Kanagawa

Travel

A trip to visit the Hakone parquet craftsman’s workshop to experience the culture of Hakone

2021.05.16

A local culture experience where guests can see the rare techniques up close and perform together in collaboration with craftsmen, writers, and producers who inherit the local culture. From June 4, 2021, KAI Hakone will hold a tour to visit the craftsmen’s workshops of traditional crafts, Hakone parquet.

A tour to visit the Hakone parquet craftsman's workshop

Various patterns that make use of the color of wood

Since the opening of KAI Hakone, we will visit the Hakone parquet workshop “Roki Woodworks”, which has been working on the preparation of the guest room “Hakone Parquet Room” and the kaiseki cuisine. Mr. Kiyoshi Tsuyuki, who is the 4th generation, will explain the wood used as the material, and will teach you the process of making it into parquet.

He observes the process of cutting wood, pasting parts of different shades to make patterned parts, combining them, and finally shaving with a canna to make a work. In order to create a beautiful pattern, the elaborate handiwork and the elaborate design of craftsmen who know the characteristics of wood are given.

Experience using craftsman's tools

At the end of the workshop tour, a special canna that craftsmen use “seed wood” that combines parts with various patterns, and a “zuku” pulling experience that carves out patterns with a thickness of 0.2 mm. I will do it. “Zuku” is the basis for finishing a work by pasting it on a wooden product. The scent of wood stands out the moment you shave it, and you can feel the rarity of being able to witness the moment when crafts are created.

Touch Hakone parquet in KAI Hakone

In the guest room “Hakone Parquet Room”, the room key chain and hanging scroll are decorated with parquet design. The large design that boldly utilizes the texture of wood blends in with the scenery of Sukumogawa and Yusakayama, which you can see from the Japanese-style guest rooms and windows.

Parquet is also used for kaiseki cuisine. It features a chic pattern that complements the dishes created by the Rouki Woodworks to match the dishes.

After dinner, you can listen to the history and anecdotes of Hakone parquet, which the staff explains in a picture-story show format, while tasting tea and sweets in the lobby with a Hakone parquet bowl in a program called “Parquet CHAYA”.
You can also experience making a parquet coaster by combining parquet parts in your room.

Mr. Kiyotaka Rouki of Rouki Woodworks

Profile
Born in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is the 4th generation of the Rouki Woodworks and is a Hakone parquet technician. Following the flow of the first Kiyoyoshi Rouki, who studied under Nisaburo, the grandson of Nisaburo Ishikawa, the founder of Hakone parquet, he continues to create new parquet that blends into his current life while preserving traditional techniques and techniques.

Since 2012, he has collaborated with Kai Hakone to create original guest room arrangements and kaiseki dishes with his father, Kiyokatsu Rouki, the third generation. Sake sets and bowls made by cutting seeds or grinding them with a potter’s wheel are popular for their sophisticated and modern design.

Outline of "Tour to visit Hakone parquet craftsman's workshop"

Period: June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, August 6
Time: The day after your stay from 10:00 to 12:00
Location: Rouki Woodworks 867-11 Kuwahara, Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture (Dissolution of local assembly)
Price: 5,000 yen per person (tax included, accommodation fee not included)
Contents: Hakone parquet workshop tour, making parquet coasters in KAI Hakone
Capacity: 1 group 1-4 people a day
Reservation: Reservation required from the dedicated page below at least one month in advance * Accommodation reservation is required in advance
Remarks: Please refrain from taking pictures except for some parts when visiting the workshop.

Highest level corona countermeasure declaration

Hoshino Resort Kai Hakone (Hakone Yumoto Onsen, Kanagawa Prefecture)
An inn with a river view in all rooms surrounded by nature. You can enjoy a stay where you can experience the beautiful Hakone parquet while being intoxicated by the murmuring of the Sukumogawa River and the magnificence of the towering Yusakayama.
>Hoshino Resort Kai Hakone

New

New

Featured articles

Aomori

Event

SAKURA

Winter Cherry Blossom Illuminations: Enjoy cherry blossoms in winter at Hirosaki Park, Aomori Prefecture

Hirosaki Park hosts the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival annually from late April to early May. Renowned as one of Japan’s three great night-time cherry blossom views and a sight to behold before you die, this popular spot attracts visitors from around the world to witness the simultaneous blooming of approximately 2,600 cherry trees of 50 varieties. To coincide with the peak snow season, the “Winter Sakura Illumination” will be held from Monday, 1st December 2025 to Saturday, 28th February 2026.

