Azumi Setoda ryokan to open in March 2021
A new hotelier has entered the boutique ryokan space in Japan, with their first project in the Setouchi Region to open in March 2021. Azumi Setoda is the first of the Azumi hotel projects - a hotel brand established by Adrian Zecha, founder of Aman, and Kyoto-based hospitality group Naru Developments.
Onomichi Castle to be demolished
Onomichi Castle, a replica of a traditional Japanese castle tower, will be demolished after sitting vacant for almost three decades.
New life for old homes in Onomichi
On the hillside leading up to Senko-ji Temple in Onomichi City, Hiroshima, sits an old wooden house built between 1921 ~ 1923. Despite being registered as a national tangible cultural property in 2013, the historic home had been left empty to rot on the hillside for decades.
Luckily, a local non-profit organisation has stepped in to restore the old property and convert it into a guesthouse. Repairs will start this month, with completion expected by February 2016.