Naoka Takada, Local Guide ~ Original Japan Travel Guide by Hoshino Resorts' Local Staff

Local Guide

Naoka Takada

Healing mood-maker

She is a soothing mood maker in the morning, always welcoming those around her with a soft and wonderful smile. She also has experience in apparel and is very fashionable! On her days off, she enjoys going to cafes and other places, but she is also one of the best saunas in the world. She is looking forward to having the kind of experience that only a hot spring resort can offer, where she can relax her body and mind! I want to get dressed up and relax at a café! If you are in such a situation, please ask for a recommendation!

Hoshino Resorts KAI Nagato: About an hour's drive from Shin-Yamaguchi Station. Nagato Yumoto Hot Spring is the oldest hot spring in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and has been in operation for about 600 years. It is known as a famous hot spring that was often visited by feudal lords during the Edo period. Kai Hoshino Resorts KAI Nagato, located in the center of the hot spring resort, opened in March 2020. All Guest rooms are "Nagato Gosai no Ma" (five-color room). Traditional Yamaguchi Prefecture crafts such as Tokuchi washi paper, Hagi ware, Hagi glass, and Ouchi lacquerware will add color to your stay. For meals, guests can enjoy abundant seasonal ingredients such as squid and other seafood, vegetables, and fruits that are well-known in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Akebono Café, facing the river, sells dorayaki and other delicacies made with yuzukichi, a taste of Yamaguchi. A stroll along the clear Onshin River with a dorayaki in hand is also recommended.

Introduction page

Local Guide FAQ

What places in the Nagato area do you recommend?: The Onshin River runs right in front of Hoshino Resorts KAI Nagato. There are footbaths and stores along the river, and you can enjoy strolling along the river. The water is beautiful, and I recommend spending a relaxing time just looking at it.
The scenery when the river is lit up in the evening is fantastic, and I like it best at dusk.

Please sneak in some hole-in-the-wall places that you know because you live there.: Butaiwashi opened in June 2021.
It is a small and cozy Japanese confectionery shop specializing in take-out, located about 40 minutes by car from Kakunoshima Ohashi Bridge, a popular tourist attraction. The "warabimochi" drink "warabicha" has a new texture and once I tried it, I was hooked! You can order your favorite combination of three different drinks and five different types of warabimochi, making it a great choice for a road trip. The simple yet stylish store is also recommended for its Instagram-worthy atmosphere.

What is your most memorable trip?: I took a trip to Shikoku with my family when I was in elementary school. I still remember how shocked I was at the time and how excited I was to stay in a Suite room, a spacious Guest room with both Japanese and Western style rooms, which I had never seen before. Since then, I have become more and more particular about lodgings, and often make plans for travel destinations and sightseeing spots from the lodgings, and as an adult I feel that the time spent at lodgings is one of the best parts of traveling.

What do you do on your days off?: I like sauna, and I refresh myself by visiting hot springs and saunas not only in the nearby Property but also in other hot springs and saunas in the prefecture when I drive around. The time spent in the open-air baths is the best!

Is there anything you always take with you on a trip?: Since I started sauna, I have started bringing my own sauna mat. It helps me to prevent coronavirus infection.