The town of Obi lies in the southern part of Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture. For roughly three centuries from the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600) to the beginning of the Meiji period (1868-1912), this area prospered as the 51,000 “koku” (rice yield) castle town of the Ito clan of Obi domain. With Obi Castle at its center, the beautifully preserved neighborhood is lined with traditional samurai residences, elegant gates, and walls made of Obi stone, offering a glimpse into the lifestyle of samurais and merchants during the Edo period. In 1977, Obi was designated as the first “Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings” in the Kyushu region of Japan. While Obi is rich in natural and cultural assets, it has been long been unable to attract visitors (especially overnight visitors) due to little recognition as well as a lack of lodging facilities. Many of these historic buildings had been left vacant and unused for years.

In 2015, Kiraku was appointed by Nichinan City to coordinate the revitalization of Obi. In 2017, Kiraku opened Kiraku Obi as the first pilot project, renovating two traditional samurai residences into luxury lodging facilities. For this project, Nazuna Co., Ltd. and Daichi Co., Ltd. aimed to renovate the former Kogakura residence, one of the most well-known and large-scale traditional residences of Obi, into an ryokan-style accommodation facility and tourist hub for community exchange. With the continued mission to revitalize the town of Obi, Kiraku also took part in the planning of this project.

Nazuna Obi Onsen Resort is a 5-room ryokan renovated from the 140-year-old samurai residence, spanning across the main house and an annex. All guest rooms are equipped with an open-air bath, where guests can enjoy the natural onsen water drawn from Kitago hot spring in Nichinan City. Each of the 5 rooms are named and decorated according to carefully selected, unique features of Obi: HONMURASAKI is based on the symbolic purple color of Obi; SUGI is inspired by the Obi sugi (cedar) tree that has long sustained the Obi industry; CHABOKU is inspired by the tea tree hedges that can be found in local houses throughout Obi; DAIDAI is based on a special citrus fruit local to Nichinan City; and KOKE is inspired by the moss covering the shrines and gardens, representative of the beautiful townscape of Obi. In order to preserve the history and appearance of the original residence, exterior renovation of the building has been kept to a minimum.

The reception area of Nazuna Obi Onsen Resort serves as a site for engagement with the local Obi community, where guests can learn about the regional cuisine or discover specialty items that can only be found in Obi. Guests can also pick up a “guide card” highlighting the unique features of nearby specialty stores. The reception thus serves as a new tourist destination hub, where guests and visitors can gather, experience, and learn about the rich history and culture of Obi.

Since opening, Nazuna Obi Onsen Resort has integrated operations with Kiraku Obi under Nazuna Co., Ltd., and the reception now serves as the central check-in area for all guests. With this centralized reception as a starting point, plans are in place to further develop lodging, spa, and other facilities in the neighborhood and create a unique local experience for visitors. Through creating a new platform for the lodging business in Obi, this project seeks to further expand the capabilities and potential of Obi as a tourist destination.

Reception Area