A Bespoke Kyoto Experience – In the Private Luxury of Hachikan Ohara

Ohara, Kyoto’s Rural Mountain Town

(Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

Ohara is a small town hiding among the mountains of northern Kyoto. While still within Kyoto City, the town is nothing like the crowded streets of the center, and is instead full of traditional houses, luscious hillsides, and warming onsen baths.

The region is also known for the Sanzenin Temple amid the mountain forests. It has a number of buildings and gardens, with walking trails and waterfalls nearby.

Nestled in this peaceful mountain area, you’ll find the thatched roof of Hachikan Ohara.

The Eight Senses of Hachikan Ohara

(Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

In this tranquil setting, the secluded private villa is not simply a place to rest your head. Here, through their attentive hospitality, Hachikan Ohara intends to engage all five senses. In fact, that is taken one step further. “Hachikan” itself means “eight senses.”

Speaking to Hachikan Ohara team member, Andrew King, he explained, “The sixth sense, we call the heart. By engaging all five senses, it opens up your heart to accept everything around you. The seventh sense is feeling the vitality of celestial and natural energy all around. We believe by accepting that energy, you are able to discover an inner sanctuary and your new self, which thus forms the eighth sense.”

This sensory engagement is achieved through carefully selected comforts with a traditional Kyoto core, as well as through curated private experiences, such as the tea ceremony.

An Exclusive Glimpse into a Rare Kyoto Tea Ceremony

(Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

While there are a number of tea ceremonies around Kyoto, you will be hard-pressed to find many that include the rare tradition of sumi-demae. But of course, you will find it at Hachikan Ohara.

Sumi-demae is a highly refined set of procedures to build the charcoal fire for making tea in an efficient manner. They form a part of the Urasenke style of Japanese tea ceremony, and are rooted in the host’s concern for the guest’s experience.

The tea ceremony is entirely private, and hosted in an authentic tea room called Joshun. Expert tea ceremony hosts perform the tradition in their signature calm and collected manner, creating an atmosphere of quiet contemplation, punctuated by the finest quality matcha tea.

Exquisite Rooms and The Luxury of “Totonou”

(Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

The luxury elements of Hachikan Ohara are created under the theme of “totonou”, meaning to be refined and harmonious. By following this theme, the luxury services and accommodation each serve in support of your wellness, providing a step to more happy and joyous lives, even after leaving Hachikan.

(Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

This luxury comes through in the villa itself through the elegant renovations that have been made to the traditional building.

The building is a former kominka, which simply means traditional house. In this case, the kominka was a farm house that is roughly 250 years old. During the renovations, extra care was taken to keep the core traditional Japanese elements and architecture.

The preserved traditional irori hearth (Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

As part of these preserved traditions, around the building, you’ll find everything from a kayabuki-yane thatched roof to an inviting engawa porch. Sit in peaceful relaxation by the tokonoma, a space reserved for refined artistic decorations, or cozy up by the warm irori hearth.

While other establishments may well have these elements, the luxury of having them all to yourself is an entirely different experience.

Seasonal Cuisine with a Private Chef

(Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

It wouldn’t be a luxury stay without delicious food to accompany it all, and that is certainly not lacking at Hachikan.

At Hachikan, you have your very own private chef who serves only the highest-quality meals. Every morning, the chef visits the market to choose the most seasonal ingredients to prepare your meals, particularly the traditional kaiseki cuisine for dinner. The Ohara area is famous for its fresh vegetables, which are combined with products from top producers around the country to create delicious dishes, sometimes including rare delicacies such as matsutake mushrooms.

(Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

There is a story behind each and every one of the chef’s dishes, and he will explain the concepts and ingredients. The chef takes car to create a dining experience that is both authentic and deeply connected to the environment, and it shows. One guest was moved by the experience, and said “I can tell how much he cares about the story and the ingredients. I go to many restaurants, but (the chefs) tend to show themselves a lot in their dishes, whereas here, it is more about bringing out the best of what is around him, so I could feel his kindness shining through in each dish.”

Breakfast is a choice of Japanese or Western food, and if you stay for multiple nights, the meals can be adjusted to your liking if you don’t fancy kaiseki every day.

The staff at Hachikan go above and beyond with their service, too, and will cater to your needs and wishes.

Steam Your Troubles Away in a Personal Spa

(Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

Finally, just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Hachikan also provides you with entirely private spa facilities.

(Courtesy of Hachikan Ohara)

The house itself has two relaxing outdoor baths on the deck area made with a traditional stoneware called Shigaraki ware, and an indoor cypress bath that emits woody aromas sending you into blissful relaxation.

The Thermarivm sauna has heated seats and is said to give relief to your respiratory system, help with clear skin, and to have overall relaxing effects. And there is even a dry sauna that you can control by pouring the water over the hot stones yourself.

Luxury and Relaxation in the Heart of Japan

When the rest of Kyoto is becoming more crowded by the day, getting authentic experiences that feel truly restful can be hard to come by. Hachikan Ohara could be the diamond in the rough you’ve been looking for.

Written by:

Cassandra Lord is a British journalist specialising in food, travel, and culture, and has been in Japan for five years after studying Japanese at Edinburgh University for four. With a year of experience as co-editor for LIVE JAPAN, Cassandra has since transitioned to freelance writing, contributing to a variety of platforms including The Japan Times and Tokyo Weekender. During her time in Japan she has visited 25 prefectures, with a goal to eventually visit all 47. She also manages her own YouTube channel, “Cassandra Lord”, which is dedicated to all things related to Japanese culinary culture. She also works as a translator and photographer.