STAY > KAI Akiu, Akiu Onsen, Sendai (17/20)

KAI Akiu by Hoshino Resorts brings understated design, ritual-rich bathing and river-facing calm to one of Sendai’s most storied onsen towns, wrapping traditional ryokan cues in a quietly luxurious, contemporary frame. For ALMANAK readers, it is the kind of stay that feels purposeful rather than flashy—more about seasons, texture and water than spectacle.Summary Intro goes here. 

AMBIENCE >

Arriving in Akiu, the tone shifts early: the highway falls away to cedar-clad hillsides, glassy green river bends and low-rise hotels tucked into the valley floor, with KAI Akiu set quietly above the Natori-gawa’s stony curves. The property reads as a long, low, almost reticent structure from the road, but once inside, sightlines pull you straight to water and trees—wide panes of glass, stone, timber and woven textures all angled to keep the river in frame.

Public spaces lean into a kind of softened minimalism: pale woods, indigo accents and handmade objects that nod to Miyagi craft, without tipping into souvenir-shop pastiche. Corridors are hushed and lightly scented, and the evening mood settles quickly into slippers-and-yukata quiet—more meditative retreat than busy resort, even when occupancy is high.

Rooms are all variations on a single idea: generous, tatami-led layouts with low beds or futons, river or hillside views, and that Hoshino fondness for meticulous, almost invisible convenience. Expect shoji-style screens, long benches angled to the windows, considered lighting and plenty of open floor for suitcases and ski bags alike— a welcome detail for travellers using Akiu as a bookend to Tohoku adventures.

The onsen level is where the building’s architecture feels most **expressive**: pools staggered along the riverside, stone and dark timber nesting the baths into the slope so you soak eye-level with rocks and rushes. In winter, steam curls into bare branches; in early summer, fresh greens and river murmur do the heavy lifting—either way, it is the rare large-format ryokan that still feels intimately tied to its site.

EAT >

Meals follow the KAI playbook: fixed-course kaiseki-style dinners that riff on local produce and season, served in a dedicated dining room rather than in-room. Expect a considered procession rather than fireworks—clear broths, pristine sashimi, charcoal-grilled river fish, and delicate vegetable courses that lean into Tohoku’s mountain and coastal crosscurrents.

Plating is quietly theatrical without feeling fussy: lacquer, stoneware and pale ceramics frame each course, often with subtle nods to the surrounding landscape in colour and form. Seafood—drawn from Miyagi’s well-regarded fisheries—tends to be the anchor, but there is usually a thoughtful handling of beef and seasonal vegetables for guests seeking more comfort than ceremony.

Breakfast is a structured, Japanese-first affair: grilled fish, tamago, rice, miso, pickles and small side dishes that arrive as a balanced tray, with coffee and a few Western-adjacent options folded in. It is the kind of breakfast that sets you up for a day in the hills or a slow wander down through the Akiu town, and feels more retreat-centred than business-ready, which is precisely the point.

DRINK >

This is not a cocktail-forward property; drinks here support the bathing-and-dining rhythm rather than compete with it. A short list of local sake and regional beers does the heavy lifting, with staff happy to steer you toward labels that echo the kitchen’s seasonal focus or highlight Miyagi producers.

Pre-dinner, the lounge spaces and in-room seating become the natural spots for a quiet glass while the sky drops behind the valley. Post-onsen, it is more about warm sake, tea and hydration than bar theatrics—ideal if you value wind-down over nightcap, less so if you are hunting for mixology and a city-level wine list.

Tea service, both in-room and around the public areas, is handled with the same calm precision as the rest of the stay, and becomes a subtle through-line from check-in to checkout. Between that and the property’s proximity to Nikkei Distillery, Great Dane Brewery as well as Akiu’s own small wineries and cafés, there is enough to keep discerning drinkers content without diluting the retreat-like mood.

CONCLUSION >

KAI Akiu is best read as a design-conscious onsen retreat rather than a full-service urban resort: it is about river, ritual and seasonal detail more than big-brand gloss. For ALMANAK readers, it works beautifully as a soft-landing bookend to Tohoku rail or ski itineraries, or as a two-night reset a short drive from central Sendai—especially if the idea of steam, cedar and a tightly edited kaiseki appeals more than bell-service theatre.

Service is polished in that distinctly Hoshino way: present but never hovering, more choreographed than ad-libbed. If your ideal stay is defined by calm architecture, serious bathing, and a strong sense of place wrapped into a contemporary ryokan frame, Akiu’s newest arrival is a quietly confident bet.

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Image Credit | ALMANAK & HOSHINO Resorts

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