Bouyourou — Hotel in Sakai

We visit the Hokuriku region of Japan annually during the Zuwai-gani (Snow Crab) season, and typically (though not always) opt for Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosaki Onsen. Nishimuraya Honkan is a top-notch choice because of the wonderful Onsen town (lots to see and do), historic property and incredible Matsuba-gani Snow Crab.||||Through the years, however, we've heard from some of the top chefs that Echizen-gani, a variety of Snow Crab that's found in Fukui Prefecture, is the best. It also typically fetches the highest prices at auctions, so they might be onto something. The thing that had dissuaded us from staying in Fukui had to do with the dearth of luxury ryokan options... that is, until now.||||Bouyourou was always THE ryokan of choice for guests willing to pay the high price, but we were put off by the outdated rooms. However, it was completely rebuilt from the ground-up, and just recently opened (Nov. 2021, to be more precise), meaning it's fresh and new. It's modern but done in an understated and unpretentious way - they let the Ocean view and Echizen Crab deliver the bling.||||Before committing to a visit during the Winter Crab season, we decided to stay at Bouyourou to do some advanced reconnaissance on the ryokan and see whether the accommodations would meet our standards. By and large, it definitely did. The modern Japanese aesthetic is muted but very soothing, and now all 7 rooms at the property are Suite style, with the only difference being in its layout (they're all the same price, by the way.) Bouyourou's website has all of the details of each room, so you can pick the one that best serves your needs. We chose room #102, an end unit on the 1st floor, because not only did it have views of the Ocean, we were able to enjoy sweeping views of the coastline as well. Overall, I wouldn't fuss to much about room selections; if you like one of them, you probably won't nitpick the others to death.||||Meals are served in private "koshitsu" rooms. And, unlike other ryokans where they require you to confirm an exact meal time, at Bouyourou you can simply choose to show up anytime between 17:00-19:00 - it's definitely nice to have that flexibility. It served us well - the in-room Onsen (natural hot springs) bath was so comfortable that we spent quite a bit of time jumping in and out of the bath in the afternoon, resulting in us going to dinner much later than usual.||||Dinner is Japanese Kaiseki fare, and it's very nicely done. We were pleasantly surprised by hearty servings of Crab dishes, even though it wasn't Echizen Crab season. They offered Beni Zuwai-gani, a variety of Snow Crab that are caught off the coast, but in deeper waters, and can be had year-round. No, it's not on the same level as Echizen Crab, which can fetch more than 10x the price, but freshly caught and perfectly prepared Beni Zuwai-gani dishes are delicious nonetheless. The boiled (then chilled) Crab with Caviar on top, along with the Crab Shabu Shabu were fantastic - the dashi and Crab broth in the hot pot was a definite nightlight, and helped bring out the sweetness of the Crab itself. The non-Crab dishes were similarly tasty and wonderfully presented. Given its proximity to an abundance of top-notch seafood, the sashimi platter definitely did not disappoint.||||Given our experience at Bouyourou, we're definitely going to return during Echizen Crab season - we're already booked, in fact. As one of the pre-eminent Snow Crab ryokans, how does it compare to Nishimuraya Honkan?||||Bouyouryou advantages:||- Onsen baths in each room||- Newly rebuilt property with spacious rooms, as well as all of the modern tech and creature comforts including heated floors||- Uninterrupted views of the Ocean||- No need to confirm your meal times at check-in||||Nishimuraya Honkan advantages:||- Significantly less expense than Bouyourou||- Historic and charming property with traditional Japanese furnishings. This is a plus or minus depending on what you're after||- Gorgeous Japanese garden (Bouyourou is lacking in this department)||- Kinosaki Onsen town is charming, and there's lots to see and do (Bouyourou is not located in the heart of a nice Onsen town)||||Since we have yet to try out Bouyourou's Echizen Crab course, the jury is out in terms of the cuisine quality vs. Nishimuraya Honkan. However, if you've never stayed at a ryokan before, I'd say that Nishimuraya is the better choice because it's the more traditional inn that is situated in one of the top Onsen towns in Japan. For Zuwai-gani Crab aficionados, on the other hand... well, we'll find out later this...

