Kanaya Hotel History Museum — Attraction in Nikko

This may be the most underrated gem in Nikko!

I stumbled across this as I was walking to the Tamozawa Imperial Villa and was instantly drawn in by the mesmerizing garden from the street.

The staff is extremely kind and explained about the history of the house in English. There is an eight-minute video with English subtitles that walks you through the house’s history and the beginnings of the Kanaya hotel. You can also view vintage china, menus, and mentions of the hotel and restaurant in various English language publications.

You are then free to explore the house at leisure, finishing up with a stroll through the fantastic gardens.

Honestly, this was one of the highlights of my trip and not even something that had originally been on my list! Definitely a must-visit the next time you are in Nikko.

The Kanaya Hotel cottage Inn bakery is right next-door and offers wonderful light lunches and baked...

金谷ホテルの前身である金谷カッテージ・インは、現在歴史館として一般公開されている。 明治に入り、外国人向けの民宿として改築されたが、江戸時代の武家屋敷としての構造が随所に残されている。階としては2階建てであるものの、部屋によっては1階と2階の中間に位置したり、階段も複雑に配置されていたりと、さながら小規模な忍者屋敷のようであるが、いずれも家人や客を素早く逃がしたり外敵を攻撃するための構造の一つとなっている。 利用するには、隣接の金谷ホテルベーカリー カテッジイン・レストラン＆ベーカリーの会計で入館手続きを済ませる。指定の料金を支払うと入館のためのコインが渡され、指定の場所にコインを入れることで入館できる。館内は原則撮影禁止だが、建物の外や屋外からの撮影は許可されている。建物内の展示品は日本語だけでなく英語も併記されており、海外からの観光客も当時の面影を知ることが出来る。館内は土足厳禁であるため、入り口で靴を脱ぎ、スリッパに履き替える必要がある。 庭は苔むした日本庭園で、特に新緑の季節は青々とした緑に心を癒されるだろう。歴史館の目の前が幹線道路であるため車の往来が多いので、観光客の少ない平日に来ることをお勧めする。

The Kanaya Cottage Inn, the predecessor of the Kanaya Hotel, is now open to the public as a history museum. It was rebuilt as a guest house for foreigners in the Meiji era, but the structure of the samurai residence from the Edo era is still preserved in many places. Although it's a two floor building, some rooms are located between the first and second floors, and the staircases are arranged in a complicated manner, making it look like a small-scale ninja house. To use it, complete the admission procedures at the counter of the adjacent Kanaya Hotel Bakery Cottage Inn Restaurant & Bakery. When you pay the fee, you will be given a coin to enter the museum, and you can enter the museum by putting the coin into the designated place. As a general rule, photography is not allowed inside the museum, but you are allowed to take pictures from outside or outside the building. The exhibits inside the building are written in English as well as Japanese, so tourists from overseas can get a sense of what it was like back then. The museum does not allow visitors to wear shoes on the ground, so it's necessary to take off your shoes and change into slippers at the entrance. The garden is a moss-covered Japanese garden, and especially during the season of fresh greenery, the lush greenery will soothe your soul. Since there is a main road right in front of the museum, there is a lot of traffic, so it is recommended to come on weekdays when there are...

It’s a place where you can learn the fascinating story of a female foreign traveler, a young smart Japanese guy, the beginning of developing hotels oriented for foreign guests, and visit the place where such famous persons like the President USA Grant and Albert Einstein stayed. Or you can just enjoy serenity and calmness of an old traditional...