"The Pride of Ryokan" is a series introducing the proprietresses and managers of ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) that are members of "The Ryokan Collection." This time, we introduce Shinji Ido, acting general manager and head chef of "ABBA RESORTS IZU – Zagyosou," located in the Ukiyama Onsenkyo hot spring area of ​​Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Nestled in the untouched natural beauty of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, amidst a villa area of ​​the Izu Highlands dotted with elegant architecture, lies "ABBA RESORTS IZU – Zagyosou." This long-established inn boasts a sprawling 6000-tsubo (approximately 20,000 square meters) property and has a history spanning over 50 years.
Located within a national park, the grounds are lush with trees, and the greenery is dazzling. It resembles a small hill, and in the vast gardens, clear streams and waterfalls splash, and colorful koi carp frolic. The damp moss adds to the picturesque atmosphere.

Below is an interview with Shinji Ido, acting general manager.

The new owner's hybrid strategy

"We have just added six rooms, including family maisonettes and villas, to the South Wing, which is connected to the main East Wing. Each guest room is themed around a waka poem by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro or a haiku by Yosa Buson from the Manyoshu anthology, and we have incorporated their worldviews into the interior design and colors. These rooms have been in operation since July 7th."

The six newly constructed Japanese-modern guest rooms each offer a tranquil space that embodies Japanese culture.

Acting General Manager Ido joined Zagyosō 28 years ago as the deputy head chef. At that time, the inn was owned by the previous owner, who was also the founder. Even back then, it was renowned as a high-class ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) serving authentic kaiseki cuisine that stood head and shoulders above the rest of the Izu Peninsula.

A major turning point came in 2012.

"The property has now been taken over by a foreign owner. Discussions about the transfer of management had been underway since around 2008. However, in March 2011, a year before the transfer was finalized, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, and our inn found itself in a situation where its future, and even its continued existence, was completely uncertain."

I thought this deal might fall through, but the current owner took over the business as originally planned. The owner's sentiment was, "Ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) are a culture unique to Japan, so let's keep it going and prevent it from declining." At the time, I was the head chef, and I was truly grateful and felt nothing but gratitude.

Of course, I wasn't without anxiety.

"That said, since the owner is a foreigner, I was worried about how the Japanese inn would change. However, the first thing the owner declared was 'the preservation of Japanese culture.'"

Regarding the building, some parts were preserved, while others were renovated.

"Our operational policy is to retain the best aspects of a traditional Japanese inn while adopting a hybrid strategy to meet the needs of modern customers. We have preserved the historical value of the main building with minimal renovations, while also creating villas with private pools, pet-friendly rooms, and maisonette-type rooms."

The villa complex boasts 16 rooms, scattered amidst nature a short distance from the main building, offering exceptional privacy. It evokes the villas found around Ubud in Bali (two other newly built villas are located next to the main building). Not only the villas, but all rooms are equipped with private open-air hot spring baths, a feature that guests will greatly appreciate.

Three attractive restaurants

If the primary attraction of this inn is the surrounding natural beauty, then its second core attraction lies in its diverse cuisine. The new owner has made significant improvements to the food.

"We changed our dining style from in-room dining to restaurant dining. We continue to offer kaiseki cuisine, and have introduced contemporary French cuisine and teppanyaki. As a result, we have seen an increase in affluent guests, seasoned travelers, and guests staying for multiple nights."

Izu is also a treasure trove of ingredients.

"Our Japanese cuisine continues to uphold the tradition of kaiseki cuisine, which has been passed down for over 50 years. I also serve as the head chef, so I create the menus. I'm currently extremely busy with work for the entire inn, but I make sure to stand in the kitchen occasionally so that my skills don't get rusty."
What's truly wonderful is the abundance of ingredients available in Izu. It's enough to allow us to base our business on locally sourced ingredients.

First, we source fresh seafood from Ito Market and within Shizuoka Prefecture, especially splendid alfonsino, black rockfish, spiny lobster, scorpionfish, red grouper, and bigfin reef squid. Ito Market is only a 30-minute drive away, so the fish from there are exceptionally fresh. In winter, we also offer a plan featuring wild pufferfish from Lake Hamana. In fact, Lake Hamana boasts one of the highest catches of wild pufferfish in Japan.

Also, we use vegetables sourced in collaboration with local farmers. Even if they're a little further away, they're still Mishima vegetables, and we carefully select and use mini radishes, carrots, radishes, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, arugula, and shiitake mushrooms grown on logs.
Actually, my home is in the mountains nearby, so I buy vegetables from local farmers two or three times a week and carry them to work in the mornings (laughs)."

