Looking ahead to 2023, Hoshino Resorts, the leading family-owned Japanese hospitality company – with a contemporary take on the traditional ryokan (inn) – provides numerous reasons to visit Japan, Taiwan, Bali & Guam. A host of exciting new hotel openings, cultural events, seasonal splendour and hot new destinations make 2023 the year to book that long-awaited trip to Asia.

An award-winning Japanese hospitality brand, Hoshino Resorts operates 60 hotels across Japan, Taiwan, Bali & Guam, primarily under five distinct brands – HOSHINOYA (Hoshino Resorts' flagship properties, all seriously luxurious), KAI (hot spring ryokan/inns with a focus on food), RISONARE (countryside resort hotels), OMO (urban-based mid-range hotels), and BEB (free-spirited hotels), together with other unique lodgings.

Here are Hoshino Resorts' top reasons to travel to Japan, Taiwan, Bali and Guam in 2023:

KYUSHU, JAPAN: New bullet train service and a raft of new KAI Hotel openings

Kyushu, the third largest and most south westerly island of Japan, is internationally famous for its tonkotsu ramen, varied hot springs, dramatic mountains, and peaceful beaches and in 2022 has become even more readily accessible with the announcement of the new Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen bullet train line all the way to the island's capital of Nagasaki from Fukuoka (launched September 2022). Take the bullet train south from Fukuoka, to take in stunning views of Kumamoto Castle and the volcanic Mount Aso, but also Kagoshima's sun-drenched Amami Oshima archipelago, a 2021 UNESCO World Heritage listing. In the Oita Prefecture, discover more hot spring sources than any other area of Japan, including more than 2,000 in the city of Beppu alone, as well as scenic lakes, stunning mountain ranges and majestic waterfalls.

The KAI hotel brand of hot spring ryokans with a focus on food has expanded significantly on the island since 2021 with:

• KAI Beppu (opened 2021): A hot spring ryokan offering a contemporary spin on the lively traditional Beppu hot spring experience and featuring exquisite rooms all with sea views and an onsite Toji Jug Band transporting the lively nightlife scene of old Beppu into the ryokan hotel. From 64,000 JPY per night / approx. £383 (32,000 JPY / £191.50 pp) per double including breakfast, dinner, tax & services.
• KAI Yufuin (opened August 2022): A restful hot spring ryokan, situated between majestic Mount Yufu and a landscape of beautifully terraced rice fields, designed by architect Kengo Kuma, and surrounded by pastoral scenery that changes with the harvest cycle. From 70,000 JPY per night / approx.£419 (35,000 JPY / £209.45 pp) per double including breakfast, dinner, tax & services.
• KAI Izumo, Shimane (opening November 2022): This hot spring ryokan with a modern design located in a coastal area steeped in Japanese mythology, offers rooms that provide guests with majestic ocean views at sunset, twilight, and dawn. From 70,000 JPY per night / approx.£419 (35,000 JPY / £209.45 pp) per double including breakfast, dinner, tax & services.
• KAI Unzen, Nagasaki (opening November 2022): Touches of Japanese, Chinese, and Dutch design can be found throughout this hot spring ryokan in an area known for its history as a cultural melting pot, as well as its steamy hot spring baths. From 62,000 JPY per night / approx.£371 (31,000 JPY / £185.5 pp) per double including breakfast, dinner, tax & services.
• KAI Tamatsukuri, Shimane (relaunching after a guest room refurbishment in November 2022): A hot spring ryokan in southern Japan with a retro design and rooms featuring private outdoor baths fed by the rejuvenating waters of Tamatsukuri Hot Spring. From 82,000 JPY per night / approx. £491 (41,000 JPY / £245.50 pp) per double including breakfast, dinner, tax & services.

