"Sustainable tourism," which focuses on accommodations with high design that pursue organic and ecological qualities, is becoming increasingly popular. Relais & Châteaux is a global non-profit membership organization that is actively working to minimize the impact of daily activities and actions on the natural environment and to promote sustainable development. Many people may be familiar with this name. Founded in France in 1954, it is a global non-profit membership organization made up of first-class hotels and restaurants, and only hotels and restaurants that have passed strict inspections based on the 5C standards since its founding are allowed to join. Even after joining, regular mystery inspections are conducted once every three years, and depending on the results of the inspection, they may be warned and expelled, so they are required to maintain a high level of quality at all times.

There are about 540 hotels and restaurants worldwide, and 20 in Japan. There are only five five-star inns that are members: Myojinkan in Tobira Onsen , Nagano Prefecture; Bettei Senjuan in Tanigawa Onsen, Minakami Onsengo, Gunma Prefecture; Gora Gora Kadan in Goura Onsen , Kanagawa Prefecture; Asaba in Shuzenji Onsen , Shizuoka Kinosaki Onsen; and Nishimuraya Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosaki Onsen, Hyogo Prefecture.

You may not be familiar with the term, but Green Key is a highly regarded international sustainable certification from tourism associations, and as of 2023, more than 3,700 facilities around the world, including four in Japan, have been certified. Along with Relais & Châteaux, Myojinkan and Bettei Senjuan are also certified.

Green Key is managed by the international standard for sustainable tourism established by the World Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The evaluation items published by Green Key are 13 items: staff awareness, environmental management, notification and information provision to guests, water resources, environmentally friendly cleaning and laundry, food and drink that is environmentally and locally friendly, waste separation and composting, organizational management system, accommodation environment within the facility, presence or absence of green areas, presence or absence of green activities, and corporate social responsibility. Auditors inspect the site and quantitatively evaluate the efforts. The evaluation results are judged by a third-party organization established to maintain fairness. The validity period of the certification is one year, so if you wish to continue it, you will need to go through the renewal procedure.

Obtaining Green Key certification not only accelerates sustainability efforts, but also meets the needs of people who want to enjoy environmentally conscious tourism, so it is used as a guideline when choosing hotels and restaurants.

Myojinkan was founded in 1931 and is a single inn nestled in the forest of a quasi-national park at an altitude of 1,050m. The deep surrounding mountains are filled with cool air all year round, and this Japanese wellness resort is a place where the sound of the nearby babbling river will cleanse your soul. The resort offers rooms with hot springs that are one with nature, as well as a variety of facilities designed to coexist with nature. The menu is full of the spirit of local produce, including organic vegetables grown on the resort's own farm. Executive chef Tanabe Masahiro, who specializes in macrobiotic cuisine, has been attracting attention for his French cuisine that makes generous use of ingredients from Shinshu, and Japanese cuisine that incorporates Matsumoto's fermented food culture. The interior spaces feature air-purifying earthen walls and solid wood flooring, and organic linens are used.

Located on a vast mountainside site where you can hear the murmuring of the Tanigawa River, Bettei Senjuan is a tranquil inn where you can enjoy the view of the famous Mt. Tanigawa, which changes its appearance with each season. The different rooms, which perfectly blend Japanese style with a contemporary atmosphere, are equipped with open-air baths where you can enjoy hot spring water directly from the source. Meals are carefully prepared by the head chef and feature original Japanese cuisine. The finest ingredients, such as mountain and river produce and Joshu beef, are served in the best condition. They are also actively working to reduce food waste, setting monthly targets for the amount of food to be disposed of.

Club Tourism is selling a three-day tour titled "High-quality Couple Trip" that includes accommodation at Myojinkan and Bettei Senjuan, which are members of Relais & Chateaux & Green Key. The tour departs on September 4, 2024, in the Green Car of the Shinano Express train from Nagoya, and guests stay at Myojinkan for the first night and Bettei Senjuan for the second night. Excursions are also available, including Kamikochi, Kiyotsukyo, known as one of the three major gorges along with Kurobe Gorge and Osugidani, and Kyu-Karuizawa. This is a truly sustainable tour that allows you to enjoy a safe and secure stay while immersing yourself in the natural environment of each area. If you are unable to participate, we recommend that you create your own tour.

Many five-star accommodations are also suitable for sustainable tourism. "Sakura Quality" is a unique Japanese accommodation quality certification system that has been gaining attention. It is a system that provides information about high-quality Japanese tourism services to travelers around the world and allows them to enjoy a safe and comfortable trip. It is only awarded to services that meet certain standards and have passed rigorous screening, and certified facilities are given a mark with a cherry blossom motif. As of June 2024, there are 21 five-star accommodations that have received Sakura Quality certification. We would like to introduce the list here.