Zaborin
Zaborin is a small forest ryokan where the bath is not a shared hall. Fifteen rooms, fifteen pairs of baths, and a kitchen that stays with Hokkaido.
- From where you are
- Distance appears once we know where you are.
Kutchan, Japan
Zaborin
Fifteen independent rooms in a Hanazono forest, each with its own spring-fed indoor and outdoor bath.
Our read
Zaborin is a small forest ryokan where the bath is not a shared hall. Fifteen rooms, fifteen pairs of baths, and a kitchen that stays with Hokkaido.
Come here for
- A quiet base beside Niseko, not in the middle of Hirafu
- Travelers who want a private onsen in the room
Skip it if
- You want a large hotel ski-in lobby
- You want a city ryokan in Kyoto
01 - Arrive
The place itself
Zaborin is a ryokan in the Hanazono forest of Kutchan, Hokkaido, beside the Niseko resorts of Hirafu and Annupuri. The name comes from a Zen idea they publish on the site: sit still, forget the everyday, and clear the noise. The house is hidden in the trees, looking out on forest that they describe as still wild. There are fifteen independent rooms. Each one has a private indoor bath and an open-air bath, both fed by spring water that rises on the grounds and runs through once. Meals are their northern kaiseki, built from the sea and the land of Hokkaido. The chef they name is Yoshihiro Seno, who is from Hokkaido. The address on the site is 76-4 Hanazono, Kutchan, Abuta District, Hokkaido 044-0084. By car it is about two hours from New Chitose Airport. Hanazono golf and the Hanazono ski area are about seven minutes away. Phone 0136 23 0003. Reservations: reservations@zaborin.com. Book on zaborin.com. Rates are on their site.
02 - Feel
Why it is different
Fifteen rooms, each with a bath
Every room has its own indoor spring bath and its own outdoor bath, fed from water on the property.
A forest beside Niseko
Hanazono, next to Hirafu and Annupuri, about seven minutes from the Hanazono ski area.
Northern kaiseki
Seasonal Hokkaido ingredients, in a style they call kita-kaiseki, from chef Yoshihiro Seno.
Two hours from the airport
About two hours by car from New Chitose, the airport for Sapporo.
A name with a job
Zaborin, on their page, means sitting still until the ordinary world drops away.
03 · Live here
How the days go
Arrive
Every room has its own indoor spring bath and its own outdoor bath, fed from water on the property.
Feel
Zaborin is a small forest ryokan where the bath is not a shared hall. Fifteen rooms, fifteen pairs of baths, and a kitchen that stays with Hokkaido.
Live here
Seasonal Hokkaido ingredients, in a style they call kita-kaiseki, from chef Yoshihiro Seno.
Stay
One of fifteen rooms, with a private indoor bath, a private outdoor bath, and northern kaiseki.
Go
Zaborin, on their page, means sitting still until the ordinary world drops away.
04 - Stay
Ways to stay
A room with its own spring
Ask on their site
One of fifteen rooms, with a private indoor bath, a private outdoor bath, and northern kaiseki.
Book this packageMore of the place
More of the place
05 - Know
Before you go
Find it in MapsHow many rooms are there?
Fifteen independent rooms. Each has a private indoor bath and a private outdoor bath.
Where does the bath water come from?
A spring on the grounds. They describe it as free-flowing, not recirculated.
How far is Niseko?
The ryokan sits next to the Niseko resorts. Hanazono ski and golf are about seven minutes by car.
How do I get there?
About two hours by car from New Chitose Airport. The address is 76-4 Hanazono, Kutchan.
How do I book?
On zaborin.com or reservations@zaborin.com, phone 0136 23 0003.
06 · Go
Zaborin