A Land of Abundance Shrouded in Fog and History
Concept
Hyogo Prefecture’s Tamba-Sasayama may be located deep in the mountains, but when fog envelops it, the city looks like it’s at the bottom of some fantastic, otherworldly sea. You might wonder how the people who first settled here felt when it looked like the clouds themselves were descending upon the town that surrounds the four-hundred-year-old Sasayama Castle. Wonder no more with a stay at Tamba-Sasayama’s Nipponia, where the entire historic castle town is your hotel. Made up of renovated storehouses and residences scattered throughout the town, the hotel preserves the original charm and splendor of the region while breathing new life into it—with the desire of introducing more people to this hidden jewel of central Japan.
Nipponia Sasayama Castle Town Hotel offers a very different kind of encounter with the culture, seasonal landscapes, and amazing food of this nostalgic corner of Hyogo. We hope that you will spend your time here relaxing and taking in the splendor of nature and the essence of Japanese culture.
Discover Tamba-Sasayama
Located in east-central Hyogo Prefecture, Tamba-Sasayama was known as Sasayama until 2019 when the residents voted in a city-wide referendum to change the name of the city to honor its past as part of the ancient Tamba Province. While benefiting from its easy access to major Japanese cities like Kyoto and Osaka, Tamba-Sasayama has managed to retain the rustic charm of the nature that surrounds it and the Sasayama Castle. Its four hundred years of history woven into the mountain scenery, the imposing castle, built during the Edo period (1603–1867), watched over Tamba-Sasayama as it grew up in the heart of nature.
Expand Your Itinerary
North of Tamba-Sasayama, visitors will find the Taki mountain range (also called the Taki Alps), which was once an important center for Japan’s ancient mountain worship, with the range’s Mount Mitake venerated as a god. Travelers are encouraged to hike the mountain and feel its mystic energy under their feet. But when it comes to Hyogo mountains, visitors to Tamba-Sasayama dare not miss Kobe’s Mount Maya and the Kikuseidai viewing point located near its top, accessible by cable car. The panorama of Kobe from Mount Maya is so breathtaking that it has been dubbed the “ten-million-dollar night view.” And while you are in the city, why not savor some world-famous Kobe beef and relax at the city’s Arima Onsen (hot spring), creating memories of a lifetime!
Our Story
In the early seventeenth century, shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the construction of Sasayama Castle to bolster his control over the western feudal lords. Unlike many of Japan’s grand fortresses, Sasayama Castle is a simple, stout structure built without a keep or turrets, because it was always meant to be an administrative installation. And yet its thick stone walls have a kind of mountain majesty to them, blending seamlessly with the surrounding countryside. As the might of the Tokugawa clan solidified, ushering in over 250 years of the family’s rule over the country, the town around Sasayama Castle grew in importance thanks to its strategic location as Kyoto’s gateway to western Japan. Today, the town on the east side of the castle has been listed as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, which Nipponia chose as the site of its Nipponia Sasayama Castle Town Hotel, opened in 2015.
Tangible History
SAWASHIRO: The SAWASHIRO building near the Kasuga Shrine is a former private residence that also once served as a teahouse. The vaulted earthen floor and preserved wooden beams dating back to the Meiji period (1868–1912) create that a cozy ambience that connects our guests to the history of Tamba-Sasayama.
SYOUZI-AN: Shoji (paper screens) on three sides of the SYOUZI-AN guesthouse soften the light as it filters through their washi paper and fills the rooms with warmth and charm. The essence of traditional Japanese craftsmanship passed down through generations is especially noticeable in this building.
SION: The SION guestrooms emulate the splendor of Sasayama Castle, allowing our guests to feel like lords and ladies of old. The exterior of the building has been remodeled in a modern style, but the interior retains the timeless spirit of traditional Japanese aesthetics. Here, visitors can enjoy spacious accommodations featuring a veranda that overlooks a garden for guests only.
