Nipponia Izumo Taisha Shrine Town was not always the wonderful ryokan hotel it is now. The property started out as a clinic, Oku Hospital, in the Taishō era. It was a popular medical institution for the people of the town back then. However, as the clinic stopped its operations, the property fell into disrepair. It was only in 2022 that the Nipponia Group, which has dedicated itself to the restoration of traditional Japanese properties, decided to renovate and open it as a ryokan hotel. It started welcoming guests in September 2022. What used to be the main clinic is now a gourmet restaurant serving French cuisine. It has even been named OKU as a nod to its heritage. Meanwhile, the Japanese-style ryokan, where the owners used to and still live, features the guest rooms. Both buildings have been carefully preserved to showcase their original architecture.

Design and Architecture

Both the Japanese- and Western-style buildings of the property retain their original features, which has always been Nipponia group's aim. You can find old wooden beams on the ceilings, earthen or wooden floors, and classic furniture. There are six different types of guest rooms, including the Japanese-style Chidori with European antique furniture and the duplex-style Akizuki. You can also stay in Takahama, which has lattice windows and offers a private courtyard, or Yoshino, which boasts a sunken kotatsu or heated hearth. Like most traditional Japanese properties, this one also has a Japanese-style garden with characteristic stone lanterns.

The restaurant at Nipponia Izumo Taisha Shrine Town, OKU, follows the concept of terroir cuisine. This means that they use seasonal ingredients that are locally sourced. Not only does this concept offer access to fresh products, but it also ensures that the taste is unique to the region. You'll get to enjoy modern French cuisine with local sake. Izumo is, in fact, considered the birthplace of sake!

At OKU, the head chef keeps experimenting with flavors and processes to create cuisine unique to the property. He and his team work with local producers to source the best products for the restaurant. Some of these producers and suppliers include Shigekazu Yokoyama, who provides processed Izumo deer from Enishi, and Rina and Daisuke Imaoka, who provide fresh fish from the prefecture. The chef makes sure to customize the dishes based on the season. For example, he has seven winter dishes, which usually use Izumo's fatty winter fish. While here, don't forget to try the mackerel and charcoal-grilled salted rice malt or Izumo deer and Japanese beef, smoked on cedar board. The restaurant also offers breakfast menus consisting of Shimane rice, small fishes, and clam soup.

Cultural and Outdoor Experiences

There are a plethora of cultural experiences that you can indulge in during your stay at Nipponia Izumo Taisha Shrine Town. Those who wish to explore the shrine town can join the retro rickshaw tour or historical walking tour. A visit to Japan is incomplete without enjoying a tea ceremony, so make sure you take part in the Sansai-ryu tea ceremony experience. Brewery tours for sake and soy sauce, as well as tastings, will let you dive deeper into the region's gastronomy. You can also join craft experiences such as cotton weaving, making notebooks, or creating ginger candy packages. You can even participate in making seaweed salt from Sagiura seawater and Arame seaweed. Those into outdoor pursuits can try the Yunagi sunset cruising or mysterious cave cruising experiences. On idle days, simply unwind in the beautiful Japanese garden on site.