Comments on: The hotel one man dug out of solid rock #1 exterior http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/ a Ruins Explorer and SF / Fantasy Author in Japan Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:20:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Yoshimi Japan in Saitama « Moé Passion http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/comment-page-1/#comment-17576 Yoshimi Japan in Saitama « Moé Passion Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:56:14 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=1740#comment-17576 [...] walk, I came to the hills and this curious fenced off location which I instantly recognized from Michael John Grist’s article. I wasn’t expecting to run into it and wasn’t particularly looking but I took [...] [...] walk, I came to the hills and this curious fenced off location which I instantly recognized from Michael John Grist’s article. I wasn’t expecting to run into it and wasn’t particularly looking but I took [...]

]]> By: The hotel one man dug out of solid rock #2 interior | Michael John Grist http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/comment-page-1/#comment-12722 The hotel one man dug out of solid rock #2 interior | Michael John Grist Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:38:31 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=1740#comment-12722 [...] last time I came to the Gan Kutsu hotel was with SY, you can see that post here. It was completely blocked off, with no gaps or breaks in the metal grilles covering the several [...] [...] last time I came to the Gan Kutsu hotel was with SY, you can see that post here. It was completely blocked off, with no gaps or breaks in the metal grilles covering the several [...]

]]> By: Paul http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/comment-page-1/#comment-11959 Paul Sat, 10 Apr 2010 17:08:30 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=1740#comment-11959 Dude, theres an entire <i>city</i> like this in Australia. Well, half of it is above ground and not very interesting, but its the half you don't see thats amazing. The citizens are mostly descendants from Greek migrants so there are crazy Orthodox churches carved out of solid rock. Its surrounded by roughly 31 flavours of gratuitous danger and has merely one (very major) road connect to it. Dude, theres an entire city like this in Australia. Well, half of it is above ground and not very interesting, but its the half you don’t see thats amazing. The citizens are mostly descendants from Greek migrants so there are crazy Orthodox churches carved out of solid rock. Its surrounded by roughly 31 flavours of gratuitous danger and has merely one (very major) road connect to it.

]]> By: out of ruins - Stories and Images from the Edge http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/comment-page-1/#comment-8202 out of ruins - Stories and Images from the Edge Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:03:28 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=1740#comment-8202 [...] one somewhat off the beaten track and not so well known. I went with SY after checking out the Gan Kutsu Cliff Face Hotel – from there we spotted all these myriad holes in the cliff nearby and went to take a look. [...] [...] one somewhat off the beaten track and not so well known. I went with SY after checking out the Gan Kutsu Cliff Face Hotel – from there we spotted all these myriad holes in the cliff nearby and went to take a look. [...]

]]> By: MJG http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/comment-page-1/#comment-2410 MJG Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:43:20 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=1740#comment-2410 Kelly- No doubt it might be a bit creepy- but that's all part of the appeal. I don't imagine he dug any rooms so deep though, probably they all have 'windows'. Tornadoes- I'm sure it was furnished, and would have a window/balcony, so not so bad really, right? Jonas- Hi, and thanks for your great comment, that's cool you like the site. Haikyo is definitely the backbone, and easily draws the most pageviews. The Tunisia Hotel is an eye-opener- of course I'd seen that place in Star Wars but had no idea it was a real place- thanks for the link. I love stuff like this; caves, tree-houses, man-made islands, snow-holes- kind of secret places, unexpected, carved into nature. Maybe dank, but they make up for it with being awesome. As for re-opening the place, it would be great, but I imagine untenable by modern building codes and standards. The charm of it is that its 'natural', but to ensure it was stable they'd have to do all kinds of stabilizing work so much it would just be a building with rock-filler stuck onto the side of the cliff. Ah well... Miki- Definitely. However I saw another photo in a book I can't find again in which it looked really grand. Kelly- No doubt it might be a bit creepy- but that’s all part of the appeal. I don’t imagine he dug any rooms so deep though, probably they all have ‘windows’.

