About Hanazean
300 Years of History and a Bright Future Ahead
A pleasure to meet you! My name is Makoto Yoshioka and I am the proprietor of Hanazean.
I am the 14th head of the Yoshioka family, born in Hanaze District, Town of Naka (formerly Aioi). My family boasts more than 300 years of history, tracing its roots back to the late 17th century.
Years ago I left Hanaze to work. When, at long last, I was able to take a break from the daily grind of the working life, my thoughts turned to the life I’d left behind in Hanaze and the home my ancestors built there.
A Chance Meeting Becomes an Opportunity
I wanted the history of my house to shine a light for the entire region.
That desire grew stronger with every day, until one day I took a U-turn in my life. I renovated some barns and storehouses that had been built in the early 20th century, ensuring their survival by making them suitable for guests to use on a regular basis. Then I started thinking about what I could do to revitalize the region. That’s when the idea for Hanazean was born.
My wife was wholeheartedly committed to the idea just as I was, even though she wasn’t used to country life. We put our heads together to consider what we could do to ensure guest satisfaction.
Neither of us had much experience in running a bed-and-breakfast. But every time we saw our guests smile, it stoked our excitement about the next day’s activities. Our job is to make our guests happy, but honestly we feel that we’re making ourselves happy even more.
A Home Away from Home
Our home, its furniture and the presence they create has changed over time, decade by decade and century by century. Time itself, not human hands, has created this home.
The same can be said of the beauty of the valley, sculpted by the power of nature. Or the scenery of the satoyama, of hillside settlements and cultivated slopes, which took shape over many decades.
This tradition and scenery are gradually becoming lost in today’s Japan.
But here in Hanaze District, where we live, it remains.
Here you can smell the history of this old farmhouse wafting in the air, be soothed by the sight of mountains and rivers spreading all around, and gaze up at the night sky that seems to drop so suddenly.
Come to Hanazean and find the style of relaxation that is all your own.
One day we hope everyone will think of Hanazean as their home away from home.
We sincerely look forward to meeting you.
Makoto Yoshioka
Proprietor
Hanazean