If you’re planning a trip with other adults and want a night somewhere with real history rather than a standard hotel room, Suitou Bettaku (水頭別宅) in Kashima, Saga is a whole-house rental in the old sake-brewers’ street of Hizen-Hama. According to the official site, it is a single-storey house built in 1922 (Taisho 11) from cypress (hinoki) throughout, and only one group stays there per night.
In short
- Sleeps 2–6 adults in one group per night; 1-person bookings are not accepted.
- Guests must be 20 or older, or high-school age or older when accompanied by an adult — the official terms state this is to protect the cultural property.
- Check-in (15:00–18:00) happens at the NPO office near Hizen-Hama Station, not at the house itself; check-out is 11:00.
- Room-only rate starts at ¥44,000 for 2 guests (official site, tax included); meals are booked separately.
- Direct booking is by bank transfer, credit card, or PayPay through the official site.
Checked with the official website and the TABILMO listing on 20 September 2026.
1. A 1922 cypress house with painted sliding doors
The official site describes Suitou Bettaku as a former annex of Kuretake Shuzo (a sake brewery), built in 1922 and preserved largely as it was until its interior was renovated for guests in February 2025. According to the TABILMO listing (checked 20 September 2026), the layout is a 2-mat entry, an 8-mat main tatami room, a 6-mat adjoining room, and a 4.5-mat storage room, for 42 square metres indoors. Thirty-one paintings — tigers, roosters, carp, landscapes, and calligraphy — are painted across 23 fusuma (sliding paper doors). The house sits inside a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, and guests are asked to help protect it during their stay. Suitou Bettaku official page
2. Who can stay: 2 to 6 guests, adults only (or high-schoolers with an adult)
The official booking plan states capacity is “2 guests minimum, up to 6 guests,” and the TABILMO listing gives the same 2–6 range. A single traveler cannot book, and groups larger than 6 cannot be accommodated. The official terms of use state: “We accept guests who are 20 or older, or high-school age or older when accompanied by an adult.” The TABILMO house rules describe this the same way, adding that it is to protect the cultural property. This is not a house for families with young children.
Amenities listed on TABILMO include a hinoki (cypress) bath, a flush toilet, free Wi-Fi, and an induction (IH) kitchenette. There is also a projector and screen with a Google TV, and floor heating for winter. Ureshino tea, coffee, and local Kashima sweets are provided, and the listing states the fridge holds mineral water and a 720ml bottle of the house’s own junmai sake, “Kuretake,” plus snacks. Separate men’s and women’s amenity sets are provided, each including tabi socks. The building is all-electric, fully non-smoking, and open flames are not permitted; neither the official site nor TABILMO mentions barbecue equipment.
3. Rates: from ¥44,000 for 2, meals booked separately
The TABILMO listing shows a starting rate of ¥44,000 per house (tax included). On the official site’s own booking plans, a room-only stay (no meals) is ¥44,000 for 2 guests, plus ¥7,000 per additional guest; a stay with breakfast only is ¥53,000 for 2 guests, plus ¥12,200 per additional guest (tax included). Dinner is booked as an add-on, per person: a shabu-shabu course at ¥16,000, a shokado bento course at ¥8,500, a Saga seafood-and-mountain course at ¥6,500, or a “Hamashuku Kitchen” course at ¥2,500 (tax included). A second night onward is charged at the same nightly rate.
4. Booking, cancellation, and check-in at a different address
Direct booking through the official site accepts bank transfer, credit card, or PayPay; bank transfer must be completed by 9 days before the stay. The official cancellation terms are: free up to 4 days before the stay, 80% of the booked amount at 3 days before, and 100% at 2 days before, on the day, or for a no-show without notice. Check-in runs 15:00–18:00 and check-out is 11:00. Check-in does not happen at Suitou Bettaku itself — guests sign in and collect the key at the office of the NPO Mizu to Machinami no Kai, near Hizen-Hama Station, and return the key there or through the mailbox at the house’s entrance. Bring your own food and drink; the official terms state that damage to furnishings, fusuma, shoji screens, glass, or shutters will be charged in full for repair. TABILMO listing
5. Getting there and parking
The address is Hamamachi-otsu 2782-1, Kashima City, Saga Prefecture. The official site does not state travel time from Fukuoka, so check official route guidance for your own starting point. The TABILMO listing gives about 18km by car from Takeo-Kita IC, or about 19km from Ureshino IC, and about an 8-minute walk from JR Hizen-Hama Station along the sake-brewers’ street (Sakagura-dori). Parking is normally for 1 car, in a dedicated space about 50m from the house; if your group has more than one car, ask about nearby parking when you book. Address: Hamamachi-otsu 2782-1, Kashima City, Saga Prefecture. Google Maps. Phone: 0954-69-0629 (official site; phone hours 10:00–17:00, closed weekends and holidays).
6. Before you go
- Confirm your group is 2–6 guests and that everyone meets the age rule (20+, or high-school age with an adult).
- Remember check-in is at the NPO office near Hizen-Hama Station (15:00–18:00), not at the house.
- 4 futon sets are kept on hand; tell the house if your group needs 5 or more.
- Count your cars — parking is normally 1 space, about 50m from the house.
- Meals (breakfast, dinner) are booked and paid separately from the room rate.
Common questions
Can one person book the house alone?
No. The official plan requires a minimum of 2 guests.
Where do we pick up the key?
At the office of the NPO Mizu to Machinami no Kai near Hizen-Hama Station, not at the house itself, between 15:00 and 18:00.
Are meals included in the room rate?
No. Breakfast and dinner are separate, per-person add-ons; the base rate is room-only.
A Taisho-era house with hand-painted fusuma, used by one group of up to 6 adults at a time, is what sets this stay apart from a standard hotel room. Confirm current availability and rates on the official Suitou Bettaku page before you book.
Photo gallery (courtesy of Suitou Bettaku)
Photos provided by Suitou Bettaku.
