A resort built in the style of a traditional Japanese village gives you a homely feel

Photos and text byHappy Yun

Reluctantly leaving Kobama Island, we continue our island-hopping mini-trip Up！The next stop is “Taketomi Island,” which many of my friends have visited before—and all with great reviews!!! I’m so excited!!! Taketomi Island is just a 15-minute boat ride from Ishigaki Island—so close, so close. The island has traditional customs and settlements and has been designated by the Japanese government as an “Important Traditional Buildings Preservation District.” When we arrived at Taketomi Island, we were greeted by pouring rain—hahaha, rain brings fortune, everyone get rich!!! We headed straight to our accommodation for the night, the Hoshinoya Okinawa Taketomi Island resort.

A secluded path lined with grassy fields—who knows what kind of place lies at the end of this little road?? The coral reef walls before us—what kind of resort is hidden behind them??

There were already service staff (somewhat like butlers) waiting to welcome us at the entrance. Beyond the door was a wooden hall.

This is the check-in counter. After a short rest, sipping tea and eating some sweets, the butler led us to our room.

Passing through the head chef’s garden, where ingredients for cooking are grown, and behind the coral reef walls are traditional Japanese-style buildings that serve as guest rooms.

The architectural design here is entirely based on the traditional settlements of Taketomi Island. Each guest room is like a separate residence. Wow~~~ Am I on a trip here, or am I at home??

It feels so “homely”; it turns out that top-tier travel not only involves luxury but also carries the feeling of “home.” Arriving at our room for the night—our home for the evening; and our family for the night, our roommates.

Traditional glass and wooden doors, stepping up stone stairs, entering the house, filled with the fresh scent of wood—so... comfortable, so comfortable.

Hidden within the traditional Japanese architecture is a subtle Nordic-style understated luxury. Such a large bathtub—if there were more sunlight, it would be so beautiful.

Doing nothing, lying on the sofa in the hall or soaking in the bathtub—is so relaxing, so comfortable.

The room has two large double beds, which are also so... comfortable. The thoughtfully designed amenities in the room, yukatas and casual wear available in the resort...

There are also thoughtful mosquito repellent incense and insect spray... all arranged with their own sense of aesthetics. Took a casual photo of the room to get a feel of the essence of an old Japanese house.

Next up, let’s learn to play the traditional Okinawan instrument “sanshin” Up！This… I’m sure many are familiar with traditional Okinawan music from the movie “Nada Sousou”—the soundtrack really gives you a strong sense of it. Today, the instructor brought a sanshin and sheet music to teach us how to play it!!! First, the instructor sang a few lines of songs played on the sanshin.

Then the instructor explained the relationship between the symbols on the sheet music and the frets on the instrument. For those who have played guitar or ukulele, it should be quite easy to pick up. The finger positions, intervals, and different placements produce the notes do re mi... combining these notes creates a song!!! Look how enthusiastically everyone is learning!!!!

It felt like being a child, hearing your neighbor’s sister playing the piano, peeking into her house, and then being kindly invited in by the big sister to learn—maybe it’s the Japanese-style house, or maybe it’s the magic of the sanshin; it makes you want to take the instrument home, makes you want to learn...

After finishing the sanshin lesson, let’s go for a walk!!! Hahaha, like when we were kids, finishing homework and getting ready to go play outside!!! In the village, each household looks really like a real, lived-in settlement.

It’s a bit hard to imagine this is a resort—it’s also the third boutique resort from Hoshino Resorts. Looking at the resort from a high point, a settlement, a traditional one—is so beautiful, so full of island vibes.

Walking toward the sea, the scenery here is quite serene, with the look of a private beach. It’s also like where children would gather to play in the water after school when we were little.

Today’s weather was a bit unpredictable. On the beach, we encountered hermit crabs with big shells that we couldn’t name.

Slowly walking back to the village, we came to the swimming pool. Wow~~~ This pool looks like God’s tears, like Jiamei Lake. So... beautiful, so beautiful; under the sunlight and open sky, it tempts you to dive in and play.

The wooden cabins above the swimming pool are the lounge areas where everyone can relax and socialize. In the afternoon, there’s also a sanshin performance by an instructor, and they serve simple snacks and tea, unlimited for guests. On a hot afternoon, listening to music here is a real treat.

Before long, it was time for dinner!!! The restaurant is located behind the lounge area we visited earlier. Gazing out the window at the view, we got ready to eat.

Before the meal, everyone raised their glasses, cheers, with a glass of champagne—filled with gratitude; thank you to my travel companions. With you all, Yun experienced a very different island trip. I admit, this trip actually made me start to love islands, hahaha！Different companions open up different perspectives; I’m truly too... happy Up！

Tonight’s dinner was once again exquisite and abundant. There was homemade mango soup, island tofu French mousse with overnight dried squid tartare.

There was also a French-style vegetable stew with West Indian cherry flavor, fried squid mousse. Steamed and spiced shrimp and island carrot concerto.

There was herb-grilled grouper with colorful stewed vegetables. Grilled black-haired wagyu beef with sour citrus pepper sauce and green peas.

Passion fruit chocolate tart, vanilla cookies, cilantro-infused golden pineapple cold soup, and goat milk sorbet.

Small but exquisite, full of creativity, coupled with the overall ambiance of the space and service — it’s sure to be a delightful dining experience.

Time flies so fast!!! A whole day slowly says goodbye as the dusk deepens. And before we know it, our journey is entering its final countdown. That night, there was a fairly heavy rain; I opened the wooden glass door, listening to the sound of rain and the sanshin music from the CD — it didn’t feel unfamiliar at all, almost like being at home. In recent years, having traveled through many countries and stayed in various hotels, top-tier accommodations always give off a sense of home or inspire such thoughts. It turns out that what travelers yearn for most in their hearts is still “going home.” Coming to Taketomi Island felt like coming home; not running away. Amidst the raindrops, lightning, and thunder, I knew I would come back again.

[Hoshino Resorts]
Website:http://cn.hoshinoresort.com/hoshinoya_okinawa/
Address: 0907-1101 Okinawa, Yaeyama District, Taketomi Town, Taketomi
Phone: 81-(0)50-3786-0066 (8:00–21:00)

*For more information, please see -->Happy Cloud’s Travel Blog *