Rooms
Nipponia Sasayama Castle Town Hotel offers twenty rooms in six buildings that served a variety of purposes over time—teahouses, the residence of a bank manager in the early Meiji period, and row houses from the late Edo period. These buildings, valuable treasures of Tamba-Sasayama, preserve the atmosphere of the original castle town and its traditional Japanese features, such as decorations of intricate wooden latticework, doma (earthen floors), and kamado (wood or charcoal stoves). At the same time, the accommodations are equipped with the latest comforts, including modern bathrooms and high-quality beds—affording guests the best of both worlds. Additionally, some of the rooms are pet-friendly with dog runs for the four-legged companions of our guests.
Restaurants & Dining
Le Un: The hotel dining room is located on the first floor of the hundred-year-old ONAE building. Featuring mushiko-mado (plaster latticed windows) and latticed doors, the restaurant retains the splendor of the original building, creating a calm ambience for guests to appreciate the bounty of Tamba-Sasayama with all five senses. Nipponia Sasayama Castle Town Hotel’s Le Un serves French dishes using organic ingredients, such as matsutake mushrooms. Also appearing in its dishes are wild boar meat, Tamba beef, and other local specialties like Tamba black soybeans, Tamba chestnuts, and mountain potatoes.
We invite you to partake of the bounty of Tamba-Sasayama, a treasure trove of food products nurtured by clean air, clear water, and rich soil. But first build up your appetite to enhance your enjoyment of the culinary wonders of Le Un by strolling around Sasayama Castle and the castle town, taking in the nostalgia of this wondrous place.
Capacity: 40
Opening Hours:
Lunch: 12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (L.O. 2:00 p.m.)
Dinner: 5:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m. (L.O. 8:00 p.m.)
Cultural Experiences
Cycling Experience: Rent a bicycle and discover the hidden secrets of Tamba-Sasayama on a two-to-three-hour guided tour, guaranteed to take your mind off the hustle and bustle of big-city life. The tour can be customized to suit your preferences and can include visits to historic shrines and temples, if desired.
Dekansho Festival Participation: Become an honorary citizen of Tamba-Sasayama by participating in the city’s customs during the Dekansho Festival. Enjoy making a hand towel, visiting the Dekansho Museum, and joining in the traditional festival dance before ending the day with a dazzling display of fireworks.
Kasuga Shrine Autumn Festival Participation Experience: Designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Tamba-Sasayama with a history of 350 years, the Kasuga Shrine Autumn Festival is an impressive festival of the eponymous shrine, founded in 876. Learn about the history of the shrine and the celebration before thrilling to the sight of festival floats and portable shrines parading through Tamba-Sasayama to the sound of flutes and drums.
Our Difference
At Nipponia Sasayama Castle Town Hotel, we want to bring you closer to the culture of Tamba-Sasayama in as many ways as possible. Besides cultural experiences, we also offer guests a chance to pick black soybeans, a specialty of the region and known for their sweet and rich flavor, or to marvel at the tambagiri, the thick fog that often enshrouds the city—best enjoyed from a special observation point located just a ten-minute drive from the hotel. In mid-April, we also invite our guests to the Tamba-Sasayama Cherry Blossom Festival, where you will be delighted by the lovely vision of soft pink petals falling like snow from the 1,000 cherry trees surrounding Sasayama Castle. Come discover Hyogo’s best-kept secret with us and soothe your soul with all that Tamba-Sasayama has to offer.
Welcome
Our mission is to present our guests with the gift of time. Time that flows endlessly through the nature and culture of Japan. Time set aside to make lifelong memories with your loved ones. Time that you will one day reflect back on with a smile. We strive to give you these experiences through the art of Japanese hospitality, the distinctiveness of accommodations that tell rich stories from Japan’s great past, and the breaking of language barriers by our English-speaking staff. We hope to see you soon.
Number of rooms: 20
Capacity: 1–4 guests per room
Check-in: 3:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Checkout: until noon
Languages: Japanese & English
Tel: +81 (0)120-210-289