Sanyo-so is a ryokan situated in the hot spring resort of Izu-Nagaoka in the Nakaizu district. The original ryokan-style inn was built as a villa for Hisaya, the eldest son of Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of the former Mitsubishi conglomerate. It stands in a grand Japanese garden laid out by the Kyoto garden artist Jihei Ogawa. The elegant Japanese-style dwelling in sukiya or teahouse style was recognized as an important national cultural asset and designated a tangible cultural property in June 2017 by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
The new building, which is an extension of the original inn, was created by the architect Togo Murano with a design that sought harmony with the natural features of the site. This no doubt explains its single-story structure, which nevertheless does include staircases. The basic layout of outbuildings linked by corridors also speaks of inventive design. The magnificent and richly verdant grounds are occupied by a garden, decorated with elegant water channels and cascades, where the beauty of the four seasons can be appreciated to the full.
The locations recommended for filming are without doubt the sukiya-style dwelling house, which is still hosting guests in its 75th year, and the Japanese garden said to extend to 9,900 square meters in area. One of the inn’s most charming aspects is the constant flow of pure hot spring water straight from the source to the hot tub in each room. We invite you to capture on film Sanyo-so’s carefully distilled essence of Japanese style.