"The pride of Ryokan" is a series that introduces the okami and managers of inns that are members of "The Ryokan Collection." This time, we will be introducing Ms. Mayumi Arai, the okami of "THE HIRAMATSU HOTELS & RESORTS ATAMI."

"THE HIRAMATSU HOTELS & RESORTS ATAMI" is an exclusive ryokan-style inn inspired by European culinary traditions that sits modestly on a hill overlooking Sagami Bay. It calls itself a "European Ryokan." It is the second of the six HIRAMATSU HOTELS to open. Atami is a hot spring town where you can sense the culture of many literary figures and business people who have spent time here, and the atmosphere of the inn enhances the charm of the area. The inn's concept of a "restaurant to stay in" is now certainly gaining recognition. We spoke to the okami, Arai Mayumi, who has been at the forefront of leading the inn from the start.

A stunning view of Sagami Bay

"THE HIRAMATSU HOTELS & RESORTS ATAMI" opened in 2016, making it nine years since it first opened. The same amount of time has passed since I began working as the okami here.

There are two things I am proud of about this lodge.

One of them is the main building in the sukiya style, built by master carpenter Kinoshita Koichi, who is acclaimed as a master craftsman of the modern era. The more you look closely, the more beautiful the details become. Although it is not used very often, even professionals seem to admire the teahouse. The world of wabi-sabi revealed in the plasterwork on the walls makes you sigh in surprise.

The second is the view of Sagami Bay, where your line of sight is exactly at the same height as the horizon. On a clear day, you can see Hatsushima, Oshima, and even the Miura and Boso Peninsulas. Many guests find this view soothing. That's why I always say to the view, "Thank you so much".

The feeling of staying at a relative's house

Although the inn is blessed with an extraordinary natural setting, it is us, the staff, who put our soul into it. I think the greatest feature of "THE HIRAMATSU HOTELS & RESORTS ATAMI" is that it gives all our guests a sense of nostalgia and comfort. This is clearly evident in the large number of repeat customers.

My ideal image is for guests to think of the inn as "like visiting relative's home." It would be presumptuous to call them family, but "relatives feels just right." I think to some extent I'm able to achieve this, as many guests come out of their way to bring back souvenirs, just as if they were revisiting the home of a loved one. If that's the case, it must be a great honor to be a hostess.

Enjoy exquisite French cuisine in an elegant and inviting atmosphere

The main attraction of this inn is not only the hot spring bathing, but also the French dinners. The two chefs, Chef Keisuke Ino and Creative Director Kentaro Suzuki, create dishes using local ingredients. Ino specializes in traditional French cuisine, while Suzuki specializes in modern-style French cuisine.

Atami is not only blessed with seafood, but also produces an abundance of delicious vegetables. The chef visits the fishing port and farms, which is a good opportunity to deepen ties with the local community. The full course meal incorporates seafood and vegetables that take advantage of the local area, as well as seasonal ingredients sourced from all over Japan.

Some guests choose to dine in their comfortable attire after a soothing bath, enjoying a full course French dinner in a relaxed yet refined atmosphere, just like they would at home. The concept of our inn is a "restaurant to stay in," so it makes us happy when our guests can fully relax during their meal.

"The face of the inn is not the general manager but the okami"

HIRAMATSU HOTELS was established in the following order: Kashikojima (Mie), Atami (Shizuoka), Sengokuhara (Kanagawa), Ginoza (Okinawa), Kyoto, Karuizawa Miyota (Nagano). Our hotel originated as a restaurant, but it is rare for a restaurant to establish and define a hotel brand.

What's even more unusual is that when we first opened, we didn't hire anyone with hotel experience, even though it was a field we had no experience in. We started the inn business with only the members who had worked in the restaurant and wedding business at Hiramatsu.

Looking back on it now, it's surprising, but that was precisely what made Hiramatsu unique at the time. The founder believed that in order to truly embody the essence of Hiramatsu as a restaurant, this approach was essential.

The reason why I became the okami is simple. The founder told me, "The face of this inn is the okami. So I want you to take on that role." I think the founder had in mind a French auberge, but he must have realized that an inn needs to have a face. I was asked to take on the role just two months before the inn was scheduled to be completed.

The reason why the founder appointed me is simple. Since the location is Atami, which is close to Tokyo, it was easy to anticipate that many distinguished guests would visit, and it was easy to predict that the customer's expectation would naturally be high. I had experience dealing with a variety of customers in the bridal industry, so I think he thought I would be able to deal with the situation flexibly.

