Travel 3 minutes 09 October 2025

23 New Key Hotels in Japan — From Secluded Valleys to High-Speed Luxury

From serene hot spring retreats to sleek city towers, Japan’s new MICHELIN Key hotels capture the country’s quiet mastery of detail.

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 – Hakone, Japan
ESPACIO The Hakone Geihinkan Rin-Poh-Ki-Ryu – Hakone, Japan

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 – Izu, Japan
Asaba Ryokan – Izu, Japan

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 – Yufu, Japan
Yufuin Tamanoyu – Yufu, Japan

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.

See more:

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 – Osaka, Japan
Patina Osaka – Osaka, Japan

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 – Osaka, Japan
Four Seasons Hotel Osaka – Osaka, Japan

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 – Tokyo, Japan
Fairmont Tokyo – Tokyo, Japan

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.


Destination Stays & Experiences

New MICHELIN Keys centered on experiences and unique locales.


Fuji Speedway Hotel – Oyama, Japan
Fuji Speedway Hotel – Oyama, Japan

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 – Nanyo, Japan
Osteria Sincerita – Nanyo, Japan

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, Japan
Auberge TOKITO – Tachikawa, Japan

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.

See more:

Miyakojima: Rosewood Miyakojima


Hero image: ESPACIO The Hakone Geihinkan Rin-Poh-Ki-Ryu

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