About this hotel
General information
Zaborin is a ryokan of fifteen villas tucked into a birch wood in Hokkaido, a short drive from the Niseko slopes. Its name pairs a Zen phrase about sitting still and letting the everyday fall away with the character for woods, and that idea sets the tone throughout: the spirit of the traditional Japanese inn is retold in a restrained contemporary language, where old meets new and the polished sits beside the deliberately imperfect.
Every villa is a self-contained suite with two private onsen baths, one indoors and one open-air, fed by free-flowing volcanic water from the ryokan's own spring with no hot water added. The exteriors are clad in charred timber in the old Japanese manner, spring heat warms the floors and clears snow from the paths between villas, and cool mountain water does the cooling in summer. Stays include a kaiseki dinner and breakfast.
Location
The ryokan lies in Hanazono, part of the town of Kutchan in Hokkaido and of the wider Niseko resort area, with views from the villas across the birch woods, Hanazono farmland, Mount Yotei and the Annupuri range. New Chitose Airport is about two hours away by car and Kutchan Station roughly 15 minutes; free pick-ups from the station can be arranged for check-in and check-out, airport transfers are organised by the ryokan, and there is on-site parking for those driving themselves.
Spa
There is no spa as such: the ryokan keeps a double massage room with two beds, where visiting therapists can be booked through the staff. Bathing is the real ritual. Both onsen baths in every villa run with mineral-rich volcanic water drawn from almost a kilometre underground, and a footbath, or ashiyu, sits in the central courtyard, reached in some winter months through a tunnel of snow.
Sports & leisure
The shared spaces are made for slow hours:
- a living room with floor-to-ceiling windows, a double-sided open fireplace and views of Mount Yotei
- a library of Japanese classics in English, European works in Japanese, nature and poetry books, plus films and board games
- Chanoza, a tea room where guests can take part in preparing matcha
- a footbath in the central courtyard
- a boutique with local ceramics, Zaborin soaps and samue, hanten and pyjamas
- private lockable lockers for ski and golf equipment
Restaurants & bars
Dinner and breakfast are included. The house cuisine is kita kaiseki, a northern reading of Kyoto kaiseki: a multi-course omakase dinner built on Hokkaido's sea and land, with venison prepared in-house and wild produce gathered by the ryokan's own forager. Breakfast is Japanese or Western, the Japanese version bringing rice cooked in individual pots, house pickles, milk tofu, seasonal fish and miso soup.
- the dining room — secluded private spaces for the kita kaiseki dinner
- Irori — a separate room around a sunken hearth for charcoal-grilled robatayaki dinners, by pre-booking; guests staying four nights or more have one dinner here
- the bar — a counter cut from a single piece of wood, pouring local whiskies
- the cigar lounge — the only smoking space, along with a terrace by the entrance
Skiing
The nearest ski area is Hanazono, with a large ski school, rentals, ticket sales and base lifts linking into the other Niseko areas, about 7 minutes away by car. In the ski season the ryokan runs a complimentary shuttle to and from Hanazono Ski Centre, and gear can be kept in private lockable lockers.
Rooms
The fifteen villa suites are named after winter kamon, Japanese crests depicting different kinds of snow. Each has a separate living room and bedroom, a private terrace and two onsen baths; Washitsu villas sleep on futons over tatami, Yoshitsu villas on Western-style beds, and some villas add an adjoining tatami room.
Each villa has two spring-fed onsen baths, a smart TV with Apple TV and a DVD player, a Bluetooth sound system, high-speed Wi-Fi, a minibar with wines and local whisky, a fridge with Hokkaido juices, teas and a Nespresso machine, plus samue, hanten and pyjamas; all villas are non-smoking.
Washitsu Villa Suite
A Japanese-style villa for one or two guests with a separate living room and a tatami bedroom laid with thick futons, together or apart. It has a private terrace and two onsen baths, indoor and open-air.
Yoshitsu Villa Suite
A villa for one or two guests with Western-style beds, king or twin, with an extra-soft mattress topper and a choice of pillows. Separate living room and bedroom, a private terrace and two onsen baths.
Washitsu Villa Suite with an additional tatami room
A futon-on-tatami villa for up to four, with an adjoining 12 m² tatami room that becomes a second sleeping space for a third and fourth guest. A terrace and two onsen baths, indoor and open-air.
Yoshitsu Villa Suite with an additional tatami room
A villa with Western-style beds for up to four, with an adjoining 12 m² tatami room where futons are laid for a third and fourth guest. A terrace and two onsen baths, indoor and open-air.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.