KAI MATSUMOTO REOPENS WITH A NEW VISION FOR THE JAPANESE ONSEN RYOKAN

In the mountains of Nagano, the reopening of KAI Matsumoto marks a considered departure from the conventional onsen ryokan. Following an extensive property-wide renovation, the retreat returns on 4 August 2026 with a renewed concept, “A Ryokan Immersed in Matsumoto Elegante”, bringing together architecture, music, wine, craftsmanship and bathing rituals.

The new direction is particularly notable for its approach to dining. Rather than continuing with the kaiseki format traditionally associated with Japanese ryokan, KAI Matsumoto will introduce its first full Italian course. The cuisine is built around ingredients from Nagano and accompanied by a selection of regional wines, creating a dining experience that connects the culinary traditions of Italy with the agricultural character of Shinshu.

The change is not intended to erase the identity of the ryokan. Instead, it places local culture within a different framework. Guests can dine in yukata, move from the baths to the dining room at an unhurried pace and finish the evening with wine and live music in the renovated lobby. The result is a property that retains the rituals of an onsen retreat while allowing them to evolve.

KAI Matsumoto is located in Asama Onsen, an area whose history is closely associated with Matsumoto’s development as a castle town. Asama Onsen itself has long been connected with the region’s bathing culture, while Matsumoto has developed a reputation for music and folk craftsmanship. The renovation draws on both strands of local identity.

The concept’s use of the Italian word “Elegante” reflects this fusion of influences. At the centre of the property is a lobby designed with the visual presence of a music hall, where architecture and acoustics become part of the guest experience. The emphasis on music is particularly appropriate to Matsumoto, which is known for its long association with classical music as well as guitar production.

One of the most distinctive additions is the daily “Sonority Concert”, held each evening in the lobby beneath a 10-metre-high atrium. The space has been designed to make use of its height and acoustics, allowing live performances to resonate throughout the central area.

The lobby also incorporates elements connected to Matsumoto’s guitar-making culture. Unprocessed timber, craftsman’s tools and instruments in various stages of production are displayed alongside two featured guitars. Before performances begin, guests can learn about how different types of wood influence the character of an instrument’s sound.

The music programme varies according to the day, giving the experience a degree of variety rather than treating it simply as background entertainment. String instruments and guitar melodies become part of the rhythm of the evening, extending the cultural experience beyond the conventional boundaries of a hotel stay.

Wine has an equally prominent role in the renewed property. KAI Matsumoto introduces the first NAGANO WINE BAR within the KAI brand, positioned in the lobby beside the performance area. Its curved, semi-circular counter is designed to keep guests close to the stage while offering a selection of Shinshu wines.

Particular attention is given to the Kikyogahara Wine Valley, a pioneering wine-producing area associated with Matsumoto and its surrounding region. Viticulture in the valley dates back approximately 130 years, while vineyards at elevations of around 700 metres benefit from the cool conditions of Nagano’s climate.

Five Nagano wines are offered by the glass each evening, allowing guests to explore different expressions of the region without leaving the ryokan. Alongside the larger wine selection available with dinner, the bar gives the property a dedicated setting for discovering local vintages after the evening meal.

The dining programme extends this regional approach. More than 50 Nagano wines are included in the curated selection accompanying the Italian course. The meal begins with stuzzichini, served on a bespoke plate inspired by the shape of a piano keyboard, and paired with SanSan Winery’s Brut Blanc.

The menu makes use of local ingredients while adopting Italian culinary techniques. Semi-private dining spaces are finished with warm brick-style tiles, creating an atmosphere that sits comfortably between the architectural language of the wider property and the more intimate character of the meal.

Accommodation has also been comprehensively redesigned. All rooms now belong to the “GAKU no Ma” category, with the name referring to Matsumoto’s musical heritage. Each room incorporates Matsumoto Keisei-nuri lacquerware, a regional craft that has been developed using techniques associated with guitar finishing.

Music continues inside the rooms through vinyl record players and high-fidelity speakers, allowing guests to create a more personal soundtrack to their stay. The combination of lacquerwork, sound and regional references gives each room a cultural connection to its setting without relying solely on traditional Japanese decoration.

At the top of the accommodation offering is the 130-square-metre GAKU Suite. The private residence includes its own piano, allowing music to become an integral part of the space rather than simply an amenity. Outdoors, a private open-air hot spring bath is accompanied by a sauna and cold plunge pool.

The suite’s terrace includes outdoor speakers and a daybed, creating a private setting for moving between bathing, music and rest. The emphasis is on an uninterrupted sequence of experiences rather than a collection of separate facilities.

Bathing remains central to the identity of KAI Matsumoto. Asama Onsen has a long history, including its association with the Goten-yu, or palace bath, of the Lord of Matsumoto Castle. The renovated property continues to place this heritage at the heart of the stay.

Guests can experience eight distinct bathing styles and 13 variations, ranging from indoor and open-air baths to a radiant bath designed to warm the body gently. There is also a Hinoki sawdust bath, drawing on the fragrance of Japanese cypress, and a lie-down bath that uses buoyancy to encourage a more relaxed posture.

The bathing areas combine architectural details with small courtyard gardens intended to reflect the changing seasons. A newly introduced post-bath lounge provides another pause after the onsen experience, with Shinshu apple vinegar offered as a regional refreshment.

The renovation therefore extends well beyond aesthetic refurbishment. It represents a shift in how KAI Matsumoto interprets the ryokan format: less concerned with reproducing tradition exactly as it has existed, and more interested in finding new ways to express the character of its region.

KAI Matsumoto forms part of KAI, the hot-spring ryokan brand operated by Hoshino Resorts. Hoshino Resorts traces its origins to 1914, when Kuniji Hoshino established the Hoshino Onsen Ryokan in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. The group has since developed a portfolio of hospitality properties across Japan, with KAI focusing specifically on hot-spring destinations and regional culture.

At KAI Matsumoto, the latest renovation brings that philosophy into a distinctly local setting. The hot spring remains the foundation, but around it sit the sounds of guitars, the character of Shinshu wine, Italian cuisine and the tactile qualities of regional lacquerware.

There is something particularly fitting about this approach in Matsumoto, a city whose cultural identity has never been limited to a single tradition. Here, Japanese hospitality can accommodate a glass of local wine, an Italian course, the resonance of a guitar and the quiet ritual of an onsen without losing its sense of place. KAI Matsumoto’s reopening suggests that preserving regional character need not mean leaving it untouched; sometimes, it is through thoughtful reinterpretation that a destination reveals another layer of itself.