Villa Yamaboshi, a whole-building villa reserved for one group at a time in the Amanohashidate area of Kyoto operated by Nishigaki Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture; president: Shunpei Nishigaki), has added a full-scale outdoor sauna to its wood terrace, joining its existing private pool and natural Silver Hot Spring (銀温泉) bath. Opening the sauna door just off the terrace reveals a sweeping view of Miyazu Bay. After working up a sweat, guests can cool down in the private pool a few steps away, then warm back up in Silver Hot Spring. Because the whole building is reserved for one group, guests can move between the sauna, pool, and bath without sharing space or working around anyone else's schedule.
Official website: https://villa-hanamomiji-yamaboshi.com/
Sauna hats and ponchos, roasted hojicha tea for löyly, and post-sauna ice cream or Oropo are all kept in the guest room, so there is nothing extra to pack for the sauna itself.
The sauna at the neighboring sister villa, Onsen Villa Hanamomiji, is a cube-shaped structure built from Japanese domestic wood, while Villa Yamaboshi's outdoor model is built with a special foam material. Booking both villas together allows up to 10 guests to stay, moving between the two differently built saunas during the same trip.
New Outdoor Sauna: 150 kg of Sauna Stones and Heat That Holds Regardless of the Weather
The new sauna stands apart from the main building on the wood terrace. It combines a highly insulating, heat-retaining foam material with the same waterproof coating used for pools. Even facing the bay, the sauna holds steady heat regardless of the outside temperature.
Its electric heater carries 150 kg of sauna stones, producing gentle steam over long stretches of time. The sauna supports self-directed löyly, so guests can add roasted hojicha tea — not water — to the stones and adjust the heat themselves.
Inside, benches face each other on either side of the room. Wide horizontal windows let in daylight, and the lights can be dimmed for a quieter atmosphere after dark.
A Hands-Free Sauna Stay: Everything Already in the Room
1. From Arrival: Sauna Wear and Post-Sauna Drinks Already in the Room
Sauna hats and ponchos, roasted hojicha tea for löyly, post-sauna ice cream, Oropo, herbal tea, and detox water are all provided free of charge — the same inclusive amenities offered at the neighboring Onsen Villa Hanamomiji. Available items may vary depending on stock.
2. Anytime During the Stay: A Two-Depth Pool on the Terrace
The pool sits on the terrace, reachable from anywhere in the guest room. It has two depths, 50 cm and 100 cm: an adult standing in the 100 cm section is submerged to the waist, while the 50 cm section reaches above the knee, so guests with different tolerances for cold water can each find a comfortable spot.
Once the heat fades, guests can move to the outdoor chairs on the wood terrace. Because the villa is reserved for one group, there's no need to coordinate sauna, pool, and chair time with anyone else.
3. Around the Clock: The In-Room Silver Hot Spring
The guest room's bath draws from the villa's own natural hot spring source, Silver Hot Spring. As a fully private spa, it is available at any hour, offering a third place to warm back up after the pool — whether after an evening swim or before an early-morning soak.
The guest room measures approximately 71 square meters, with two bedrooms for up to five guests. The kitchen is fully equipped, and the room-only plan allows guests to bring their own food and drink freely.
From This Autumn Into Winter: Snow Crab Season Opens November 6, with In-Room "Kani Marche"
As outside temperatures drop, autumn and winter bring out the strongest contrast between the sauna, the cold pool, and the Silver Hot Spring bath. Snow crab season also opens on November 6, and the villa will begin offering Kani Marche (カニマルシェ), a winter-only in-room dining plan (November 8, 2026 to March 20, 2027) built around live crab from nearby ports such as Taiza. Guests can enjoy seasonal crab dishes in the privacy of their room after a sauna session on a snowy evening or in a sea breeze.
Kani Marche details: https://www.kani-house.com/
Background: Turning Prep Time into Stay Time
There is nothing to pack for the sauna at this villa. Deciding what to wear or what to drink afterward is normally left to guests, and forgetting something can delay the start of a stay at hotels with shared sauna facilities.
By keeping sauna wear, hojicha tea for löyly, and post-sauna drinks stocked in the room, the goal is to shift the time that would otherwise go toward preparation into time spent actually staying.
