Sennen no Yu Koman (千年の湯古まん) is a traditional Japanese inn (
''ryokan'') in
Kinosaki,
Toyooka city,
Hyōgo prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Hyōgo Prefecture has a population of 5,469,762 () and has a geographic area of . Hyōgo Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to the southeast, an ...
, Japan.
Koman was founded in 717. This makes it a long-established business (''
shinise
In Japan, ''shinise'' (, ) are long-established businesses that have been in operation for a long time, at least for a hundred years. Some are older than a thousand years. Japan has significantly more very old businesses than other countries, and ...
''), the second oldest
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
in Japan and one of the oldest companies in the world.
The ryokan was established by Hiuke Gonnokami (日生下権守) and his descendants founded local bath houses in
Kinosaki Onsen. The establishment was passed on for over 46 generations.
The history of the ryokan is based on two historic documents: the Hiuke Family Heirloom Chronicle (Hiuke-shi Kahō Kyūki 日生下氏家宝旧記), which summarizes the history of Kinosaki Onsen, and the Mandala Chronicle (Mandara-ki 曼陀羅記), which describes the creation of the Kinosaki hot spring resort, and the establishment of Mandarayu (曼陀羅湯) hot spring. These documents have been handed down over many generations.
In 708, Hiuke Gonnokami, a descendant of Hiuke family, is said to have had a dream that led to the establishment of the nearby Shisho Shrine (
四所神社 (豊岡市). Then in 717, a Buddhist priest named Dōchi Shōnin (道智上人), came to the shrine to pray. He did this for 1,000 days, when he is said to have used his
vajra
The Vajra () is a legendary and ritual weapon, symbolising the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force).
The vajra is a type of club with a ribbed spherical head. The ribs may meet in a ball-shape ...
to cause a hot spring miraculously appear.
According to Koman's website, the sacred place where Dōchi Shōnin did his religious practice was called the Mandara Yashiki (曼陀羅屋敷). After that, the name of the residence became Mandara-ya (曼陀羅屋). Mandara-ya changed its name to Komandaraya (古曼陀羅屋) in the
Meiji (era)
The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912.
The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
(1868 – 1912) before being re-named as the current Sennen no Yu Koman (千年の湯古まん). The website notes that neighboring Mandarayu Bath (Mandara-yu まんだら湯), 80 meters to the south, is a modern establishment opened after 1868.
Other sources indicate that Mandara-yu (not Mandara-ya) is renowned as one of Kinosaki’s very first hot springs. The town of
Kinosaki appears in various historical documents that can authenticate its founding to 720 AD.
See also
*
List of oldest companies
This list of the oldest companies in the world includes brands and companies, excluding associations and educational, government, or religious organizations. To be listed, a brand or company name must remain operating, either in whole or in part, ...
several hundred notably old companies.
References
External links
Official website (Japanese)
{{Japan-company-stub
Hotels in Japan
8th-century establishments in Japan
Buildings and structures completed in 717