Thirty minutes above Matsumoto, tucked into the forest at 1,050 metres, Myojinkan feels genuinely otherworldly. The Saito family has welcomed guests here since 1931, and the mythology runs even deeper. In fact, local legend talks of gods that once came to these mountains to soak in the hot springs. With three communal onsen open around the clock, private baths in every room, and silence broken only by birdsong and the babble of the Susukigawa river, this is a place built entirely for slowing down. Unusually for a ryokan, there are two distinct restaurants – organic French and traditional kaiseki – both sustained by local ingredients.
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The design philosophy is simple and stunning – clean lines, natural materials and floor-to-ceiling glass that makes the forest feel like it's inside with you. Dining-wise, the French restaurant, SAI, serves an organic macrobiotic menu using produce from the property's farm – think Shinshu wagyu paired with foraged mountain vegetables overlooking the river. The kaiseki restaurant, Tobira, takes a more traditional path with exquisitely composed seasonal courses. A patisserie salon rounds things off with Japanese-French confections and matcha. There's also a library, lounge and treatment room offering Yin-Yang-inspired therapies.
Choose between traditional Japanese tatami rooms with futons and shoji screens, or more contemporary Western-style suites with Sealy beds. Both share the same calming aesthetic of timber, muted tones and generous windows that frame the green expanse outside. Every room has its own onsen (some indoor, some open-air), and each is named after local flora and fauna. There are no televisions – deliberately so. For larger groups, there are two restored Satoyama villas: Honjin, a registered cultural property, and Den, a century-old farmhouse with five bedrooms and a wonderful taste of rural Japanese life.
The surrounding national park is made for forest bathing – the pretty trails weave through moss-carpeted woodlands and along mountain streams – and the ryokan can arrange guided mindfulness walks. Beyond the trees, the Matsumoto area reveals a rich food culture: visit Ishii Miso's 150-year-old factory, tour a sake brewery, or taste Merlot at one of the Shiga district's emerging wineries. The Utsukushigahara Open-Air Museum sits on a highland plateau with sculptures scattered across meadows and jaw-dropping 360-degree views that, on clear days, stretch all the way to Mount Fuji.
The communal onsen are each completely different – a deep standing bath, a reclining soak, and an open-air pool gazing into the forest. They're open 24 hours, so a midnight dip with nothing but the stars is in order.
Ask about Champagne Time on the open terrace. Sipping bubbles under the trees after a long soak is a pretty perfect way to spend the afternoon.
The shuttle from Matsumoto Station only runs twice daily (15:15 and 16:30) and you must book ahead.
A hub of Samurai heritage & artistic exploration, Matsumoto is a city that does it all in the Japanese Alps.
