Oedo Onsen Monogatari Aizu

Oedo Onsen Monogatari Aizu (大江戶溫泉物語 會津) is a hot-spring inn brand within the Oedo Onsen Monogatari group, a Japanese operator of onsen resorts and bathing facilities. The Aizu property holds a special place in the chain's history: it was the company's first hot-spring inn, opened in 2007 under the name Oedo Onsen Monogatari Yuya Aizu (大江戸温泉物語 湯屋あいづ). Its launch marked the group's move from day-use bathing facilities into overnight ryokan-style resort operations, a strategy that would later be replicated across Japan. The parent brand, Oedo Onsen Monogatari, was created by Hiroshi Hashimoto, founder of Kyoden, who conceived a day-use bathing facility for the Tokyo waterfront site originally planned for the World City Expo. The first facility, Tokyo Odaiba Oedo Onsen Monogatari, opened in 2003. From 2007 onward the company acquired failed ryokan and underperforming public lodging facilities, reopening them under the Oedo Onsen Monogatari brand with low-price strategies such as buffet dining. Aizu was the first such inn. Ownership of the group has changed several times. In 2015 Bain Capital acquired the parent holding company; in 2022 the business was sold to Lone Star Funds. In 2023 the group established GENSEN HOLDINGS as a holding company, and in 2024 it began integrated management with Yukai Resort, another low-price onsen chain based in western Japan. The two brands were merged from 2024 to 2025, with Yukai Resort facilities converted to the Oedo Onsen Monogatari and TAOYA brands. As of 2026 the group operates 73 facilities under the Oedo Onsen Monogatari and TAOYA brands, including properties in Nanki-Shirahama, Nanki-Katsuura and Beppu. Aizu sits within this larger portfolio as one of the group's long-established inns in the Tohoku region. The group positions Oedo Onsen Monogatari as a brand of hot-spring inns that are approachable for all generations, while the premium TAOYA brand offers all-inclusive resort stays. The Aizu property is part of the core Oedo Onsen Monogatari brand and benefits from the group's membership program, the Iifuro Kaiin, and its nationwide reservation and marketing platform.

The Oedo Onsen Monogatari brand began in 2001, when Hiroshi Hashimoto, founder of Kyoden, established a company to create a day-use bathing facility on the Tokyo waterfront site that had been planned for the World City Expo. In 2003 the company opened Tokyo Odaiba Oedo Onsen Monogatari, a day-use hot-spring theme park. The brand then expanded into overnight lodging. In 2007 the company opened its first hot-spring inn, Oedo Onsen Monogatari Yuya Aizu, in Fukushima Prefecture. This was the origin of the Aizu property and the beginning of the group's strategy of acquiring failed ryokan and underperforming public lodging facilities and reopening them under the Oedo Onsen Monogatari brand. The chain grew nationwide through such conversions, often using low-price strategies such as buffet-style dining. Ownership changed significantly over the following years. In February 2015 Bain Capital announced it would acquire all shares of Oedo Onsen Holdings, the parent of Oedo Onsen Monogatari Co., from Hashimoto's Kyoden Area Net and others, in a deal reported at about 50 billion yen. In 2016 Oedo Onsen Monogatari Co. absorbed Oedo Onsen Holdings, and Oedo Onsen REIT Investment Corporation was established. In 2017 the group was reorganized under Oedo Onsen Monogatari Group Co., and in 2018 Oedo Onsen Monogatari Hotels & Resorts Co. absorbed the group companies. In 2021 the company announced the closure of Tokyo Odaiba Oedo Onsen Monogatari, which shut on September 5, 2022, due to the expiration of its fixed-term lease with Tokyo. In January 2022 Bain Capital announced the sale of the company's shares and management rights to Lone Star Funds. Meanwhile, Yukai Resort was founded in 2003 as an affiliate of Toai Sangyo (now TOAI) and opened its first facility in 2004. It expanded mainly in western Japan with a similar low-price, buffet-style model. In 2019 all shares were sold to Nihon Kigyo Seicho Toshi, and in January 2023 Yukai Resort came under Lone Star Funds, which also held Oedo Onsen Monogatari. From April 2024 the two chains began integrated management. In 2023 the group established GENSEN HOLDINGS as a holding company. In 2024 it announced the brand integration of Oedo Onsen Monogatari and Yukai Resort, converting Yukai Resort facilities to Oedo Onsen Monogatari and TAOYA brands. On November 1, 2024, 27 of Yukai Resort's 29 managed facilities began operating as Oedo Onsen Monogatari. In 2025 the integration continued: Yukai Resort's Kanazawa facility reopened as TAOYA Wakuura in April, completing the brand integration; on August 1, 2025, Yukai Resort Co. absorbed GENSEN HOLDINGS; and on September 1, 2025, Oedo Onsen Monogatari Hotels & Resorts changed its name to the second-generation GENSEN HOLDINGS and absorbed Yukai Resort. Shunsuke Kawasaki became president, with Hashimoto as vice president. As of 2026 the group operates 73 facilities under the Oedo Onsen Monogatari and TAOYA brands. The Aizu property, as the chain's first inn, represents the starting point of this expansion and remains part of the group's core Oedo Onsen Monogatari brand.

• Hiroshi Hashimoto establishes the company that becomes Oedo Onsen Monogatari.

• Tokyo Odaiba Oedo Onsen Monogatari opens as a day-use bathing facility.

• Oedo Onsen Monogatari Yuya Aizu opens as the company's first hot-spring inn.

• Bain Capital announces acquisition of Oedo Onsen Holdings for a reported ~50 billion yen.

• Oedo Onsen Monogatari Co. absorbs Oedo Onsen Holdings.

• Oedo Onsen REIT Investment Corporation is established.

• Oedo Onsen Monogatari Group Co. acquires all shares of Oedo Onsen Monogatari Co.

• Oedo Onsen Monogatari Hotels & Resorts Co. absorbs group companies.

• Announcement that Tokyo Odaiba Oedo Onsen Monogatari will close on September 5, 2022.

• Bain Capital announces sale of the company to Lone Star Funds.

• GENSEN HOLDINGS is established as a holding company for Oedo Onsen Monogatari and Yukai Resort.

• Yukai Resort brand integrated; 27 facilities begin operating as Oedo Onsen Monogatari.

• Oedo Onsen Monogatari Hotels & Resorts renamed GENSEN HOLDINGS (2nd generation) and absorbs Yukai Resort.

Approachable hot-spring inn for all generations within the Oedo Onsen Monogatari chain, offering low-price buffet-style stays.

• Oedo Onsen Monogatari Aizu hot-spring inn

  The chain's first hot-spring inn, opened in 2007 in Fukushima.

1. 1大江戸温泉物語 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
2. 2大江戶溫泉物語 會津 - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Oedo Onsen Monogatari Aizu official siteaizu.ooedoonsen.jp