About
Curated for those
who travel with intent.
Nomae Luxury is an independent editorial platform dedicated to Japan's most exceptional hotels, ryokan, spa retreats, and dining experiences. We exist for travelers who approach Japan not as a destination to check off, but as a place to understand — and who believe that where you stay shapes everything that follows.
Japan has long set the standard for what hospitality can be. The precision of a kaiseki sequence. The stillness of a private onsen at dawn. A futon turned down in a room where nothing is unnecessary. These are not incidental pleasures — they are the point.
What We Cover
Three dimensions of the luxury experience
Accommodations
From contemporary urban hotels to centuries-old ryokan, each property is chosen for architectural integrity, spatial quality, and the distinctiveness of its hospitality.
Spa & Wellness
Japan's onsen tradition runs deep. We identify properties where the bathing ritual is treated with the seriousness it deserves — private mineral springs, forest-fed pools, and spa programs rooted in local practice.
Dining
Kaiseki, sushi, and the quiet ceremony of Japanese breakfast. We document the dining experiences within each property that reflect the same standards as the rooms themselves.
Our Standards
How we select
We do not list everything.
There are thousands of hotels in Japan. We cover a small fraction of them. Omission is editorial judgment, not oversight.
Quality over completeness.
A property with four exceptional rooms is more interesting to us than a large hotel with one standout floor. We value depth of experience over breadth of offering.
Service is non-negotiable.
In Japan, hospitality — omotenashi — is a philosophy. We look for properties where this is not a policy but a practice, felt at every point of contact.
Place matters.
The best stays are inseparable from their location. Whether in a Kyoto machiya alley or beside a volcanic lake in Hokkaido, we look for properties that could only exist where they are.
“We do not rank. We do not score. We select — and we stand behind what we choose.”