Founded 75 years ago, Shirahama Onsen Musashi is known as one of Kishu's famous hot springs. The man who protects the inn is the proprietress, Numata Hiromi, who inherited the traditional inn, supported by family ties. We take a closer look at the proprietress's life, the charms of Wakayama, and the essence of hospitality at the long-established inn Musashi.

interviewer

I would also like to ask about the food. Could you tell me about the special features and attention to detail of the dishes?

landlady

Grouper fish is a high-class fish that represents Wakayama, and at our inn we serve it as a specialty dish. In our buffet restaurant, you can enjoy a grouper hotpot for one person all year round. In addition, in our kaiseki cuisine, instead of tempura, which is difficult to serve hot, we serve grouper karaage, which is crispy and deep-fried. This allows us to serve it warm and has been very well received by our guests.

interviewer

Can I get kue all year round?

landlady

That's right. Thanks to the extensive research into aquaculture by Kinki University, we are now able to provide a stable supply. Recently, a new type of grouper called "Kuetama"* has been developed. This type of grouper is not only fast-growing and fatty, but also has the distinctive feature of being firm and rich in gelatin due to the low seawater temperatures of Wakayama. I've heard that shipments of this fish will increase in the future, so I hope that many people will continue to enjoy Shirahama's delicious grouper.
*Kuetama: A hybrid species of grouper and grouper, successfully developed for the first time in Japan by Kinki University. It combines the fast growth of grouper with the delicious taste of grouper.

interviewer

Just listening to your story is making me hungry. Besides grouper, are there any other local ingredients or specialties that you would recommend people try?

landlady

In addition to grouper, we also try to serve fruit from Wakayama Prefecture whenever possible. In the summer, we serve watermelon from Inami Town, a town famous for its watermelons. Pickled plums are also a must-have. We offer a variety of pickled plums depending on the season, such as the classic honey plum and shiso plum, and we explain the differences in their flavors to our guests as they enjoy them.

Additionally, overseas customers, especially those from Southeast Asia, tend to prefer hot food. At buffet restaurants, it's not uncommon to see Chinese customers eating two or even three hot pots by themselves, and they'll cheerfully ask for extra broth, please (laughs). Hot pot is extremely popular, regardless of country.

interviewer

Regarding hot springs, could you tell us again about the unique charms and benefits of Musashino?

landlady

Our hot spring facilities are broadly divided into several areas. The large public bath available to everyone is on two levels, on the first and second floors, with a semi-open-air bath and a medium-sized bath on the first floor, and a larger large public bath on the second floor. Of these, the large public bath on the second floor and the medium-sized bath on the first floor have the same spring quality, while the semi-open-air bath on the first floor has another different spring quality, allowing you to enjoy bathing in different baths in one place.

We also offer private hot spring baths for guests from overseas or those with small children who find it difficult to use the large public baths. You can enjoy the hot springs in a private space for 45 minutes.

Furthermore, some of the guest rooms with hot spring baths are equipped with Science Co.'s Mirabath. When switched on, this creates a fine mist of bubbles in the bathtub, making it cloudy white like a milk bath. According to research by a university in Kyushu, these fine bubbles have an extremely high cleansing effect, even removing stains from markers and lipstick. Using this in a hot spring with free-flowing water from the source is said to allow the spring water to penetrate the skin more easily, preventing chills and improving heat retention. This has been extremely well-received by guests using private hot springs and guest rooms with hot spring baths.

Our greatest pride is the open-air bath on the roof, which was newly installed during earthquake-resistance construction work in 2019. Until then, our hotel only had a semi-open-air bath from which guests could enjoy the starry sky, but we took this opportunity to create an infinity-style open-air bath on the roof, similar to the trendy rooftop terraces.

These open-air baths are separated by gender, with one offering a panoramic view of Shirahama's beautiful beach and hot spring town, and the other taking full advantage of our inn's location to create a spectacular bath where you can bathe while looking out at Engetsuto Island. There are several other inns with views of Engetsuto Island, but ours is probably the only one where you can clearly see all the way to the round hole in the middle of the island.

At sunset, the sky glows beautifully, creating an exceptional view. Some guests return multiple times just to enjoy this view. The men's and women's noren curtains are switched between morning and evening, so if you stay overnight you can enjoy both views. In the summer, the sun sets on the side of Engetsuto Island, making sunset particularly beautiful.

interviewer

Can the experiences you mentioned be enjoyed all year round, or do they change depending on the season?

landlady

Currently, we offer this service year-round, but we also add new experiences from time to time. Our staff are always thinking, "How can we make our customers even happier?" and "What will our customers look forward to when they come?" as they try new things. For example, we plan an event for New Year's where customers can try their hand at calligraphy, and if we can prepare in time, we also plan special events to coincide with seasonal events.

interviewer

Can people from overseas also take part in such experiences?

landlady

Yes, of course. We have multilingual staff, so it's no problem at all.

interviewer

Please let us know if there are any recommended tourist spots around the inn.

landlady

Wakayama Prefecture is home to two World Heritage Sites: Mount Koya and the Kumano Kodo.

By touring the Kumano Sanzan (Three Grand Shrines of Kumano), Kumano Hayatama Taisha, Kumano Nachi Taisha, and Kumano Hongu Taisha, you can have a mystical experience as if traveling through the present, past, and future. Katsuura is also home to Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple, and is filled with abundant nature, including deep mountains, beautiful oceans, and scenic spots designated as geoparks and national parks.

Wakayama is a long, vertically long prefecture, but the south has its own charm, and the north has its own. We hope you will use our hotel as your base to enjoy the charms of Wakayama as a whole.

interviewer

Finally, please give us a message for customers who will be visiting Musashi for the first time.

landlady

Our hotel has been a traditional Japanese inn in Shirahama for many years. Of course, our new facilities, which are in line with the modern era, are appealing, and we believe there are many ways to enjoy our hotel. However, if you are looking for an experience unique to a Japanese inn, or if you would like to spend some time relaxing in a calm atmosphere, please come and visit us. We will do our best to serve you with our whole heart.

interviewer

Thank you for your valuable insights today.

Book your stay at Kishu Shirahama Onsen Musashi here!