A gourmet auberge featuring fine food and sake
With a history of over 110 years, Tamakiya, a long-established ryokan in Matsunoyama Onsen, Niigata, was renewed in 2016 when the fourth-generation owner, Yuichi Yamagishi, took over and rebranded it as “an inn for savoring fine food and sake.” Its exquisite dishes have earned a one-star rating in the French cuisine category of the Michelin Guide Niigata 2020 Special Edition, a testament to their exceptional taste and creativity.
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Services & Facilities
Matsunoyama Onsen is one of Japan’s three major medicinal hot springs, along with Arima and Kusatsu, and Tamakiya offers guests the chance to enjoy its rich therapeutic waters. With only eight rooms, the inn provides attentive service and a quiet, high-quality stay. The interior has been renovated to blend traditional Japanese style with modern comfort, and guests can enjoy the seasonal beauty of the surrounding satoyama landscape—from fresh greenery in spring, fireflies in summer, autumn foliage, to snowy winter scenes—right from their rooms.
There are eight guest rooms in total, featuring both Japanese and Western styles. Six of them come with open-air hot spring baths fed directly from the source.
There are eight guest rooms in total, featuring both Japanese and Western styles. Six of them come with open-air hot spring baths fed directly from the source.
You can already sense their dedication to fine dining from the welcome sweets served upon arrival.
He is both a certified sommelier and a “Sake Master” (Sakasho), the highest qualification for sake professionals.
The free drink selection includes sake, making it irresistible for sake lovers.
Enjoy a private sauna session at the sister inn before dinner.
Dinner at Tamakiya features a full-course French menu prepared by Chef Akira Kuriyama. Chef Kuriyama trained at renowned Tokyo restaurants such as Restaurant Ryuzu and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, and is deeply committed to selecting ingredients, often venturing into the mountains to forage wild vegetables and fruits himself. He also incorporates traditional preserved foods and fermentation techniques from the Tokamachi region, creating a truly local gastronomy that can only be experienced in Matsunoyama.
Knowledgeable staff guide guests through each pour, making it approachable for sake beginners. Returning guests can discover new pairings each night, ensuring a memorable “gourmet and sake” experience.
Breakfast offers a Japanese-style meal with a different approach from dinner. The centerpiece is freshly steamed Koshihikari rice from Uonuma, accompanied by local vegetables, mountain herbs, and small side dishes. Chef Kuriyama’s philosophy is to present the same ingredients in a different style—mountain herbs used at dinner may appear at breakfast as boiled greens or fermented foods with local miso. The lightly seasoned dishes are gentle on the palate and highly satisfying.
A unique feature of breakfast is the presentation of five types of mini drinks, including vegetable and fruit juices and fermented beverages. Served like a colorful palette, these drinks are as pleasing to the eyes as to the taste buds. Enjoyed while gazing at the clear mountain scenery, breakfast at Tamakiya is a revitalizing start to the day during your stay.
Matsunoyama Onsen has long been celebrated as a “medicinal hot spring” and is considered one of Japan’s three major therapeutic hot springs, alongside Arima and Kusatsu. Its waters are fossil seawater, originating from the Mediterranean around 12 million years ago, with a high salt content that keeps the body warm even after bathing.
In winter, you can experience a “snow-view bath” surrounded by 2–3 meters of snow, with lights illuminating the falling snow for a magical atmosphere. Enjoy a morning bath with birdsong or an evening soak under a starry sky—an indulgence only possible with a private open-air spring bath.
The large public baths are also available to all guests, with indoor and outdoor pools for both men and women, open from 3:00 PM to 10:00 AM, so you can relax whenever you like.
Tamakiya has a total of eight guest rooms, offering a mix of Japanese and Western styles. Six of the rooms feature private open-air baths with water directly from the source, while the remaining two are simple Western-style rooms without baths. Each room has been thoughtfully renovated under the current fourth-generation owner, combining modern comfort with the warm, rustic charm of the Satoyama countryside.
The layout and style vary from room to room. Some feature Japanese-Western hybrid designs with striking washi paper lighting, while others offer twin beds in a Western-style setting. All rooms come with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and full amenities. Sustainable options are also provided, including organic bamboo toothbrushes, toothpaste sheets, and cotton pouches. Cute handmade baskets are provided for carrying items around the inn.
Guests can also enjoy a choice of colored yukata or traditional workwear-style pajamas (samue), a service particularly popular among women and international visitors.
