{
  "id": 7938668,
  "title": "Everything old is new, and cool, again at this hotel in Japan’s hot spring town comeback king",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/everything-old-is-new-and-cool-again-at-this-hotel-in-japans-hot",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T03:00:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SoraNews24",
    "slug": "soranews24",
    "url": "https://soranews24.com/2026/09/17/everything-old-is-new-and-cool-again-at-this-hotel-in-japans-hot-spring-town-comeback-king/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The coastal town of Atami, located in Shizuoka Prefecture, is known for its seaside hot spring inns and hotels. In the past, the town experienced a golden age during the late Showa Era in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. However, the bubble economy's collapse led to a decline in tourist numbers, and Atami acquired a reputation as an outdated destination. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in the Showa retro aesthetic, making Atami a popular travel destination once again.\n\nNatsuno Futon, a Japanese-language reporter, visited Atami recently and was struck by the town's charm. She noted that the rotary area just outside Atami Station and the covered shopping street extending from it were bustling with travelers seeking food and souvenirs, including plushies of Atami's balding middle-aged man fairy mascot. Despite the town's many attractions, Natsuno found that one of the best things to do in Atami was to simply do nothing. She took a hotel shuttle bus from Atami Station to the Hotel New Akao, a major landmark known to travel fans in Japan for decades.\n\nUpon arriving at the hotel, Natsuno was immediately transported back in time. The interior of the hotel exuded old-school luxury of the Showa era, with plush patterned carpet and no modern minimalism. The lobby was well-maintained and proudly committed to the now-retro aesthetic. The hotel shuttle bus takes about 10 minutes to reach the hotel, but the journey feels like a trip to another world as the bus enters a tunnel and rises up a winding road. Once outside, the iconic, old-school New Akao sign comes into view, overlooking the sea and providing a fantastic view.",
  "summary": "As a new generation of travelers discovers Atami, it’s the New Akao’s time to shine again. Atami is a great town to go to if you don’t want to do anything. That’s not a sarcastic, backhanded compliment, either. The coastal town in Shizuoka Prefecture is famous for its seaside hot spring inns and hotels, and […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}