History of Kanaya Hotel

In 1873, only five years after the Meiji Restoration, Zenichiro Kanaya opened Kanaya Cottage Inn, which was specifically designated to accommodate foreign guests. In relocating the business to another location in Nikko, he established a full-fledged hotel, Kanaya Hotel, which is widely known today as the oldest western-style resort hotel in Japan. Following Zenichiro’s death in 1923, his son Shinichi took over the hotel management. However, the hotel underwent difficult times during the Second World War when many of its employees were drafted into military service.
When the war ended in 1945, the American army of occupation assumed control of the hotel. This lasted until 1952.

While Japan has drastically changed over the years, Kanaya Hotel has followed in the footsteps of its founder and upheld its tradition with pride as Japan’s oldest western-style resort hotel.

The Hotel with Over 140 Years of History

People Who Supported Zenichiro’s Venture

It was indeed extraordinary to start hotel business for foreigners in early Meiji period. Japanese people at that time held a deep prejudice against foreigners. It was extremely difficult for them to accept cultures and languages that were incomprehensible to them. In these circumstances, Zenichiro Kanaya offered a room for Dr. James C. Hepburn to stay during his first visit to Nikko in 1870. It was then that Dr. Hepburn encouraged Zenichiro to go into hotel business with an eye toward Nikko’s future.

Zenichiro, a 21-year old member of the Toshogu Gagaku (an ancient imperial court music) Orchestra, had little experience with foreigners, let alone in speaking English. The success of Kanaya Cottage Inn came as a result of Zenichiro’s open-mindedness and energy, as well as the strong support he received from the people he attracted.

Dr. James C. Hepburn, who was living in Yokohama, recommended Kanaya Cottage Inn to his friends. Isabella Bird was one of them. She visited Nikko and stayed at Kanaya Cottage Inn on her way to Hokkaido. She wrote favorably of Nikko, Zenichiro, Kanaya’s service and hospitality in her travelogue, “Unbeaten Tracks in Japan” published in 1880.
Zenichiro also had hearty support from his family. In particular, his older sister Sen, assisted Zenichiro with her warm personality and elegant manners that many guests noticed and appreciated.
Nenpo Kobayashi, a Nikko-born millionaire, gave Zenichiro financial support that made possible the opening and operation of the hotel business. Shotaro Sakamaki was hired as Kanaya Cottage Inn’s manager and interpreter to help Zenichiro to understand western customs and English.

	Dr. James C. Hepburn　1815 – 1911 An American medical and Christian missionary to Japan. Dr. Hepburn was the founder of “Hepburn romanization” of the Japanese language. He also was the founder of Meiji Gakuin University. He completed the Japanese translation of the Old Testament around 1880. He also played an important role in Japan’s modern medicine, university education and Christian missions in Japan.
	Isabella Bird　1831 – 1904 The first foreign woman to travel in the northern Japan in 1878. On her way to Hokkaido, she stopped in Nikko where she stayed at Kanaya Cottage Inn for twelve days. She subsequently visited Nikko twice and stayed at Kanaya Hotel each time. She left behind many sketches of what she saw during her stay in Japan.
	Sen (Kanaya) Saruhashi 1848 – 1924 Sen stayed at Zenichiro’s house while her husband was away on business trips. She was highly involved in the early days of Kanaya Cottage Inn. Her graceful and refined approach received praise from Isabella Bird.
	Nenpo Kobayashi 1848 – 1895 Nenpo came from a distinguished family in Nikko who served the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo Period. After imperial rule was restored in 1867, Nenpo moved to Shizuoka to follow the last Shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa. In 1879, Nenpo founded the 35th National Bank (currently Shizuoka Bank) and became its first president. He opened Kobayashi Bank in Nikko in 1889.
	Shotaro Sakamaki 1863 – 1919 Shotaro was born into a wealthy family in Otawara, which is located to the north of Nikko. In 1885, he traveled to America at the age of 22 to study hotel management in San Francisco. After returning to Japan, Shotaro worked as the manager and interpreter of Kanaya Cottage Inn. He also taught English to Zenichiro’s two sons. In 1894, he opened Lakeside Hotel on the shore of Lake Chuzenji, Nikko. He married the oldest daughter of Zenichiro’s sister Sen.

Renowned Foreign Guests at Kanaya Hotel

When Japan finally opened its doors to the world in 1854 after more than 200 years of isolation, it received an influx of foreigners who arrived in Japan for diplomatic purposes. The number of visitors to Nikko also increased sharply, especially after the government began in 1874 to issue domestic travel licenses to the foreigners who wished to travel to rural areas. The signatures of some historical figures still remain on the pages of Kanaya Hotel’s old guest books.

1870 James Hepburn (USA) (Medical Missionary)	1874 Harry Parkes (UK) (Counsel-General)	1878 Isabella Bird (UK) (Explorer)	1879 Ulysses Grant (USA) (President)	1882 Samuel Gardiner (UK) (Historian)
1888 Walter Weston (UK) (Missionary)	1904 Basil Chamberlain (UK) (Japanologist)	1904 Erwin Balz (Germany) (Medical Scientist)	1905 Frank Wright (USA) (Architect)	1906 Prince Arthur of Connaught (UK)