Aman Resorts founder Adrian Zecha has partnered with Japanese hospitality brand Naru Developments to launch a new brand, Azumi, which will provide guests with a refreshing take on the Japanese ryokan experience. Azumi will unveil its maiden property in Japan’s Setouchi Region in spring 2021.
“I was first acquainted with ryokans when I was living in Japan back in the 1950s as the Asia correspondent of TIME magazine,” Zecha says. “The hospitality was just right—I was treated as something in between a guest and a dear family friend. This relationship with the family who owned the ryokan made the place an extension of my own home in Tokyo.”
Traced as far back as the 8th century, ryokans, or traditional Japanese inns, historically have served as waypoints for weary travelers. Azumi, which takes its name from the ancient seafaring Azumi people, will reinterpret the ryokan’s cultural framework to accommodate today’s travelers with modern amenities and an emphasis on wellness. The Azumi team will create retreats influenced by nearly five years of collaboration with Kyoto-based architect Shiro Miura to establish a balanced vernacular at the intersection of contemporary comfort and traditional Japanese design aesthetics.
