Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Japan / Taketomi Island / HOSHINOYA Taketomi Is.
HOSHINOYA Taketomi Is.
Taketomi Island, Japan · Hoshinoya · High Luxury
The only resort on tiny Taketomi Island, home to just a few hundred people and its own local constitution protecting island tradition. Village chiefs only approved construction on condition the resort keep to single-story buildings, so architect Rie Azuma built a mini-village of 48 wood-framed Ryukyu-style villas with red-tiled roofs, stone walls and Shisa guardian figures around a live-house lobby where locals play the sanshin.
- 48 rooms
- Opened 2012
- Neighborhood: Higashiyashiki
- Rooms from 2,799 sq ft (260 m²)
- Architect: Rie Azuma (landscape by Hiroki Hasegawa)
About HOSHINOYA Taketomi Is.
- Landscape designer Hiroki Hasegawa lived on the island to study its pace before laying out the mini-village.
- The house runs on the island dialect idea of Utsugumi, unity and cooperation; villas have no TVs.
- A ten-minute ferry from Ishigaki Port is the usual way in; buffalo carts keep the local clock.
- Condé Nast Traveler put it on the 2013 Best New Hotels in the World list.
- Entry-level rooms start at 2,799 sq ft (260 m²).
History
HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island is the only luxury resort on tiny Taketomi Island in Okinawa's Yaeyama Islands, a protected heritage island of roughly 5.4 square kilometres with only a few hundred inhabitants and its own community constitution safeguarding its traditions. Opened on 1 June 2012 as the third property in Hoshino Resorts' flagship HOSHINOYA collection, the resort could only be built after a lengthy consultation with local village chiefs, whose approval imposed strict rules to respect the island's architectural style — resulting in single-tier structures only.
Designed by architect Rie Azuma with landscape by Hiroki Hasegawa — who lived on the island to study its traditional lifestyle — the resort takes the form of a mini-village of 48 wood-structure Ryukyu-style villas with red-tiled roofs, stone walls and Shisa guardian figures, arranged around a live-house lobby where locals perform on the traditional sanshin. It embodies the island dialect concept of 'Utsugumi' (unity and cooperation) and was celebrated in Condé Nast Traveler's 2013 'Best New Hotels in the World'.
Restaurants and bars
- Island Terroir — Restaurant · French cuisine with Yaeyama Islands ingredients · Chef Tatsuo Nakasu (Head Chef)
- Yuntaku Lounge — Bar
Experiences
- "Yonna" Deep Breathing — Deep breathing and gentle stretches held at sunrise on adjacent Aiyaru Beach, daily for 30 minutes between 6:20 and 7:30; free.
- "Tinnu" Deep Breathing — Evening deep breathing and gentle stretches under the night sky on the poolside lawn, daily 9:15pm-9:45pm; free.
- Sunset Private Sabani — About 2 hours sailing on a traditional wooden boat propelled by wind and paddles, including sunset; 13,310 JPY per person.
- Weaving Bookmark Experience — Hands-on weaving on a local loom with plant-dyed yarn using traditional island crafts; Tuesdays and Saturdays, 3,025 yen per person.
- Morning Tour in a Water Buffalo Carriage — Leisurely tour through the village in the resort's water buffalo cart, Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8:30-9:30am; 3,800 JPY per person.
- Evening Tour in a Water Buffalo Carriage — Tour through the sunset-lit village accompanied by sanshin music, Wednesdays 6:00-7:00pm; 4,200 JPY per person.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Water sports
Open HOSHINOYA Taketomi Is. in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
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