Hoshi Ryokan has been owned and run by the same family for 46 generations, making it the world's oldest-continuously-operating business.

Main entrance of Hôshi Ryokan. Courtesy of Wikipedia

Did you know? The world's oldest hotel is in Japan.

An article in Business Week - The World's Oldest Hotel - says that Hôshi Ryokan, a hotel and spa in Komatsu, which was recently entered into the Guiness Book of World Records, has been owned and run by the same family for 46 generations so far.

And its famous hot springs have been refreshing and revitalizing its patrons for no less than 1291 years.

Founded by a Buddhist disciple whose master had the springs' location delivered to him in a dream, Hôshi is the world's oldest hotel and also the world's oldest continuously-operating business, says the article.

Here's the story:

"The world was a very different place back in 718 AD when Hôshi first opened its doors; the fall of Rome still dominated the culture of the time, the Muslim invasion of Europe and India was at its peak and people were alive who had met the prophet Muhammed in person. The Chinese had just invented gunpowder, the Maya were about to crumble in South America, and the Byzantines and Bulgars were fighting over Rome's territories in the East.

"Great Britain was under the control of the Franks, but the Vikings were about to shatter the relative peace there. Europe would have to wait hundreds of years before it experienced its Dark Ages.

"The story goes that a great Buddhist teacher, Taicho Daishi, had hiked up to the top of the sacred Mt. Hakusan, near the village of Awazu. While he was asleep after a hard training session, the deity of the mountain appeared to him in a dream and told him: "Lying 20-24 kilometers from the base of the mountain is a village called Awazu. There, you'll find an underground hot spring with wondrous restorative powers that Yakushi Nyorai (the Physician of Souls) has bestowed upon it. The people of the village, however, do not know of this good fortune. Descend the mountain and head to Awazu. With the people of the village unearth the hot spring – it will serve them forever."

"Daishi went down to the village, uncovered the hot spring, and had some sick locals immersed in the water. They were cured immediately and their health restored.

"Daishi had other things to do, being in search of enlightenment and such, so he bestowed the task of building a spa business at the site upon his disciple Garyo Hôshi, who really took the idea and ran with it. Hôshi's family have diligently run a modest business at the side for nearly 1300 years. Hôshi has survived the rise and fall of the Samurai, the Ninja, many Japanese emperors and two world wars. 1300 years …"

The hotel now has around 100 guest rooms. There are two indoor hot spring spas, and another two outdoor that are separated for men and women only. Room prices hover around US$580 per night for a double room, and include breakfast and dinner.

Website: Hoshi Ryokan: www.ho-shi.co.jp/jiten/Houshi_E/home.htm

Yeoh Siew Hoon, one of Asia's most respected travel editors and commentators, writes a regular column on news, trends and issues in the hospitality industry for 4Hoteliers.com.

Siew Hoon, who has covered the tourism industry in Asia/Pacific for the past 20 years, runs SHY Ventures Pte Ltd. Her other writings can be found at www.thetransitcafe.com

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