Japan's first Western-style resort hotel, opened in 1878 in Miyanoshita and still operating today. The buildings are a charming hybrid of Victorian and Japanese architecture, with ornate wooden fretwork, a Japanese-style roof, and grounds that include hot spring baths, a swimming pool (one of Japan's oldest), and an immaculate formal garden.
The hotel has hosted an extraordinary guest list over its 140-plus years: Charlie Chaplin, John Lennon, Franklin D. Roosevelt (though this claim is disputed), and generations of Japan's elite. Even if you're not staying, the lobby and public areas are worth a look — this is living history rather than a museum exhibit.