THE RYOKAN COLLECTION

At Kaga Onsen Station or Komatsu airport, you will be welcomed by a driver, who will drive you to Beniya Mukayu by car or complimentary shuttle bus.
*Please book in advance.



Beniya Mukayu also has a complimentary shuttle bus service from Kaga Onsen Station, which is available from 2:20-6:00pm.

*From Kyoto: about 1 hour and 45 minutes by limited express train.
*From Tokyo: about 1 hour by air.
*You may also come from Tokyo by Shinkansen bullet train; this journey takes about 3 hours.

In recent years, the Japanese lifestyle has become increasingly westernized, and traditional Japan is fading into the background. Staying at a ryokan is the best way to savor the serene beauty of the traditional Japanese lifestyle.

Check-in at Beniya Mukayu.



Perched on a hill overlooking Yamashiro Onsen, Ishikawa Prefecture, the beautiful Beniya Mukayu ryokan offers a perfect blend of friendly, attentive service and the serene tranquility of nature. Mukayu makes the most of its natural blessings, using careful landscaping and floor-to-ceiling windows to bring the natural world and indoor spaces together. In its 16 rooms, each of which boasts an open-air hot spring bath, the ryokan embraces a mixture of outside and in, wide-open nature and inner space – you can see, hear and smell the seasons everywhere at Mukayu.

Our English speaking staff will take you on a short tour of the facilities.

Tea Ceremony
— Welcome by Kazunari Nakamichi, the ryokan owner —
Japanese culture is highlighted through the tea ceremony. At Beniya Mukayu, the tea ceremony is offered to the guests by the owner himself, Mr. Nakamichi, in the library. Enjoy a bowl of matcha tea and the conversation with the owner.

At Beniya Mukayu
*Subject to availability of Mr. Nakamichi.



Strolling around Yamashiro Onsen
Yamashiro Onsen is a small and cozy town with a clear hot spring very close to the town centre. You can walk around Yamashiro Onsen in approximately one hour, exploring the Kosoyu (Ancient Communal Bathhouse), the Yakuoin Temple and the Hattori Shrine, Iroha Sohan – the temporary residence for the legendary artist Rosanjin (1883-1959) - and Suda Seika porcelain shop.

Spa treatment at award-winning Spa Entei
Spa Entei carries on a century-long tradition of healing, by using water from the local Yamashiro hot spring and medicinal herbs. Along with our signature Yakushiyama (Healing Buddha Mountain) treatments, reflexology and other massage techniques, the Spa Entei also features herbal balls, which are steamed and applied to specific points on the body for a divinely relaxing experience. Spa Entei is open every day from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.





Savor the finest Kaga-style kaiseki Japanese haute cuisine dinner by Chef Hiroaki Kaku served on locally crafted Kutani porcelain and lacquered tableware. At Beniya Mukayu’s Kaiseki Horin you can enjoy original signature dishes of outstanding quality.

Enjoy Beniya Mukayu’s unique tailor made experiences and the Spa Entei. Unique experiences are available either in the morning or in the afternoon, allowing you to also enjoy the Spa Entei when it is more convenient for you. Duration varies from a minimum of 90 minutes to a maximum of 3 hours. All unique experiences are guided by English speaking staff or include instructions in English, and they are tailor-made according to your needs, the season, weather and preferences.

Option 1 - Chashaku (tea spoon) Making Experience



Chashaku, the bamboo scoop used in Japanese tea ceremony was originally whittled down by the tea masters themselves. Choose the appropriate bamboo for both the chashaku and its case (tomo-dutsu), then shape the essential parts of the chashaku using a small knife. Finally, write the name of chashaku and your name on the case with a brush and enjoy making tea with your own chashaku.

At Beniya Mukayu
1.5 hours
¥ 16,500 per person


Option 2 - Flower Appreciation and Arrangement



In the front garden, the approach, and the mountain garden of Beniya Mukayu, you will see a variety of plants in their natural state: buds, blossoms, and fruits. Take a stroll with our landlady or staff members to find your favorite plants. Pick and take them back, then arrange them in a vase with your own hands. Our style is rooted in Japanese tea ceremony; the flowers are arranged as naturally as if they were in the field. The flowers you arranged will be placed in your room for you to enjoy.

At Beniya Mukayu
1 hour
¥13,200 per person


Option 3 - Hakusan Medicinal Herbal Ball Making Experience



With the assistance of the therapists of our Spa Entei you will learn how to make and apply your own herbal balls using medicinal herbs native to the Mt. Hakusan. You will be able to choose your favorite ones from a selection of wild seasonal herbs, wrap them in cotton cloth and steam them in hot spring water from Yamashiro Onsen.

At Beniya Mukayu
1.5 hours
¥13,200 per person


Option 4 – Moss Terrarium Making Experience



In the mountain garden of Beniya Mukayu, green mosses are esteemed highly and regarded as being important as the hundreds-old pine trees and the seasonal flowers. In this workshop, you can choose your favorite from a variety of mosses and plant them in a Sonnenglas Mini jar that is gently lit by a small LED light. You can take your moss terrarium home with you.

At Beniya Mukayu
1 hour
¥13,200 per person


Option 5 - Japanese Natural Lacquer URUSHI Experience



“Urushi” lacquer is produced using natural sap since ancient times. You will paint a Japanese traditional fan Uchiwa with colorful urushi paints using a paintbrush guided by Yukiko and Yuki who studied under Tomizo Saratani, a world renowned urushi artist. Create your own original fan and bring it as a memory of Japanese culture.

