Several high-profile Japanese architects have told CLAD how Japan’s traditional country inns are inspiring contemporary designs for lodgings as diverse as urban hostels and five-star resorts.

In a special CLADmag feature on ryokans – the name for roadside accommodations where guests can take a relaxing break from travelling – architect Yukio Hashimoto revealed that a “modern Japanese interpretation” of traditional architectural practices is becoming prevalent in the country.

Last year Hashimoto completed a renovation of the 32-room Chikusenso hot springs resort in Miyagi Prefecture, mixing traditional ryokan features with a contemporary twist.

“Combining traditional Japanese design with modern materials creates something unique, something that can only exist here,” he said. “For sliding partitions, traditionally we use paper, but I used kimono fabric. That’s a new experiment – I think it creates a more contemporary feeling in the space and gives new relevance to something traditional.”

In other modern flourishes, Hashimoto added floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the surrounding forest and a bright red lacquered tub “art piece” to one the bathrooms. These sit alongside more traditional touches, such as a large Japanese-style iron bell in the living area, a courtyard with a bubbling stream and hot spring baths placed around existing trees outside.

Tokyo-based practice Nikken Sekkei took a similar approach to a much bigger project: the 134-room seven-storey Ritz Carlton Kyoto, which opened last year. Despite its size, lead architect Hiroaki Otani told CLAD the studio approached the project “as a private guest house.”

The hotel’s short stature – created by housing three floors underground – long, horizontal form and overhanging roof gives it a traditionally demure presence. The designers also included traditional ryokan features, such as intricate balustrades, water features and a garden incorporating the background landscape.

“Historically, it was actually Japanese architects who thought the least highly of the architectural value of Japanese culture,” said Otani. “Now there’s a new sense of pride in our unique architectural culture. They probably realised the obvious truth – that architectural culture cannot be separated from the climate and history of a place.”

Architect Masayuki Irie, who has designed a lantern-shaped hostel in eastern Tokyo using modern fire-resistant materials, agreed. “In an information society where embodiment is slipping away, traditional forms help bring people a peace of mind,” he told CLAD.

“However, it’s rational that during all eras in history buildings have been made from the materials created in that era. [These days], things like iron and glass will always be the main materials for building.”

The latest edition of CLADmag, the quarterly magazine from CLAD, can be read on both Digital Turning Pages and as a text PDF download.

Bain Capital looks to Japanese onsens for growth potential

Toyo Ito and SANAA in the spotlight as MoMA celebrates Japanese design

More than an art museum, Shigeru Ban creates community space for Japanese city

Pan-Asian expansion for St Gregory wellness brand