"Opening the Inn to the Town" ~ Interview with Toru Iwasa of Matsumoto Jūjō: Why Operate an Inn Now?

Hello, I'm Naruki Higashi from Dentsu Business Production Bureau. In this series, we present a three-part interview video with Toru Iwasa, President and CEO of Jiyujin Co., Ltd., about his hotel revitalization project "Matsumoto Jūjō."

While serving as editor-in-chief of the magazine "Jiyujin," Mr. Iwasa has also spearheaded lodging projects nationwide that leverage regional characteristics, such as "Satoyama Jūjō" (Niigata Prefecture) and "Hakone Honbako" (Kanagawa Prefecture).

Hakone Honbako, directed by Iwasa and opened in 2018. It houses over 10,000 books, offering guests encounters with literature. Guests can purchase books they like.

"Matsumoto Jūjō" is a grand project not just to revitalize a historic inn, but to invigorate the entire town centered around it. Iwasa personally borrowed 1.4 billion yen and is tackling this project as both an operator and creative director. Since opening in 2020, they have faced extremely challenging circumstances under COVID-19, persevering through trial and error.

The video explores Iwasa's work—"Creating Japan's Future from the Regions"—from various angles.

・Why does Iwasa produce inns in rural areas?
・As a creative director, how did he build the inn?
・As a business owner, how did he manage operations during COVID-19?

This interview isn't just about the tourism industry. It's packed with insights useful for anyone working on regional revitalization, as well as business owners, producers, creators, team leaders, and many others. Please take a look.

The interview continues next time.

What is "Matsumoto Jūjō"?

"Matsumoto Jūjō" is the collective name for the revitalization project of "Koyanagi," a long-established hot spring inn founded in the Edo period (1686). "Koyanagi" is located in the Asama Onsen district of Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.

This area has been attracting people for centuries—hot springs have flowed here continuously for over 1,300 years. During the Edo period, feudal lords from Matsumoto Castle visited for bathing, and in the Meiji era, it drew many literary figures like Yosano Akiko and Takehisa Yumeji. Mr. Iwasa revitalized the inn as "Matsumoto Jūjō" in 2020, drawing on the memories held by this land and "Koyanagi."

The Matsumoto Jūjō grounds feature two main hotels—"HOTEL Matsumoto Honbako" and "HOTEL Koyanagi"—alongside a restaurant, bakery, and hard cider brewery. Outside the grounds are two cafes: "Oyaki and Coffee" and "Philosophy and Sweets." The hotels remain popular, with reservations steady even during the pandemic.

HOTEL Matsumoto Honbako features landmark book buses—"Adult Book Box" and "Children's Book Box"—conceived around the theme of "immersing oneself in the world of books." Books within the hotel are available for purchase. Every room comes with its own open-air bath fed by natural hot spring water.

I love books and have personally stayed at places like "Matsumoto Honbako" and "Hakone Honbako," enchanted by the thought, "Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a space like this?" And through my experiences at these lodgings and the warm hospitality of the staff, I've grown to love them. The interview footage was shot at "Matsumoto Jujo." It gives a sense of the lodging and the kind of experiences available, revealing the secret behind their popularity.

Video Editing: Studio Cabbit, Yuhei Okada
Design: Dentsu Inc. BXCC Bureau, Yuki Miyake