Hot spring suites and villas above Ago Bay in Ise-Shima National Park, close to the Ise Grand Shrine.
Amanemu sits on a low headland over Ago Bay, a sheltered inlet of pearl rafts and wooded islands in Ise-Shima National Park. It takes the ryokan idea, hot spring water and seasonal food, and gives it room: every suite has its own spring-fed bath and a wide lanai, and the spa runs to 2,000 square metres.
This is the place to add something most visitors to Japan miss. The Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred in the Shinto faith, is within reach for a morning, and on the bay the ama, the local women free-divers, cook their catch in their huts. Breakfast, dinner and a daily experience are included, so the days need little planning.
It is a long way from anywhere else on a typical first trip, about three hours by train from Nagoya, so it needs at least three nights to earn its place. The bay is for looking at rather than swimming in. The two-bedroom villas are among the best options in Japan for a family travelling together.
A suite with a combined bedroom and living area, garden views and a private bath filled with spring water.
A suite with a combined bedroom and living area and partial views towards Ago Bay.
A suite overlooking Ago Bay, with a combined bedroom and living area and its own spring-fed bath.
A two-bedroom villa with garden views and a private courtyard.
A two-bedroom villa overlooking Ago Bay, with a private garden.
A two-bedroom villa with its own garden and a separate pavilion holding indoor and outdoor hot spring baths.
The Restaurant cooks Japanese and international dishes around Ise-Shima produce, from Matsusaka wagyu to spiny lobster and abalone. The Lounge beside the pool pours Japanese craft beers and cocktails made with local fruit and herbs, with a terrace over the bay.
The 2,000-square-metre Aman Spa has onsen pavilions, an outdoor thermal spring, private onsen, a pool, a gym, a yoga pavilion and a Pilates studio.
The two-bedroom villas sleep up to six, which makes Amanemu a good choice for families. Ask us about the current policy for younger children.
| Accommodation | 24 suites and eight two-bedroom villas |
|---|---|
| Getting there | About 3 hours by train from Nagoya, or by helicopter |
| From Tokyo | Shinkansen to Nagoya, then about 2 hours 20 minutes by train or car |
| Spa | 2,000-square-metre Aman Spa with onsen |
| Meal plan | Daily breakfast and dinner, plus one private experience a day |
Ago Bay, Ise-Shima National Park, Japan
A few of the things we plan for guests in Japan.
Kyoto has hundreds of temples, so choose a few and go early. Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji and its rock garden sit together in the northwest; Ginkaku-ji and the Philosopher’s Path in the east. In the evening, walk the lanes of Gion and Pontocho. A private guide for one day repays itself in context and in avoided queues.
A ryokan is a traditional inn: tatami rooms, a multi-course kaiseki dinner in your yukata and a hot-spring bath before bed. Hakone, 90 minutes from Tokyo, has a good choice, with Mount Fuji views on clear winter mornings. Choose a room with a private outdoor bath if you are shy of communal bathing. One or two nights is plenty.
Tokyo is a city of villages. Spend a morning in Asakusa around Senso-ji, an afternoon in the backstreets of Yanaka, and an evening in the tiny bars of Shibuya or Golden Gai. Tsukiji outer market is best for breakfast. A food guide for the first night helps with menus and seating etiquette.
Four nights high above Tokyo, two in a ryokan in the Hakone hills with its own hot spring baths, then four on the river in Arashiyama for Kyoto. Your luggage goes ahead by courier, so every train is easy.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
