Beniya Mukayu is the onsen ryokan to book if your Japan honeymoon includes Kanazawa and you want to soak together in privacy. It sits in Yamashiro Onsen, one of the Kaga hot spring towns about an hour southwest of Kanazawa and every one of its 16 rooms has its own open-air bath made of hinoki cypress and fed by the local spring. That solves the main problem couples face at Japanese hot springs, where public baths are split by gender.
The inn is family run and belongs to Relais & Châteaux. Its style is quiet and modern rather than ornate: low furniture, clay walls, local crafts and big windows onto a garden of maples, moss and pines. Dinner is a seasonal kaiseki meal built around Kaga ingredients and the in-house spa has won international awards.
It suits couples who want a slow day or two of bathing, good food and tea ceremony moments after the busier city sights. It is less suited to travelers who want a lot of activities, nightlife or a big hotel's facilities. Pair one or two nights here with a night or two in Kanazawa itself.
Highlights at a glance
- Private open-air hinoki bath in all 16 rooms
- Relais & Châteaux family-run ryokan
- Seasonal kaiseki dinners with Kaga ingredients
- Award-winning spa
- Garden of maples, moss and pines
Why Couples Love Beniya Mukayu
The name comes from a phrase meaning a state of doing nothing and that is the point. Arrive in the afternoon, change into a yukata and you may not leave the inn until breakfast the next day. The garden sits at the center of the building, so wherever you walk you see moss, stone and trees changing with the seasons: fresh green in spring, red maples in November and snow on the pines in winter.
The bath on your own terrace becomes the rhythm of the stay. Couples soak before dinner, again under the stars and once more at dawn. The family and staff are attentive without fuss, offering tea and help with the town. It feels like staying with a gracious host who loves design.
Rooms and Suites to Book
All 16 rooms have a private open-air hinoki bath, so even the entry category gives you the essential experience.
- Japanese-style rooms, about 70 square meters, have tatami floors and futon bedding. Four are available.
- Western-style rooms, about 60 square meters, have beds and are easier if either of you finds sleeping on the floor hard.
- Japanese-Western junior and executive suites, from 70 to 100 square meters, combine tatami living space with beds. These are the best balance for a honeymoon.
- Two special rooms, Wakamurasaki and Byakuroku, are 110 to 120 square meters.
With only 16 rooms, book well ahead for autumn foliage and crab season.
Kaiseki Dinners and the Spa
Dinner is a multi-course kaiseki meal that follows the seasons, with seafood from the Sea of Japan, mountain vegetables and rice from Kaga. In winter, snow crab is a highlight in this region; ask whether it is included or an optional upgrade. Food is served on local Kutani and Yamanaka lacquer ware, which is part of the pleasure. Tell the inn about any dietary needs when you book, since the menu is planned in advance.
The spa has won awards, including Best Small Hotel Spa Worldwide in 2015. Treatments are designed around the seasons and local ingredients. A couple's treatment after a long day of trains is a good way to start your stay. Ask about the inn's morning activities in the garden when you check in.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
Yamashiro Onsen is a small, walkable town and a good place for an evening stroll in yukata.
- The Kosoyu public bathhouse, a reconstruction of a historic wooden bath, is at the center of town. Visit to see it even if you soak back at the inn.
- Kutani ware, the famous colorful porcelain of Kaga, has its roots here and the town has kilns and a museum.
- Yamanaka Onsen, a short drive away, has the Kakusenkei gorge walk along the river.
- Kanazawa is an hour away for Kenroku-en garden, the Higashi Chaya teahouse district and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.
Tattoos can limit access to public baths in Japan, which is another reason the private bath matters.
Getting There
From Kanazawa, take the train south to Kaga-Onsen station, which takes under half an hour on the fastest services, then a short taxi ride to Yamashiro Onsen. From Tokyo, the Hokuriku Shinkansen runs to Kaga-Onsen directly in about three hours. Komatsu Airport (KMQ), with domestic flights from Tokyo Haneda, is about 30 minutes by car.
Most international couples fly into Tokyo, spend a few days there and continue by bullet train to Kanazawa and the Kaga onsen towns. A Japan rail pass or regional pass may save money depending on your route. Arrive by mid-afternoon so you have time to bathe before dinner, which is usually served at a set hour. Winter brings snow, so allow extra time for travel.
Is It Worth It?
For couples who want a true ryokan night with privacy, yes. A private open-air bath in every room is rare at this level in the Kaga onsen towns and the inn's design, food and spa make it more than just a place to sleep. Because dinner and breakfast are usually included, the price covers most of your day.
It is not cheap and it is not for everyone. If you prefer a full hotel with bars and a gym, or want to explore the city at night, stay in Kanazawa instead and make Beniya Mukayu a single special night. Some couples find the quiet, set dinner times and floor-level living a little restrictive. Book a room with beds if comfort matters. For a calm, intimate onsen stay near Kanazawa, this is the one we would pick.
Insider tips
- Choose a Japanese-Western suite if you want tatami space but real beds.
- Ask whether winter dinners include snow crab or need an upgrade.
- Walk to the Kosoyu bathhouse in yukata after dinner, then soak back in your room.
- Book autumn foliage dates several months ahead; there are only 16 rooms.
