“Like Living in a Museum”
Silke and Kieran are full-time travel filmmakers from Belgium and Scotland, documenting their journeys for the past five years. They found SHIKI while looking for somewhere to base themselves in Yufuin, drawn by the hot springs and the mountains, and stayed with us at SHIKI ART HOTEL YUFU.
Silke and Kieran have been on the road for five years, mostly across Asia, filming as they go. They came to Yufuin for the hot springs and stayed in Reflections at SHIKI ART HOTEL YUFU, a room that takes one booking at a time. On their last morning they climbed Mount Yufu, came back, and got straight into the onsen. We sat down with them at the kitchen counter afterwards, while they were still deciding whether to leave.
Let us start with the two of you.
Kieran: So we are Silke and Kieran, from Belgium and Scotland, and we have been full time travelling now for five years. Yep, mostly across Asia. And for the last few years we have been documenting our travels, sharing on social media, and it is a lifestyle that we have completely fallen in love with.
The tatami platform in Reflections. The room sleeps up to six, across two semi-double beds and four futons.
You met eight years ago.
Kieran: So we met eight years ago in Spain. We were working as professional contemporary dancers, and actually I was auditioning for the company Silke was already a part of. And the most beautiful part is, the day we met we fell in love and moved into a house together.
Two dancers who became filmmakers. Most of the editing on this trip was done at the counter in the room.
Yufuin sits at the foot of Mount Yufu, in the hills of central Oita. It is a small town, and almost all of it is walkable.
SHIKI ART HOTEL YUFU is in the middle of it. The hotel takes only two parties a night, its onsen runs on natural hot spring water around the clock, and there is contemporary art in every room.
Why Yufuin?
Kieran: We are super happy that we discovered SHIKI. Yufuin was somewhere that we really wanted to visit, mostly for the hot springs, because I love hot springs.
Silke: Yeah. Addicted to hot springs.
Kieran: And we just thought it would be a great place to base ourselves.
You were right in the middle of town.
Kieran: We are right in the heart of the town, and I mean, you feel that energy. You look out the window, you can see the people passing. And every view is just mountains, which is our favourite thing. We have a big connection to Scotland, the mountains.
The mountain they kept looking at is Mount Yufu, 1,583 metres, twin peaked, and close enough to the town that it stands in the window of the room. Locally it is called Bungo Fuji.
The usual way up starts at the Yufu Tozanguchi trailhead and takes around two and a half hours. Silke and Kieran did it on the morning of their last day, then came back and got in the onsen.
And you climbed Mount Yufu on your last morning.
Kieran: That was actually why we went on a big hike this morning, to Mount Yufu. And just to be able to come back here, dip into our own private onsen. I mean, this is a perfect place just to have that work, chill balance, I guess.
The island kitchen, where this conversation happened, a few hours after they came down off the mountain.
And the art.
Silke: I have enjoyed this so much and I do not wanna leave.
Kieran: Same.
Silke: I would love to stay here a little bit longer. And also all the artwork, it makes it a really different kind of stay, yeah. We have not stayed in a lot of places with, um, it all feels like an exhibition.
Kieran: Yeah, like an exhibition. Like you are living in a museum. Which is really cool. Not museum. An exhibition. Exhibition. [laughs]
Before it was a guest room, Reflections was the Sawada Museum. SHIKI took the building on and kept its proportions, and the concept the room is run under is, in the hotel’s own words, Stay in a Museum. The works on the walls are by leading Japanese contemporary artists, hung to set Eastern and Western ideas of beauty against one another.
Kieran corrected himself twice and landed back where he started.
Their last morning, a few hours before checkout.
One last thing.
Silke: Yeah, look at the detail here. This is, yeah, it is so beautiful.
Reflections. 110㎡, once the Sawada Museum, now one of two rooms at SHIKI ART HOTEL YUFU. Private natural onsen running 24 hours, island kitchen, Yufu Mountains through the window, up to six guests. Two parties a night, and no more.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Follow Silke and Kieran at @silkyrontheroad.
All stay stories →