According to a 2025 survey by Kyoto Prefecture, overnight guests made up 18.0% of all visitors to the Sea of Kyoto area — Ayabe, Fukuchiyama, Maizuru, Miyazu, Yosano, Ine, and Kyotango — yet accounted for 56.1% of the area's tourism spending. Alongside growing the number of overnight guests, how those guests spend their time during a stay has become just as important.
Location: Fuchu, Miyazu — North of Amanohashidate, a 5-Minute Walk to the Sea
Villa Yamaboshi is located in the Fuchu district of Miyazu, Kyoto, on the north side of Amanohashidate — one of Japan's Three Scenic Views — facing Miyazu Bay. The sea is a five-minute walk away, making it possible to walk down to the beach first thing in the morning and return for a sauna session afterward.
Dining options include the 海の京懐石 course served in the room, or a BBQ plan on the terrace.
Around the Area: Amanohashidate, Kasamatsu Park, and Ine's Boathouses
Mornings can start with a view over Amanohashidate. Fuchu, where the villa sits, is home to Kasamatsu Park, which looks diagonally across Amanohashidate. Above it stands Nariai-ji Temple, from a height that takes in both its five-story pagoda and Miyazu Bay in a single view; the surrounding hillsides turn color in autumn. The famous "matanozoki" between-the-legs view of Amanohashidate can be seen from both Kasamatsu Park and Amanohashidate View Land on Amanohashidate's south side, which is also home to Chion-ji Temple, one of Japan's three Monju halls, and Hashidate Chaya, known for its asari clam rice bowl.
Afternoons can be spent heading north to Ine, where boathouses line the water's edge, with boats stored on the ground floor and living quarters above — a different kind of coastal view from Miyazu Bay.
For time on the water, there's the group's own marina: Marinetopia Marina runs seasonal SUP, sea kayak, wakeboard, and banana boat activities, along with chartered cruises around the Ine boathouses and Maizuru Bay. The pier at Marinetopia Miyazu Harbor also offers a pier fishing experience, limited to overnight guests and a few others.
Wherever the day takes guests, the villa is close enough to return to by evening for another round of sauna, pool, and Silver Hot Spring.
Book Both Villas for Up to 10 Guests: A Wood Sauna and a Foam Sauna
The sauna at the neighboring Onsen Villa Hanamomiji is a cube built from Japanese domestic wood, while Villa Yamaboshi's is an outdoor model built with a special foam material. Both use the same heater and amount of sauna stones, but the different materials give each a different scent and feel.
Booking both villas together allows up to 10 guests to stay. Because the two buildings are separate, groups can split time between gathering together and resting apart, while still moving between the two differently built saunas during the same trip.
Who It's For
For a Weekend Getaway Without Extra Packing
Sauna wear and post-sauna drinks are already in the room. All that's left to decide is departure time.
For Sauna Sessions Without Sharing Space
The outdoor sauna and pool belong only to the guests staying in this villa. With self-directed löyly, guests can adjust the heat themselves, and there's no need to work around other guests for timing or number of sessions.
For Multi-Generational Family Trips
The pool has a 50 cm section and a 100 cm section. Booking both villas also lets guests on different sleep schedules stay in separate buildings.
Facility Overview
Facility Name: Villa Yamaboshi (Onsen Villa Yamaboshi)
Address: 1503 Ejiri, Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture
Type: Whole-building private villa reserved for one group at a time; capacity 5
Guest Room Sauna: Outdoor sauna (self-directed löyly)
Guest Room Hot Spring: Silver Hot Spring (natural)
Other Facilities: private pool, wood terrace, kitchen, all-weather BBQ space
Dining: 海の京懐石 course in the room / terrace BBQ / room-only stay / winter Kani Marche
Pets: Not allowed
Access: Check-in at Marinetopia Amanohashidate Building 10 front desk (344 Nanbano, Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture)
Website: https://villa-hanamomiji-yamaboshi.com/
Future Plans
Other properties in the Amanohashidate area operated by Nishigaki Co., Ltd. — Onsen Villa Hanamomiji, Villa Hiokihama, Amanohashidate Rikyu HOSHINO-OTO, Marinetopia The Suite, and Dog Run Villa II — already have private saunas. The company plans to continue adding saunas suited to each property's character at its main locations across the Kansai and Kanto regions.
