Houshi in Awazu Onsen was founded in 718 and has been run by the same family for 46 generations. From 1996 to 2011, it held the title of the oldest hotel in the world according to Guinness World Records.

In the mountains of Ishikawa Prefecture, near the Awazu source, there’s a ryokan that has been welcoming guests even before the concept of “shogunate” existed in Japan. Houshi is a hotel founded in 718 and managed by the same family for an incredible 46 generations, making it one of the oldest continuously operating family businesses on the planet.

Briefly. Houshi in Awazu Onsen was founded in 718 and has been continuously managed by the same family ever since – currently, the hotel is headed by the 46th generation. From 1996 to 2011, Houshi officially held the Guinness World Records title for the oldest operating hotel in the world, until it was surpassed by another Japanese ryokan — Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, already described in our section. Today, it’s a large complex, by traditional ryokan standards, with 60 rooms and hot springs. Guest reviews are honestly mixed: some find the centuries-old corridors atmospheric, while others find them genuinely eerie due to the antique Japanese dolls in the interior.

1300 Years of One Family at One Source

The history of Houshi dates back to 718, when, according to legend, Buddhist monk Taicho Daisai, who discovered the Awazu source, entrusted his disciple Garyo Hosina with caring for it and welcoming weary travelers. Since then, the hotel has been passed down directly within the same family – a remarkably rare case of continuity even by Japanese standards, a country known for its longevity of family businesses: today’s manager represents the 46th generation of that dynasty of hosts.

For comparison: 46 generations is roughly equivalent to the period from the early Middle Ages in Europe, when there was no shogunate or samurai class as we know it on the Japanese islands, and the country’s history was just beginning to take shape in written chronicles of the Nara period.

A Record Held for 15 Years — and Passed On to Another Japanese Ryokan

From 1996 to 2011, Houshi was officially listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest operating hotel in the world. In 2011, the title passed to another Japanese ryokan — Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan in Yamanashi Prefecture, founded even earlier, in 705, but for some reason did not claim the record until the early 1990s. A remarkable fact in itself: two hotels, both still owned by their original families, both part of the same national tradition of continuous family hospitality stretching back 13 centuries. Losing the official title does nothing to diminish Houshi’s own 1300-year history — it’s a simple change of place on the Guinness list, not a loss of authenticity.

60 Rooms and Awazu Hot Springs

By the standards of ancient family ryokans, Houshi is quite large—60 rooms with air conditioners, refrigerators, and LCD TVs, which distinguishes it from more intimate hotels like the three-room boutique hotels featured in our section. The property features hot springs (including bathing facilities built directly into the structure of the centuries-old complex), a relaxation garden, and a vending machine providing modern conveniences without compromising the overall atmosphere of antiquity. Nearby thermal attractions—the Yamashiro Onsen spring and the Yamanaka hot spring—are about 15 minutes by car, making Houshi a convenient base for exploring the wider range of Ishikawa Prefecture’s onsen resorts.

Atmospheric or Creepy? Guests are Divided

A recurring theme appears unusually often in reviews of Houshi: antique Japanese dolls and paintings line the long corridors of the complex. For some guests, this is an authentic, unadulterated atmosphere of a thirteen-century ryokan; for others, it’s a source of genuine discomfort, heightened by the long walks between rooms, the dining room, and bathing facilities, and the scent of incense in the lobby. We don’t smooth over this duality: it’s real and repeated in independent reviews, not an isolated incident.

What Guests Say

  • “A secret hot spring with a 1300-year history—unforgettable experience! The hotel is clean, spacious, and bright, the food is delicious, and the hot spring washes away all your worries. Excellent value for money!”
  • “Extremely pleased… The service was simply fantastic! A historic hotel with hot springs… the rooms were very cold in winter, even with the air conditioning on… we just shivered from the cold and swam in the hot springs, haha. Dress warmly, everyone!”
  • “I was lucky enough to stay at a historical hotel for two nights and three days. I appreciated that even without informing them of my arrival time, the staff made an effort to greet me upon arrival.”
  • “This time, I chose three hotels with hot springs, as I always do when I come here. This hotel turned out to be the worst of all. The Japanese dolls and paintings in the hallway were truly frightening and creepy. […] The paths to the dining room and showers were incredibly long.”

What’s Next

Already read about Houshi — compare it with the hotel that took the title of oldest hotel in the world from him in 2011: Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, operating since 705. And if you’re traveling specifically for hot springs — first read our guide to onsen etiquette.

Prices, room availability and service composition may change – check the current information before your trip.