Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden is perched by one of the oldest castles in Japan, and sits at the foot of rolling hills, with commanding views of the Kisco River…
For a brand like Hotel Indigo, which is used to arriving in new territories, location is everything. This is certainly the case with its latest property, Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden, which has become the brand’s third hotel to open in Japan.
Located in the Urakuen Garden together with Inuyama’s National Treasure, the Jo-An tea house, and perched by the timeless Kiso River and Inuyama Castle, the unique surrounds lend itself to an abundance of neighbourhood stories and memorable guest experiences.
Inuyama is a timeless city full of lively festival culture and cuisine. The Inuyama Castle is one of Japan’s oldest castles and sits at the foot of rolling hills with commanding views of the Kiso River, offering spectacular scenes throughout the Sakura season.
“Hotel Indigo is a powerful storyteller and we are constantly thinking of new and exciting ways to contribute to the area of Inuyama and the stories that we share to guests in Japan and abroad,” Tsukasa Yanagishima, General Manager of Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden. “We are very proud to be able to open the Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden, a place with such a wonderful history, culture, and human warmth. As part of the community, we will do our best to contribute to the development of Inuyama City and the neighbouring areas, and we thank the community for their support as we open this beautiful hotel.”
Image credit: IHG
The garden is the heart of the hotel, consisting of nine zones, including a mysterious walkway serving as a prologue to two National Treasures: the Jo-An tea house and Inuyama Castle. Its walkways evoke a sense of ‘time travel’, taking guests through contrasts of contemporary and vivid patterns, majestic landscapes and breathtaking views of Inuyama.
Just as no two neighbourhoods are alike, no two Hotel Indigo properties are alike. Each is designed to uniquely reflect the local culture and history of the area. Inuyama bursts to life with 156 guestrooms inspired by the liveliness of the town, including large wall-art above the bedding with mountain motifs reminiscent of the sprawling hills, vistas and playful character of the region.
The neighbourhood motifs is continually referenced throughout the hotel, including in areas such as the restaurant and bars, which shelter a philosophy built on the richness of Inuyama flavours. Indigo Home Kitchen Yamateras reigns as the hotel’s signature restaurant and focuses on the traditional, nostalgic food culture of the region with seasonal produce and local specialties.
Stories of the neighbourhood are weaved through the dishes to the cocktails. For a whimsical escape into the town’s festival culture, the BAR Yoyama is a lively bar inspired by the 13 yama motifs (‘floats’) carrying karakuri mechanised dolls, a much-loved part of the Inuyama Festival. Calendrical screens also adorn the bar, a feature of the Jo-An tea house.
Hotel Indigo Urakuen Garden offers the ultimate in relaxation with the region’s only traditional onsen (hot spring): Inuyama Onsen Hakutei no Yu. The onsen is a stunning, both indoor and open-air natural hot spring, with clear alkaline properties to help purify the skin, and its tiles take inspiration from the Kiso River.
For inspired meetings and events, the Hibiki room is an energetic space where guests can experience the four seasons of Japan through floor to ceiling windows. Design cues have been captured to reflect the surrounds, with a combination of lanterns and wooden frames inspired by the Inuyama Festival on the ceiling, and patterns of the Kiso River’s ripples and glow through the carpet.
Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden is the third Hotel Indigo property to open in Japan, following from successful openings of Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora in January 2020, and Hotel Indigo Karuizawa in February 2022, and the first in the Tokai region.
Main image credit: IHG