We visit the Hokuriku region of Japan annually during the Zuwai-gani (Snow Crab) season, and typically (though not always) opt for Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosaki Onsen. Nishimuraya Honkan is a top-notch choice because of the wonderful Onsen town (lots to see and do), historic property and incredible Matsuba-gani Snow Crab.||||Through the years, however, we've heard from some of the top chefs that Echizen-gani, a variety of Snow Crab that's found in Fukui Prefecture, is the best. It also typically fetches the highest prices at auctions, so they might be onto something. The thing that had dissuaded us from staying in Fukui had to do with the dearth of luxury ryokan options... that is, until now.||||Bouyourou was always THE ryokan of choice for guests willing to pay the high price, but we were put off by the outdated rooms. However, it was completely rebuilt from the ground-up, and just recently opened (Nov. 2021, to be more precise), meaning it's fresh and new. It's modern but done in an understated and unpretentious way - they let the Ocean view and Echizen Crab deliver the bling.||||Before committing to a visit during the Winter Crab season, we decided to stay at Bouyourou to do some advanced reconnaissance on the ryokan and see whether the accommodations would meet our standards. By and large, it definitely did. The modern Japanese aesthetic is muted but very soothing, and now all 7 rooms at the property are Suite style, with the only difference being in its layout (they're all the same price, by the way.) Bouyourou's website has all of the details of each room, so you can pick the one that best serves your needs. We chose room #102, an end unit on the 1st floor, because not only did it have views of the Ocean, we were able to enjoy sweeping views of the coastline as well. Overall, I wouldn't fuss to much about room selections; if you like one of them, you probably won't nitpick the others to death.||||Meals are served in private "koshitsu" rooms. And, unlike other ryokans where they require you to confirm an exact meal time, at Bouyourou you can simply choose to show up anytime between 17:00-19:00 - it's definitely nice to have that flexibility. It served us well - the in-room Onsen (natural hot springs) bath was so comfortable that we spent quite a bit of time jumping in and out of the bath in the afternoon, resulting in us going to dinner much later than usual.||||Dinner is Japanese Kaiseki fare, and it's very nicely done. We were pleasantly surprised by hearty servings of Crab dishes, even though it wasn't Echizen Crab season. They offered Beni Zuwai-gani, a variety of Snow Crab that are caught off the coast, but in deeper waters, and can be had year-round. No, it's not on the same level as Echizen Crab, which can fetch more than 10x the price, but freshly caught and perfectly prepared Beni Zuwai-gani dishes are delicious nonetheless. The boiled (then chilled) Crab with Caviar on top, along with the Crab Shabu Shabu were fantastic - the dashi and Crab broth in the hot pot was a definite nightlight, and helped bring out the sweetness of the Crab itself. The non-Crab dishes were similarly tasty and wonderfully presented. Given its proximity to an abundance of top-notch seafood, the sashimi platter definitely did not disappoint.||||Given our experience at Bouyourou, we're definitely going to return during Echizen Crab season - we're already booked, in fact. As one of the pre-eminent Snow Crab ryokans, how does it compare to Nishimuraya Honkan?||||Bouyouryou advantages:||- Onsen baths in each room||- Newly rebuilt property with spacious rooms, as well as all of the modern tech and creature comforts including heated floors||- Uninterrupted views of the Ocean||- No need to confirm your meal times at check-in||||Nishimuraya Honkan advantages:||- Significantly less expense than Bouyourou||- Historic and charming property with traditional Japanese furnishings. This is a plus or minus depending on what you're after||- Gorgeous Japanese garden (Bouyourou is lacking in this department)||- Kinosaki Onsen town is charming, and there's lots to see and do (Bouyourou is not located in the heart of a nice Onsen town)||||Since we have yet to try out Bouyourou's Echizen Crab course, the jury is out in terms of the cuisine quality vs. Nishimuraya Honkan. However, if you've never stayed at a ryokan before, I'd say that Nishimuraya is the better choice because it's the more traditional inn that is situated in one of the top Onsen towns in Japan. For Zuwai-gani Crab aficionados, on the other hand... well, we'll find out later this...

We stayed at Bouyourou this past Summer (see my review from July 2022); we made a return visit to see if the Echizen-gani (the Red Snow Crab caught in Fukui Prefecture) lived up to its billing as the ultimate version of the Zuwai-gani crab. I don't know if our palate is refined enough to authoritatively make such a claim, but if our own experience is any indication, the people of Fukui can make a valid argument that Echizen-gani is king of crustaceans. That alone makes it a destination ryokan in its own right. For what it's worth, Echizen-gani is the only Snow Crab that is supplied to the Imperial Family, and it's provided by the Tani family, who are also the owners of Bouyourou.||||The ryokan is located in Mikuni Onsen, which is a relatively new Onsen area that really doesn't have the type of charming hot springs townscape that Kinosaki Onsen has - most people will opt for the Kaga area, Kanazawa (although it's not known for its Onsen), Wakura Onsen or further afield in order to get their Onsen and crab fix, if crab is your #1 priority, Bouyourou does not disappoint. We've stayed at numerous top ryokans during crab season in the region (Beniya Mukayu, Kayotei, Hanamurasaki, Kagaya Bettei Matsunomidori, Matsusaki, Nishimuraya Honkan, to name a few), but purely in terms of the culinary experience, this place takes the top spot, with Nishimuraya Honkan and Matsusaki close behind.||||As mentioned in my previous review, this ryokan completely rebuilt from the ground-up in November 2021, and it's modern through and through. Some may be put off by the abundance of concrete in its structure, while others will appreciate the fact that it's not an old building that has poor insulation during the cold Winter months. Either way, you will be treated to warm and comfortable rooms, heated floors, power outlets and USB ports galore, a spectacular view of the rough and tumble Japan Sea and an in-room Onsen (hot springs) bath in all 7 of the ryokan's rooms (there is no communal bathing facility here.)||||During November and March, the Echizen-gani course becomes the staple of the kaiseki dinner (it's banned in the other months to allow the crabs to give them time to spawn and grow).... and it's served served as sashimi, grilled, fried (Tempura style) boiled whole and in nabe (hot pot) or steamboat style. To some, it might be overkill, and at times in the past we've gotten sick of crab towards the end of such meals. Not here. The crab was so delicious that we kept eating and eating until we were unable to consume any more. Unlike at Nishimuraya Honkan, there are very few non-crab offerings, and even the crab are served in a basic manner - not much ingenuity here. However, when the crab is this awesome, why try being too fancy? We felt Bouyourou did a fabulous job in bringing out the flavor of the remarkable Echizen-gani. It's purity at its finest, in our opinion.||||If you want the absolute best crab, forget King Crab or Snow Crab or Shanghai Crab or Hairy Crab, because none of them compares to the sweet, rich, fatty, umami-infused flavor of the Zuwai-gani crab of the Hokuriku region. It really is the Ocean's version of Kobe or Matsusaka beef, but only during the Winter months. And you really can't go wrong in trying it out at Bouyourou.||||One major caveat - this place is eye-poppingly expensive. It's more than twice the nightly rate (per person) as Nishimuraya Honkan and many other competing ryokans. Whether you feel it's worth it or not, only...