In reality, our guests include many well-known cultural figures, celebrities, and even internationally renowned personalities.

The hotel business starts from scratch

I started from scratch as a hostess, but I also started from scratch when opening a hotel. I only had the restaurant and bridal know-how I had cultivated at Hiramatsu, but when it came to the accommodation business, I was fumbling around. The biggest difference between a restaurant and a hotel is the length of stay. That was the biggest challenge.

When we first opened, we received several feedback from our guests. The initial phase was full of challenges, and it took about a year and a half to settle down. I had a lot of worries, but I managed to continue until today, so I praise myself for doing my best!

"Hiramatsuism" and the inheritance of architecture

Many of the other facilities that are members of "The Ryokan Collection" have a strong history, traditions, and cultural legacies. An important theme is always "inheritance" from previous generations, or even generations before that.

In that sense, what we have inherited is the culture of exceptional hospitality cultivated through our restaurants and wedding businesses, and our commitment to culinary excellence. In a word, this can be called "Hiramatsu-ism."

I said earlier that staying here is like visiting a relative's home. In fact, this Sukiya-style building was once the vacation home and guesthouse of a company executive. He and his wife had given it a tasteful and luxurious look down to the last detail.

I think that's the reason why the warmth of a former residence still remains here and there. I think that's why our guests today can also feel that warmth and are comforted by it.

The warmth of a traditional Japanese house can best be experienced by staying in one of the two Premier Suites “Ume” or “Matsu”. However, you can also fully enjoy it in the public spaces, such as the entrance, dining room, and terrace.

Even the shoji screens, which require difficult techniques to paste, are done by craftsmen in Kyoto. In that sense, maintaining this sukiya-style architecture is an important part of "succession."

From the apparel industry to the bridal industry

Before joining, before coming to Hiramatsu, I worked in the apparel industry. However, the bridal industry had always been at the forefront of my mind. That's when Hiramatsu decided to start restaurant weddings. That was exactly 29 years ago, in 1996.

At that time, hotels and wedding halls were still the mainstream for bridal. Therefore, what Hiramatsu was trying to do was one or even two steps ahead of the times. A wedding coordinator -- we call them concierges -- listens to every detail of the customer's requests and creates the wedding.

This time too, we started without hiring anyone with wedding experience from outside. We gradually increased the number of contracted parties who would become our partners in creating weddings, such as florists we had connections with at the restaurant and dress shops brought in by customers.

After spending 20 years in the wedding industry, I found myself taking on the challenge of building a hotel from scratch.

The establishment of "Hiramatsu Academy"

Looking back from where we started, the present feels like a completely different era.

Each guest have their own reason for choosing us. There are few guests who seek activities, but there are people who like to watch the ocean in silence, people who come to enjoy exquisite cuisine, people who want to soak in the hot springs and hear only the quiet sound of the ocean, people who look forward to chatting with our staff, and so on.

We want to be there for our guests to provide attentive care while maintaining an appropriate distance. And, basically, we think that if guests think that "enjoying fine cuisine and relaxing in the hot springs is what makes this hotel great," they will come back.

If you have any requests in advance, we would like to respond to them as much as possible. We believe that this is possible because we have only 13 guest rooms and can provide face-to-face hospitality.

We recently launched "Hiramatsu Academy," an initiative to pass on the "Hiramatsu-ism" to the next generation.

For example, we teach what Hiramatsu thinks "hospitality" and "true luxury" are. This includes various trivia, such as what Riedel glassware, Bernardaud porcelain, and Edo Kiriko cut glass are. So-called "trivia" is very important, because it can be a starting point for conversation with customers. As one of the teachers, I hope to be able to convey experiences that cannot be put into words.

Mayumi Arai

Born in Tokyo in 1967. After working in the apparel industry, she joined Hiramatsu Inc. in 1996. She worked as a bridal coordinator from the early days of restaurant weddings. She later became the head of bridal division. In 2016, she was appointed as the proprietress(okami) of "THE HIRAMATSU HOTELS & RESORTS ATAMI" upon opening, a position she continues to hold to this day.

Composition/Written by:Toshizumi Ishibashi

Former editor-in-chief of "CREA Traveller" and "CREA”. He is currently a freelance editor and writer, working as a contributing editor in the Premium Japan editorial department.

Photo by Toshiyuki Furuya