Otowa Sanso

Located about a 30-minute drive from central Osaka, this ryokan-style restaurant inn lies quietly within Meiji no Mori Minoh, a quasi-national park rich in natural beauty. Housed in a Taisho-era residence, it offers the pleasure of dining while taking in scenery that changes with the seasons.

At the counter overlooking the inner garden-limited to just eight guests per day-skilled chefs prepare sushi right before your eyes. Using the simple elements of rice and fish, they create sushi of remarkable depth and complexity through refined technique, making it a truly memorable experience. Seasonal kaiseki cuisine, centered on carefully crafted dashi that highlights meticulous workmanship, can be enjoyed in the dining room or private rooms. Here, traditional Japanese cuisine is subtly infused with modern sensibilities, resulting in dishes unique to Otowa Sanso.

The building itself, constructed in 1926 (Taisho 15), features rare Taisho glass, said to be no longer produced today, and is filled with the warmth of natural wood. Now available as a one-party-per-day accommodation, it allows guests to relax at an unhurried pace, listening to the gentle flow of the Minoh River and the rustling of leaves in the breeze.