Kumamoto

JP info

[Minamioguni Town, Aso District]Information on new facilities and refurbished establishments around Kurokawa Onsen

Discover newly opened facilities and refurbished establishments in and around Kurokawa Onsen (Minamioguni Town, Kumamoto Prefecture). Each spot lies within a 5-10 minute drive from Kurokawa Onsen town, making them easy to visit between hot spring hopping. From new ventures by long-established inns to cafés nestled in lush satoyama landscapes and restaurants dedicated to local ingredients, these spots brim with diverse appeal. Explore them as fresh ways to enjoy Kurokawa Onsen.

Tochigi

JP info

Avoid the traffic and enjoy the autumn colours of Oku-Nikko at dawn: “SPACIA X NIKKO CRUISER’s Early Morning Autumn Foliage Tour” now on sale

From October 2025, we shall commence operations of the high-grade chartered coach ‘SPACIA X NIKKO CRUISER’ as a new secondary transport service within the Nikko area. To commemorate the launch, Tobu Top Tours Co., Ltd. has planned the ‘SPACIA X NIKKO CRUISER Early Morning Autumn Foliage Viewing Journey’, which will go on sale from Friday, 12 September 2025.

Countrywide

Event

Eighty Years After the War: A Reflection on the Preciousness of Ordinary Life YUKIKAZE – In Theaters Nationwide from August 15, 2025

“To Return Alive, To Bring Others Home Alive”

Opening nationwide on August 15, 2025—marking eighty years since the end of World War II—YUKIKAZE is a feature film based on the true story of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) destroyer Yukikaze, a vessel that rescued countless lives amid the horrors of war. A press screening was held in advance at the Sony Pictures screening room.

The destroyer Yukikaze, which served throughout the Pacific War, was renowned for rescuing numerous sailors thrown into the sea during fierce naval battles, surviving to the end of the war virtually unscathed. It earned the legendary moniker “the lucky ship.” This film brings to life the ship’s heroic journey, alongside the lives of those who persevered through one of the most turbulent eras in modern history.

Leading the cast is Yutaka Takenouchi as Captain Kazutoshi Terasawa—a fictional amalgamation inspired by the real-life captains of Yukikaze. Hiroshi Tamaki portrays Petty Officer First Class Kohei Hayase. Supporting roles are delivered by an ensemble of acclaimed actors including Daiken Okudaira, Rena Tanaka, Kanji Ishimaru, and Toru Masuoka. Kiichi Nakai delivers a commanding performance as Vice Admiral Seiichi Itō, the Second Fleet Commander of the IJN who met his fate aboard the battleship Yamato.

In today’s world, once again shaken by division and violence, YUKIKAZE poses an urgent question to those of us living in the peace that others fought to protect: Are we once again treading the path of past mistakes? As collective memory of the war fades, this film becomes ever more vital—a call to reflect on the true value of peace.

Fukuoka

Event

Restaurant

Takamiya Garden Saryo, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City, 18 Jul (Fri) – 11 Aug (Mon, national holiday) Summer event to feel cooler ‘Summer Lights – NATSU NO HI’ Reservations now being accepted.

The Takamiya Teien Saryo will hold its popular seasonal event “Summer Lights” from 18 July (Fri) to 11 August (Mon) 2025.A special dinner course, prepared exclusively for Summer Lights, featuring an abundance of seasonal fish and summer vegetables to bring out the coolness of summer. The meal finishes with shaved ice with matcha green tea, a summery treat. Please enjoy the dishes that gently add coolness to your summer evening in a relaxed atmosphere.

Pick Up

Pick Up