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Kannawa (Onsen)

Beppu, a representative hot spring city of Japan, is home to Kannawa Onsen, which preserves a rich tradition of “toji” or hot spring therapy. Toji involves long-term stays at hot spring facilities for therapeutic or healing purposes. Guests stay in rented rooms at toji inns, where they eat and sleep, enjoy “jigoku-mushi” dishes cooked using hot spring steam, and soak in the hot springs to warm their bodies thoroughly, enhancing their natural healing powers. Various studies on the potential of hot springs are still ongoing, and new initiatives are emerging in Kannawa, such as proposals for short-stay toji experiences that suit modern lifestyles. The unique landscape with rising steam has been designated as an Important Cultural Landscape under the name “Beppu’s Hot Spring Steam and Hot Spring Resort Landscape,” continuing to offer visitors an extraordinary healing experience.

Hanayamomo Hall & Gallery

This building, constructed in 1899 (Meiji Era 32), welcomed guests as “Fujiya Ryokan” through the Taisho and Showa eras until 1996 (Heisei Era 8). Its impressive exterior, featuring a two-story wooden structure with authentic tile roofing and a distinctive chidori-hafu gable at the entrance, has stood as a landmark in Kannawa for 120 years, preserving the rich history of toji (hot spring therapy) culture to this day.

Records show that the building was crafted by numerous skilled artisans, including master carpenter Yakuro Toyoshima from Beppu Kamegawa, alongside woodworkers, stonemasons, and plasterers. The landscape, comprising the main building, front gate, stone steps, and stone walls, received high acclaim and was designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2001 (Heisei Era 13). The craftsmanship, deeply imbued with the marks of human labor, exudes a unique character distinctly different from modern buildings, with an air of timeless elegance permeating.

SUSTAINABLE

Cross Laminated Timber

Spend time
in the Japanese Forest Room.

The room section uses the CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) method with domestically sourced thinned wood, without using steel or concrete. As if you’re in a forest, it’s cool in summer and surrounded by the warmth of wood in winter. Because it’s a hot spring area, creating a HOTEL with Japanese wood that lasts over 100 years—this vision lives within the invisible structure of the building.

Geothermal Heating

Geothermal heating unique
to Beppu Onsen

We have introduced geothermal heating that utilizes the abundant steam from Kannawa. The heat generated from the hot springs gently surrounds the entire building, creating a space filled with comfortable warmth even in winter. Please relax and enjoy your time while immersing yourself in the gentle warmth that makes use of nature’s blessings ecologically.

Hell Steamed Food

Hell Steaming Cuisine
with Onsen

“Jigoku-mushi” (hell steaming) is a traditional cooking method that steams ingredients using the 100°C natural vapors from Kannawa.
This healthy cooking technique brings out the inherent flavors of vegetables, meat, and fish. The result is a tender texture with a deep taste imparted by the hot spring minerals. Please enjoy this unique experience that weaves hot springs and cuisine together, available only here.

INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW

What “Essence” Means to the Japanese

Considering the significance of preserving the old

Fujiya Hotel constantly explores the ideal future of Kannawa and hot spring therapy culture. With plans to open a new hotel next year, they are preparing to welcome many new visitors to Kannawa Onsen.

While working daily with an eye on Kannawa’s future, a thought suddenly struck me about the old Fujiya Ryokan building, constructed in the late Meiji era. Gazing at the gleaming black pillars that have stood for over 120 years, I realized: “To envision the future, we must cherish the past.”
This revelation ignited a desire to learn more about the wooden ryokan architecture our predecessors have passed down. I felt a strong urge to solidify our roots so we can extend our branches far into the future. I’m determined to deeply contemplate the meaning and significance of this building’s presence in the town of Kannawa.

To explore this idea, I will be visiting scholars, artists, craftsmen, and architects who are actively involved in various fields, including those who have worked on the Fujiya building. I’ll be asking them about what we should “cherish for the future” as our central theme.

