique inn, Osteria Sincerita is chef Makoto Harada’s slice of sincerity. The hyper-seasonal tasting menu ranges from local vegetables to Yonezawa beef, while upstairs, two rooms extend the spirit of hospitality beyond the table. One includes a Finnish sauna, and both look out across the Yamagata fields.
Auberge TOKITO
Tachikawa
Just an hour from Tokyo, Auberge TOKITO is an intimate four-suite retreat by chef Yoshinori Ishii, whose career has included Three MICHELIN-Star Kyoto Kitcho and Two MICHELIN-Star Umu. Here, food, craft and design are brought together: Ishii shaped the ceramic tableware himself, while the architecture was entrusted to Shinichiro Ogata, whose minimalist interiors frame gardens and light.
The suites nod to traditional ryokans, but each comes with modern luxuries like a private open-air onsen and space for spa treatments.
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Miyakojima: Rosewood Miyakojima
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