Plainly put, simply grand at Asaba

Nowhere is Japan's quiet luxury more evident than in its onsen ryokans - traditional inns with hot springs - Ou Shuyi finds.

A 100-year-old wooden stage, where traditional Noh plays and modern productions are performed, is the centerpiece of Asaba, one of the best ryokans in Japan.

Japan's charm is often compared to that of the ideal beauty, subtle and elusive - you can hardly resist it even though you cannot fully understand it. Here, beauty lies in the depth of simplicity and comes in tiny packages: the dessert plates on dinner tables, the straw smell of the tatami mats on the floor.

This is a world of quiet luxury, with nary a trace of flashiness, every detail deliciously exquisite in its utter simplicity.

I got to experience this understated elegance and luxury at Asaba, one of the country's best onsen ryokans (Japanese-style inn with hot springs), during my recent trip to Japan.

Nestled in the mountainous town of Shuzenji on the Izu peninsula, about two hours by train from Tokyo, the 510-year-old inn has been run by the Asaba family for 10 generations and is a good marriage of history and nature, of the traditional and the modern.

The entrance is so inconspicuous - a wooden gate at the end of a narrow path - we think we have wandered up to the front door of someone's house.

However, as with many things in Japan, size quickly becomes unimportant amid the expansive charm and elegance we encounter inside.

This picture was taken from the inns cafe. The cafe has no wall, it opens right out to the lake.

Japanese hospitality fills every nook and cranny. Kimono-clad staff greet us like old friends, with their gracious deep bows and pleasant smiles. The personalized service of the housemaids is unobtrusive and effective.

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