Hoshi Ryokan
Encyclopedia
Ryokan (inn)
A is a type of traditional Japanese inn that originated in the Edo period , when such inns served travelers along Japan's highways. They typically feature tatami-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner.Ryokan are difficult to find...
(Japanese traditional inn) in the Awazu Onsen area of Komatsu
Komatsu, Ishikawa
is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 109,285 with a density of 294 persons per km². The total area is 371.13 km²....
, in Ishikawa Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Founded in 717
717
Year 717 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 717 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* March 21 – The Battle of Vincy is...
, it was the world's oldest hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
still in operation according to the Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
until that title was given to Nisiyama Onsen Keiunkan in Yamanashi, Japan. The hotel has been operated by the same family for forty-six generations.