Auberge Homachi Mikuniminato is located within the historic Mikuni Port area of Fukui Prefecture and invites intrepid travelers to discover the art of slow living and dine on its exquisite cuisine along the Sea of Japan coastline.
Its exceptional hospitality has earned it the Michelin Guide Hotel Selection for two consecutive years.
A Serene Escape to the Historic Port Town
Fukui Prefecture is drawing renewed attention for its commitment to cultural preservation as a place where tradition is alive, communities thrive, and as a home to residents that consistently rank amongst the happiest in Japan. The Auberge lodging is located just a few hours from Kyoto via the recently extended Hokuriku Shinkansen line and feels a world away from the usual tourist crowds.
The Village is your hotel, and this sense of community is only strengthened by the revitalization of the traditional Japanese architecture found within Auberge Homachi Mikuniminato. The village houses 16 Japanese-style suites located in nine independent heritage houses scattered throughout the area, including kagura-tate machiya townhouses and the grand homes of Edo and Meiji era merchants.
Each property tells a distinct part of Mikuni Minato’s story, featuring architecture and materials from the region like warm Fukui timber, blue-hued Shakudani stone, and handmade furnishings that reflect the town’s traditional crafts.
The historic homes have been lovingly restored to preserve them for generations to come. Guests to the village benefit from both the quiet and privacy provided by the homes, and the immersive “live like a local” experiences of wandering a narrow pathway to a restaurant for dinner, or strolling along the port as merchants once did in the past.
Discovering Authentic Japan through Slow Living
Guests at Homachi are welcomed to explore the rhythms of local life and interact with the community and its history. Auberge Homachi Mikuniminato allows unprecedented access to local venues, such as Takeyoshi, a shamisen café that offers a glimpse into bygone Japan during a 30- to 60-minute experience, held daily from 10 am to 4:30 pm.
Nostalgic photographs from the time when the area was a geisha district adorn this sea-salt-weathered property. Participants can enjoy traditional activities like wearing kimono and indulging on matcha tea and wagashi sweets as a local musician with 60 years of experience plays the traditional three-string instrument, and teaches guests how to play, too.
The Auberge partners with numerous other skilled locals to offer lantern making and shrine prayers, enabling visitors to authentically engage with the community on a deeper level to become temporary residents of Mikuni Minato.
Michelin-Recognized Dining by Chef Tateru Yoshino
This sleepy port village has caught the Michelin Guide Hotel Selection’s attention, which noted that the auberge’s chef, Tateru Yoshino, is “a veteran of some of Japan’s finest French kitchens, and applies French techniques to Fukui seafood, with impressive results”.
Chef Yoshino, who trained under chef Joël Robuchon at Paris’ Jamin restaurant, has received Michelin stars for his restaurants in both France and Japan.
“Cooking is about dialogue,” says Chef Yoshino. “Between land and sea, between history and today, and between Japan and France.” In Yoshino’s hands, these ingredients are transformed into dishes that marry French flair with the precision of Japanese culinary arts.
Chef Yoshino’s neoclassical French cuisine celebrates Fukui’s natural abundance and includes winter delicacies like Echizen crab, the “king of crabs” that is presented annually to Japan’s Imperial Household. Alongside sweet shrimp freshly caught from the port, the menu reflects the village’s past as a historic stop for the Kitamaebune trading ships that once carried kelp and spices along the Sea of Japan.
Meaningful Travel through Homachi
The name “Homachi” means “waiting to sail” and refers to a time when sailors paused and waited there for favourable winds. During this time, sailors would sell cargo brought aboard or handle other cargo-related work to earn compensation, this then evolved in Mikuni to mean pocket money or rewards for children.
Fittingly, a stay at Homachi offers modern travelers a rare gift: the chance to pause and reflect before moving forward on their journey. After resting at Homachi, travelers can easily continue on to some of Japan’s most well-preserved destinations.
Within a one-to two-hour train ride lies one of Japan’s oldest surviving wooden castles within the historic castle town of Maruoka. Then there is the serene Eiheiji Temple, a centuries-old Zen monastery surrounded by dense cedar forests, and Kanazawa, often referred to as “Little Kyoto” for its beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts, contemporary art museums, and elegant gardens.
Access Fukui’s Sakai Area
Located in Fukui’s Sakai area, the hotel is accessible from Awara Onsen Station (JR) via the hotel’s free 20-minute pickup service, which is by reservation only. From March 2024, the Hokuriku Shinkansen is due to extend to Awara Onsen Station. With speeds of up to 260 km/h, the trip takes around three hours (2hr 59 min.) from Tokyo Station. Approximately 2 hours from Nagoya and approximately 2.5 hours from Osaka.
Visit the Homachi official website to learn more and explore various activities offered in the Fukui tourism area. You can also follow them on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest happenings in this historic Japanese village!
Note: The information above was sourced from a press release.
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