Just a two-minute walk from Tamakiya is its newly opened sister hotel, Ponshu Hotel Suimu, also produced by Yamagishi. Suimu is themed around “sake × hot springs × sauna,” and guests staying at Tamakiya can use its facilities with prior reservation.
Visitors often comment that the pairing recommendations are unobtrusive yet precise, and that the combination of food and drink is consistently surprising and delightful. Yamagishi holds qualifications as a wine sommelier, sake taster, and shusho, making him one of the few true alcohol experts in Niigata. This unique “sake-focused inn” concept has been highly praised, establishing Tamakiya as a hidden gem for gourmet travelers seeking a sophisticated, tranquil escape. It’s ideal for those wishing to celebrate special occasions with exquisite cuisine and sake, fully enjoy sake and wine pairings, or simply immerse themselves in a serene, extraordinary environment.
This service uses a reservation request system. After we check room availability with the accommodation, we will propose the most suitable room and plan for you.Once availability is confirmed, we will send you our proposal via LINE, and your reservation will be finalized upon completion of payment.
Art Room with Open-Air Hot Spring “Niji (Rainbow)”
The Western-style room “Hinoki,” featuring an open-air hot spring bath, has been renovated under the theme of “Retreat.
The gentle texture of the hand-carved wooden floor feels soothing under your bare feet, and the subtle aroma of cypress that greets you as you enter instantly relaxes your senses. The room is beautifully decorated with artwork by Japanese washi paper artist Naoaki Sakamoto.
Twin Room with Open-Air Hot Spring Bath “Hinoki” | Sake Inn -Tamakiya-
The Western-style room “Hinoki,” featuring an open-air hot spring bath, has been renovated under the theme of “Retreat.”
The gentle texture of the hand-carved wooden floor feels soothing under your bare feet, and the subtle aroma of cypress that greets you as you enter instantly relaxes your senses. The room is beautifully decorated with artwork by Japanese washi paper artist Naoaki Sakamoto.
Art Room with Open-Air Hot Spring “Niji (Rainbow)”
The Western-style room “Hinoki,” featuring an open-air hot spring bath, has been renovated under the theme of “Retreat.
The gentle texture of the hand-carved wooden floor feels soothing under your bare feet, and the subtle aroma of cypress that greets you as you enter instantly relaxes your senses. The room is beautifully decorated with artwork by Japanese washi paper artist Naoaki Sakamoto.
Twin Room with Open-Air Hot Spring Bath “Hinoki” | Sake Inn -Tamakiya-
The Western-style room “Hinoki,” featuring an open-air hot spring bath, has been renovated under the theme of “Retreat.”
The gentle texture of the hand-carved wooden floor feels soothing under your bare feet, and the subtle aroma of cypress that greets you as you enter instantly relaxes your senses. The room is beautifully decorated with artwork by Japanese washi paper artist Naoaki Sakamoto.
Art Room with Open-Air Hot Spring “Niji (Rainbow)”
The Western-style room “Hinoki,” featuring an open-air hot spring bath, has been renovated under the theme of “Retreat.
The gentle texture of the hand-carved wooden floor feels soothing under your bare feet, and the subtle aroma of cypress that greets you as you enter instantly relaxes your senses. The room is beautifully decorated with artwork by Japanese washi paper artist Naoaki Sakamoto.
Twin Room with Open-Air Hot Spring Bath “Hinoki” | Sake Inn -Tamakiya-
The Western-style room “Hinoki,” featuring an open-air hot spring bath, has been renovated under the theme of “Retreat.”
The gentle texture of the hand-carved wooden floor feels soothing under your bare feet, and the subtle aroma of cypress that greets you as you enter instantly relaxes your senses. The room is beautifully decorated with artwork by Japanese washi paper artist Naoaki Sakamoto.
49-1 Matsunoyama Yumoto, Tokamachi-shi, Niigata 942-1432, Japan
By Rental Car from Airports
From Tokyo to Matsunoyama Onsen
Tokyo → JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa Station → about 15 min by car from Matsudai Station
Free Shuttle Service
Approx. 15 min by shuttle from Matsudai Station (advance reservation required)
Ryokan Name
Sake Inn -Tamakiya-
Address
49-1 Matsunoyama Yumoto, Tokamachi-shi, Niigata 942-1432, Japan
Baths
| Water quality | Sodium-calcium chloride spring |
| Free-flowing hot spring | Directly from the source |
| Opening hours | 15:00 ～ 10:00 |
Facilities & Features
Common Amenities
