Kai Akiu, a hot spring inn in Miyagi's Akiu Onsen, will begin offering a new three-generation plan for celebrating family milestones, "A Dashing Three-Generation Family Getaway" (伊達な三世代みずいらず旅), starting October 1, 2026. The plan offers a new way to travel for milestone gatherings such as a 60th birthday or Shichi-Go-San, or for visits home, letting the whole family spend a special, celebratory day together — the kind only a hot spring inn can offer. Inspired by the hospitality spirit of Date Masamune, founder of the Sendai domain, the plan includes a warm, hands-on zunda-making experience and a "Date-Style Celebration Banquet" (伊達な祝宴) held in a private space. Together with vivid touches of local culture and an elevated stay in a special room, the plan lets families deepen their bonds.
Background
With the continued rise of nuclear families and busy daily schedules, opportunities for three generations to gather have been declining. At the same time, demand is growing for families to come together and spend special, high-quality time during life milestones — such as a 60th birthday (kanreki), a 77th birthday (kiju), Shichi-Go-San, starting school, or coming of age — as well as during visits home. Known as Sendai's "inner retreat," Akiu Onsen is about a 30-minute drive from central Sendai, making it an accessible hot spring town where generations can easily gather. Date Masamune, who laid the foundations of Sendai and Miyagi, was a food-loving warlord known for his belief that a host should personally prepare the dishes served to guests. Kai Akiu drew on Masamune's philosophy of hospitality and Akiu Onsen's favorable location to design this special plan for three generations, weaving in the region's traditional food culture of zunda and historical customs.
Feature 1: A Hands-On, Three-Generation Zunda-Making Experience — Unrolling a Scroll and Mashing Edamame
Guests follow along with an authentic experience guided by a scroll recording the history and method of making zunda. Once served on special occasions like Obon, zunda is made from scratch by the whole family, starting with mashing the edamame themselves. While learning about the hospitality spirit of the food-loving warlord Date Masamune, three generations work together in a relaxed, cheerful atmosphere that naturally sparks conversation. It's an exciting time for families to laugh together and deepen their bonds while getting a taste of Miyagi's traditional food culture.
Feature 2: A Private "Date-Style Celebration Banquet" with Kabuto and Fan Photo Ops
Families can celebrate milestones such as a 60th birthday or Shichi-Go-San with an original banquet held in a private space reserved just for three generations. The venue is a dedicated room accented with a sun motif set against the auspicious "kachi-iro" (勝色, deep indigo). Guided by dedicated staff, guests can enjoy a toast with local sake tied to the Sendai domain and hear about the drinking customs and anecdotes Date Masamune valued at the banquet table, for a lively and memorable time. Commemorative photos are also available — men and children can hold a kabuto helmet, and women a decorative fan — creating a keepsake that blends local history with a special occasion.
The "Date-Style Celebration Banquet" (伊達な祝宴) comes alive with samurai-inspired customs and photo opportunities
Feature 3: A Special Room for Three Generations with Different Rhythms — "Mikazuki no Ma"
Overlooking the mountain stream, "Mikazuki no Ma" (三日月の間) is a special room with two separate bedrooms that can accommodate up to 8 guests. Even when three generations keep different bedtimes and daily rhythms, everyone can maintain a comfortable, private space without feeling like they're intruding on one another. The living room, lit by fixtures inspired by Date Masamune's kabuto helmet, comes with a set of "Miyagi Dialect Karuta" (宮城方言かるた) cards — a tool for bonding across generations that lets grandparents and grandchildren play together and enjoy a lively time as a family.
Enjoying "Miyagi Dialect Karuta" in the special room "Mikazuki no Ma"
Plan Overview
| Period | Year-round from October 1, 2026 (reservations open from September 1, 2026) |
| Excluded Dates | Year-end and New Year holidays (December 31 – January 2) |
| Check-in / Check-out | Check-in from 2:30 PM / Check-out until 11:00 AM |
| Group Size | 4 to 8 guests |
| Room | Special room "Mikazuki no Ma" (三日月の間, capacity 8) or local-themed premium Japanese-style room "Konpeki no Ma" (紺碧の間, capacity 4) |
| Price | From ¥33,000 per person (based on 4 guests sharing the premium Japanese-style room; dinner and breakfast included, tax included) |
| Availability | Limited to 1 group per day |
| Reservations | Required at least 5 days in advance via the official website |
| Included | The zunda-making experience in your guest room, and the private "Date-Style Celebration Banquet" held in an exclusively reserved local-culture venue |
Kai Akiu (Akiu Onsen, Miyagi Prefecture)
Kai Akiu is a hot spring inn nestled in Akiu Onsen, known as the inner retreat of Sendai. Guests can take in views of the mountain stream and natural scenery just beyond the property, with hospitality inspired by the bold, stylish culture brought about by Date Masamune of the Sendai domain.
- Address: 982-0241 Miyagi Prefecture, Sendai City, Taihaku-ku, Akiu-machi Yumoto Hirakura 1-banchi (宮城県仙台市太白区秋保町湯元平倉1番地)
- Phone: 050-3134-8092 (Kai Reservation Center)
- Rooms: 49
- Rate: From ¥35,000 per night (per person, based on 2 guests sharing a room; service charge and tax included; dinner and breakfast included)
- Access: Approximately 30 minutes by car from JR Sendai Station; approximately 45 minutes by car from Sendai Airport
- Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/kaiakiu/
