Oyado Hanabou

It's located in a place that could truly be called a hidden gem. I've been there twice so far. The building and rooms are old, but this adds to the charm and atmosphere, and I was able to spend a relaxing time there. The rooms have their own hot springs, so being able to bathe whenever you like, even in the middle of the night or early in the morning, is a major attraction. I was surprised at how hot it was at first, but that was also a great way to experience the natural hot spring atmosphere. I would especially recommend this inn to hot spring lovers.

We avoided Kurokawa Onsen and chose this secluded inn, which was a great choice. We were greeted after parking and were impressed with our room in a separate building with a large open-air rock bath. We had dinner in a private room, mainly shabu-shabu, grilled salted rock trout, homemade tofu, and other dishes, along with beer and local sake. Breakfast was also mainly Japanese food, served in small portions, and everything was delicious. For me, it was the best stay I've ever had. We were also seen off to the parking lot on our way back, and I was very satisfied with everything.

This was my second time staying at the hotel, having visited 16 years ago. I was looking forward to the hotel's renovation in 2021. Upon arrival, I was guided to the parking lot, but there was no luggage service (a male staff member had helped me with my luggage in previous stays). When I got to my room, I was disappointed to find a hair on the sink. There was a Yogibo, but leaning back on the raised bed hurt my back, so I wish there was a floor chair. The semi-open-air bath in my room was always the perfect temperature, deep, and comfortable. While the shoji screen doors offered a view of the garden, it was dark at night, so it would have been better if it had been lit up. I was told there were four family baths, but one was always in use, and I later learned it was out of order. It would have been nice if they'd explained this to me at the beginning. By the way, all four family baths were designed the same. The open-air bath in the large public bath is located along the river, creating a lovely atmosphere, but it wasn't lit up at night (it used to be lit up, and the view was beautiful). When I visited the next morning, I was told I had to turn it on myself. It's a shame that if I had known, I could have lit it up myself. For dinner, we had shabu-shabu with three types of meat. It was my first time trying chicken shabu-shabu, and it was very tender and delicious. There were three of us, including two foreigners, but we didn't have to wait long, which was nice. However, when two of us asked for more rice at the same time, the rice bowls were piled up and taken away, which was a bit annoying. There are many stairs, which can be difficult for those with mobility issues, but it was a quiet and very atmospheric inn.