Hotel Granvia Wakayama to Host Art & Experience Exhibition Featuring 'Kishu Binchotan' – A First Collaboration with Kishu Binchotan Memorial Park

Hotel Granvia Wakayama (Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture; President Masao Takeda) is hosting a lobby exhibition spotlighting 'Kishu Binchotan,' a traditional craft representative of Wakayama Prefecture, in cooperation with Michi no Eki Kishu Binchotan Memorial Park (Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture). The exhibition will run from Wednesday, July 8, 2026, until around the end of August.

The exhibition creates an art space using Kishu Binchotan sculptures and features wind chimes and the musical instrument 'Tan Kin (Tanking),' which produce crystal-clear, resonant tones unique to binchotan charcoal. Additionally, panels introducing the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (Minabe-Tanabe Ume System) will be displayed. This experiential lobby exhibition aims to engage all five senses—seeing, touching, and listening—offering visitors and local residents an immersive experience of Wakayama’s rich natural environment and the artisans’ craftsmanship. We invite you to enjoy this special opportunity.

Lobby exhibition featuring Kishu Binchotan

Period: July 8, 2026 (Wed) – late August (planned)

Location: 1st floor lobby and 5th floor Japanese restaurant 'Maru' at Hotel Granvia Wakayama

*Exhibition content and dates are subject to change.

Cooperation: Michi no Eki Kishu Binchotan Memorial Park

Four Highlights of the 'Kishu Binchotan Experience' Lobby Exhibition

1. Kishu Binchotan Sculptures & Raw Material 'Ubagamashi' Display

Alongside the jet-black Kishu Binchotan sculptures, we display 'Ubagamashi,' the raw material used to produce it. This visual presentation illustrates the transformation cycle, showcasing how skilled artisans turn this hardwood into high-quality binchotan charcoal.

Kishu Binchotan Sculpture

Lobby exhibition view

2. Exhibition of the 'Tan Kin (Tanking)' – A Musical Instrument with a Clear Tone

We are exhibiting the rare percussion instrument 'Tan Kin,' crafted and tuned from Kishu Binchotan charcoal.

Visitors can view and tap it to experience its unique resonance.

'Tan Kin (Tanking)' made from binchotan

3. Soothing Sounds of Summer: Wind Chimes Made from Binchotan

Kishu Binchotan, known for its exceptional hardness and density, produces a clear, high-pitched, metallic-like tone when struck. Guests can enjoy its soft, crystal-clear, transparent sound—gentler than metal—through these refreshing wind chimes.

Wind chimes made from binchotan

4. Panel Exhibition Introducing the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System 'Minabe-Tanabe Ume System'

Panels clearly explain the 'Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (Minabe-Tanabe Ume System),' a source of pride for Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture. The exhibition highlights the role of Ubagamashi forests (raw material for binchotan) within the ume cultivation system and broadly communicates its agricultural mechanisms.

Michi no Eki Kishu Binchotan Memorial Park

Located in Akitsugawa, Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, this experiential facility was built at the birthplace of 'Kishu Binchotan (Kishu Binchotan)' to allow visitors to learn about the history and culture of charcoal through all five senses. The site includes a charcoal kiln where visitors can observe the production process.

Location

1491-1 Akitsugawa, Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture 646-0102

Access

By car: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes from Hotel Granvia Wakayama

From Minami-Kii-Tanabe IC on the Hanwa Expressway, take National Route 42 and then Wakayama Prefectural Road Tanabe-Ryujin Line toward Ryujin Village for 20 minutes

By train and taxi: Approximately 1 hour 40 minutes from Hotel Granvia Wakayama

Take the limited express 'Kuroshio' from JR Wakayama Station to 'JR Kii-Tanabe Station' (approx. 1 hour 10 minutes), then a 20-minute taxi ride

JR West Japan Hotels is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aiming to enrich the lives of every customer together with local communities. This initiative is considered to contribute to SDG Goal 11.

About Hotel Granvia Wakayama

Wakayama, a castle town of 555,000 koku in the Kishu domain, boasts traditions and culture shaped by history. 'Hotel Granvia Wakayama' serves as a prime access point, fully equipped with accommodations, banquet halls, and restaurants. We welcome guests with heartfelt hospitality and a warm, homely atmosphere, reflecting the charm of the Kishu region.

(https://www.granvia-wakayama.co.jp/)

Hotel Granvia Wakayama

Membership Programs of JR West Japan Hotels

JR West Japan Hotels participates in two membership programs: 'JR Hotel Members,' offering discounts on accommodations at JR Hotel Group properties nationwide, and 'WESTER Points,' providing various services and benefits when using JR West Japan Group railways and shopping. Both programs are free to join, with accumulated points redeemable at participating facilities.

For more details, visit the URL below: https://jrwest-hotels.jp/member/

About JR West Japan Hotels

As part of the JR West Japan Group, JR West Japan Hotels operates a hotel group with five brands and 13 hotels (4,407 rooms). 'Hotel Granvia' captivates guests by combining prime locations at Shinkansen and terminal stations in Kyoto, Okayama, and Hiroshima with regional charm. 'Hotel Vischio' offers smart travel access to Kyoto, Osaka, Amagasaki, and Toyama Stations with advanced services. 'THE OSAKA STATION HOTEL, Autograph Collection' stands on the site of the original Osaka Station, offering a unique journey through station and railway history. 'Nara Hotel,' established in 1909, continues to provide a nostalgic world, weaving together time and space. 'Umekoji Porter Kyoto' connects the region and travelers with immersive spaces that make time fly.

Building on the trust cultivated from 'stations,' we will continue to enrich the lives of every customer alongside local communities, aiming for world-class service standards and creating lasting connections through travel and cuisine.

*The official website URL for JR West Japan Hotels has changed.

URL: https://jrwest-hotels.jp/

Banquet and restaurant availability can now be checked online.

Restaurants: Check availability and make same-day web reservations.

https://jrwest-hotels.jp/restaurant-reservation/

Banquet Halls: Check availability by entering your preferred date, format, and number of guests.

https://page.talkappi.com/?f=hotels-westjr-hp&id=2200000012