Beef is included in the evening kaiseki menu, but what about the meat?

"We used to use beef from Shizuoka, but because the supply wasn't stable, we've now settled on Miyazaki's Kuroge Wagyu beef. Japanese chefs don't get taught how to grill meat, so we're experimenting with low-temperature cooking and diligently researching beef and duck."
Furthermore, the local Amagi Shamo chicken we use in our French cuisine has a wonderfully firm texture. The venison is also delicious, so we are focusing on using that as well."

The three restaurants—Japanese, French, and Teppanyaki—are all delicious and have an excellent reputation. In 2017, they even won an award in the Japanese and Western cuisine category at the prestigious "World Boutique Awards."

"At that time, a French chef and I went to the awards ceremony in London."
Our menu changes every two months for Japanese cuisine and seasonally for French cuisine. For guests staying three nights, we can adjust the menu even if they only choose Japanese, French, or teppanyaki. We also cater to vegetarians and vegans.

It's rare to find a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) so focused on food in the heart of Izu. It also has deep ties to the local community.

"Our owner's philosophy and management policy is to 'prosper together with the community,' so we primarily source our ingredients from local producers and markets. In other words, we aim for coexistence and mutual prosperity with the local economy."

Excellent training policies in the kitchen

"In the kitchen, the custom for a master chef training a young apprentice was to say, 'Learn by watching.' It was naturally very strict, and it wasn't uncommon for harsh reprimands or even physical punishment to occur. I came here as the sous chef, but the head chef was a well-known figure, serving as the chairman of the Shizuoka Prefecture Chefs Association at the time. His thinking was completely different from the custom, and he often said, 'You can't train them the way we were trained when we were young.' At the heart of his thinking was the belief that 'young people are treasures.'"

Of course, he would get angry when necessary, but he was told, "Make sure you get angry in a way that people can understand and accept." That was quite unusual at the time. That spirit is still carried on today, and careful guidance has become a tradition at this inn. As a result, we have a stable supply of staff, and above all, our organizational strength has increased."

They are currently strengthening their collaboration with culinary schools. In the industry, it's become a well-established belief that "Zagyosou is the place to go for culinary apprenticeships and job placements."

A rare kimono, swords, and Japanese cultural experience

Finally, I'd like to mention the third attraction of this inn: the opportunity to experience and interact with Japanese culture.

"As I've mentioned before, the owner has a deep respect for Japanese culture, perhaps even more so than most Japanese people. He originally had an incredible collection of kimonos, and was also an astonishing collector of swords that were considered museum-quality."
"We display kimonos seasonally right inside the entrance, and our swords are exhibited in a sword gallery that is open to visitors at any time."

To give you just a glimpse of the kimonos, there are exquisite hand-painted Yuzen visiting kimonos, "Kyoto Yuzen" with a hi-ta dyed kazura obi (decorative sash), a fukuro obi (formal sash) entirely hand-woven by "Kyoto Nishijin weaving," and visiting kimonos by Yusui Toku, a world-renowned master of Kaga Yuzen.

To give you a glimpse of the swords, there are works that can be considered the culmination of the life's work of swordsmith Shoji Amada, a Living National Treasure. More than 30 swords are housed there, including masterpieces that can be seen as the final works of swordsmith Amada (some of them are on display).

Additionally, if desired, cultural experiences such as tea brewing and scented sachet making are available.

"I believe the best thing about this inn is that it allows guests to experience cultures that Japanese people are starting to forget—such as swords, kimonos, tea ceremonies, and incense ceremonies."

Currently, the hotel's guest base consists of 60% Japanese and 40% international tourists. The price range is 80,000 to 200,000 yen per person.

"After several renovations and expansions, I believe the inn's physical structure is nearing completion. Our top priority now is staff development. This will allow us to further raise the quality of our service. To achieve this, it's crucial that our staff are united in their focus, constantly learning and striving for excellence."

Shinji Ido

Born in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture. In his early twenties, he trained at "Wadakura" in the "Tokyo Palace Hotel" and other establishments. In 1999, he joined "Zagyosou" as the deputy head chef, and in 2007, he became the head chef. In 2014, he was appointed executive chef during the restaurant's renovation. Since 2025, he has also served as acting general manager, a position he holds to this day.

Composition/Written by:Toshizumi Ishibashi
Toshizumi Ishibashi

Former editor-in-chief of ``Claire Traveler'' and ``Claire.'' He is currently a freelance editor and writer, working as a contributing editor in the Premium Japan editorial department.

Photo by Toshityuki Furuya