Central Japan inn takes kelp beyond the table with immersive experience

At an inn in central Japan dedicated to kombu, or edible kelp, visitors can indulge in the seaweed through various culinary and wellness experiences. Kombu House, located in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, launched in 2023 and accommodates one group daily, offering guests a unique opportunity to explore the diverse applications of locally favored seaweed.

Owner Shiko Takenaka, 52, aims to showcase the many benefits of kombu, noting its use in kobujime, a method of infusing food with seaweed flavor, as well as in dishes and cocktails infused with kombu stock.

Guests have applauded the kombu oil baths and spa treatments, which have reportedly left their skin feeling smoother, according to Takenaka. The inn charges 38,500 yen ($240) per person per night for accommodations, which cover breakfast. Though kombu is not abundantly harvested off Toyama Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast, the seaweed is highly popular in the region.

Toyama Prefecture's capital led the nation in kombu expenditure per household among those with two or more people in 2025, according to an internal affairs ministry survey.

The concept for Kombu House originated around 2014 when Takenaka, an interior furnishing professional, contemplated ways to rejuvenate the city during discussions with fellow chamber of commerce members. Many dismissed the idea, having never encountered anything similar before. Motivated by the novelty of the concept, Takenaka persevered.

He already operates a kombu specialty restaurant since 2017 and educates elementary and junior high school students about kombu's advantages through kobujime workshops and stock tastings. The enthusiasm of children expressing their desire to prepare these dishes at home provides him with continued motivation to share the joys of kombu with many more people.