Visiting Tokuzou Shouno, a bamboo craftsman living in Oita City

Tokuzou Shouno is a bamboo craftsman who has been active in Oita for several years. His works are housed in the Oita Prefectural Art Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States. Last year, he received the Prime Minister’s Award at the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition, contributing to the development of arts and culture for several years as one of Oita’s leading artists.
Tokuzou Shouno is a bamboo craftsman who has been active in Oita for several years. His works are housed in the Oita Prefectural Art Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States. Last year, he received the Prime Minister’s Award at the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition, contributing to the development of arts and culture for several years as one of Oita’s leading artists.

When I asked Tokuzou what he keeps in mind to create such a tranquil atmosphere, he spoke about “the beauty that resides in things that have aged over time.”

When renovating and expanding “Shikuntei,” old materials from an ancient house in Ajimu were brought in, high-quality fixtures like sliding doors and fusuma were also collected from the Kansai region. Currently, the alcove in the sitting room displays ceramics, woodwork, and calligraphy from various periods and places, along with wildflowers, delighting visitors’ eyes. While Shikuntei is filled with the spirit of the “ancient,” Tokuzou says this is not a deliberate pursuit of an old-fashioned style, but simply the result of seeking “things with essence.”

For Japanese people, what is “essence”

So, what exactly is this “essence”

It is often said that at the root of Japanese sensibility and values lies the concept of “impermanence” (mujō). This is the sense that all things before us now are temporary, flowing, and ephemeral. This sensibility is connected to aesthetics such as “transience” (hakanasa) and “once-in-a-lifetime encounter” (ichigo ichie). It can be said that this is a value system opposite to the concept of “eternity” found in Western philosophy.

From ancient times to the modern era, people in Japan have faced ongoing battles with epidemics like smallpox and measles, as well as frequent natural disasters such as eathqueakes and typhoons. Living in such an environment, I believe the concept of “impermanence” has been unconsciously imprinted on the minds of Japanese people. By acknowledging this “impermanence” as fundamental to the Japanese psyche, we can begin to glimpse the shape of what is “essential”.
Perhaps it is precisely because of this world that feelings of gratitude and awe arise towards things that have existed for a long time. The essence that resides in “old things” seems to stand in contrast to the fast-changing world.
Now, let’s apply this sensibility to “buildings”. The act of building a small structure is sometimes expressed as “tying a hermitage”. While the word “tie” means to bring various elements together into one, there’s an even more important meaning. That is, “it can be untied”.

Traditionally, for Japanese people, buildings were meant to be “tied” when needed, and when their purpose was fulfilled, they were “untied” to be returned to nature or passed on to the next person. Nowadays, buildings that have served their purpose are seen as objects to be demolished and discarded. However, until quite recently, they were things that could be “untied”. Not only tiles and timber, but even earthen walls were carefully scraped off, taken away, and delivered to other sites. This is undoubtedly rooted in the spirit of “things that flow”.

“Shikuntei” can be described as a place tied together by gathering things that evoke a sense of “essence”. True “beauty” may not be something we deliberately create, but rather something that emerges as a result.

This time, I received important insights from Tokuzou. Moving forward, I want to continue thinking about “what should be cherished” as I look at the Fujiya Ryokan building, our future hotel operations, and the entire town of Kannawa.

PROFILE

Tokuzo Shono

Born in Oita City, Oita Prefecture in 1942. Bamboo craftsman.
Graduated from Musashino Art University, Department of Sculpture. Studied under his father Shounsai. Involved in the production of crafts at Shikuntei Studio.
After Shounsai’s death in 1974, he started his career as an artist.
Since his first selection in 1979, he has been selected for the Nitten every year, receiving the Special Prize in 1988 and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award in 2016.

INTERVIEW

Sustainability in Japanese Architecture

Considering the significance of preserving the old

Fujiya Hotel constantly explores the ideal future of Kannawa and hot spring therapy culture. With plans to open a new hotel next year, they are preparing to welcome many new visitors to Kannawa Onsen.

