05/21/2026
Deep within the secluded mountain valleys of Yamanashi Prefecture, a historic hot spring inn stands as a living testament to ancient Japanese hospitality. Founded in 705 AD by nobleman Fujiwara no Mahito, the magnificent Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan has offered therapeutic geothermal waters to weary travelers for over 1,300 years.
The legendary property successfully earned a Guinness World Record as the oldest continuously operating hotel on the planet. For over a millennium, generations of families and dedicated general managers like Kenjiro Kawano have carefully protected the traditional wooden architecture and the sacred, free-flowing mountain springs.