Connecting Past to Future, Tourist to Community: NIPPONIA HOTEL Takehara Saltworks Town

Love for the Serenity of the Seto Seaside

Originally from Kanagawa Prefecture just west of Tokyo, Horie began her life in Takehara after relocating her in 2020 to run the NIPPONIA HOTEL Takehara Saltworks Town.

The NIPPONIA HOTEL Takehara Saltworks Town repurposes the Taisho period (1912-1926) Morikawa residence as its reception and lounge.

“The town’s lively atmosphere and vibrant small business culture immediately struck me. Compared to the Pacific Ocean, which I grew up looking at, the Seto Inland Sea is also always calm and soothing to take in. I also find the residents easygoing and warm-hearted.” 

Horie loves the atmosphere of Takehara, where the ordinary and the extraordinary blend seamlessly

Preservation and Utilization – the Path to Regional Revitalization

NIPPONIA HOTEL Takehara Saltworks Town is run by Value Management Co., Ltd., an enterprise working hard to preserve and utilize historic buildings with deep community roots. It operates the hotel here out of the Morikawa residence, a listed important cultural property of Takehara, using the Taisho period mansion as its reception and lounge building, and two adjacent Meiji period (1868-1912) mansions as the accommodation wings.

One accommodation wing sits in the former Mizude Residence, which was operated as a leisure and entertainment venue during the Meiji period

“At this hotel, we seek to contribute to the development of the town,” says Horie. “We want these buildings to become central landmarks, to nurture familiarity in the community and enliven it.” Horie greatly values connection with the townspeople as she assimilates to become one of them. As a member of the commercial district alliance and tourism association, she has been involved in festival and event planning and management, taking an active role in the culture of the town.

A guest room view of the traditional garden outside

Connecting Guests with the Heart of Takehara

As hotelier, Horie seeks to convey the innate charms of Takehara in her day-to-day guest service. She hopes that hotel guests will come to love the town as she has during their stay, and welcomes each with a warm smile.

A cozy guest room made all the more homey through the warmth of wood construction

“One of the ways we try to make this connection is at check-in, where we spend about fifteen minutes chatting with guests about Takehara’s history and the role of salt production and sake brewing in the town’s development. I think the more you know about the place, the more you can get out of your stay.” In this way, the hotel seeks to create not only satisfied guests, but enthusiastic fans of Takehara itself.

Delightful Japanese traditional sensibility shines through in this tatami room

Catalyzing a New Age in Takehara

NIPPONIA HOTEL Takehara Saltworks Town opened in 2019. Since then, it has worked to integrate itself into the community and cultural landscape of the town by forging connections with residents. “Takehara is full of people who are passionate about the town,” says Horie. “That passion drives us in our mission to help shape the future together with them, and makes it all the more rewarding. We want to draw out the undiscovered charms of Takehara, and share them with our guests.”

Cultivating repeat visitors and word-of-mouth introduction through the hotel experience

Utilizing historic spaces in ways that reconnect them with the community not only enhances the town's cultural cachet but also preserves the memories and history of those who lived there. For those who visit Takehara during this time of new beginnings, endless exploration and authentic encounters await.