Inside The KAI Akiu Luxury Ryokan
- May 5, 2025
- 5 min read
A review of the KAI Akiu, one of the best luxury ryokans near Sendai
Image source: Ollie Ronin
Introduction
Just 30 minutes from central Sendai, nestled between the mountains and alongside the Natori river, lies the KAI Akiu, a luxury ryokan by Hoshino Resorts. It offers some of the most beautiful onsen baths in the region, gorgeous rooms with mountain views, and a peaceful escape away from the crowds. In today's climate of over-tourism, it's nice to find something that offers a break from the typical destinations, along with some unique attractions that fly under the radar.
I had the pleasure of staying two nights here on a recent trip to explore the Tohoku region. I found it to be the perfect base for sightseeing during the day, and learning about the local culture and food in the evening. Along with their amazing food and beautiful onsen facilities, the KAI Akiu offered many cultural experiences, such as a banquet that teaches you how the local samurai would drink sake, a relaxing lounge with an outdoor footbath where you can try regional wines and sweets, and a local crafting gift that can be made inside your room for a unique souvenir.
In this article, we'll provide an efficient summary to give you an idea of what the experience is like, and explore some of the most notable highlights the ryokan has to offer.
In This Article
1.
Key Highlights
Image source: Ollie Ronin
Location
Situated on the mountainside, along the beautiful Natori River. It's only a 30-minute drive from Sendai, and has easy access to the incredible Yamadera temple.
Escape over-tourism
The KAI Akiu lets you escape the crowds and experience Japan's world-renowned culture, temples, and nature, without the stress of tourism.
Rooms
All rooms feature gorgeous mountain views, lovely spacious interiors, and region-specific decor.
Onsen
Both the male and female onsens feature two indoor baths and one outdoor bath, with mineral-rich hot spring water and a relaxing atmosphere.
Gastonomy
The hotel's exclusive restaurant serves incredible Kaiseki cuisine in private dining booths, featuring unique dishes that can only be found locally.
Cultural Experience
The property features a specially designed banquet room to teach you how the local samurai used to celebrate and drink sake. There's also an amazing lounge area with an outdoor footbath, and a nice selection of carefully selected wines, whiskeys, and sake, along with traditional sweets.
Local Partnerships
The hotel works closely with local artists to display one-of-a-kind design elements, and partners with local farmers to source region-specific ingredients.
Price Range
$400 - $800 per night
You'll find the best prices on Klook.com
2.
The Location
Image copyright: Ollie Ronin
KAI Akiu is only a 30-minute drive from Sendai. If you prefer public transport, the train will take around 20-30 minutes to reach Ayashi Station, and from there it's just a 15-minute taxi ride to get to the ryokan. The two most notable attractions in this area are the impressive 55-meter Akiu Falls, and the magnificent Yamadera Temple. The Akiu Falls are a 15-minute drive away, while the Yamadera Temple is a 1-hour drive. However, it's best to reach using the local train that runs through the mountains, it's a beautiful journey and actually more enjoyable than driving there. The station is only 15 minutes from the ryokan, so it's easy to reach by car or taxi.
3.
Escape from the crowds
Image copyright: Ollie Ronin
As Japan continues to grow in popularity with visitors from all over the world, there is an increasing demand for places where people can experience a less touristic atmosphere. The KAI Akiu is perfect for this. Although the distance is quite far from Tokyo, Sendai is easy to reach thanks to the Shinkansen, it only takes 1.5 hours and costs around 10,000 JPY. It can easily be done as a weekend trip, or as part of a longer trip to explore the Tohoku region.
4.
The Food
Image source: KAI Akiu
The food served by their exclusive restaurant takes you on a journey through a variety of local delicacies in a modern, yet still traditional, kaiseki style. The staff do a great job of explaining each dish and the ingredients, and answering any questions you may have. My personal favourites were the quail soup, crispy tofu, and specially made soy sauce.
Their dedicated vegetarian menu was equally as impressive, and in some ways even surpassed the regular menu. Extra care was taken to ensure the dishes were unique and creative, with lots of variety in the flavours of each dish. One of my favourites was the deconstructed soy milk cheese cake, super delicious!
5.
The Onsen
Image source: Ollie Ronin
The onsens here are impeccably designed. Both the male and female onsen feature two separate baths and one outdoor bath. The temperature for each bath is different, which is perfect if you prefer hotter onsens like myself, ranging from 40-42°C. The natural hot spring water leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth, without any smell of sulphur. The open-air bath is spacious and tranquil, with Japanese maple trees complementing the view. There's also a chill space where you can cool down after bathing, along with complementary drinks and ice pops.
6.
Rooms
Image source: Ollie Ronin
Every room at the KAI Akiu faces the forest and mountainside, with huge windows that make you feel connected to the natural environment. Every room is spacious, with lovely tatami flooring and a comfy couch that looks out over the forest. The rooms come with a ceramic teapot, plus green and herbal teas, which have been exclusively produced for the KAI brand. Sitting on the couch while drinking some green tea and looking out over the mountains feels amazing, it's the perfect way to reflect on your trip or get some work done on your laptop.
7.
The Samurai Banquet
Image source: Ollie Ronin
In the late afternoon and evening, you'll be invited to take part in a traditional samurai banquet, and drink sake in the style of local daimyo. After dinner, a local musician will perform in the lobby, during my two nights I witnessed a flute master and an acoustic guitarist, it's a lovely way to relax at the end of the day.
8.
The Seseraki Lounge
Image source: KAI Akiu
The Seseraki Lounge offers an amazing space for relaxing and socialising, and features an outdoor area with a hot spring footbath. They offer a lovely selection of local wines, whiskey, and teas, plus handmade wagashi sweets. It's a really nice atmosphere and a great place to unwind.
9.
Closing Comments & Further Reading
Image source: KAI Akiu
Spending two nights here was an incredible experience that I would recommend to anyone interested in exploring the Sendai area. In terms of sightseeing, the biggest highlight was the incredible Yamadera temple. Although it's an hour away, your adventure begins once you arrive at the station, which is only 15 minutes from the ryokan. The train ride is beautiful and takes you through the mountains and native forests. Even though I had a car, I opted for the train as I knew it would be a more immersive experience.
One thing I love about KAI ryokans is that they offer a late checkout of 12pm, so you never feel rushed. I would recommend spending at least 2 nights here to have a good balance between sightseeing and enjoying the facilities.
For me personally, I arrived in the afternoon, took part in the samurai banquet before dinner, watched the flute performance, and then finished with the onsen in the evening. On my second day, I headed for Yamadera temple and returned in time for another amazing dinner. And on my third day, I enjoyed an amazing breakfast and then checked out at 12pm. It was the perfect 2-day itinerary, but of course, I wish I had stayed just one more night, it was hard to leave such a peaceful retreat.
You'll find the best prices on Klook.com
