A new whole-building rental guest house, UMINOIE YUTAKA, has opened in Ama-cho, Oki Islands, Shimane Prefecture. The facility carries on the legacy of Fishing House Yutaka (フィッシングハウスゆたか), a lodging long cherished by anglers, with the spirit of connecting the previous generation's vision of "creating memories and dreams" to the future.
The opening also marks the first venture into vacation rental (minpaku) operations for the Ama-cho Tourism Association. Rather than relying entirely on ready-made products, the entire staff worked together — considering room layouts, moving furniture, painting, and cleaning — to shape the space with a handmade approach.
Carrying the Name "Yutaka" into the Future
The Ama-cho Tourism Association decided to keep the name "Yutaka" from the previous facility, wanting to preserve the warmth and history that the former owner had built over many years. Wooden fixtures and traces of handcraftsmanship from that era remain inside the building. These elements have been preserved as much as possible while the space has been renewed so that families and groups of friends can enjoy a leisurely seaside stay.
Built with Handmade Care
For the Ama-cho Tourism Association, this project was a first-time challenge in vacation rental operations — a process with no established answers. Staff thought through room layouts, moved furniture, painted walls, and cleaned the space, slowly bringing the guest house to life together. Going beyond off-the-shelf solutions, every detail — from decoration to fixtures to the flow of movement through the space — was crafted by hand. The time spent together, sometimes uncertain and sometimes laughing, has become the warmth that defines UMINOIE YUTAKA.
A Stay That Feels Like Living in Ama-cho
UMINOIE YUTAKA is more than just a place to sleep — it is a space where guests can feel the everyday life and atmosphere of Ama-cho. Starting mornings by the sea, enjoying meals while gazing at island scenery, and experiencing the closeness to people and nature: the guest house aims to offer a way of traveling that goes beyond sightseeing, allowing visitors to experience life on the island.
In recent years, Ama-cho has also been facing a shortage of accommodation facilities amid growing tourism demand. UMINOIE YUTAKA represents a new challenge: connecting a community-loved lodging to the future.
Staff Comments
Hinata Yokouchi (Ama-cho Tourism Association)
"Of course, I want to welcome tourists, but I also strongly wanted the previous owner, Hiroshi Kobayashi, who had cared for this place for so long, to hear that 'this place is moving again' and feel happy about it. I hope UMINOIE YUTAKA can become more than just a place to stay — a hub where both local residents and visiting travelers naturally gather. Going forward, we would also like to host events where community members can come together."
Hiroto Inuzuka (Ama-cho Tourism Association)
"I hope guests can use this as a base and feel the 'richness' that Ama-cho has to offer. I want it to become something like 'a home to come back to whenever you visit Ama-cho.' Because it is a whole-building rental, families and groups of friends can naturally share the same space and spend time together at their own pace. There are many beautiful hotels out there, but places where people naturally feel close to one another are surprisingly rare. I hope special moments between families and friends are born here too."
Facility Information
- Name: UMINOIE YUTAKA
- Address: 4091 Ama, Ama-cho, Oki-gun, Shimane Prefecture (approx. 10 min by car from Hishiura Port)
- Phone: 08514-2-0101
- Email: travel@oki-ama.org
- Official Website: https://www.uminoie-yutaka.com/
