Yadoya Tsubaki

There’s a public bath if all the private slots are taken, though there are three private hot springs you can reserve. One is outdoors and unusually warm. I went in at 0600 when it was -1C, and outside still felt comfortable, not cold. It’s the round tub in the pictures. I visited on a day when hardly anyone was there. Just don’t expect views.

We were five adults and stayed three days and two nights, using two separate rooms. The traditional Japanese rooms each had their own toilet. The public baths were wonderful, and there were also three private baths to choose from. Yadoya Tsubaki is only a quick three-minute walk from the station, which made it convenient. A wonderful place to stay in Aomori.

The owners were very friendly. When we wanted to use the public bath in the morning, it was being cleaned, so we couldn’t go in. One of the owners kindly opened a private bath for us instead. The parking lot is right across from the hotel. Our bed was comfortable and we had a nice stay, although the bathroom was tiny and a little dusty. The room layout was confusing and narrow, and moving around with a couple of suitcases was difficult.

The wood-burning stove warming the lobby seating area was the first thing I noticed when we arrived after dark. The heat and smell of the wood really suited the atmosphere of this old hotel. There are two standard onsens, one for men and one for women, plus two private ones that you can book. I highly recommend reserving a private bath early in the morning. I got one for 7am, and being able to wake up and go straight to my own onsen was incredible. This was my favorite place to stay while traveling in Japan, and I’ll make a point of coming back. Some rooms don’t have a shower, so you use the public shower in the onsen instead. If you want more privacy, book the private onsen, which comes with a shower.