TOKYO, JAPAN: New cultural and entertainment openings for 2023
Opening its wide, welcoming arms to international tourists once again, Tokyo's cultural and entertainment calendar for 2023 is set to be a hugely exciting one. From a new Harry Potter Theme Park by Warner Bros opening in the first half of 2023 (date TBC) and the new Jurassic World Tokyo exhibition transporting visitors to the volcanic island of Isla Nublar (opening date TBC); to the new Tokyo Gendai Art Fair (6-9 July) which will be Asia Pacific's new international art hub bringing together 80-100 exceptional galleries from around the world in a programme of exhibitions and cultural experiences, and the new teamLab Borderless Museum showcasing digital art will open in the second half of 2023 in Toranomon-Azabudai in central Tokyo, hot on the heels of the runaway success of the original teamLab exhibition which has been running for four years.

WHERE TO STAY:

• OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka (opened January 2022): Located in the Akasaka area of Tokyo, which was known for its many Samurai residences in the Edo period and today is known for its high end Japanese restaurants. This 140 room city bolthole hotel features a communal OMO Base lounge and café space with Go-KINJO MAP covering the latest local information of the city allowing guests to plan their sightseeing days around the city, OMO Ranger Guided Tours showcasing different aspects of the city, and collaborations with nearby restaurants showcasing specially created menus available in house at the hotel inspired by ryotei culture (high class Japanese dining) as well as craft beer culture. From 12,000 JPY per night / approx. £72 (6,000 JPY / £36 pp) for a double/twin room including tax.
• HOSHINOYA Tokyo: One of the city's most iconic hotels and its first luxury traditional ryokan inn. Set in a 17-storey skyscraper in the prestigious Otemachi district, the property combines contemporary design, traditional craftsmanship and high-tech touches. The restaurant is renowned for developing a new culinary style, Nippon Cuisine, which fuses French techniques and Japanese ingredients. The top floor is home to an impressive open-air onsen (natural hot-spring bath) drawing hot spring water from 1500 metres below ground, and a spa offering Japanese-inspired treatments. From 112,000 JPY per night / approx. £672 (56,000 JPY / £336 pp), two sharing; room only.

HOKKAIDO, JAPAN: New cultural hotspots, winter sports and new KAI and OMO hotel openings

Shiraoi, in the northerly Japanese island of Hokkaido, is home to the new Upopoy National Ainu Museum & Park, which opened during the pandemic in July 2020. The museum aims to “promote a proper awareness of Ainu history and culture in Japan out of respect and dignity of the indigenous Ainu people, while contributing to the creation and development of new aspects of Ainu culture”.

• Just a short walk away, is the new KAI Poroto hotel (opened in January 2022) – a hot spring ryokan offering views of Lake Poroto from all rooms and honouring the Ainu people through its architecture, art, and decor. Guests can bathe inside the cone-shaped bathhouse, inspired by traditional Ainu architecture, as well as in outdoor baths that look out over scenic Lake Poroto. Dinner features a Japanese-style menu full of rich, local ingredients, complemented by dishware inspired by Ainu craft traditions. From 62,000 JPY per night / approx. £382 (31,000 JPY / £191 pp) double room, including breakfast, dinner, tax and services.

Hokkaido's capital, Sapporo, is a vibrant and bustling city with an exciting arts and culture scene, and is a fantastic gateway for exploring elsewhere on the island for skiing and snowy breaks. Its climate makes it perfect for beer brewing and viticulture, and there are a number of breweries and vineyards to explore. The city is host to the famous annual Snow Festival, showcasing an astonishing range of ice sculptures as well as food, events and activities, returning in February 2023 for the first time since pre-pandemic. The island is also well known as a fantastic skiing destination, with 117 ski and winter sports resorts across the island. With roughly the same season as Europe, 2023 is a fantastic opportunity to ski outside of Europe for the first time since pre-Covid.

• Opened in January 2022, the new OMO3 Sapporo Susukino is based in the Chuo-ku area of Sapporo, a vibrant area with over 3,500 restaurants, gastropubs and bars open late into the night to keep guests entertained. This 226-room city tourism hotel acts as a base camp for guests to enjoy Susukino, a town full of culinary delights. Hotel features include a communal café and lounge area with GO KINJO map for planning city explorations, the stylish, crisp room design that the OMO brand is known for, and OMO Ranger guides to take guests on discovery tours around the city, including Ramen Shop Hopping. From 10,000 JPY per night / approx. £59 (5,000 JPY / £29.50 pp) per double, room only, including tax.

