Kanaya Hotel History House

What to know

The Kanaya Hotel History House (金谷ホテル歴史館, Kanya Hotel Rekishikan) is a historic building in Nikko that served as the forerunner of the renowned Kanaya Hotel. Open to the public, it offers a glimpse into Nikko's past. The house is adjacent to a bakery where admission tickets are sold.

After Japan ended its isolation, Nikko became a popular summer retreat for foreign diplomats and businesspeople. The Kanaya Hotel, one of the area's premier accommodations, is now Japan's oldest Western-style hotel. Although the hotel is currently located one kilometer away on a hill above Shinkyo Bridge, its origins began at the Kanaya Hotel History House.

Originally the residence of Mr. Kanaya, the building was converted into a guesthouse in 1872. As the Kanaya Cottage Inn, it hosted travelers for about twenty years before being replaced by the Kanaya Hotel on a different site. Notable guests included Albert Einstein and Isabella Bird, a 19th-century British travel writer who helped introduce Nikko to the Western world.

The two-story wooden building is rare for its era. Visitors can explore tatami rooms, intricate stairways and corridors, and enjoy the lovely garden.

Kanaya Hotel History House is a ten-minute bus ride from Tobu and JR Nikko stations (350 yen one way, 600 yen day pass, covered by the Nikko Passes). Get off at the Kanya Hotel Rekishikan (金谷ホテル歴史館) bus stop. It is also about a 20-minute walk from Toshogu Shrine and not far from Tamozawa Villa.