At the artists’ studio
3 hours ～
¥22,000 per person


Option 6 – Kimono Wearing Experience



Join a local kimono shop owner who will instruct you in the essentials of Japanese “kimono”, how to wear and use in an authentic Japanese style before choosing a beautiful kimono of your choice. The shop owner will take pictures of you dressed in kimono in some iconic places in Yamashiro Onsen: a nice memory to take home.

*Unavailable on Tuesdays

At a local kimono shop
2 hours
¥18,700 per person


Option 7 – Kamisuki Paper Making Experience



Immerse yourself in the traditional processes and natural plant sources of Japanese Washi paper production. Become creative and make your own special postcards in the peaceful surroundings of nature in company of the artist Mika Horie.

At the artist’s studio
2 hours
¥13,200 per person


Option 8 – Maruhachi Tea Factory



Kaga Boucha tea is famous for its quality and excellent flavor. After the factory tour, you will learn about different tea leaves and stems, and what makes Kaga Boucha one of the best Japanese roasted green tea. You will play a traditional Japanese guessing game called Chakabuki with Maruhachi staff, in which you will taste several types of tea and identify them. At the end, you can enjoy a cup of tea with traditional sweets.

*Factory tour is available on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday between 10:00 and 12:00 (a video will be available on the other days). The factory is closed on Wednesdays.

1.5 hours
¥6,600 per person


Option 9 – Ozuchi Mountain Hiking



The Ozuchi village is a hidden gem in the mountains. There are many traditional old Japanese houses here, made out of clay. Stop by the nearest cold spring to refresh your body in the healing waters, then have a picnic in your favorite spot.

*Available in April, May, June, July and September and October only.

4 hours
¥17,600 per person


Option 10 - Kinrande Experience



Meet the artists and artisans that design and realize stunning kutaniyaki tableware at one of the kilns that has excelled in this art, Kinzangama Kiln. Look at their techniques and learn how to apply gold leaf to colourful Kutaniyaki porcelain objects using professional tools before making your own piece.

At Kinzan Kutaniyaki kiln
1h30' to 2 hours
¥16,500 per person
*The price for the international guests includes a special brochure in English.


Option 11 – Zazen Meditation



Guided by Beniya Mukayu’s staff, you will have the chance to do Zazen Meditation in an exclusively chartered family temple of the Kaga Maeda clan that is affiliated to the Soto school of Zen. You will sit “facing the wall” and meditate as taught by Dogen, the founder of the Soto school, 800 years ago. After the session, you will enjoy a special bento lunch box prepared by Beniya Mukayu’s chef in a historical place within the temple premises.

At Jisshoin Temple
1.5 hours including transfer time
¥16,500 per person

Option 1 – Day trip to Kanazawa
Take a day trip to Kanazawa by either express train or car.



During the Edo period (1603-1868), Kanazawa was the seat of the Maeda Clan, the second most powerful feudal clan after the Tokugawa. As a result, Kanazawa became a place of great cultural achievement, to rival Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo).

Today, Kanazawa is still an important city and the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture. The city boasts many historical attractions, such as restored residences and districts, as well as modern museums.

Here are some suggestions:

Kenrokuen Garden and Kanazawa castle. Kenrokuen is known as one of Japan’s three best landscape gardens. Next to Kenrouken Garden is Kanazawa Samurai Castle Park, one of the great symbols of the city’s traditional culture and legacy.



The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art is an impressive museum focusing on works produced since 1980 that “propose new values.” The museum’s collection includes works by such artists as: Francis Alys, Matthew Barney, Tony Cragg, Olafur Eliasson, James Turrell, Yayoi Kusama and many more.



Higashi Chaya District is the area where you can find the wooden Geisha houses lining either side of the street. “Chaya” means teahouse and Geisha are traditional female entertainers who were once numerous, entertaining guests in this area.



Nagamachi was a samurai district at the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle, where samurai and their families lived during the Edo period.

Myoryuji Temple is popularly known as the Ninja Temple. From the outside, it looks like a simple temple with two floors, but once you enter the temple, you find that in fact it has four floors and seven tiers. The temple has a complex architecture, with 23 chambers and 29 staircases. There are a total of 29 different contrivances to fool intruders, such as hidden chambers and stairs, unexpected and reversible trapdoors and floors, escape pits, and more.

D.T. Suzuki Museum is a small and beautiful museum designed by Yoshio Taniguchi. It is an ideal place for visitors to deepen their understanding of the ideas and achievements of Daisetz Suzuki, a prominent Buddhist philosopher best known as D.T. Suzuki. The contemplative space and the Water mirror garden make the museum a good place for self-reflection.



Return to Beniya Mukayu.

Option 2 - Day trip to Shirakawa-go and Gokayama Village
Day trip to Shirakawa-Go and Gokayama by car.



Shirakawa-go and neighboring Gokayama village were declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. They are famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old.

“Gassho-zukuri” means “constructed like hands in prayer,” as the farm houses’ steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow the area experiences in winter. The roofs are made without nails, and provide a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms.

Return to Beniya Mukayu.

Check out from Beniya Mukayu.

To get to Tokyo, there are two options: transfer to Komatsu airport by car, or take the Shinkansen bullet, which takes approximately 3 hours.

You may also continue to Kyoto by limited express train. It takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Beniya Mukayu provides complimentary shuttle bus transfer to Kaga Onsen Station from 8:45 to 11:15 am.