OSAKA, JAPAN: Vibrant foodie hotspot with new OMO and RISONARE hotel openings

Osaka is a bright, bustling vibrant city break destination, this friendly city is hugely welcoming to travellers who will love whiling away the days exploring the city's brightly coloured neon-lit streets, fantastic shopping and out-of-this-world cuisine in regions such as Tenma and Ura Namba. It can be combined with a trip or day visits to Tokyo and Kyoto, both easily accessible by bullet train. New openings from Hoshino Resorts include:

• OMO7 Osaka (opened April 2022): Adjacent to the Shinsekai area in Naniwa, OMO7 Osaka is in the perfect spot for urban tourism. The city tourism hotel's motto is “Big-hearted and brassy, Osaka is yours” – and, true to the vibrant and energetic spirit of Osaka, reflects this through the fun, modular design of its bedrooms and dorms, plus the Osakan-inspired cuisine (think okonomiyaki savoury pancakes and kushikatsu deep fried meat and vegetable skewers). There are a total of 436 guest rooms, with eight room types of varying sizes, including dorms sleeping up to six. Guests can enjoy access to the communal bathhouses located in the hotel's gardens (complimentary or for an additional charge, depending on hotel package). From 61,000 JPY per night / approx. £375 (30,500 JPY / £187.50 pp) for a twin room, including dinner, breakfast and tax.
• OMO Kansai Airport, Osaka (opening Winter 2023): More information coming soon

OKINAWA, JAPAN: Tropical Blue Zone with unique luxury and protected heritage HOSHINOYA hotels

Japan's tropical Okinawa Island is one of the world's few 'Blue Zones' known for their long life expectancy and healthy lifestyles. The tropical paradise island of Okinawa boasts stunning white sand beaches, secluded coves vibrant reefs and clear waters, with incredible diving opportunities, as well as fascinating heritage and castle ruins to explore. There is also plenty to do in the wider archipelago with 160 tropical islands to explore. Discover this tropical archipelago staying at one of Hoshino Resorts' latest openings on the islands:

• HOSHINOYA Okinawa (opened July 2020): A luxurious coastal retreat in the coastal village of Yomitan, with 100 guest villas and suites designed around a central indoor patio and offering breathtaking ocean views. Experience the ultimate in Okinawan healthy living, with the hotel's motto of “training and nurturing” via Ryukyu karate practice (Okinawa is where the martial art originates from), treatments inspired by Okinawan nature in the resort's red-tiled spa, and unwinding in the hotel's sea-view infinity pool, separate shallow pool designed for napping and reading, and restaurant serving divine healthy Okinawan dishes utilizing bounty from the island's land and sea. From 136,000 JPY per night / approx. £843 (68,000 JPY / £422 pp) for a double, room only).
• BEB5 Okinawa Seragaki (opened July 2022): Set in beautiful Onna village, one of the most picturesque beach resorts on Okinawa island, this laid-back hotel and hangout spot is aimed at beach getaways with friends and family. It boasts condominium-style bedrooms, alongside fully-equipped kitchen and laundry facilities, a resort-style swimming pool with gazebos and deck chairs, and the 24-hour Tamariba Café Lounge with a BYO food and drinks policy, and a bar and games. From 18,000 JPY per night / approx. £110 (9,000 JPY / £55 pp) per night for a double room, including tax and service.
• OMO5 Okinawa Naha (opened in 2021): A city-based hotel in the capital of the Okinawan Islands, Naha, for explorers to discover this idyllic archipelago. Boasting 190 rooms, this city bolthole features contemporary Japanese design with fun, modular style bedrooms including traditional tatami mat floors, an OMO Base community longe with Go KINJO neighbourhood map and library for planning sightseeing trips around the island and neighbouring islands, fun Okinawan artwork all around the hotel, and OMO Café serving Japanese and European cuisine. OMO guides will take guests on tours of some of the famous sightseeing spots including the lively Kokusai-dori aligned with many shops, the Makishi public market known to be the main kitchen of Okinawa, and the Shuri Castle area, where the rich culture since the Ryukyu Dynasty resides. From 12,000 JPY per night / approx. £86 (6,000 JPY / £43) for a double, room only.