While working daily with an eye on Kannawa’s future, a thought suddenly struck me about the old Fujiya Ryokan building, constructed in the late Meiji era. Gazing at the gleaming black pillars that have stood for over 120 years, I realized: “To envision the future, we must cherish the past.”
This revelation ignited a desire to learn more about the wooden ryokan architecture our predecessors have passed down. I felt a strong urge to solidify our roots so we can extend our branches far into the future. I’m determined to deeply contemplate the meaning and significance of this building’s presence in the town of Kannawa.

To explore this idea, I will be visiting scholars, artists, craftsmen, and architects who are actively involved in various fields, including those who have worked on the Fujiya building. I’ll be asking them about what we should “cherish for the future” as our central theme.

Visiting Tokuzou Shouno, a bamboo craftsman living in Oita City

Tokuzou Shouno is a bamboo craftsman who has been active in Oita for several years. His works are housed in the Oita Prefectural Art Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States. Last year, he received the Prime Minister’s Award at the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition, contributing to the development of arts and culture for several years as one of Oita’s leading artists.

For Japanese people, what is “essence”

So, what exactly is this “essence”

It is often said that at the root of Japanese sensibility and values lies the concept of “impermanence” (mujō). This is the sense that all things before us now are temporary, flowing, and ephemeral. This sensibility is connected to aesthetics such as “transience” (hakanasa) and “once-in-a-lifetime encounter” (ichigo ichie). It can be said that this is a value system opposite to the concept of “eternity” found in Western philosophy.

From ancient times to the modern era, people in Japan have faced ongoing battles with epidemics like smallpox and measles, as well as frequent natural disasters such as eathqueakes and typhoons. Living in such an environment, I believe the concept of “impermanence” has been unconsciously imprinted on the minds of Japanese people. By acknowledging this “impermanence” as fundamental to the Japanese psyche, we can begin to glimpse the shape of what is “essential”.

Perhaps it is precisely because of this world that feelings of gratitude and awe arise towards things that have existed for a long time. The essence that resides in “old things” seems to stand in contrast to the fast-changing world.

Now, let’s apply this sensibility to “buildings”. The act of building a small structure is sometimes expressed as “tying a hermitage”. While the word “tie” means to bring various elements together into one, there’s an even more important meaning. That is, “it can be untied”.

Traditionally, for Japanese people, buildings were meant to be “tied” when needed, and when their purpose was fulfilled, they were “untied” to be returned to nature or passed on to the next person. Nowadays, buildings that have served their purpose are seen as objects to be demolished and discarded. However, until quite recently, they were things that could be “untied”. Not only tiles and timber, but even earthen walls were carefully scraped off, taken away, and delivered to other sites. This is undoubtedly rooted in the spirit of “things that flow”.

“Shikuntei” can be described as a place tied together by gathering things that evoke a sense of “essence”. True “beauty” may not be something we deliberately create, but rather something that emerges as a result.

This time, I received important insights from Tokuzou. Moving forward, I want to continue thinking about “what should be cherished” as I look at the Fujiya Ryokan building, our future hotel operations, and the entire town of Kannawa.

PROFILE

Susumu Harada

Born in 1958 in Hita City, Oita Prefecture. Second generation plasterer. Plasterer.
After graduating from Hita Forestry High School in Oita Prefecture in 1976, he studied under his father, and in 1980 entered the plastering course at the Kumamoto Prefectural Vocational Training College (leaving after two years), where he studied under Akira Kusumi of Awaji Island. He has been involved in the restoration of Sanwa Sake’s Ajimuin Budoshu Kobo, the restoration of the former Hino Clinic in Yufu City, and the preservation and renovation of Mameda-cho, etc. Since 2001, he has been a lecturer at the summer seminar at the Technical University of Aachen, Germany. In 2012, he founded the Hita Craftsmen’s Association, and from 2012 to 2015, he served as the first chairman of the Japan Plasterers’ Association.

Fujiya HOTEL

〒874-0046
1, Kannawa-kami, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture
Fax. 0977-66-0302

Tel.

0977-66-3251

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