Japan’s 1,300-year-old inn Houshi Ryokan is a marvel of resilience and tradition

Founded in 718, Houshi Ryokan is one of the longest running businesses in the world. Astonishingly, the traditional Japanese inn – built on a hot spring near the city of Awazu – has always been owned by the same family. Houshi introduces us to the current family of the legendary ryokan as they face a period of uncertainty. Their only son, next in line to take over Houshi Ryokan, recently passed away, and their daughter, a somewhat reluctant participant in the family business, is yet to take a husband. This leaves them with a challenging question: is it time to break tradition and make their daughter the 47th owner?

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