UBUD, BALI: A centre of mindfulness and sustainability  
The idyllic rainforest town of Ubud, in the uplands of Bali, is known as a centre for traditional dance, crafts, culture, mindfulness and sustainable design and tourism.

HOSHINOYA Bali is a tranquil retreat in the lush green hills of Ubud where 30 luxurious guest villas nestle amongst canal-like bathing pools. The spectacular spa offers massage and body rituals and complimentary experiences including sunrise and sunset yoga sessions in a pavilion overlooking the river. There are daily Balinese craft workshops such as canang (a delicate arrangement of flowers and leaves) and batik fabric printing. Dine in Café Gazebo amongst the treetops or indulge in the nine-course set menu, which combines Japanese and Indonesian cuisine. The hotel contributes positively to local sustainability: the pools feature a subak channel (Bali's UNESCO designed irrigation system) which runs down to neighbouring rice paddy fields. From 9,800,000 RP per night / approx. £550 (4,900,000 RP / £275 pp) for a double room including tax and service.

TAIWAN: An up and coming wellness hotspot

Opened in 2019 in Taiwan's hot spring valley of Guguan, an hour and a half outside the city of Taichung, HOSHINOYA Guguan showcases the fantastic healing waters that Taiwan is perhaps lesser known for than Japan. The hotel is a restorative luxury hot spring resort set on a panoramic plateau and surrounded by mountains, bamboo forests and abundant birdsong, with each of the 49 bedrooms featuring its own meditative outdoor hot spring bath. The luxurious bolthole has a spa offering healing treatments, a water garden and outdoor pool, and a restaurant serving authentic Japanese cuisine. The night markets and art museums of Taichung are within easy reach. From 21,000 TWD per night / approx. £578 (10,500 TWD / £289 pp) for a double including tax.

GUAM: Discover the lesser-known beach paradise at new RISONARE Guam – opening April 2023

Its first overseas property under the RISONARE countryside resort hotel brand, RISONARE Guam will open in April 2023. Located in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific, Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana islands. Welcoming approximately 1.66 million visitors annually, it's a tropical idyll with beautiful beaches, abundant nature represented by mangroves growing in pristine jungles, and the Chamorro culture – the customs and traditions of the indigenous Guam peoples, with ancient villages and iconic “latte stone” pillars constructed as early as 500AD to discover.

• RISONARE Guam is located 10 minutes' drive from the downtown Tumon area, offering a peaceful resort stay away from the hustle of the city. This rebranded hotel features 428-bedroomed, and a private beach in front of the hotel, with a variety of marine activities on offer as well as beautiful sunset views. Activities include banana boating, water volleyball, bodyboarding, surfing, live local music at sunset, and Micronesia's largest water park. From 250 USD per night / approx. £218 per night ($125 / £109 pp) per double, room only.

Ends

Notes to Editors

The origins of the Hoshino hospitality brand started with the opening of the first hot spring resort, Karuizawa, in 1914. The company was rebranded as Hoshino Resorts by current CEO Yoshiharu Hoshino in 1995, and now includes five hospitality brands under its parent company – HOSHINOYA (Hoshino Resorts' flagship luxury brand), KAI (hot spring ryokan/inns with a focus on food), RISONARE (countryside resort hotels), OMO (urban-based mid-range hotels), and BEB (free-spirited hotels) together with other unique lodgings.

Hoshino Resorts operates more than 60 properties in Japan, Bali and Taiwan.

As of October 5th 2022, Hoshino Resorts offers free-of-charge medical insurance for international travellers (no payment required). This medical insurance covers the cost of medical treatment for any sickness, including COVID-19, that may occur during a stay at all 55 Hoshino Resorts properties in Japan. To take advantage of this new, free-of-charge medical insurance, visitors to Japan must make reservations for Hoshino Resorts Group properties through the company's official booking website, www.hoshinoresorts.com. Please see further information here: https://www.hoshinoresorts.com/en/sp/safetravel/.

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