Sansuien Main Building

Introduction

Nestled on the eastern edge of the historic Yuda Onsen district in Yamaguchi City, Sansuien Main Building (山水園本館) is a magnificent example of Japanese residential architecture spanning from the Taisho era to the mid-twentieth century. Registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property in 2014, this hot spring ryokan seamlessly blends the refined aesthetics of multiple architectural periods into a single, harmonious complex. With its three distinct Japanese gardens, four tea ceremony rooms, and naturally flowing hot springs sourced from three private wells, Sansuien offers guests a rare opportunity to stay within a living cultural heritage site that continues to operate as a premier traditional inn.

Historical Background

The story of Sansuien begins in the Taisho period (1912–1918), when the original structure was built as a private villa on the forested hillside east of Yuda Onsen. The villa was designed to take full advantage of its natural setting, with the building oriented to embrace the surrounding landscape of Mount Shoji and lush greenery on three sides.

Before the villa was completed, it changed hands, and in 1936, the businessman Nakano Hitoyoshi acquired the property and established it as a hot spring inn named Sansuien. Under Nakano's stewardship, the ryokan underwent several rounds of expansion and renovation. In 1950, significant additions were made, including a tea room wing and banquet hall, designed and built by the renowned Kyoto sukiya (tea house-style architecture) master Fuefuki Kaichiro. Further modifications followed in 1963, each time enriching the architectural tapestry of the building while preserving the character of earlier structures.

In 1956 and 1963, the ryokan received the honor of hosting Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun. The two rooms where the imperial couple stayed—named Kiri (Paulownia) and Chidori (Plover)—were subsequently designated as the Anzaikaku (行在閣), meaning "Imperial Lodging Pavilion," and remain among the most treasured spaces within the inn.

Designation as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property

On April 25, 2014, Sansuien Main Building was registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property (building) by the Japanese government. The designation recognizes the building as a composite structure of exceptional quality, where Taisho-era villa architecture has been enriched through successive expansions, each executed with outstanding craftsmanship and materials.

The Anzaikaku wing, dating to the Taisho period, is particularly notable for its integration with the pond garden, forming a unified composition of refined modern Japanese-style architecture. The post-war additions by Fuefuki Kaichiro exhibit masterful sukiya design, with each room showcasing distinctive joinery, woodwork, and spatial arrangements. Experts have described the building as a "museum of wooden architecture," where the different aesthetic sensibilities of each era coexist in remarkable harmony.

The garden, designed by Kyoto landscape artist Goto Juei, was separately registered as a National Scenic Site (Registered Monument) in 2015, further recognizing the inseparable relationship between the building and its natural setting.

Architectural and Design Highlights

Sansuien Main Building is a two-story wooden structure (partly three stories) with tiled roofing, covering a building area of approximately 1,340 square meters. The complex is composed of several interconnected wings, each reflecting the architectural tastes of its era.

The Three Gardens

Sansuien's grounds encompass all three traditional styles of Japanese garden design, arranged in a continuous yet independently conceived sequence around the main building.

The pond garden (chisen teien), a strolling-style garden dating from the Taisho period, occupies the eastern portion of the grounds. Visitors can walk along pathways that wind around the garden pond and ascend the lower slopes of the surrounding hills, enjoying changing perspectives of water, stone, and vegetation throughout the seasons.

The dry landscape garden (karesansui), created in the 1950s by the Kyoto garden master Goto Juei, features a distinctive deeply excavated basin filled with white sand and accented with carefully placed stones—an unusual and striking variation on the traditional karesansui form.

The tea garden (roji), also by Goto Juei, connects the tea rooms to the main building through a sequence of stone paths, gates, and plantings designed to prepare the spirit for the tea ceremony. Notable features include stepping stones of Kamo-no-Nanaishi ("Seven Stones of Kamo"), a prized variety of black stone transported from Kyoto.

Hot Springs

Sansuien is blessed with three private hot spring sources of differing temperatures, which are blended to achieve the ideal bathing temperature without any addition of water or artificial heating. The water is alkaline simple sulfur spring, colorless and transparent with a soft texture, known for its therapeutic benefits for neuralgia, rheumatism, skin conditions, and minor wounds. The 100% free-flowing natural hot spring is available to overnight guests, and day visitors can enjoy the experience at the Suizan-no-Yu bathhouse, which features both indoor and outdoor baths.

Visitor Information

Sansuien operates as an active ryokan with just 14 guest rooms on its spacious 4,000-tsubo (approximately 13,200 square meters) property, ensuring an intimate and unhurried experience. Guests can enjoy seasonal kaiseki cuisine prepared with fresh local ingredients, served in the privacy of their rooms.

Non-staying visitors are also welcome to enjoy the gardens through guided strolls (by reservation, with limited dates and times), the day-use hot spring facility Suizan-no-Yu, and the hexagonal garden restaurant Rinsui, which serves Japanese cuisine and Japanese-style meat dishes for lunch.

The ryokan utilizes geothermal energy from its hot spring sources for building heating, reducing carbon dioxide emissions as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability and coexistence with nature.

Surrounding Attractions

Sansuien's location in Yamaguchi City places it within easy reach of numerous historical and cultural sites. Yamaguchi was once known as the "Kyoto of the West" (Nishi no Kyō) due to the cultural sophistication of the Ouchi clan, who modeled the city after the imperial capital during the Muromachi period.

• Rurikoji Temple and Five-Story Pagoda (National Treasure) — Approximately 10 minutes by car. One of Japan's three most celebrated pagodas, this graceful structure dates to 1442 and is set within the scenic Kōzan Park. Yamaguchi City was selected by The New York Times as one of "52 Places to Go" in 2024, with the pagoda featured prominently.
• Joeiji Temple (Sesshu Garden) — Approximately 10 minutes by car. This Zen temple houses a renowned dry landscape garden attributed to the master ink painter Sesshu, designated as a National Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty.
• Nakahara Chuya Memorial Museum — Located in the Yuda Onsen district. Dedicated to the beloved modern poet Nakahara Chuya, who was born in Yuda Onsen, the museum showcases his works and life story.
• Xavier Memorial Church — Approximately 10 minutes by car. A striking modern church commemorating the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Francis Xavier in Yamaguchi in 1549.
• Yuda Onsen Foot Baths — Several free foot baths are scattered throughout the Yuda Onsen district, along with the tourist facility "Kitsune no Ashiato" (Fox's Footprints), where visitors can enjoy foot baths alongside local sake and sweets.