Founded in the late 1940s as a small, traditional inn, the Hatoya Hotel in Shizuoka Prefecture expanded massively in the 60s and 70s, becoming a modern, hilltop destination that proved incredibly popular, boasting an impressive capacity of over 800 guests. TV commercials at the time also cemented the now nostalgic catchphrase, If you’re going to Ito, you must go to Hatoya.
Nowadays, however, that once state-of-the-art design is looking more than a little dated, although unlike many hotels of its generation, the Hatoya has somehow managed to survive. As have many of the original fittings and furniture. Even an on-site fire truck. All of which make a stay there akin to stepping back in time.
I’d first seen the hotel when passing through the area several years ago — its rusting and iconic sign creating quite an impression. So much so in fact that I made a promise to go back and stay there. A commitment I finally made good on a few weeks back.
It should be said that for some, the hotel’s worn and faded nature will likely disappoint, with any sense of luxury having long since gone. But for what is essentially a journey back to Showa era Japan, the Hatoya provides an experience like no other.