Tornadoes- I’m sure it was furnished, and would have a window/balcony, so not so bad really, right?

Jonas- Hi, and thanks for your great comment, that’s cool you like the site. Haikyo is definitely the backbone, and easily draws the most pageviews. The Tunisia Hotel is an eye-opener- of course I’d seen that place in Star Wars but had no idea it was a real place- thanks for the link. I love stuff like this; caves, tree-houses, man-made islands, snow-holes- kind of secret places, unexpected, carved into nature. Maybe dank, but they make up for it with being awesome. As for re-opening the place, it would be great, but I imagine untenable by modern building codes and standards. The charm of it is that its ‘natural’, but to ensure it was stable they’d have to do all kinds of stabilizing work so much it would just be a building with rock-filler stuck onto the side of the cliff. Ah well…

Miki- Definitely. However I saw another photo in a book I can’t find again in which it looked really grand.

]]> By: Miki http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/comment-page-1/#comment-2405 Miki Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:56:29 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=1740#comment-2405 From the picture of the staircase it looks very scary inside. From the picture of the staircase it looks very scary inside.

]]> By: Jonas http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/comment-page-1/#comment-2404 Jonas Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:40:07 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=1740#comment-2404 Hi MJG I've been following your blog now for a few months, first time to comment. Yours is one of the most interesting blogs on Japan I've found - always fun and often enlightening to read your posts about structures, people etc., but even more so those of your haikyo explorations. Actually I only learned through your blog that such a thing as haikyo exists. This cave hotel reminds me very much of a place I stayed in Tunesia about 10 years ago. They had dug a couple of 2 stories deep holes into the ground and then excavated the walls. We would then sleep on stone platforms within those arc-shaped caves, and the "lobby areas" were open to the sky above and connected to each other with tunnels. Must be one of the most fascinating hotels in the world. Some people in the area still have their homes like this. Actually, a lot of the Tattooine scenes from Star Wars were shot there. http://www.mccullagh.org/photo/1ds-4/hotel-sidi-driss They really should reopen this hotel in Saitama - with such a fascinating setting and background, I guess there should be a sufficient market - especially if they attach an onsen to it, inside the caves :) Hi MJG

I’ve been following your blog now for a few months, first time to comment. Yours is one of the most interesting blogs on Japan I’ve found – always fun and often enlightening to read your posts about structures, people etc., but even more so those of your haikyo explorations. Actually I only learned through your blog that such a thing as haikyo exists.

This cave hotel reminds me very much of a place I stayed in Tunesia about 10 years ago. They had dug a couple of 2 stories deep holes into the ground and then excavated the walls. We would then sleep on stone platforms within those arc-shaped caves, and the “lobby areas” were open to the sky above and connected to each other with tunnels. Must be one of the most fascinating hotels in the world. Some people in the area still have their homes like this.
Actually, a lot of the Tattooine scenes from Star Wars were shot there.
http://www.mccullagh.org/photo/1ds-4/hotel-sidi-driss

They really should reopen this hotel in Saitama – with such a fascinating setting and background, I guess there should be a sufficient market – especially if they attach an onsen to it, inside the caves :)

]]> By: Tornadoes28 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/comment-page-1/#comment-2400 Tornadoes28 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:51:02 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=1740#comment-2400 Pretty cool. I don't think I would want to sleep in a cave though. Pretty cool. I don’t think I would want to sleep in a cave though.

]]> By: Kelly http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/03/gan-kutsu-cliff-hotel-haikyo-saitama/comment-page-1/#comment-2380 Kelly Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:02:12 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=1740#comment-2380 That's amazing! I never knew such a thing existed. What a shame. It's quite creepy looking on the postcard though, not sure if i would want to stay there. That’s amazing! I never knew such a thing existed. What a shame. It’s quite creepy looking on the postcard though, not sure if i would want to stay there.

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